You might soon notice higher numbers of more realistic food photos on your social media feeds as influencers respond to feedback from their audiences.
DMA Solutions, a Dallas-based marketing firm, noted in its new trends report that influencers are hearing that people are growing weary of “perfect food.”
That impression tracks with a broader trend of consumers seeking authenticity from those they follow for information, from bloggers to companies themselves.
In the interest of making their food photos more relatable, influencers have a few strategies in mind, per the DMA trends report.
The most intuitive is to style food so that it is aesthetically pleasing but realistic. People want to know what the recipe will actually look like if they try to replicate it.
Another way to make images more relatable is to cut back on props — and instead using fruits and vegetables to add color.
Influencers also told DMA that videos can be useful in giving people confidence that they can create the recipe being described.
One more idea for 2019 is to dispense with melodramatic, dark photos in favor of bright, fun shots.
DMA also projects that movement shots will be a trend this year.
“No more simply flat-lays in 2019: to get their taste buds going, viewers want drizzles, drips and dustings caught in motion at just the right time,” the firm wrote in its report. “Lackluster photography won’t earn brands any likes or momentum this year, so make the commitment to generate new or updated photography and content ... or risk your brand getting left behind.”
Check out the full report from DMA here.