Social Media Entry for Winemakers

When it comes to the internet and social media, there are three groups of winemakers: the skeptics, the interested ones, and those who understand how it works. But how exactly does posting, liking, and commenting on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms work? What equipment do you need? What topics interest people? Due to numerous inquiries from winemakers, we're writing this article to finally clear up some myths and misconceptions. If you're a winemaker and belong to the interested group, then read on. Here you'll find everything you need to get started with social media.

Contents of this article:

1. Why is social media relevant for a winery?
2. Are people interested in what happens on a vineyard?
3. How do I make a business out of social media?
4. The downside of social media: effort vs. benefit
5. Growth through social media
6. Basic technical equipment for social media
7. Top 10 basic rules for winemakers on social media
8. Successful winemakers on social media in Germany
9. Conclusion: Every winemaker can use social media

1) Why is social media relevant for a winery?

The wine market has undergone profound changes: previously, customers would visit the winery and fill their cars with bottles. Winemakers focused on serving customers directly at their vineyards. Then, over time, came the rise of supermarkets, discount stores, and Amazon. All of these have shaped and altered consumer behavior in recent years. Customers now sit comfortably at home, browse deals on their phones, and have their purchases delivered. Of course, everyone still has to make the trip to the supermarket or discount store now and then. And there, in the so-called "premium" section, you'll find plenty of wine – but it's mass-produced and often imported from overseas . Therefore, customers no longer flock to the winery on their own and need to be enticed. The good news is that establishing direct contact with customers has never been easier than it is today. Social media makes it possible. Here are a few stark figures from 2018: According to Statista, at least 64% of people aged 30-49 in Germany used Facebook. In the 50-59 age group, the figure is even higher at 75%. These user groups are just a click away. You just have to find them and reach them. More precisely: every offer finds its community. How well this works is something you can influence. You'll learn more about this in the following sections.

2) Are people interested in what happens on a vineyard?

The clear answer is: Yes! At Winetory.net, we focus our communication on three so-called "content pillars":

1. The winegrowing family with life and work on the farm
2. This is how quality gets from the vineyard to the glass.
3. The winery's regional products explained simply by the winemaker

It's hard to believe that the repetitive daily routine of a winemaker could be interesting to others. Perhaps a change of perspective helps: how exciting can it be to follow the daily work of a programmer (sorry programmers of the world, we still love you!). You would see the same image of a person in front of a screen. Not so with a winemaker. Depending on the season, there are many interesting topics from the three areas described above. And in many situations, the winemaker is surrounded by beautiful nature and picturesque landscapes. Visuals in the form of photos and videos convey the emotions and passion associated with the production of red, white, rosé, and orange wines. And ultimately, there's the consumption of the wine. Wine is enjoyed in special situations, both professionally and in leisure time, whether with business partners, friends, or family. Interested wine drinkers are always happy to share their thoughts on the wines. So, give your customers something to talk about – the fascinating stories that will then unfold! This is called viral marketing: customers talk to other potential customers about your product, and then they buy it too. And to get that going, people need to know you as a winemaker and your winery as a brand.

Image: Filming at the Schauß winery in Monzingen

3) How do I make a business out of social media?

Social media is the tool to reach your target audience, build a community, turn customers into fans, share their experiences, and thereby generate loyalty and growth. A comparison to the book trade is helpful: in the past, a good chef would write a cookbook, and the book would sell. Marketing relied on readings and advertising by the publisher. Today, the chef has to give the cookbook away and encourage customers to watch their cooking show online. This show features paid events and products that the enthusiastic community can and should then purchase online. The difference is that the costs for printing and publishing are eliminated, and the chef gains direct access to their end customers.

The transition from chef to winemaker goes like this: Previously, in addition to working on the farm, it was enough to dedicate time to visitors and send out an annual mailing to regular customers. End of story. Today, the local customer base is dwindling, and with 11,500 wineries in Germany, the competition is fierce. While working on the farm, you now have to take photos and videos and tell your own story—a technique known as "storytelling" in marketing jargon. Later that evening, you post the content online with short, relevant captions. Does it sound crazy? Perhaps, but that's how the business works today.

Perseverance pays off: in addition to online sales, customers also occasionally visit the winery, for example, when it's conveniently located on their way to a vacation. And there's a crucial difference: true social media enthusiasts take their own photos and videos of these visits, effectively promoting your winery without even asking. Therefore, we recommend that every winemaker host one or two events per year at their winery: invite the many marketing professionals among your customers and have them report on your event. And if you also take photos and videos yourself, you've essentially had free extras visiting. The external impact is certainly positive: it suggests that something is happening at this winery. And that generates further interest.

Image: At events, customers can become brand ambassadors for the winery.

4) The downside of social media: Effort vs. benefit

There are two cardinal sins in social media for winemakers: one is having no presence at all, the other is simply having a page that doesn't meet minimum aesthetic standards and isn't actively maintained with a minimum amount of time. Both can be perceived by customers as outdated, uninspired, and lacking in passion. And that negatively impacts the winery's brand. Please don't do that!

To keep the effort relatively low and the benefits reasonable, it's recommended to set up identical accounts on both Facebook and Instagram simultaneously. Both platforms belong to the parent company Facebook Inc. With just a few clicks, you can technically connect Instagram and Facebook. This way, you only need to post content on Instagram; it will then be automatically displayed on your Facebook profile. For Instagram, we recommend uploading at least 9-12 photo tiles.

The user must be able to recognize at a glance from the photos on social media:

1. It is a winery.
2. Wine is produced here by the winemaker.
3. You can buy the wine

It sounds trivial, but with many winemakers – even well-known ones – one has to wonder what they're trying to achieve with their online presence. Social media can be used as a professional tool. It's not a toy to showcase your private life. Another tip: please don't post too many photos of people or a single season. Customers aren't exactly thrilled to encounter a "Merry Christmas" message in the middle of summer.

Creating the website requires a one-time effort, after which you can focus on answering messages. You can grow your community by including your social media channel links on your farm shop and website. However, this approach will only lead to slow growth overall.

Image: Filming of the video with Elmar Schauß from the Schauß winery in Monzingen

Those who can't or don't want to set up and manage their social media presence themselves can use professional providers like Social Emotion GmbH from Augsburg. Social Emotion supports clients throughout Germany, helping them to first position themselves correctly in relation to their target audience before launching on social media, to select the right channels, and then to upload engaging content. Owner Selina Alisa Kornegger explains: "The demands of social media on businesses are often underestimated. The apps offer so many possibilities these days and are so complex that an entire profession has established itself around them. This makes targeted and professional support possible for winemakers."

5) Growth with social media

What has been described so far merely defines the status of having a presence on social media. If you now aspire to actively build a community, i.e., fans of your brand, then you need more: resources in the form of time with the appropriate equipment or money to entrust someone like Social Emotion with the management of your accounts.

As a general rule for social media: to reach even a remotely close to all your followers according to Facebook and Instagram's algorithms, you need to post at least three times a week. This is because the app operators display third-party ads, which limits the display capacity of your posts for all your followers. And to reward active users, their posts are shown to more users.

So how do you manage to post three times a week, meaning photos or videos? That's relatively easy too: you can pre-produce everything in advance. Nobody expects you to broadcast live from the vineyard. You can also use pictures from last year and think about which images you want to publish each month. The best source of photos and videos is still your own events at the winery. If planned properly, you can then produce material for about six months in advance.

6) Basic technical equipment for social media

It's never been easier or more affordable to reach end customers. With a modern smartphone and around €70 for accessories, you're well-equipped to create appealing photos and, especially, videos. No one enjoys watching dark photos or videos with poor sound. If you want to make a good impression, a simple ring light and a clip-on microphone are essential. If you're using an iPhone, which we can recommend from our own experience, the adapter is already included. The following images were kindly provided by the long-established company Foto Koch from Düsseldorf. If you're interested, please buy from them and not from Amazon. We'd like to take this opportunity to give a little unsolicited plug to local German retailers in city centers!

Image: Hama lavalier microphone LM 09, FotoKoch.de

Image: Dörr LED Selfie Ring Light SLR-16 Bi-Color, FotoKoch.de

For those who want to get serious and plan to regularly create professional videos, a gimbal is highly recommended. It allows you to take steady, shake-free shots even while walking or during other movements.

Image: DJI Osmo Mobile 3 Combo, FotoKoch.de

Video: Equipment presentation

7) Top 10 basic rules for winemakers on social media

1. Think carefully about what goals you want to achieve with social media.
2. Watch learning videos on YouTube, keywords "Facebook" and "Instagram"
3. Create high-quality photos and videos, ideally with a professional.
4. Write relevant texts tailored to your target audience.
5. Post content regularly to attract and retain your community on your channel.
6. Adapt the design of your homepage to your social media and vice versa.
7. Encourage your customers to leave reviews and posts.
8. WhatsApp (Facebook Inc.) is also social media and also an advertising channel.
9. Manage your presence on TripAdvisor and Google Maps
10. Seek professional support

8) Successful winemakers on social media in Germany

According to Winetory, the following winemakers are among the top 3 in Germany:

||| Friends of Wines - Juliane Eller with M. Schwaighöfer and J. Winterscheidt

Juliane met actor Matthias and entertainer Joko at a party in Berlin. The three hit it off immediately, and the idea for their own wine, ||| Freunde Wein (Friends Wine), was born. What makes this collaboration so brilliant is their existing knowledge of the German media landscape and Joko's extensive network of contacts. Together, the two men boast a combined following of 1.9 million across their social media channels. As a result, their joint wine brand has garnered 20,000 followers under the handle @dreifreundeweine.

Van Volxem Winery - Roman Niewodniczanski

Like few other winemakers in Germany, Roman Niewodniczanski understands how to transform his winery into a premium brand. Anyone who has visited his estate is deeply impressed by its perfect positioning. The Van Volxem brand is growing and seeking collaborations with other high-end brands such as Porsche and Lufthansa. This mutual reinforcement generates further growth. On Instagram, Niewodniczanski, with the help of an agency, surpassed the 10,000 follower mark in 2019 under the handle @van_volxem. However, he is also very active himself, sharing posts from his fans on his own channel.

Project WEINCROWD - Wine blogger Benjamin & winemaker Reinhard

With 1,300 followers under @weincrowd, they're still a newcomer, but for us, the new brand WEINCROWD by Benni and Reinhard is already a frontrunner. Blogger Benni brings years of experience from his own channel @schmitt_mainwein with 12,000 followers. Winemaker Reinhard provides relevant content about the production of the new wines. What's unique about this is that, unlike anything else we know of on social media, the followers are involved in the winemaking process (see blog post: " WEINCROWD: the first Instagram wine ").

9) Conclusion: Every winemaker can use social media

Never before has it been so easy and cost-effective for winemakers to establish and maintain a direct connection with end customers. The shift in consumer behavior towards online shopping and social media will continue unabated. While this requires a significant investment of time and money, it also presents great opportunities to position oneself well for future success. And for those who don't want to manage social media themselves, professional support is readily available.