Sharing Outside the Box

When discussing the strategy and use of social media it’s easy to focus on the big three: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But sometimes when you want to reach a specific audience, it’s important to shake things up and look for something a little outside the box. That’s what Lotus Farm to Table, in Media, PA, has done by enlisting the help of the local Philadelphia Foodspotting group.

Foodspotting is a global network that allows people to share opinions and artistic viewpoints about food. It connects people to dishes, not just restaurants. Users in this network snap photos, usually with their mobile phones, and upload them onto the Foodspotting website in real time. There, anyone can peruse the latest dish and find inspiration for their next culinary adventure. Folks in Philadelphia have taken it one step further, creating a group that hosts monthly events called “eat-ups.”

That is where Lotus saw an opportunity. By contacting one of the groups leading members, the restaurant was able to work in conjunction with the group to host an eat-up in the restaurant. The eat-up, which was scheduled for July 28, encourages the group to come and taste the food and unique teas, and while they’re at it, snap a few photos of the restaurant. Lotus has nothing to lose, since the groups pay for their meals at these events.

Lotus is hoping to start a dialogue about their dishes through photos, attracting new dinners based on the visuals. By engaging with a lesser-known medium in a social exchange, the restaurant could spark something that has yet to be embraced on a mainstream level by other players in the restaurant industry.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jacob DeChant.