The craft alcohol business has experienced exceptional growth since the millennial generation came of age. As the sector grows, so does competition among and between craft alcohol makers. That’s one of the reasons why paid marketing is important for craft alcohol businesses.
Standing Out From the Crowd
As of 2020, there were nearly 9,000 craft breweries and over 2,200 craft distilleries in the US, as opposed to around 1,800 and 195 in 2010, respectively. Establishing a brand identity, connecting with consumers, and rising to the top of the search results online become a huge challenge in such a crowded field. Paid marketing can help.
Establishing Social Proof
An estimated 40% of Millennials rely on online reviews and testimonials in making purchasing decisions. The marketing issue is how to get enough attention for your product, so it receives reviews on sites that get traffic from your target demographic.
Search engine optimization requires data analysis, keyword research, and quality content to create a strategy that will help brands rise toward the top of search results. Coupled with that, brands need a strong social media presence that partners with influencers, causes, or activities that help define their core demographic. Paid SEO marketing helps brands accomplish this by knowing where to meet their audience online, and how to help their core demographic find them when they search for keywords like, “Best craft beer” or “craft beer gifts”.
Compliance
Paid marketing for craft alcohol businesses is important because experts in marketing alcohol can ensure compliance with a myriad of regulations on alcohol advertising, largely designed to avoid breaking tied-house laws and more importantly avoid promoting alcohol to minors or encourage irresponsible drinking. These experts can design marketing campaigns that stay within the laws of the countries and states you hope to reach.
Agencies or consultants that work exclusively with craft alcohol producers give you excellent value for money, because they understand that craft brewers and distilleries have tight marketing budgets. Using social media and SEO expertise, microbrewery consultants can devise social media and online strategies that will grow your audience using organic and paid approaches in a way that doesn’t cost you more than you afford. They can also design effective PR campaigns, traditional ad campaigns, connect you with influencers, and more.
To learn effective strategies for craft alcohol marketing, sign up for one of The Crafty Cask’s craft alcohol marketing courses or full bootcamp. Keep making your unique and tasty products, and consider partnering with expert craft alcohol consultants for specific marketing tactics to maximize the effect of your marketing budget.
