Over the past few years, digital marketing has revolutionised the sports industry. Since the 2012 London Olympics, the top digital marketing agencies in the sports industry have extensively used SEO, content marketing, blogs, and SMM (social media marketing) to promote major events. Today, digital marketing is an essential part of the sports industry and has redefined its parameters.
The impact of social media on the sports industry
The vast outreach potential of social media makes it a formidable tool. And marketers are now leveraging SMM to enrich the fans’ online experience. Major brands are actively promoting themselves on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and their marketing efforts are paying off.
Nowadays, many sports teams, leagues and venues keep the fans updated with exclusive pictures and videos, play-by-play commentary of the games and engaging infographics on their social media channels.
Several independent studies have found that heavy investments in social channels have a better ROI in the long run. For best results, marketers can direct their social channels towards owned platforms like websites. This is a great strategy for increasing organic traffic over time.
Why digital marketing is important for sports
Digital marketing strategies have evolved beyond product promotions in the past few decades. Modern practices tend to lean towards improving the overall browsing experience, creating a strong sense of relationship, and generating trust and loyalty between brands and their customers.
How is any of this relevant to the sports industry? For starters, a majority of people love sports. From football and cricket to motorsports and eSports, there is no shortage of fanatics. According to FIFA, over 240 million people play football worldwide, which is roughly 4% of the global population.
Basketball is quite popular too, with nearly 400 million amateur and professional players worldwide. Then there are individual sports like cycling or running. This means millions of people actively participate in sports every day. But connecting with independent individuals was impossible before the digital revolution.
Let’s not forget that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the owner of the most followed Instagram account in the world, clocking at more than 300 million followers. There is no denying that sports fans are a massive and devoted audience, and maintaining relations with them is hard work that will definitely pay off.
Digital marketing trends in sports
A digital marketing agency in the sports industry will accurately measure the depths of the sports industry, analyse the demands, come up with solutions, and share them with the world. Increasing smartphone usage has fuelled the growth of social media between sports fans even further and experts believe the trend will continue in the years to come.
One of the best examples of digital marketing transforming businesses in the sports industry is Nike. The conglomerate has an interactive mobile application that teleports users into Nike’s immersive universe. Users can explore workouts, set goals, and purchase merchandise from a single application.
Digital marketing is like a blank canvas. There are many ideas that haven’t been explored yet, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to it. But there’s no denying that using digital marketing effectively will benefit in keeping your audience engaged.
The rise of TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts has shown the power of short-form videos. Many sports teams, venues and leagues already share short-form highlights of their games immediately after them happening. In turn, the audience can easily share them and make them viral, further fueling the growth of the brand.