Pro sports are very social by nature. The social aspect of sports is what makes the experience special, even more than the sport being watched. People get a sense of identity from their home team. People want to share and speak about their team too, whether it’s for good or bad. Either way, it generates a lot of noise and interest, which makes social media the perfect tool for sports teams and leagues. Let’s take a look at how sports teams can use social media for fan engagement and marketing.
Keep Fans Engaged During the Off-Season
Keeping fans interested during the off-season can be tough, but social media can help you here. You can help people stay connected with players in the team or developments with the franchise. You can ask fans for suggestions and make them feel more involved with the team. For instance, many teams use this time to propose design changes.
Sports social media tools are a great way to promote off-season fan engagement and organize both your fan and brand-generated content. These will allow you to collect, manage, and share content created by your fanbase. This will create a greater sense of community and gives you the chance to engage with fans directly.
Post Highlights in Real-Time
Highlights shouldn’t be reserved for after games. They should be shared in real-time to allow you to reach people who may have not been paying attention to the game. Highlights are easily digestible, shareable, and can be watched on the fly. This could also be a great way to remind someone that a game was going on, or even attract people from other fanbases.
Create a Connection with Team Members
Another thing that you can do through social media is bring people closer to the team. You could have a series dedicated to every player on your team, even the lesser-known ones. This could be a great way to connect them with your fans in a way that they can’t on the field. People may start relating to them, which will create more attention for them and the team as a whole.
We also suggest that you speak with some of the management staff and people working around the organization. Your fans may want to hear from the team’s nutritionist and see what goes into feeding players. Or, they can maybe speak with one of the team’s specialty coaches and see what their job is about.
Special Events
Social media is also a great way to advertise special events. Maybe you want to organize a charity game or a meet-and-greet. Social media allows you to reach your audience fast and exchange before, during, and after the event.
Social media and sports are a match made in heaven and teams would be wise to focus more on their efforts on it. Make sure that you come in with a plan and find ways to engage fans at every chance you get.
