15.10.2010 - Vinexpo news selection
Social media is exploding in the wine business and a new survey illustrates just how important it has become, especially in this tough economic climate.
More than 80 percent of 109 grape growers, distributors, retailers and other wine experts in the California who were questioned in a survey by the Wine Industry Financial Symposium Group and the University of California-Davis Graduate School of Management said they were using Face Book in their business, up from 46 percent in 2009.
Sixty four percent were using Twitter, compared to just 21 percent in 2009, and 52 percent had a company blog, a rise from 18 percent a year ago.
While the jury is still out on social media's effectiveness in driving sales and profits, using Face Book and Twitter and blogging are relatively inexpensive ways for companies to get their messages out and get direct feedback from their customers. (Reuters / 5 October 2010)