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Why you should become Best Friends Forever with your favorite brews through social media

Today Crux Fermentation Project announced on Twitter that they bottled some beer. I knew within minutes and I live eight hours away. Within half an hour I had called my dad who lives nearby and told him to pick up some bottles for both of us on his next run into town. And I tweeted my support of course.

It may seem like a no brainer to follow businesses on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but it's amazing how often people ask me, "How did you know about that new beer/beer event/bottling line etc. etc!?!?" The appropriate response is not: "Duh. They tweeted it!"

Not everyone is familiar* with posts and tweets and following; it's important to bring it back every now and then and re-evaluate why social media is a worthy use of our brain's and device's storage space.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become a popular way for businesses to promote themselves and it is abundantly evident within the beer industry. Breweries announce new beer releases, canning/bottling activity, and festival plans via Twitter. Tap rooms, pubs, and beer bars invite their fans to events, from special tastings and dining opportunities, to live music and charity events through their Facebook page. Brewers and brew crewers post pictures of pints, hops, pairings dinners, you name it on Instagram. It's sincerely the easiest way for these businesses to communicate with all their customers at once and if you want to be in the know, these are your best bet.

It isn't just for you benefit though. There's another really good reason for you to follow, re-tweet, like, share-it's support. Once upon a time there was no TV, no glossy magazine, no big fancy billboard. Once upon a time there was simply word of mouth.

Word of mouth was king of the marketing pyramid and it's making a come back with social media platforms allowing us the opportunity to use our voices to express original thoughts and opinions about the things we like and appreciate. You had a great meal at the new restaurant in town? Swell! Tag them in a post and let everyone you know see your recommendation. Maybe they'll choose to check it out and voila-you have helped encourage the success of a business you enjoyed and would like to see survive. The consumer has always been critical but today your individual power is amplified by your online presence. Yelp, Untapped, and other platforms specifically intended for reviewing can also be used to show your enthusiasm.

Craft beer loves this kind of traction. Word of mouth marketing is the best bet for anything that is based on flavor. Seeing your local brewery or beer store survive, thrive, and give back to the community has become all of our responsibility.

It's time to make the most of your page or handle and use your tweets and posts to boast about the beer you love.

*Never used social media? It's a pretty piece of cake. Feel free to reach out to me directly for tips but the best advice I've got is to dive right in, take a big bite. You'll be surprised how user friendly it all is. Be sure to read privacy policies and take some time to ensure your online presence is safe and respects whatever your boundaries may be. Don't get me wrong, there's definitely a line where you can find yourself swallowed whole by social media (see my last post-I always favor the richest communication possible: in person; reality is though, we can't be everywhere at once). Use your social media force for good and you'll find it's strong with you.