Everyone hits rock bottom at one point or another. But it’s not about how many times you get hit, its about whether you get back up and keep moving forward.
Lucy let’s start at the beginning. Please tell us a little about yourself and what motivated you to document your journey through Instagram and to start your blog?
LW: Hmm, where do I begin. Perhaps about 3 years ago when I hit rock bottom in my personal life and felt lost, full of despair, and vulnerable. Unable to find joy in anything, I found comfort in food and started photographing what I ate daily as a form of journaling.
How would you describe your personal brand?
LW: EatsLucyWang is a hobbyist, she turns something simple and noticed into passion. I think my page speaks to many who enjoy the little things in life, such as finding a good eatery/ cool attraction to visit/ helpful hacks and tips, etc. what started out as only a food blog opened to a lifestyle blog. This ties back to how I overcame my dark past and appreciated life in a different perspective.
When did you realize that your hobbies of food and photography could become a career?
LW: Initially it was only photos of food to journal what I ate that day, but shortly I started to input my own look & feel & tone of voice but over time it’s constantly changing and molding to who I am. One day one business reached out to collaborate and at the time I didn’t have any influencer friends, so I was not aware of what it even meant. Then one business turned into two, and in time it was ten-fold the volume and I was immersed in foodieland. As I gained more exposure to the foodie world through restaurants, I met a lot of creatives who turned this passion into their full-time career, and it was an eye opener to one’s self own job creation capabilities.
What has been the most exciting event/moment you’ve experience since becoming a food blogger?
LW: I enjoy everything I do – meeting creatives, being on the same vibe and collaborating, turning one-off campaigns into long-term clienteles, and being able to let my creativity thrive through original content.
Your photos and feed on Instagram are just breathtaking. Can you walk us through how you come up with the composition and the final product before posting?
LW: The hardest part is explaining a gut feeling. Perhaps many others can relate – when you know that final touch is ready, it’s ready. I pay attention to how I style the products, food placement, and myself; everything from whether I see fit to use a slice of lime or a wedge to whether I envision this shot to give off a bubbly vibe or a serious tone. However, the creation process also involves a lot of post-shoot edit. It really is a gut feeling.
How do you think food and travel go hand in hand? What about the two that so relevant and similar?
LW: Food and travel are inseparable. They are both therapeutically, nourishing to our knowledge and diversifies our acceptance to different cultures. Per Anthony Bourdain, “you learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together”. Food and travel connect us to be more empathetic, more appreciative, and after each travel I found myself more focused and goal driven than before. Moreover, I think they both help us discover a little part of us that we weren’t aware of before.
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
LW: Many of the influencers are creators before they are viewed as another ad page. Many influencers put in a lot of time, planning, effort for that perfect post and they think long and hard for the right caption. Although signaling that it’s a sponsored or paid post is common (i.e. #ad before their caption), many influencers are still sharing their honest input into the copy. I don’t think anyone should shy away from admitting the post is paid because if the quality of the content is as engaging and reputable as unpaid posts, having #ad doesn’t mean this is a sales tactic, if anything it tells you that the brand trusts this person to be a spokesperson.
How do you think the rise of influencer accounts on Instagram has impacted on the way that people discover restaurants/chefs/bar/and food?
LW: Through creators on Instagram, many eateries have benefited from their exposure of the business because as they have upped the visual attraction of many places that weren’t perceived as well before. People are no longer relying on Yelp for what food item looks unique to check off their curiosity box, they’re going to Instagram. Consumers are spending disposable income to things that are trending and more popular thanks to the buzzing digital marketing platform we have known as Instagram. It’s helped a lot of restaurant owners who are too occupied with the operations of the business to curate content and helped them reevaluate the impact of social media marketing.
Do you think the food influencer scene could reach a point of saturation where users “switch off”? And if so, how far off do you think we are?
LW: Our generation thrives on instant results – we owe it to the vast technology that’s available, but we are also at fault for the lack of attention span we’re capable of. It’s only a matter of time that we shift our interest from Instagram onto a different platform. As a Creator this doesn’t make any difference to me because Instagram is only operating as a vessel to showcase what I’m capable of. At the end of the day even if the world switches off, I still have my own little light to shine the path.
If you had to pick one cuisine to eat for the rest of your life, what would you go with?
LW: I’m a foodie through and through but if I had to pick ONE… it’s probably Korean food. I can crave sushi, crave pizza, crave wings, but Korean food seems to be the one constant cuisine that I can eat every day.
Do you think every restaurant should have a presence on Social Media?
LW: Having a social media presence is highly recommended. It’s a portal of communication that the restaurant can reach out to their community with. However, I don’t think every restaurant needs that kind of exposure. I believe some places want to stay quaint/ cozy/ private/ and away from the public eye.
Lucy, anything else you want to share with our readers.
LW: If there’s anything I’d like the readers to know I think “influencer” currently has such a negative connotation but we’re all people with our own side of the stories.
