They say sports bring everyone together, and that’s true in sports marketing as well. So how can brands use social media marketing as a tool to increase brand value and catch the eye of sports enthusiasts? Check out some of the ways here.
While the world’s best footballers are busy battling for glory and grabbing headlines in Qatar, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed headlines and set the internet on fire before the World Cup started. Ronaldo has become the most followed person on social media with 500 million Instagram followers. This is a frenzy for sports officials both on and off the field. As such, social media serves as a tool to attract new customers and create a brand’s image. In that report, Nielsen’s 2022 World Football Reportsocial media is now the platform for all things football, with 72% of fans saying they use apps to watch matches.
The question is, how can brands leverage social media and use sports to connect with their audiences? Here are some tips for using sports social media.
spectator scout
Before formulating a social media strategy, brands need to know their target audience. This is because different countries have different sports fans. Rugby and baseball are much more popular than football (or soccer) in America. Therefore, content localization is key to a good social media strategy. This is where social media analytics play a pivotal role in capturing the attention of sports enthusiasts. Social media analytics help marketers gain deeper insight into specific fan behavior and how brands can better engage with them. Marketers have at their fingertips a variety of tools, such as CRMs and social listening tools, to help them track the right audience.
To be a meme or not to be a meme
in him Article By Rob Pinkerton, Senior Vice President of Marketing, OracleAbout 91% of respondents say they like brands to be funny. He also said that a humorous presence on social media helps customers strengthen their relationship with the brand. That’s why memes can be a great tool for marketers to rely on at major sporting events. For one, it can tickle the fan’s funny bones if done right. Memes are easy to understand and relevant. A meme is like a catchfire that spreads quickly and easily reaches everyone. Another aspect that makes memes popular is the ease with which they can be shared.
Images of recent memes after Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in FIFA World Cup
MORE: How to Build a Profitable Social Media Marketing Funnel
trivia time
Renowned basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once said, “You can’t win if you don’t learn how to lose.” And that’s what sports are all about. There are winners and losers, and no fan likes to lose. We all want to win That’s why contests, trivia and games are great interactive ways to connect with sports fans. Sports fans can engage with social media through activities such as captioning photos, asking trivia questions, predicting score lines, and predicting game winners and best players. This allows fans to visit your social media pages to see if there is new content your brand has done. Plus, it helps sports fans instantly recall the brand. However, brands should be careful and plan well when conducting quizzes and contests. Ideally, Brand should run the contest one day before his match starts to build excitement.
chase the stars
From training in the gym to getting ready on the pitch, sports fans want to stay up to date with their favorite athletes. On top of that, those sports fans are very emotionally connected to their favorite players. So why not take advantage of that and leverage athletes to create your brand image? An emotional connection helps fans connect with your brand instantly.
This is a classic example of Nike with Ronaldo
‘live in the moment
Recently, Twitter went viral during the FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and Saudi Arabia, with Saudi Arabia surprising the Argentinian team by beating them 1-0. Football aficionados who couldn’t watch the game live took to Twitter to catch all the live updates about the game. That’s why it’s so important to give you live updates about your game and keep your scores updated on your timeline. Live scoreline updates not only keep fans up-to-date with the game, but they’re also a great way for fans to interact with other fans around the world. Fans can easily comment, share their thoughts, and discuss tactics on the go.
Read more: The Social Cloud and How It Streamlines Social Media
game teaser
Teaser campaigns are a great way to connect with your audience. The reason teaser campaigns are such a useful tool is due to the anticipation factor. Brands can create teaser campaigns before every sporting event, depending on the local area. Social media is an effective channel as you can share pre-game teasers and engage fans at the event. For example, you can share videos of fans entering a stadium, lovers preparing for a game, and so on.
roll the ball
It’s easy to say that sports marketing has evolved over the years. It has become more aggressive and more competitive. To thrive in this changing era, brands must attract fans and earn their trust. They have to provoke the emotions of the fans. And there is no better platform than social media to do this. Now let’s start the game.
How are you using social media to engage sports enthusiasts during this soccer world cup? Share with us Facebook, twitterWhen LinkedIn.
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