food pictures and social media

1. Research Study:
Food Pictures and
Social Media
By Sam Zaduk

2. Objective of Research
•Develop a better understanding on
how users react to food pictures on
their social media platforms
•Figure out if people dislike, don’t
mind, or even enjoy food pictures in
their social feeds
•Food images and how they effect
purchase choices

3. Summary of Research Design
Qualitative
• Interview questions were
derived from the
response results of the
survey
• open ended questions
• One on one interviews
• I used a loose approach,
based off the
information from survey
data
Quantitative
• Survey questions asked
were quantitative
• 11 questions
• Ordinal, nominal,
categorical, etc
• Question format: Likert,
multiple choice
• Survey was taken by St.
Edward’s dMBA students

4. Examples of Survey Questions
• How do you access social media networks?
• Which of the following social media networks do you use on
mobile desktop platforms?
• Do you have a preference towards which social media
platforms you post food pictures on?
• Do you enjoy seeing pictures of food on your social media
networks?
• Do you agree with the statement: People post pictures of food
that they want their friends to try?

5. Examples Interview Questions
• Do you get annoyed when friends post food related pictures on social media?
If not, do you enjoy seeing them? For what reasons?
• Would you say these food postings influence your purchasing decisions?
• Try a new restaurant; buy a different product, etc.?
• Do you follow food companies, restaurants, and food personalities on social
media?
• Which ones?
• Do you think there is an audience for a social media platform entirely
dedicated to food? One that would be very image heavy.
• Do you ever check Yelp or a similar service and look at the pictures posted? Do
they influence your decision? Do they ever disappoint you after because the
pictures didn’t accurately reflect what the food looked like in person?

6. Research Findings
Rate this statement:
I use social media to determine where I
eat.
Do you agree with the statement people
post food pictures of food that they
want their friends to try?

7. Research Findings
Do you take pictures of your
food and post them to a social
network listed in question 3?
When friends post food pictures
on social media (Facebook,
Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram,
Pinterst) does this influence you
to try the restaurant?

8. Research Findings
How often have you been
influenced to try a new
restaurant by what you have
seen in social media networks?
Which social media networks
used

9. Summary of Research Findings
• People don’t like to explicitly admit they post food pictures
• Social media has a considerable effect on where people
choose to eat
• 50/50 split in survey responses
• Age ranges helped reveal patterns in responses

10. Why This Research is Relevant
• The research is relevant for me in finding a target audience for
a business idea
• Interesting connection between social media and food
pictures
• Food pictures have a tendency to influence where people eat
• The research reveals a potential niche market
• Additionally, the research can help businesses, particularly
food service ones, know what social networks are most ideal
for food pictures and vice versa

11. Reflection
• What went well
• Interview went fantastic
• The varied responses and a strong division between those in
favor and against food photos in social media
• Age ranges having similar response patterns
• What didn’t go well
• Mobile Survey Issues
• Sample Size Issues
• Interview initially was supposed to be exploratory
• Changed the order and used collected survey data for interview
questions
• More clearly written survey questions
• Hopefully less skewed results

12. What Questions Are
There?