With Instagram and Facebook constantly updating their services, it can be tricky to navigate the do’s and don’ts when it comes to promoting on these channels. Even more so, the younger audiences on these platforms are growing which can cause some confusion when it comes to marketing and promoting. Recent studies found that a large majority of users on Facebook and Instagram are below the age of 18 which makes promoting alcohol a difficult task. Here is what you need to know when it comes to promoting alcohol on your Facebook and Instagram pages.
Did you know that in order to promote alcohol in the United States, any alcohol company must use platforms where 71.6% of users are over the age of 21? This limits the number of exposures brands could have with potential and current customers. In order to effectively communicate with consumers, brands must comply with a number of rules.
Age Restrictions on Social Media
Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook allow accounts to ask users to verify their age before accessing content. By enabling brands to set an age restriction, brands do not need to worry about underage users seeing their content and will have a follower base of customers who can actually purchase their products. When running advertisements on Facebook or Instagram, it is important to have the audience set begin at the legal drinking age of your country.
Disclaimers on Accounts
There must be a disclaimer stating the legal drinking age in your country and to encourage their customers to drink responsibly. This disclaimer can be placed in the bio, in each post, or have a dedicated highlight.
Monitoring Interactions Online
Changing page settings allows brands to monitor who is interacting with the page. Brands should keep an eye on inappropriate comments since self-regulatory guidelines state that alcohol brands must police any user-generated content that promotes underage or irresponsible drinking. Adding a disclaimer that inappropriate content will be removed will encourage followers to be careful with what they post when interacting with that brand.
Marketing Alcohol through Influencers
One way to promote alcoholic brands on Facebook and Instagram is through Influencers. Surprisingly, influencer’s content is not subject to the harsher rules that alcoholic brands must rely on. User-generated content – that adheres to guidelines – can also be shared on brands’ social networks. Creativity can be used to find ways around marketing rules such as focusing on the brand lifestyle.
Required Information
Depending on the type of alcoholic beverage, different information must be provided when advertising;
- Malt beverages and beer:
- The class the product belongs to (e.g., ale, stout, lager, etc.)
- Name and address, including city and state, of the advertiser
- Wine:
- Type, class, and/or distinctive designation that product belongs to (e.g., red wine, sparkling wine, white wine, champagne, etc.)
- Name and address, including city and state, of the advertiser
- Distilled spirits:
- The class and type of product (e.g., whiskey, vodka, flavored spirits, etc.)
- Alcohol content listed as percent by volume
- Name and address, including city and state, of the advertiser
- If applicable, name of commodity and percentage of neutral spirits must be included
Promoting alcohol brands does not have to be difficult as long as one follows the aforementioned rules. Have you seen an alcohol brand with a strong social media presence? Share it with us below and tell us why you like their marketing!