--- title: "How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Brewery" description: "Our phone is the first thing we check in the morning and the last thing we see before going to sleep. It's your biggest opportunity to communicate with your customers and make an impression." url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/how-to-use-social-media-to-grow-your-brewery/ date: 2017-02-02 modified: 2026-10-15 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Amigos_en_redes_sociales.jpg categories: ["Opinion", "Technology"] tags: ["Marketing", "Opinion", "Social Media", "Technology"] type: post lang: en --- # How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Brewery You can’t afford to ignore social media when more than 3 billion people worldwide use Facebook every month ([Meta](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000132680124000012/meta-20231231.htm), 2023). Instagram reached the same figure in September 2025, as Mark Zuckerberg announced ([CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/24/instagram-now-has-3-billion-monthly-active-users.html), 2025). ![How to use social media to grow your brewery](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Amigos_en_redes_sociales.jpg)*How to use social media* Our phone is the first thing we check in the morning and the last thing we see before going to sleep. It’s your biggest opportunity to communicate with your customers and make an impression. It’s how they get [access to your brewery](https://www.thebeertimes.com/sistemas-de-control-de-acceso-para-bares-y-cervecerias/) or look up a new release they saw online. Before I became editor-in-chief of [CraftBeer.com](https://www.craftbeer.com/), I was a senior editor at one of the top 20 digital media publishers in the United States. In 2013 I set out to discover what our social media audience really wanted from us, and the findings were a complete surprise. This article was published in 2017. In October 2026 we updated the figures and the changes to each platform, such as Twitter becoming X, and added TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn along with the rules that now apply to alcohol brands. Contenido - [Social Media Analysis](#Social_Media_Analysis) - [Authenticity, the Number One Rule](#Authenticity_the_Number_One_Rule) - [1. Facebook](#1_Facebook) - [2. Instagram](#2_Instagram) - [3. X (Formerly Twitter)](#3_X_Formerly_Twitter) - [4. TikTok](#4_TikTok) - [5. YouTube](#5_YouTube) - [6. LinkedIn](#6_LinkedIn) - [What Rules Apply to Beer Brands on Social Media?](#What_Rules_Apply_to_Beer_Brands_on_Social_Media) - [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)](#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQ) - [1. Which social network is best for a brewery?](#1_Which_social_network_is_best_for_a_brewery) - [2. How many followers see a Facebook post?](#2_How_many_followers_see_a_Facebook_post) - [3. How many hashtags should a brewery use on Instagram?](#3_How_many_hashtags_should_a_brewery_use_on_Instagram) - [4. Can a brewery advertise on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube?](#4_Can_a_brewery_advertise_on_Facebook_Instagram_TikTok_or_YouTube) - [Recommended](#Recommended) ## Social Media Analysis Once we figured out what kind of content worked best on Facebook, I spent the following years growing our page by 300% (without spending a dime). We decided to give up on Twitter, it wasn’t worth our time, so we rolled up our sleeves and doubled down on Facebook. ![Social media](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Redes_Sociales.jpg)*Social Media* I’m not saying you should abandon Twitter. In fact, for a brewery, Twitter can be a powerful tool. What I’m trying to illustrate [is the biggest mistake businesses make on social media](https://www.thebeertimes.com/cervecerias-vs-consumidores-cerveza-artesanal-redes-sociales/). You can’t take a “one size fits all” approach. We use Facebook differently than we use Twitter, and we use Twitter differently than we use Instagram. So how do you get the most out of each one for your brewery? What should I do and what should I avoid? I’m going to try to lay out a whole load of information about some things you can start doing right now to make a difference. ## Authenticity, the Number One Rule Publishers, meaning newspapers, [digital media](https://www.thebeertimes.com/la-importancia-de-los-medios-digitales/) outlets and consumer brands, sometimes go through a bit of an identity crisis. Sometimes they all look the same. But you already know what your brewery is about. You’ve built your business around values, around a community and around people. Stay true to that story and make all your social media an extension of it. ## 1. Facebook Facebook uses an algorithm based on thousands of factors, both human and computer-generated, to decide who gets to see your posts. It’s important to realize that only a small share of the people who follow your page see each post. Socialinsider analyzed more than 870,000 Facebook and Instagram posts between January 2025 and August 2026 and calculated an average organic reach of 1.25% of followers on Facebook ([Socialinsider](https://www.socialinsider.io/blog/social-media-reach/), 2026). But the more engaged that person is with your page, the more of your posts they’ll see. Live streams and native videos on Facebook, uploaded directly rather than linked from YouTube or Vimeo, will generally be seen by more fans than a simple post or an article. Use these live streams and videos to show your fans parts of the brewing process they normally can’t see. Unveil new brands or new releases for the first time. Build suspense, a little drama. Going live and creating videos can sometimes take time, so if you’re short-staffed, sharing articles that speak to and reinforce your brewery’s values will also give your page a boost. Hashtags aren’t very useful on Facebook, but it’s a different story on Instagram and X. Also, avoid words like “today” and messages that demand immediacy. Publishing a post doesn’t mean fans will see it in the next few minutes or even the next few hours. ## 2. Instagram Instagram is the perfect place to showcase your brand visually and tell your story. Instagram is owned by Meta, Facebook’s parent company, and it ranks the main feed with an algorithm rather than in chronological order. Since March 2022 your followers can choose the Following and Favorites feeds, which do show posts by date ([Instagram](https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/favorites-and-following), 2022). Hashtags are a way to make sure your photos reach the people most likely to engage with your brewery. Choose a few relevant ones. In December 2025, Instagram announced on its @creators account that it would limit hashtags to five per post ([Social Media Today](https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-implements-new-limits-on-hashtag-use/808309/), 2025). Go beyond a pretty beer and show the faces of the people who make it possible. ![Guía Práctica Catar Cerveza Amazon](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Catar-cerveza-300x300.jpg) [Guía práctica para catar cerveza: Cómo apreciar correctamente todas las cervezas del mundo](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ) [Comprar en Amazon](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ) Unveil your new designs or new releases so your Instagram followers feel like true VIPs. Don’t just be there out of obligation. Instagram gives you the chance to interact with the photos your fans share of your taproom, your events and your beer. Share the photos and reels they post on your own account. Since August 2025 Instagram has let you repost public posts and reels without third-party apps, with credit to the original creator ([Meta](https://about.fb.com/news/2025/08/new-instagram-features-help-you-connect/), 2025). They’ll be delighted that you recognize them, and that’s how your community will grow. ## 3. X (Formerly Twitter) Twitter was renamed X in July 2023. X is the best for capturing news and events in real time. Use it for updates, event announcements, job postings and to interact with your fans in general. For the most part, you won’t be fighting an algorithm. Find out which hashtags matter to your fans and add one (not seven) to your posts. Your local fans and even beer-savvy travelers follow searches on X based on these regional and local hashtags. Create your own hashtag and use it consistently so your fans follow it and use it too. X can suck you in because there’s so much to discover, but you don’t have to abandon it. Optimize your posts and your time. Set aside a few minutes every day to schedule your posts with a tool like Hootsuite and then move on. TweetDeck, the free tool people used for this, was renamed X Pro and since August 2023 has been available only to paying subscribers ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2023/08/01/elon-musk-owned-x-renames-tweetdeck-to-xpro/), 2023). ## 4. TikTok TikTok has had more than 1 billion monthly users since September 2021, according to the company itself ([TikTok](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/1-billion-people-on-tiktok), 2021). It’s the network where a short video can reach people who don’t follow you yet. That happens because the For You feed recommends videos based on each user’s interests and not only on the accounts they follow ([TikTok](https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/how-tiktok-recommends-videos-for-you), 2020). Show what happens behind the bar. Mashing, hop additions, canning or cleaning the fermenters work well in vertical videos just a few seconds long. Hook viewers from the very first second and use sounds or trends only when they fit your brand. Answer questions in the comments with a video, so every question from your fans becomes new content. If you plan to work with creators, keep in mind that TikTok treats alcohol as a restricted category in branded content. It only allows it for brands approved by invitation and bans it in Australia ([TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/global/bc-policy/en), 2025). ## 5. YouTube YouTube combines two formats that serve a brewery in different ways. Long-form videos let you take your time explaining a recipe, a brewery tour or the history of a style. Shorts compete with TikTok and Instagram. According to Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, they averaged more than 200 billion daily views in June 2025 ([Tubefilter](https://www.tubefilter.com/2025/06/18/youtube-shorts-200-billion-daily-views-google-veo-3-ai-neal-mohan/), 2025). Think of YouTube as a search engine. Title your videos with what people type, such as “how to brew an IPA” or “craft brewery tour” followed by your city, and put the brewery’s name and address in the description. Repurpose your footage. One long brewing video can yield several Shorts, and each Short can lead people to the full video. Google allows alcohol ads on YouTube only in the countries on its approved list. They can never target people under the legal purchase age or show minors drinking ([Google](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/6012382), 2026). If you prefer, you can age-restrict your channel or your videos. ## 6. LinkedIn LinkedIn has 1.2 billion members, according to the company itself ([LinkedIn](https://news.linkedin.com/2025/Q4FY25_Earnings_Highlights), 2025). Its turf is the business side of the brewery, rather than filling the taproom on a Friday. Post from the founder’s or head brewer’s profile too, not just from the company page. Share real decisions, such as opening a new distribution channel, investing in equipment or launching a non-alcoholic line. Use it to hire staff and to introduce yourself to distributors, bars and restaurants. It also works for showing potential investors how the business is growing. ## What Rules Apply to Beer Brands on Social Media? Posting organic content about your beer is allowed on all of these platforms. The restrictions kick in when you pay to promote it. Meta requires alcohol ads on Facebook and Instagram to target people aged 18 or older at a minimum, and 21 or older in the United States. In some countries, such as Norway or Saudi Arabia, they aren’t allowed ([Meta](https://transparency.meta.com/policies/ad-standards/restricted-goods-services/alcohol/), 2024). TikTok bases its alcohol ad policy on each country’s law and requires licenses and a responsible drinking message. Ads can’t target people under the legal age or feature anyone under 25 ([TikTok](https://ads.tiktok.com/help/article/tiktok-ads-policy-alcohol), 2025). ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### 1. Which social network is best for a brewery? It depends on what you want to achieve. Instagram is the best visual showcase for releases, the taproom and the people behind the beer. Facebook works well for native videos, live streams and events. X is useful for real-time news and quick announcements. TikTok and YouTube Shorts help you reach new people with short video, and LinkedIn is useful for distributors, hiring and investors. The most common mistake is posting the same thing everywhere, because each platform rewards a different kind of content. ### 2. How many followers see a Facebook post? Very few if they don’t interact with your page. Socialinsider calculated an average organic reach of 1.25% of followers on Facebook, based on more than 870,000 posts analyzed between 2025 and 2026. That’s why it pays to post content that sparks comments and reactions, such as videos of the brewing process or the announcement of a new release. ### 3. How many hashtags should a brewery use on Instagram? Five at most, because in December 2025 Instagram announced it would limit hashtags per post to that number. The smart move is to choose a few relevant ones, such as your city’s name, the beer style and the brewery’s own hashtag that your fans can use in their photos. On Facebook, hashtags add little value. ### 4. Can a brewery advertise on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube? Yes, with restrictions. Meta requires alcohol ads to target people aged 18 or older at a minimum, and 21 or older in the United States, and bans them in some countries. TikTok follows local law, requires licenses and a responsible drinking message, and doesn’t allow ads to feature anyone under 25. Google only accepts alcohol ads on YouTube in the countries on its approved list, and never targeting people under the legal age. ## Recommended - [The History of the First Royal Brewery in Guadalajara](https://www.thebeertimes.com/la-historia-la-primera-cerveceria-real-guadalajara-espana/) - [The Best Breweries in the World According to Untappd](https://www.thebeertimes.com/las-mejores-cervecerias-del-mundo-segun-untappd/)