The Craft Beer industry has ever been changing since the 1970’s. There was light lager on shelves and in bars, and the imported beer was not yet a significant player in the market. Since then we have grown exponentially. The US has so many craft niche breweries and everyday another one pops up that tries to challenge the status quo. These craft breweries are bending the rules and coming out with some top notch brews. And who to better showcase these wonderful creations? Well none other than micro influencers of Instagram. Speaking of influencers, have you heard of Kelsey Simon? If not, her interview will help remove those beer goggles you’ve been sporting for decades and shine the light into this ever growing market.
Kelsey, could you introduce yourself and briefly describe your Instagram account — what’s your focus and the reason you started it? Do you see this as a business, a hobby, or something in between?
KS: I’m Kelsey Simon, the girl behind @kelseysimonsays. I share snapshots of my travel adventures and local shenanigans on the internet all with one invariable theme, beer! My page grew organically through the pursuit of great beer and great friends. While I don’t view it wholly as a business, I will always view it as a hobby regardless of what it continues to grow into.
Let’s talk beer. The beer craft industry seems to be growing exponentially with so many great expressions being released all the time. What are your favorite characteristics or profiles when it comes to beer specifically? What about the beverage draws you in?
KS: The beautiful thing about beer is that there is a style out there for everyone. If you’re a purist, there are breweries making traditional german pilsners according to the strict rules of the Reinheitsgebot, but if you’re exploratory, there are also just as many breweries making barrel aged fluffer-nutter sandwich imperial stouts. I indulge in every style and love that there are endless options to match my ever-changing pallet.
What advice would you give craft beer distilleries or beer companies looking to use the Instagram social media platform to grow their brand’s image?
KS: For me Instagram has been a great tool for building my own community and brand. Craft breweries could definitely benefit from connecting to their consumers through their profiles. Many macro-breweries hire social media managers to run their pages. Although the images are always perfectly curated, they lack the realness and authenticity that promotes brand loyalty. I’d rather see the face of the person who made my beer and hear their passion for their products rather than see a photoshopped beer bottle on the beach with accompanying canned corporate speak.
From your perspective what draws the followers to your photos?
KS: Relatability. People follow you for one of two reasons. They admire you or they relate to you. I like to post in a way that makes my followers feel like they are along for the ride. I post what I love, and it turns out there is a little corner of the internet that likes to be a part of that too.
How has your Instagram feed evolved over time? Any specific turning points?
KS: In 2012 I had a pretty typical instagram page. I posted blurry pictures of tacos, memes, way too many of photos of my pomeranians, and occasionally craft beer. When I honed my feed to craft beer content and brewery based trips, that’s when my account took off and the #beercation was born. My biggest moment of clarity was after a viral post of me celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin. It helped me learn to post with the intention of capturing meaningful moments in time, doing my best to convey what it’s like to be with me in real life.
How often do you take a break from social media to recharge?
KS: I don’t post daily, I commend the accounts out there that do, but when social media becomes a burden it can negatively impact relationships. I also think it is extremely important to have that separation of Instagram and personal time in order to retain authenticity.
What is your stance on influencers being paid to post about brands? Should influencers be transparent regarding payment for posts?
KS: I think it’s great that brands are recognizing the effectiveness of micro-influencers. Partnerships can be mutually beneficial in growing a brand or following, but in order to maintain the integrity of my brand, I’ve been very selective of the companies I’ve chosen to work with as well as be completely transparent about any of my partnerships, but I don’t believe that is the biggest problem at hand. The more nefarious side of this coin is that many influencers are pretending to be paid by putting #ad or #sponsored in their posts and falsely tagging companies to look more relevant, grow their following, and dupe businesses into paying for collaborations that may not actually benefit them. Essentially transparency needs to work both ways.
On a personal note, what are some of the most important things in your life?
KS: Growth is essential to me. Every city I’ve visited and every person I’ve met along the way have changed me. I want to be ever evolving, as a traveler, as a person, and as a brand.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
KS: A virtual cheers to all that read my interview. I’m sipping on my beer as I write. I hope you are all sipping on your beverage of choice as you read. Thank you to Taste The Dram for hosting me. Salud!
