Blogging Isn’t For Every Winery

I’m in route to the Bay Area right now getting ready to speak on a panel at WITS on Wine 2.0. Since my specialty is in social media, I’m sure the topic of blogging will come up during our discussion. Lest you think I’m a guy with a social media hammer looking to use it with every winery, I’ll say it plainly:

Blogging isn’t right for every winery.

For wineries who make the commitment to blogging they should have a clear idea of the audience they want to reach and make sure they read blogs. If your target audience is older, then a blog might not be the right medium.

Another reason against blogging is not having the time or ability to create engaging content on a regular basis. Not everyone is a good writer or have the ability to produce video or audio podcasts. If you are unwilling to directly engage with your customers online, then you probably shouldn’t blog. And if you sell all your wine on your mailing list then you probably don’t need to blog.

That said, there is an entire generation coming into the fine wine market now that are entirely influenced by social media and not having a blog, Twitter account and Facebook presence will put a winery at a great disadvantage. And while it’s true that pioneers are the ones with arrows in their backs, they are also the ones who tend to get the best market position and first-mover advantage during times of innovation.

So don’t blog if you don’t have the time for it. But do consider doing something else in social media.