Social media has reshaped the way brands communicate with consumers, especially when it comes to sport brands. Federations, clubs and individual athletes will have multiple social accounts – encompassing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and more – that will enable them to connect with their fans. But how do fans then consume what’s published? Here we explore 3 of the most important ways.
Fans want content immediately
According to a recent study, 79% of fans list immediacy of information as a main driver of their social media usage. Information also has to be easily accessed through channels they are already familiar with. That’s why social media is the perfect choice.
[bctt tweet=”79% of fans list immediacy of information as a main driver of their social media usage” username=”TellyoTV”]Fans want to be notified as soon as something important is happening. They want to see content that will get them inside of the game, that will make them feel like they’re part of the crowd watching from the stands. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to watch every minute of the game from start to finish. Remember that people often use social media during other activities.
Live streaming on social media is one way of giving fans immediate content. But it might not be the best. This is because social media consumers don’t always want to work to get content; they want the work to be done for them. With live streams, people have to keep their attention and wait for the highlights to come. On the other hand, when they’re notified about key moments within minutes of them happening, the job is done by somebody else. Fans can rest assured that they won’t miss anything.
Fans want content to be honest, real and raw
In a survey by Synergy and Loughborough University it was highlighted that fans find content coming from sponsors much less engaging than content from their favourite teams and athletes.
Social media gives fans a unique opportunity to see and interact with their idols from a truly human perspective. Even chatting with them directly is something that has become normality. However, content shared by sponsors is usually polished; filled with extraordinary effects. This might make it look ‘too promotional’ for fans, who don’t want to be treated as consumers. They’d rather be seen as fans – and a very valuable part of the club they associate with – and want to be treated as such.
Fans will also crave detailed insights, like behind the scenes material, exclusive interviews or personal stories of athletes. Authenticity is the greatest advantage that teams and athletes have over sponsors when it comes to engaging fans, who want content to be simple, honest and raw. Too much ‘polish’ may actually be getting in the way and have an opposite effect to the one that’s desired.
The younger the fan, the more they engage
The survey results also showed that treating millennials as a homogenous group can be a huge mistake. Fans who are 16-17 year-olds are twice as likely to be opinionated on social media as 19-26 year-olds, which is a highly valuable information for sports marketers.
As these young fans grow up, what we can expect is that there will be a greater level of engagement across social media. Along with that, fan bases should increase too.
If you want to share social videos in real-time in order to enhance the experience your fans have with your brand, Tellyo is a perfect tool for you. With Tellyo, Widzew Lodz FC increased their facebook engagement by 68%
Sources:
Synergy Social Sport Fan Research
Crowdysports – The Perfect Match: Sports and Social Media
