When’s the last time you used the yellow pages to find a local business? We’re guessing not in the last 15 to 20 years — and if you’re young enough, maybe never.
These days, the vast majority of us find nearby businesses by searching online. So, if your small liquor store isn’t showing up in a web search, there’s a chance people don’t even know you exist.
Luckily, your liquor store’s online presence is a powerful marketing tool for connecting with customers, differentiating yourself from the competition, and driving sales.
Yet, many liquor store owners create a basic website and call it a day… and miss out on a whole bunch of opportunities as a result.
Let’s make this loud and clear: You do not need to be an online marketing specialist to boost your online visibility — you just need to do a few simple things consistently.
That’s why we’ve put together a helpful resource for liquor store owners, whether you’re brand new to online marketing, need to brush up on the basics, or are ready to take things to the next level.
Let’s dive in.
Many liquor store owners don’t see the point of investing heavily in their online presence because they do most of their business in person.
But, in truth, a solid digital footprint is what today’s customers expect. Over half of customers prefer local businesses that have a strong online and in-store presence. 62% of people say they would avoid using a business with inaccurate online information.
Think of it this way: Your website or a Google search result is many people’s first impression of your store. If it’s outdated or confusing, people might think twice before checking out your business in person.
That’s not all. Almost half of all Google searches are for local information, and 76% of people who make a “near me” search end up visiting the businesses they find within a day. So, if you’re not showing up online, you’re likely leaving money on the table.
One important aspect of your digital liquor store marketing is search engine optimization (SEO), and it’s something we bring up a few times in our tips. So before getting into specifics, let’s go over the basics.
SEO refers to the steps a company takes to help their business or website rank higher in search engines like Google or Bing. When people make a general search like “liquor stores near me” or “wine store in (my city),” a business that is SEO optimized is more likely to show up at the top of the list. This also includes searches for specific bottles or products.
Here are some ways to boost SEO:
How exactly does SEO work, and what makes one website more visible than another? The technical details are pretty complex, but all you need to know is that the more helpful a customer finds your website, the more likely it is to climb the ranks.
It goes without saying that if you haven’t looked at your website in a few years, you should start there. For best results, you want a website that is:
That’s the baseline — but updating the website alone won’t be enough to reap all of the benefits of a strong digital presence.
Put simply, your goal should be to translate the same great atmosphere of your physical store to your digital storefront. Here are a few simple, cost-effective tips to do just that.
When most liquor store owners think of syncing stock to their website, they think of online sales. However, there are other, equally important reasons to share your inventory list online.
Use a liquor store point of sale (POS) that’s capable of connecting your in-store and online inventory. This ensures that stock levels are always accurate and any new products are automatically updated on the website, minimizing the need for manual updates or data entry.
Many people like to browse a store’s selection before they go in, especially if they’re looking for a unique bottle. Having a vague or inaccurate stock list might have someone wondering whether it’s worth the trip.
It also lets people monitor the stock levels of their favorites. A customer who loves a particular can of craft beer might casually check your website, see it’s in stock, and decide to pop over after work to pick up a six-pack.
Perhaps most importantly, having your stock list and website in one place is great for SEO. If a person searches “where to buy Red Breast whiskey” or “craft beer store”, the item listings and descriptions on your website will be noticed by search engines — and it’s more likely to point to your store as an answer.
SEO is also why it’s important to include your top-selling product categories or specialties in your home page and about page.
When people search for a new business, Google is usually the first port of call, particularly if it’s a “near me” search (e.g. “liquor store near me”).
Creating a free Google Business Profile ensures that your business is near the top of the list. To create a Google Business Profile, follow these steps:
Once it’s set up, add plenty of pictures of your storefront, aisles, and special collections. Customers use these pictures to get a sense of the atmosphere, so pick shots that are well-lit and inviting.
Now that your business profile is active, it’s time to gather reviews. Reviews build social proof for your brand and also help it show up higher in search results. Over 52% of customers say they look for local businesses that have over 4-star reviews.
If you don’t have reviews yet, send an email out to your loyalty or wine club members — ask for a review in exchange for a small discount code to kickstart the process. You can also create signage encouraging customers to leave a review.
Monitor incoming reviews and respond to them (good or bad). This shows people that your business is active and cares about what customers think. It also gives you a chance to address a bad review and turn it around.
Social media is a massive digital marketing tool and one that many small business owners audibly groan about. Trends on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok change constantly, and keeping up can feel impossible.
You’re a small liquor store owner, not a social media expert — and that’s fine. You don’t need to post on every platform or chase the latest trends to build a solid following on social media.
First, figure out which platforms your customers are actually on. TikTok tends to skew younger, making Facebook and Instagram safe bets for most liquor stores. Make sure to link your website in your social media profiles (this is good for SEO, too).
You don’t need to do anything fancy with video editing, effects, or hashtags, either. Just focus on the basics, like:
Try to post consistently a few times a week and respond to any comments to keep customers engaged. Remember: You’re not a corporate marketer, so keep the tone light and full of personality. Social media is a great way to put a human face to your business, so have fun with it!
Email marketing might seem outdated, but it’s actually one of the more effective marketing tools out there — especially if the content of the emails is relevant to your customers.
The best way to gather customer contact information is to start a loyalty program. Once you have enough emails, you can put together a weekly newsletter. Your newsletter shouldn’t be long, just a couple of paragraphs, highlighting new arrivals, store updates, and sales — you can also incentivize people to read the newsletter by including member-only discount codes.
But a newsletter is just the beginning. As customers frequent your liquor store and accumulate points, you’ll also have access to their individual and collective sales histories, helping you understand the products and sales they gravitate towards the most.
You can then use your POS system to segment customers and send them offers based on what they actually buy. Here are some ways you can filter customers to send targeted offers:
Sending targeted offers is more effective than blanket offers, and might be just the incentive someone needs to pop into the store and make a purchase. It also helps customers feel like you have their interests at heart and aren’t just sending them random junk.
Once you have an inventory management system that’s capable of sharing your real-time inventory online, you have the foundation for online sales (in whatever form you’re most comfortable with).
Online sales are an effective way to reach new customers and an easy way to boost sales from existing customers by offering another convenient shopping option. Here are a few ways to offer online sales at your liquor store:
To ensure your online sales don’t add stress to your day-to-day, use a modern POS system. This ensures any orders are filtered into a single order management system so you can see the status of all open orders, send automatic updates to customers, and prioritize orders.
A unified POS system also allows your customers to use their contact information to continue earning points online (and you to see their combined online and in-store sales history).
We’ve listed a lot of different tips and strategies for improving your liquor store’s online footprint, but which ones are the most effective?
That depends. Every store is different, and strategies that might be effective for one might have middling results for another. It’s important to understand which online marketing strategies work for your business.
That’s where the reports and analytics tools on your POS system come in. These visual dashboards and charts help you monitor which parts of your online strategy are working and which need some love. Use your POS reports to monitor things like:
You can also use website analytics to see which pages get the most traffic, which pages are bounced out of, and other metrics that can help you make strategic improvements.
Creating an approachable and convenient online presence brings your liquor store into the digital age and delivers the experience today’s customers expect. However, small business owners don’t have unlimited resources, and it’s important to find ways to go online without adding to your plate.
Bottle POS was built by liquor store owners, for liquor store owners. In addition to tools to help simplify the management of your store, it includes helpful features to bring your store online, including e-store and DoorDash integrations, built-in marketing and SMS, and customizable customer loyalty.
Talk with one of our liquor store experts today to see how Bottle POS helps independent liquor store owners achieve more with less.
