Devon Hoffman is a Digital Marketing Specialist for Site-Seeker. When he's not using his computer to find and visit every brewery in New York State, he is using it to help business partners achieve their digital marketing goals. These goals may include location marketing and optimization, digital advertising, search engine optimization or anything in between. Then he's looking for the breweries again.
This is part 1 in a 2-part series by Site-Seeker, your partner for online success.
It’s no secret that social media is a mandatory tactic in your digital marketing strategy. If your company isn’t either on LinkedIn, or Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, then how are people finding you? That being said, for your brewery business, Instagram is one of the most impactful platforms you can be on. Not only because there are one billion people using it every month (although, that’s a pretty compelling statistic). And not just for its visually-appealing photos. Instagram has become a game-changer in connecting with consumers and driving sales. With more than double the amount of daily users than Snapchat, the platform has evolved into becoming a rather strategic component to a business plan.
Side note: If you’re not already established as a Business Account on Instagram, click this link to scroll to the bottom where we’ll help you get that set up first.
A Run Down of Instagram Stories
I’m sure we all know what these are by now, but just in case, let’s review: Instagram Stories are short, 15-second videos or photos that appear at the top of your feed for 24 hours. And there you have it. On a serious note, stories are so important. They spark engagement and drive action.
Let’s start with the type of content you should be using here. Stories are your opportunity to share what’s going on instantly. Now, we know what you’re thinking, isn’t that the point of the entire platform? In theory: yes, but your normal posts should follow a general theme that you’ve decided to create for your grid. Maybe it’s a color scheme or some sort of pattern, or even just a “mood” you’re trying to create with your photos. Don’t worry about that here.
Stories are a great way to share what’s going on behind the scenes at your brewery. Maybe you want to showcase what’s on tap that day, or maybe you want people to share in on an event you’re hosting. Use Stories as a chance to be a little more casual, maybe even take a little risk – don’t worry about branding so much. Remember they disappear after 24 hours! Another type of content you can post is user-generated. You can also share other peoples’ stories to your story if you’ve been tagged. So make sure you’re checking your notifications to see what others are tagging you in – it’s a great way to make your customers feel involved and encourage others to participate.
Lastly, remember that stories don’t just have to be videos. If there’s a really awesome picture you took, share it in your story too! This will only help more people see it. And we get it. Sometimes things just happen so quickly that there was only time to take a quick picture! If it’s relevant to the story you’re creating that day – add it.
Part 2 will cover Instagram Features to Grow Your Brewery Business.
