Research​ Reflection

My research is about “The Self: Self-branding of KOL in food industry”

Let’s watch the video I made about this study:

I think it is a very interesting topic for me since I am a food lover and I do love reading Food KOL’s Instagram. I mainly read their post every day, I have already stated that why I wanna do this topic in my Research Proposal so this time I may talk about how I feel after finishing this research.

It is a good experience for me that I can know more about the view of the point on both side of my stakeholders which is “Food KOL” and “Foodie who love read the post of Food KOL”. Since it is a new topic, it is hard to find some secondary research about Food KOL. So I do try my best to find out some primary research and get to know more about this topic. Luckily, I do have a Food KOL friend and friends who love to read the Food KOL’s post. They are so nice and welcome to have an interview with me, they both talked about their own opinions to those Food KOL and their own experience.

At the very beginning, I think I am the only one who will trust the Food KOL and try the same food, surprisingly my friend did the same thing also. For me, to try the same food with the Food KOL, bring me a bad experience and I think I may not trust them any more although I wanted to but after this study. My friend told me, she did had a great experience by following the Food KOL, I think I should give them a chance and find the other Food KOL to follow.

Before the interview, I do think being a Food KOL is easy and everybody can do it, even I can do it. I didn’t think that was so many stuff to handle, and build or maintain personal branding is not easy. You have to make good use of the Instagram function: IG story, IG live, regular post a review or sharing, reply to the audience, keep in touch with the people etc. They need to put a lot of effort to build the personal branding of their Instagram, it is hard to find a way to stand out from the crowd.

In this study, it is very sad for me didn’t ask about the impact of food critics or restaurant review site on the Foodie so I can not compare to the Food KOL nowadays. The video is already too much information on this study if I do have much more time I will definitely find out more result on this part.

Overall, I do think I try my best and had a great experience during this study. I really enjoy the research process and the result did surprise me from both side view. I do think I want to be a Food KOL in the future, this study may help me to this career path and I can know more about the importance of personal branding and how the audience really thinks about the Food KOL and what the audience what or need.