In December 2011, ABLE ran an exclusive survey on Social Media in the US and French wine industries. This survey analyzes the impact of social media marketing on the world of wine, as well as to compare how two key players (France and the United States) are embracing new technology.

1. Social Media Marketing in the American
and French wine industry in 2011
May 2012
Survey conducted by:
ABLE Social Media Marketing
info@ablesocial.com
212 873 1974
1

2. You can copy and distribute this work but you must mention the author
ABLE Social Media Marketing and link it to
http://ablesocial.com/market-research/
For more information, please contact
Pierrick Bouquet
pierrick@ablesocial.com
212 873 1974
@pierrickbouquet
2

3. Methodology
The American and French surveys were simultaneously conducted from December 1st to December 31st, 2011.
They were hosted online and sent via email to more than 8,000 wineries in all wine regions in the US and in France.
The American survey was conducted in English and the French survey in French.
A total 285 American wineries and 243 French wineries participated in the survey.
Click- Total
Email Opened Opened Open Clicked Clicked
Through completed
delivered (total) (unique) rate (total) (unique)
rate survey
Emails sent to American
8,222 1,891 1,404 17.08% 182 163 1.98%
wineries on 12/01/2011
Reminder emails sent to 285
American wineries on 8,182 2,546 1,822 22.27% 190 169 2.07%
12/19/2011
Emails sent to French wineries
8,381 2,235 1,524 18.18% 232 195 2.33%
on 12/01/2011
243
Reminder emails sent to French
8,341 2,078 1,496 17.94% 207 158 1.89%
wineries on 12/19/2011
It should be noted that because this survey was conducted online, we were only able to reach wineries who already have some sort of online presence -- wineries without access
to internet were not included in our research.
3

4. Summary
Social Media Marketing has permeated practically every existing business, and the wine
industry is no exception. In December 2011, ABLE, a New York based digital marketing agency
specialized in the food and the wine industry, conducted online surveys to compare how two key
industry hubs – the United States and France – are embracing new technology. In addition to
comparing American and French wineries’ online presence, the study evaluated the benefits of their
social media marketing.
While 94% of American wineries surveyed are on Facebook, only 53% of French wineries are
embracing this popular social network; trends are similar on Twitter and YouTube.
American wineries, meanwhile, are active online and it is paying off. Nearly all of them say they
benefit from using Facebook (most say the same about Twitter). 47% of US wineries say Facebook
helps them generate sales (compared to 9% of French wineries). It is also important to note that
72% of American wineries sell wine on their website, compared to just 36% of French wineries.
In the US, Facebook seems to be a superior social media platform for generating sales (48% for
Facebook; 28% for Twitter). Twitter, on the other hand, seems better at capturing media attention
(53% for Twitter; 32% for Facebook). Both tools appear to be efficient in engaging with customers
and driving people to the winery.
In 2012, most French and American wineries plan to increase their activity on Facebook and other
platforms, making this THE year of social media for the wine industry.
4

5. Key results
5

6. Wineries on Facebook and Twitter
United States France
100%
94%
75%
73%
53% 50%
41%
25%
Facebook 0%
Twitter

7. Wineries on YouTube and Flickr
United States France
50%
46%
37.5%
26% 25%
14% 12.5%
YouTube 7%
0%
Flickr

8. How many Facebook fans do
you have?
• 50% of American wineries (but only 18%
of French wineries) have more than 500
fans on Facebook
• 37% of American wineries (but only 15%
of French wineries) have more than 500
followers on Twitter
8

9. Why do American
wineries have more fans?
• 49% of American wineries (19% of French)
have a dedicated marketing
manager who creates and publishes
content on social networks
• 30% of American wineries have been using
Facebook ads to promote their winery
(only 7.6% of French wineries)
9

10. What are the benefits of using
Facebook for an American winery?
• 47% of US wineries say Facebook helps them
generate sales (compared to 9% of French
wineries)*
• But 52% of the French wineries that are not
on Facebook think they would generate sales
if they were using Facebook
* 72% of American wineries sell wine on their website, compared to
just 36% of French wineries.
10

11. Facebook or Twitter?
• In the US, Facebook seems to be a superior
social media platform for generating sales
(48% for Facebook; 28% for Twitter).
• Twitter seems better at capturing media
attention (53% for Twitter; 32% for Facebook).
• Both tools appear to be efficient in engaging
with customers (66% for Facebook; 63% for
Twitter) and driving people to the winery
(58% for Facebook; 45% for Twitter).
11

12. Facebook and my
winery in 2012
• 72% of American wineries and 69% of
French wineries will be increasing their
activity on Facebook in 2012
• Half of the surveyed wineries which are
not on Facebook (in both France and the
US) say they will be integrating it into their
marketing strategy in 2012
12

13. Twitter and my winery
in 2012
• 61% of American wineries and 45% of
French wineries will be increasing their
activity on Twitter in 2012
• Among the wineries that are not on
Twitter, only 26% of the American
ones, along with 18% of the French, will
start using Twitter in 2012
13

14. French wineries are adopting
social media at a fast pace
• 53% of French wineries had a Facebook
page in 2011, a 29% increase since 2010
• 41% of French wineries had a Twitter page
in 2011, a 355% increase since 2010!
14

15. All results
15

16. Do you have a website?
United States
France
16

17. Do you sell wine on your
website?
United States
France
17

18. Is your winery on Facebook?
United States
France
18

19. YES,
MY WINERY IS ON
FACEBOOK
19

20. How many Facebook fans do
you have?
United States
France
20

21. What type of content do you
publish on Facebook?
United States
France
21

22. Have you ever used Facebook
Ads to promote your winery?
United States
France
22

23. What are the benefits of using
Facebook for your winery?
United States
23

24. What are the benefits of using
Facebook for your winery?
France
24

25. Do you face any difficulties
managing your Facebook page?
United States
France
25

26. Will you be increasing or decreasing
your activity on Facebook in 2012?
United States
France
26

27. Is your winery on Twitter?
United States
France
27

28. NO,
MY WINERY IS NOT
ON FACEBOOK
28

29. Why are you not on
Facebook?
United States
France
29

30. Are you planning on integrating Facebook
into your marketing strategy in 2012 ?
United States
France
30

31. How do you think your winery will
benefit from a presence on Facebook?
United States
31

32. How do you think your winery will
benefit from a presence on Facebook?
France
32

33. YES,
MY WINERY IS ON
TWITTER
33

34. How many Twitter followers
do you have?
United States
France
34

35. What are the benefits of using Twitter for
your winery?
United States
35

36. What are the benefits of using Twitter for
your winery?
France
36

37. Will you be increasing or decreasing your
activity on Twitter in 2012?
United States
France
37

38. NO,
MY WINERY IS NOT
ON TWITTER
38

39. Why is your winery not on
Twitter?
United States
France
39

40. Are you planning on integrating Twitter
into your marketing strategy in 2012 ?
United States
France
40

41. How do you think your winery will
benefit from a presence on Twitter?
United States
41

42. How do you think your winery will
benefit from a presence on Twitter?
France
42

43. Are you using any of these photo and
video sharing networks?
United States
43

44. Are you using any of these photo and
video sharing networks?
France
44

45. Do you have a blog?
United States
France
45

46. How much time do you spend every day creating and
publishing content (text, photo, video) on social
networks (Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc.)?
United States
France
46

47. Who is in charge of creating and
publishing your content on social
networks?
United States
47

48. Who is in charge of creating and
publishing your content on social
networks?
France
48

49. Do you welcome visitors at
your winery?
United States
France
49

50. Do you offer lunch and/or
dinner at your winery?
United States
France
50

51. Do you offer accommodations
at your winery?
United States
France
51

52. Please check the wine social networks
you have claimed or created a profile on
United States
52

53. Please check the wine social networks
you have claimed or created a profile on
France
53

54. Please check the review/tourism social
networks you have claimed or created a
profile on
United States
54

55. Please check the review/tourism social
networks you have claimed or created a
profile on
France
55

56. Comparing 2011 and
2010 results for French
wineries only
• In May 2010, ABLE conducted an online survey to evaluate French wineries online visibility and their
activity on social media platforms.
• Methodology: online survey sent by email to 8,000 wineries in France. Number of participants: 532
• To download full results, click here: http://ablesocial.com/reports/social-media-french-wine-2010-en.pdf
56

57. French wineries on
Facebook
100%
50% 53%
41%
0%
2010 2011
57

58. French wineries on
Twitter
100%
50%
41%
9%
0%
2010 2011
58

59. French wineries with a
website
100%
92.1%
84%
50%
0%
2010 2011
59

60. French wineries with a
blog
100%
50%
19%
14%
0%
2010 2011
60

61. Survey conducted by:
ABLE Social Media Marketing
305 W 87th street, #3
New York, NY 10024
United States
For more information, please contact
Pierrick Bouquet - President
pierrick@ablesocial.com
212 873 1974
@pierrickbouquet
www.ablesocial.com
61