What Secrets Restaurant can Learn from Top YouTube Food Vloggers

Nearly half of all adults watch food videos on YouTube, and millennials alone have powered a 280% growth in the number of food channel subscribers over just one year - according to Think with Google. The popularity of food channels also means that competition is stiffening for the many chefs, food manufacturers, and gourmet travelers who are keen to share recipes and other food-related content on the Tube. If you are a new channel, analysing the secrets of top creator’s success is key. These are just a few tips you can follow to slowly but surely build up a solid and loyal social media following.

Interacting with Audiences: If you subscribe to food travel vlogger, Mark Wiens (4.8M subscribers), you keenly follow the chronicles of Swati Sucharita, or you go ga-ga over the pop-culture-inspired desserts of Rosanna Pansino, then you are probably already aware of their interest in encouraging YouTube comments, likes and shares. When they answer a query of a prospective traveler or share a subscriber’s fabulous dishes, they are showing two important things. Firstly, they are truly passionate about what they do and have a sincere wish to instill that passion in others. Secondly, they are keen on the views, opinions, and artistry of their followers. All this creates a sense of community and belonging  - which is vital when it comes to keeping one’s fan-base loyal.

Sharing Insider Knowledge: ‘Slow’, ‘Zero Kilometre’, and other catchphrases of the modern millennium have made one thing clear: people are after food that nourishes body, mind, and soul, but they are also keen on dishes that connect them with the traditions and customs of local communities. Thus, Archana Doshi, founder of Archana’s Kitchen, has captured the hearts and minds of audiences by making traditional and creative dishes alike seem easy and easy to replicate at home. Another is Karthik Gandhi, who considers biryani to be the heartline of his content. If you are starting a food vlogging channel, start out by celebrating local dishes, customs, and recipes, and by visiting ‘secret gem’ establishments that can help convert your local area into a foodie haven worthy of visiting?

Knowing their Target Audience: For chef vloggers in particular, knowing who they are creating content for is key. They rely heavenly on YouTube Analytics and other software to gauge information on everything from the age of their subscribers to how long audiences spent on a video or the average view duration. While generic cooking channels exist, other capitalise on niche markets that end up garnering them millions of subscribers. Take Rosanna Pansino, who tries out ‘nerdy’ and ‘kiddie’ foods such as weird cereals, cooks with odd Amazon baking gadgets, and makes creative kawaii cakes. Your channel will never satisfy all tastes so might as well go in deep with a subject that ignites your passion enough that working on your content never feels like a chore.

Using other Social Media Channels: If you have a YouTube channel, think of how other media can boost your subscriber count. Instagram stories, Twitter uploads, and Facebook recipe shares are all used by top vloggers to generate views. To make sure these work for you, invest in top quality photography and make sure your text is accurate, well written, and grammatically perfect.

When it comes to YouTube food channels, it is evident that there is something for every niche and speciality you could think of. To create a successful channel of your own, specialise in something you live and know, and share the secrets and tips you discover along the way. Continuously use YouTube analytics and other software to determine the nature, age, and interests of your audience, adapting and tweaking your content accordingly. Finally, don’t forget the power of interaction. Take time to show your audiences you care about them even more than you do about your Ad sense!