Twitter has struggled in recent weeks. With user growth virtually flat, the company’s CFO told investors not to expect “sustained meaningful growth” because the platform was “too difficult to use.” L2’s Insight Report: Beer Social Media confirms that beer brands also find Twitter less engaging than Facebook or Instagram.
While Twitter remains the second most popular platform for beer brands after Facebook, their posts get far fewer interactions there than elsewhere on social media. The L2 study found that the average tweet by a beer brand receives only 54 interactions. In comparison, Instagram posts draw 743 and Facebook posts garner 2,347.
Beer brands have seemed to recognize that the social platform isn’t giving them investment-worthy reach, and are focusing elsewhere. The average brand tweeted only 3.1 times per week, while posting 4.8 times on Instagram and 8 times on Pinterest.
There are exceptions: Miller Lite’s #ItsMillerTime campaign was so effective in 2014 that the company repeated it this year. But other creative campaigns prove Twitter’s limitations. For example, Newcastle Brown Ale announced it would pay each new follower one dollar in a quest to gain 50,000 followers. Newcastle has less than 55,000 followers one year later, indicating virtually no return on its investment.
Twitter has tried to win over users with new products like native video and live-streaming app Periscope, but these efforts haven’t convinced beer companies: only three Index brands use Periscope. Surprisingly, Pinterest is gaining traction with innovative content like Stone Brewing Co.’s collaborative beer map, which has generated considerable popularity.