Enjoying wine is an art. Making, marketing, selling and living wine is a calling.
Wineries have been around since the fifteenth century, but these days they are opening all over the globe at an ever-increasing rate. Nationally, there are 8,393 total U.S. wineries, according to Wine Vines Analytics. The Pennsylvania Winery Association reports that Pennsylvania alone has over 200 wineries and more than a dozen wine trails.
Wine is in, and now more than ever there is a need to stand out among growing competition. But getting your voice heard can be hard in a world where everyone is scrambling for attention at the same time.
At the loud, crazy, crowded party that is the Internet, those with genuine, charismatic, unique voices are the ones who are heard. Read on to learn how posting fresh, interesting content can make your winery the VIP that everyone wants at their gathering.
1. Brand Awareness
Catch their eye and keep them hooked.
You know the importance of having a label that is designed to stand out on any wine shop’s crowded shelves. Potential customers stop and grab a bottle of wine on their way to a party and, quite honestly, you need to distinguish yourself among the overwhelming sea of varieties, brands and packaging.
Where do customers begin? Will they pick something based on the label? Will they reach for a familiar favorite? Will they ask for a recommendation?
In most cases, people are more likely to buy from you if they recognize and trust your brand. So the more your customers see you and hear from you, the more likely they are to spot you when hunting for that quick gift or bottle to bring along to a celebration or BYOB dinner. When you post content on your website, you open up opportunities to get your name and brand in front of potential customers.
Did you know? Search Engine Watch claims 50% of all mobile searches are conducted in the hope of finding local results, and 61% of those searches result in a purchase.
2. Give a Taste, Gain a Customer
Real-life goal: Get more people to your winery/tasting room. Internet goal: Get more people to your website.
When you get new visitors to your physical location, you have that chance to pour the “perfect taste” of your wine and win a customer. On the Internet, if readers visit your website, you can give them a virtual sample of your brand and product.
Regular blogging with interesting content will help bring new traffic to your online location naturally. When your content is shared through social media networks, it opens the door for readers to click through and head to your website, where you have a chance to convert them to customers.
According to Hubspot, businesses that blog more than 15 times per month get 5 times more traffic than those who don’t blog at all. Those are some impressive numbers!
3. Open Your Best Bottles
Giving a taste of your private stock earns loyalty and respect.
During a wine tasting, wines are consciously chosen, paired and perfectly poured to give the taster a memorable experience. And wine lovers never forget that moment when the winemaker pulls out a special bottle that most people won’t get a chance to taste.
Blogging is a place to do the same thing—to consciously choose content that gives special insight to interested readers. A well-written blog post can give people a taste of the deeper life of your winery: the vintner, the landscape, the grapes, the people and the process. When readers are able to learn the quirks and qualities that make your winery special, you allow them to be part of your story. Customers will appreciate that trust and openness and will reward you with loyalty.
Keep this in mind when you’re considering blogging for your winery: BlogHer reports that 61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog.
4. Like Wine, Content Gets Better with Age
Great content will bring traffic for years to come.
We all know great wine is not only made well, but also keeps well. A bottle with all the right ingredients grows more complex and wonderful over time. Similarly, a great wine is a prize that people will seek out.
Valuable online content builds a foundation for future traffic in the years to come. Evergreen content that provides ongoing value can bring in long-term traffic from search engines. When your site becomes a source for reputable content, search engines and social networks will surface your content for more users over time, leading more customers your way.
But don’t just take it from us. The experts at Influence & Co. point out: “As your content marketing program continues to mature over time, the traffic and leads generated increase greatly while the cost per lead is driven down considerably.”
5. Invite Guests to Share Experiences
Blogging can build interest, but ultimately you want your readers to share the real experience.
You invest a lot of time and effort into an active schedule at your winery. Events, releases, concerts and wine trails are an important part of your revenue stream and marketing plan. To make these successful, you need to cultivate a community that will join you for the fun.
As you publish interesting, timely, informative and valuable information, you have a great platform to showcase what’s happening at your winery and to invite readers to come in for a visit. Highlighting events on your website as a call to action in blog posts is a great way to invite soon-to-be customers to make a trip to your location.
They’ve visited online—give them a reason for a real-life connection with your winery. Once there, they can further engage with your wines and team and become loyal supporters and customers.
For more tips on content strategy for your winery, join our newsletter. You can also explore recommendations for content on our blog. Just getting started? Content 101 is a great guide.
Dish Works’ team of professional food or drink brand bloggers is available to answer any content questions. Need help supplementing content? Just ask!
Photography by Alexandra Whitney Photography
Contributing Authors: Stephanie Anderson, Jason Tremblay