Nosh for comment: Influencer Ryan Khong’s Perth Food Adventures makes thousands while eating out for free

Perth restaurant owners wanting local food influencer Ryan Khong to endorse their venue via social media must fork out at least $1000. In 2014, the digital media graduate launched Perth Food Adventures to share his love of eating out via Facebook and Instagram, and he’s also rolled it out on TikTok. Mr Khong said friends were always hitting him up for recommendations and, given he’d grown up with social media, posting videos and images about his “favourite spots and hidden gems” was the natural next step. “My friends said ‘You eat out a lot, why don’t you just show people where you’re going’,” the 31-year-old said. Restaurants began offering food in exchange for online content and the “hobby” soon evolved into a small business spruiking local venues — for a fee rather than just a free feed. Mr Khong said paid social media posts by food influencers have “blown up” in the past few years. Part of his digital marketing agency Word of Mouth, Perth Food Adventures now employs three people and is rapidly closing in on 100,000 followers on Instagram, making it a macro-influencer according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s 2023 report on digital platforms. The report said mega-influencers have more than one million followers and can earn as much as $20,000 per post, while brands can pay a monthly fee of up to $12,000 for an agreed number of posts. Mr Khong, whose dad is the chef behind popular Malaysian food truck Pauly K’s Kitchen, said that for $1000 a client gets “three to five” Instagram stories plus one video “reel” of 20-30 seconds shared across TikTok and Instagram. The client provides food and drinks, while the influencer usually covers travel and the costs of shooting and editing videos. Perth Food Adventures has promoted businesses ranging from small family-run cafes and restaurants to the BP Australia-owned Wild Bean Cafe chain. Mr Khong said one Singapore-based client paid him close to $4000 plus flights and accommodation. While it sounds like a lot of money for a few pics and a video on social media, he said these online endorsements often result in an immediate increase in custom. After Perth Food Adventures shared a campaign for Kyoto Garden in November, the owners of the Kardinya ramen and dessert shop told him sales had doubled and their online following had quadrupled. “People can relate to me as a young Australian,” Mr Khong said, adding that he often gets recognised around town as “the foodie guy”. More than 60 per cent of Perth Food Adventures’ followers on Instagram are female, while more than half are aged between 18 and 34, according to Mr Khong. While other influencers might be uncomfortable with him sharing the tricks of his trade, he argued that discussing it openly would help legitimise the burgeoning profession. Most established social media sites command around $300-$500 per post, Mr Khong said, adding that he would never endorse a business, brand or product he didn’t like. According to Australian Consumer Law, social media influencers must disclose if they are being paid or receiving free items to promote products or services. The ACCC report revealed more than 80 per cent of influencers risk being fined by not revealing whether endorsements are so-called cash for comment. At least one local publicity agency strongly advises clients do not pay for posts so that recommendations “remain authentic”. Local publicity guru David Gardiner, whose DGPR agency represents around 50 hospitality venues around Perth, said quality content was more important than how many followers an influencer has. “You want to be able to lick your (smartphone) screen,” he said. “You want content that makes you go ‘I want that now’.” Mr Gardiner said engaging posts usually yield immediate results for venues, which were looking for cheaper and quicker ways to promote their business than those offered by traditional advertising agencies. “We don’t think of them just as influencers, we look at them as content creators,” he explains. “It’s a low-cost advertising avenue for us.” The best local food influencers would usually get anywhere between $100 to $1000 per post, while “big celebrity talent” with national profiles could command more than $20,000 for an online campaign, Mr Gardiner said. Live-streamed videos of a host interacting with the audience while eating — called “mukbang” from the Korean words for eating and broadcast — could earn an influencer $300,000 a month. DGPR has more than 100 influencers on its books, however most are only to fill guestlists for openings and special events. Mr Gardiner said he carefully vets influencers before pairing them with a venue or brand. “It’s very much about working together to create a piece that both parties are happy with,” he explained. Authenticity is important, as is ensuring an influencer doesn’t exaggerate or lie about the food. Mr Gardiner also does “due diligence” to ensure, for example, that a potential ambassador for a family restaurant doesn’t have a side hustle doing adult content on OnlyFans. He said most of the influencers on his books were millennials and generation Z but joked that he’d love to have a boomer influencer. “That’s the dream.” Another local publicist, speaking off the record, said the most significant engagement is between gen Z influencers and their peers. The ACCC report found consumers are more receptive to an influencer’s product advice than that of a television, movie or sporting star, while online endorsements offered instant visibility. Advertising studies estimate influencer marketing campaigns create $6.50 of revenue for every dollar spent. On the flipside, potential cons included fake followers artificially boosting an influencer’s perceived audience, lack of authenticity and reputational risk. The report also found the buzz created by a social media campaign can soon dissipate and not yield any significant ongoing results.