Wine, family businesses and web: marketing strategies to compete effectively

The purpose of this paper is to deepen the web marketing strategies used by wine family businesses (FBs) with the aim to identify the role assigned to websites, the online models and the competitive strategies implemented through them.

In order to examine the content and structure of the information found on the website of selected FBs, an ad hoc analysis model was designed and validated with the support of marketing and industry experts through an inspecting focus group (Mich, 2007).

The subsequent observation of the websites of the businesses studied showed that family-run Italian wineries use their websites mainly to present information about the business and as a relational tool through edutainment activities; FBs yet neglect the potential of e-commerce.

The study highlights the importance and the attention that FBs, among others, should dedicate to the role of web communications within their communications strategy. Although this path has allowed the traits essential to launch effective online communications for FBs, the small number of businesses surveyed (ten) does not permit a theoretical generalisation of the results. Thus, we expect to integrate the information obtained from this preliminary study with in-depth interviews with the digital strategists for the companies examined or by increasing the number of FBs studied.

The paper provides an evaluation model to effectively organise the websites’ contents; wine businesses should consider and customise these essential elements with the brand’s specific details.