When it comes to real-time marketing, no field is better poised to take advantage of the opportunities than the sports industry. Most fans watch the game with a phone in hand, checking fantasy league scores and sounding off on big plays minute-by-minute. They use social media to share everything from celebratory cheers and photos to smack-talk, predictions and stats. If one of the keys to real-time social media marketing is going where the fans are, then sports are set up for success.
But can social media be a game changer for sports marketers? Measuring fan buzz is one thing, but can marketing teams use social media to build engagement to help support a sports franchise? There's no question that much of what happens on social media is outside a marketing team's control. No one can predict what big plays will drive social conversation or which players will step off the sidelines and into the spotlight...or which fumbles will cause negative sentiment to build.
However, there are a number of elements that sports marketers do have a say in. For example, activating fan conversations and extending the visibility of user-generated content are two tactics that can help sports teams build buzz on game day and beyond.
Here are 6 secrets to social media marketing success for sports teams, based on insights from the Denver Broncos:
- Go where the fans are. To reach fans at home and in the stadium, the Broncos developed an online and in-venue visual display to surface social fan content such as photos, Broncos-related conversations, sponsor ads and the team's best marketing materials. The multi-screen social experience puts fans at the center of the action no matter where they are, with access to a mobile app, online social hub, and in-stadium live social displays for game attendees. Fans everywhere are empowered to co-create public team promotion, extending Broncos reach and revenue through website views, media impressions and paid sponsorship of their social campaigns.
- Drive the momentum. During the 2014 football season, the Broncos used weekly hashtag campaigns to drive direct user participation. From encouraging fans to submit photos and displaying the pics on the game scoreboard, to activating a real-time countdown of Tweet activity in order to unlock a #TBT photo of Peyton Manning, fans everywhere were driven to engage and become part of the game day experience.
- Make it personal. One of the top uses for relevant user-generated social content is to display it at live events in real time, and sports stadiums provide a perfect avenue. The Broncos use tactics like an Instagram avatar wall to enable fans in Broncos Country to show their pride, as well as an online hub that displays real-world fan content to engage other users. Displaying user-generated content creates a sense of community, enabling fans to engage with other fans and rally around the action.
- Set your sights on a goal. According to a recent data study by real-time digital marketing company Wayin, more than half of marketers cite building customer relationships and event promotion amongst the top reasons they currently use real-time marketing. Whether your goal is to expand reach, activate audiences, generate revenue or build loyalty, it's critical to set your sights on a marketing objective so you can employ the right tactics to help you reach it.
- Prepare a game plan. Effective real-time marketing cannot consist of a string of sporadic actions, but instead requires a carefully planned strategy with the resources to discover the right audiences and target them with the right content at the right time. In the same way that a coach needs a playbook and a roster of practiced players, a sports marketer must have the right tools to surface the best social content. Essential capabilities of modern social display include flexible social search, customizable visualization, geographic insights, multiple APIs and more.
- Stay focused. Just like building a winning sports team, success in social media takes time. The Broncos have steadily grown their Twitter and Facebook fan base from 1.51 million in August 2012 to more than 4.5 million in 2015. They're also actively using channels like Instagram and Vine to attract younger viewers. For social media marketers, it's important to combine consistent, tried and true tactics with innovative new vehicles to keep building success.
With the right strategies and tools in place, sports marketers can use social media to activate their fan base, drive engagement and move their team from the sidelines to the all-star roster.
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