Online Communication Approaches and Social Networks in Traditional Wine Regions: A Case Study from Italy

This study aims to analyze the different online communication approaches adopted by a system of wineries situated in the same wine region. The analysis will be conducted by observing the use made of the principal online tools (website, Facebook, and Twitter), the prevailing content, and the generated online networks and communities. It is focused on Trentino, a traditional wine-producing region located in the northeast of Italy. Findings highlight a heterogeneous development of online communication in this wine region. Four latent dimensions can be considered as the four decision areas embedding website structure and visitor experience. The graphical representation of social networks (Facebook and Twitter) offers important insights for marketing implications. Different network structures emerge, implying different roles played by wineries as nodes in the network.