A strong social media presence is key for all major sports teams across the world. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have become the primary form of communication for teams to connect with their fanbases.
If fans are looking to check the score of a game, their first port of call will be to look at Twitter for the latest updates. Instagram and Facebook also provides a flavour of a game, although they’re not quite as regularly updated as their online rival by teams across all major leagues.
It is the same for teams’ news and events, all of which are promoted first through social media channels before they are published on their website. There is pressure on communications personnel at major teams to develop and cultivate a strong social media strategy. Without a sound presence on those platforms, the team and the brand are lagging behind in the market.
In the NBA, the Golden State Warriors have been one of the most successful teams on the court over the last decade, winning three NBA Championships. However, they have been just as fruitful off the court, creating a massive following on social media across all platforms. No team in the NBA has more followers than the Warriors on Instagram, boasting 17.1m.
Although they are no longer the leading contenders in the odds NBA betting on bet365, Golden State have maintained their presence as the top franchise on social media, using their star players and creative effects to make a decisive impact. Their social media team regularly posts highlights, interviews and graphics on their page, tooled around Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Due to the popularity of their brand, it has allowed them to strike commercial deals with companies such as Google, who prominently feature on their posts. The Warriors’ hierarchy will be delighted with their communications and marketing staff for creating a brand that has been fruitful financially.
However, there is more to social media than dollars. As European soccer has proved, being creative and quirky with your posts is a way to get eyeballs from a wide range of users rather than your own fanbase. Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma are renowned for being extremely humorous with their approach, poking fun at themselves and other teams. They have built a vast network of followers outside of Germany and Italy respectively due to this approach. Roma have taken their stance to the next level by using this popularity as a cause for good, displaying the images of missing people to aid searches across the globe.
NBA franchises have taken stock of their success. The Sacramento Kings are far from the most successful team in the league, but their social media strategy on Twitter has earned plaudits throughout the industry. They use the tools at their disposal such as gifs to bring an element of levity to a game that can take itself a tad too seriously at times. The Kings’ fanbase loves their stance, and supporters of other franchises would perhaps admit through gritted teeth that they would love their respective team to take the same approach.
Teams are adapting their online strategies all the time, and there is no right or wrong way to approach the use of social media. Knowing your own fanbase and their preferences is key to success. The Kings have capitalized and built a niche in the market and it will be interesting to see whether others will follow in their wake.
