The Hayam Wuruk Perbanas University Lecturer Team accompanied the traders at the Culinary Tourism Center (SWK) Convention Hall Surabaya. Assistance aims to improve local culinary branding with culinary photography and digital marketing methods. Taking place on Friday (1/10), a number of traders took advantage of a mini culinary photography studio with hands-on practice using cellphone cameras.

The head of the UHW Perbanas Lecturer team, Erida Herlina, S.E., M.Sc., revealed that the training activities for SWK traders were thanks to the collaboration between Hayam Wuruk Perbanas University and the Surabaya City Government through the Surabaya City Cooperatives and UMKM Service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his team received complaints from local traders that their turnover had decreased quite drastically. "Through this assistance, we want to optimize promotions through social media, such as Facebook and Instagram," he explained.

So far, people often get references to culinary destinations from Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and online purchasing service platforms. Therefore, his party provides material on optimizing social media. "That is our reason for optimizing the benefits of social media in promoting culinary products at SWK," he explained.

He continued, as many as 40 traders in the SWK Convention Hall intensely coordinated and consulted. Although they don't have to meet face-to-face, they are joined in groups with companions making it easier to provide solutions. In fact, UHW Perbanas has also prepared a verbal bank and a visual bank that merchants can use for online promotion.

"Previously, the team had socialized the function of social media to merchants so that they understood the benefits. We also optimized Google Maps SWK reviews for merchants and provided visual banks and verbal banks to make their content more attractive and persuasive," he added.

The team of UHW Perbanas lecturers who joined in the mentoring included: Erida Herlina, Pungky Febi Arifianto, Kartika Marta Budiana, Immanuel Candra Irawan, and Ika Yunia Fauzia.

Meanwhile, Nursanti, one of the local traders, admitted that there was a change in better results when taking pictures using a mini photography studio. He admits that the lighting of food or objects becomes increasingly clear. "Usually I take photos with table mats or other things, the results are normal. After using this tool, the food becomes more interesting on social media," the impression of the Pangsit Mie Hauup trader at the SWK Convention Hall. (eko/humas)