(Originally posted on my old site: Feb. 20, 2018, but still relevant!)
Instagram is (STILL!) all the rage these days. So naturally, the wine world has hopped on board to add this social media platform to their marketing mix.
Whereas Facebook has now made it nearly impossible for brands to reach fans organically, Instagram is a place where with the right hashtag work and quality images, you can still reach the masses without paying. BUT, Instagram is also getting greedy, and now more than ever, businesses are investing in sponsored ads to “boost” their reach. By paying just a little, Instagram promises you more eyes, and if your post is good enough, more fans.
So I’m perusing Instagram the other day, and this comes up as a sponsored ad:
Now I hate to single someone out, and I’m sure there are other wineries out there committing similar atrocities, but Viña Carmen paid for this to invade my space, so I feel it’s fair game. Plus in the end, as they say: No publicity is bad publicity…
The Breakdown
To each his own, but I personally find this image so very wrong. It’s blatantly fake, poorly designed and I cannot believe they paid money to push this image…(tell me how you really feel, amirighttt?)
The caption read (and I’m translating because they targeted me in Spanish/Chile):
More than 160 years of history has allowed us to say that we are #TheFirstChileanVineyard. All these years of experience and tradition are reflected in the Carmen Premier 1850 range of wines. Unique wines with intense flavor. Which one will you cheers with today?
It’s decent. Gives some back story, finishes with a question to drive engagement…but that image! It doesn’t make me want to buy that wine in the least. And then there’s the fact that technically, Chile began producing wine in the mid-1500s, though they didn’t gain independence until 1818, so maybe their caption is true, but probably not, and who really cares?
How Vineyards Can Grow with Instagram
Focusing on the bad is not my goal, so let’s get to how to make it better.
First, the most successful winery accounts will mix their products with lifestyle and behind-the-scenes shots. More than just curated bottle shots, we viewers also want the experience, to see everything that goes into each bottle.
Now some accounts like @VeuveCliquot go big and obviously invest a lot of money, but it’s not a requirement.
And then there are some small-project accounts that feel more like the winemaker’s personal account. This can definitely work, but I would urge them to still shoot for quality images and always remember that the account is about their wine/vineyard. Each post should add value, not just show how much fun you’re having.
The below points are what a winery needs in order to be successful on Instagram:
THINK VISUAL
Instagram is visual. Using high-quality, creative and well-composed images remains the number one way to boost your account.
Visual consistency is also important. Maintaining certain colors, compositions or concepts will help you stand out from the rest. Take for example @croixwine:
This is something I personally struggle with, as I strive to show the real-life perspective of wine. Real life isn’t branded…all the same, I’ll look through my feed and think, ok, wine is clearly the focus, but what about my visual identity? I always try to maintain warmer, more faded tones, but I’m still searching…so see, all of us have room to grow.
- A thought on logos. Viña Carmen stamps their logo in the corner of nearly every photo/video in their feed. Other brands do this as well, but it really isn’t necessary when each post also contains your product. Plus, we know it’s your photo because you posted it…by the time it’s said and done, we see the brand three times in one small space: the profile, the product and the stamp. It’s too much and feels very impersonal. The idea is to connect with users, make them a part of your experience, not feel like marketing bait. There are exceptions, always. If it’s a certain type of post or something where you really want to reinforce the brand, you go ahead and slap that logo on the photo. (I would also add that I think they’re ok if you’re worried about people snagging your work and not giving proper credit.)
- A thought on superimposing. Don’t. It means a lot of extra work, but that’s just the way it is. Integrate your product into the shot in a way that feels real. Make the viewer think, I WANT TO RECREATE THAT EXACT SITUATION! Pasting your bottle over a random dish of food and saying it’s a perfect match no longer works. (Of course there are exceptions to the rules and people are making very cool collages nowadays…)
Below the Photo
This is the chance to say more and engage viewers. Tell us a story, ask us a question, give us a task…and use #hashtags!
Apart from searching hashtags, Instagrammers are now able to follow hashtags that they’re interested in. Wineries need to be including relevant hashtags in each post to reach new users. This, for now, remains the number one organic way to be discovered and grow your community. So use it. Just be sure to note the word #relevant. Don’t use a popular hashtag in hopes of reaching more people if it has nothing to do with your photo. It won’t work and you could become victim of the Instagram shadow ban.
Stories
As if we don’t already have enough to do, Instagram stories are now something you also need to consider. It’s like your own reality tv channel, and people are going crazy for it. Instagram claims that more than 250 million users a day are tuning into stories. As stories erase after 24 hours, this is a great way to show content that’s a little rougher around the edges and real. It doesn’t have to be so finely curated like a post…though many big brands are even curating stories.
Just within the last month, Instagram added a Story Highlights feature that allows users to save their favorite stories to their profiles. Definitely a sign of their importance, stories are here to stay…until the next big thing. It’s never-ending.
So enough talk. Let’s get visual just as Instagram does. Here are a few profiles that are doing it right in my opinion:
We have your big-budget accounts like @champagnetaittinger:
We have a major winery like @vassefelixwines:
We have fun projects like @vanurbanwinery:
And then two small producers I recently discovered, @lhwines_3m2n and @weinmanufaktur_clemensstrobl:
And lastly, a Chilean winery that is always pleasing to the eye, @kingstonvineyards:
These are just a few examples of thousands of accounts doing it right.
A few more tips…
- Frequency – This will depend on content, but you should be posting several times a week. Ideally, once a day.
- Sponsored Ads – Go for it, but make sure it’s visually attractive (avoid text-heavy posts) and have a clear goal: Do you want more profile visits or more website visits? Your approach will be different for each.
- Video – Yes. A video or at least a Boomerang post every once in a while can add to your variety and well, people love to watch. The same rules apply to video posts as images: high-quality and well-composed.
- Have fun – This is a really cool social media platform, so have fun with it!
Have something to add or want to know more? Leave a comment below or get in touch!
