When I first got into Georgetown, I followed countless food Instagrams with hopes of finding the best eats in DC. One of my favorites was @dceatss, which has 45.1k fans and counting, and posts some of the the most nom-worthy food I have ever seen. Hannah Smulson, a Georgetown freshman, is one of the founders of @dceatss and is a member of Georgetown's Spoon University chapter. I decided to talk to her and hear her story on her food insta journey.
What inspired you to create a food Insta?
"I have always been a fan of @new_fork_city. After snapping hundreds of food pics and realizing that I couldn't Insta them all, I decided to make a food Instagram so that I would have an outlet for these unused images."
Who runs @dceatss?
"I run @dseatss with my three best friends from high school. We all grew up in DC, but now I go to Georgetown, and my friends go to school in Michigan, Maine, and Toronto."
What makes a good food Insta?
"For each individual picture, food must be centered and clear. Good lighting is key, and we try to avoid posting flash photos (but sometimes you gotta do it, especially for good pasta). You also have to keep your theme in mind when you post a photo: you want to have a colorful feed full of bright, varied foods."
Do you always eat the food you Insta?
"We eat the vast majority of the foods we post."
How did your following grow?
"We've been at this for a long time (over four years). When you first start, you have to be aggressive (commenting on other people's posts, using hashtags, and reaching out to famous pages for a repost). After we got to 15-20k followers, our following grew more quickly. Sometimes you have to have followers to get more."
How often should you post?
"We try to post at each major meal time (9 am, 12 pm, and 3 am). If it's a weekend, we might post later at night too."
What's your number one #SpoonHack?
"If there is a brand you enjoy, reach out to them. You can try to get subsidized meals or free swag. Always make sure you have an email for your food Instagram so they can reach out to you!"
How much should I talk about my food Insta?
"Major self promotion is key. Tell all your friends, family, or friends with benefits. In order to get more followers, tell everyone about your food Insta."
What food instagrams best?
"I have two favorite things to instagram. Timber Pizza at the Farmers Market is my Georgetown favorite, and pancakes in general photograph better than just about anything."
I hope that these tips are helpful in crafting the perfect food Instagram. Worst case scenario, they will just help you edit your next latte art pic.