Sometimes all of this social media stuff just feels like more work. Another thing you have to do to stay competitive in today’s market. We get that. Which is why we’re focusing on Instagram today.
Instagram is different. Instagram is quick, it’s easy, and it’s FUN.
Why It’s FUN
With Instagram, you get to see pictures and videos of people enjoying your product.
You get to see your winery from the eyes of a visitor. You get to see a bottle being served at a dinner party halfway across the country. You get to read quick tasting notes by people who will never walk into your tasting room.
If you love what you do, if you love making wine for people to enjoy, seeing them do just that is a wonderfully rewarding experience.
Photo taken just yesterday. Notice the #s and @s. There are a lot of people connected to this one photo…and they had a GREAT time.
Why It’s IMPORTANT
Simply acknowledging your fans can be incredibly powerful when it comes to sales.
Wineries that reach out, or thank fans for their pictures, are going to be the wineries that stand out above the rest (to both the photographer AND their friends). And they’re going to be the wineries that end up with more sales and visitors because of it.
What’s more, you can safely bet that people who are sharing their photos of their experience with your winery are sharing photos of their experience with other wineries. If you don’t connect with them, your competition will.
See What You’re Missing
First, see if people are talking about you. Hop on over to our favorite instagram tracker, Statigram.
Type the simplest version of your winery’s name in the search box at the top. As an example, we went with “ArcherySummit”.
The results show everything tagged “ArcherySummit” on the right side, including variations people have used: “archerysummitvineyard”, “archerysummitwines”, etc. Over 165 photos have been taken! That’s a fantastic result, offering many opportunities for engagement.
#ArcherySummit
Also, be sure to check your region or AVA. “Dundeehills” has hundreds of photos. “Oregonwine” or the popular variation, “ORwine”, has thousands.
You can chime into any or all of these (specific to your winery, grape, AVA, and state) and make an impact.
The Game Plan
- If you don’t already have an instagram account, get one. Download the instagram app to your iPhone or android device by going here: Instagram.com
- Once your account is set up, go ahead and snap some photos of your own. Comment on your photos and add hashtags so people can easily search them (e.g. #pinotnoir, #ORwine, #dundeehills). Share you photos on your other social media channels (particularly now that Facebook embraces the hashtag). Those who are on Instagram will want to follow you.
- Search, search, search. Again, Statigram is our favorite Instagram search tool. Search the most basic version of your name, and check out the tags that appear. Click them to see photos.
- Comment on the most recent ones. Say, “thanks”, but in a way that shows your personality. Do you know who took it? Let them know you remember them somehow. Or, comment on their great wine glasses. Remember, it’s not about you. It’s about them.
- That’s it. Continue to check in occasionally. Instagram doesn’t require daily check-ins. Weekly is a good enough. However, you just might like it enough that you’ll find yourself taking photo daily, or searching for those from others.
Promotion
When it comes to Instagram, you want to encourage your visitors to take photos and tag them with your winery’s name. This way, their friends will be able to see where they are, putting your name out there.
Even better, people will be able to click on that tag and see ALL photos taken by EVERYONE that have been taken of your wine and winery via Instagram.
So, how do you get people to take photos and tag them? Easy. You tell them.
A simple sign in your winery WILL help. “We welcome instagram photos. Please use tag #archerysummit”.
Of course, you can incentivize the photos, with a contest, or a promise of a taste of something special.
And, obviously, we’re huge fans of our Tasting Room App, Mobile Tasting Room, where you can both show off photos taken by others, while encouraging visitors to snap and share photos of their own.
Mobile Tasting Room will show off the Instagram photos of your fans while encouraging visitors to take their own.
In Conclusion
While Instagram is fun and easy, its importance shouldn’t be overlooked. If your winery isn’t on it, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to connect with the kind of customers who want to promote you.
And, of course, because we believe in the power of Instagram, you can look forward to an Instagram webinar in the coming months.
Now, grab your smartphone and start taking pictures! #woohoo
