How companies primp for social media

How does a restaurant design its dishes? Big chains will use executive chefs and possibly flavor and marketing experts who can say what's hot. (Ever wonder why salted caramel dishes became so popular?)

Chili's Grill & Bar (EAT) needed all that and probably a photographer and food stylist. The company now sits its burgers up taller and puts fries in stainless steel containers with decorative holes punched into the sides. The reason is to make food look good on Instagram (FB).

Like many other companies, Chili's has found that the Internet has made some new demands on companies. Promotion requires, in part, an understanding of how social media work and a willingness to change business as usual to please as many people as much of the time as possible.

Chili's has its own Instagram account and posts plenty of professionally taken images. But the company claims that food pictures come second only to selfies in popularity online. There's a potential that millions of consumers could want to show a good-looking picture of lunch or dinner that might entice others to try the same restaurant.

However, good food photography requires knowledge of proper lighting, attractive and appropriate props, and a deft hand at food styling. Falter on any part, and the burger could look flat and unappetizing. A bad picture makes for a wary consumer.

And so, Chili's is trying to take some of the potential shortfalls out of the picture. Make someone's meal look good, and you might see it making the rounds online, boosting your marketing reach.

Companies have had to reconsider how they market because online networks require different communication skills. Vine, the six-second looping video service of Twitter (TWTR), is a quirky way to get a point across. But companies have found ways, using stop-action animation, a lot of editing and humor.

Here's an example from home improvement chain Lowe's (LOW), one of its Fix in Six videos that combine entertainment and do-it-yourself tips.

Still, learning to leverage a social media platform is only the first step because marketers have to keep up with the ever-evolving choices. As a number of experts told CBS MoneyWatch, Vine is already losing attention as people look toward live video-stream platforms such as Meerkat and Periscope. Keeping up with the Joneses was never as dizzying.