Club Connection: Engaging with Social Media

The transfer window for the summer of 2017 will be remembered for two things. The first is for the record-breaking fees made for the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Neymar, with the latter selling for somewhere in the region of £200 million. Secondly, 2017 will live long in the memory for the over-the-top signing announcements made via social media. From those of European giants Besiktas and Sevilla, all the way to the likes of lesser-known Yeovil Town and Vancouver Whitecaps, the internet really did outdo itself this summer. Such content proved that online really is the place to be for all things weird and wonderful. But, whilst social media can be used by professional clubs to publish such videos for the laughs, it can also be used as vehicles to drive your own club’s brand and profits no matter what level you play at.

Regardless of whether you’re making short videos featuring the kidnapping of your new signing or not, there are many ways for your club to communicate through Facebook, Twitter and the like. There are many advantages to be had in doing so, too. The former claims in their mission statement that it aims to ‘bring the world closer together’, and your club could be the perfect microcosm of their aspirations. Teams can use such avenues to create a sense of connection with their fans, wherever they are in the world. The commercial managers of football clubs around the world will already tell you that there is a pretty penny to be made via such websites and apps too, with social-driven sales rising at a faster rate than all other online channels.

Capitalising on Your Brand

Sure, one of the advantages of social media is that it often gives clubs a free and direct platform to push their products and services. It is the norm for professional clubs to release a new home, away and often a third kit every season these days and, with studies showing that the average person will spend roughly 35 minutes on Facebook a day, it is no surprise to see clubs actively pursuing sales via these means at little-to-no cost. This can be done at even seemingly inappropriate times with Arsenal, never ones to shy away from making a sale, responding to their shock loss to Stoke City by advertising their replica match shirts on their feed.

Away from Premier League football, grassroots and lower league teams can use smartphone apps such as Instagram as important tool to showcase their product ranges. By doing so, they can generate much needed cash to support the infrastructure of their club and also provide a product desired by fans who are keen to display their support from the sidelines and afar. Old Meadonians FC are a prime example of sharing images to promote their online store.

Other Ways of Boosting Club Coffers

Fundraising is often essential for smaller clubs to keep afloat, especially given the cost of football in the present day. With the advent of Facebook, Twitter et al, it has never been easier (or cheaper) to air your requirements to a global audience quickly and efficiently. GB Deaf Football rose over £100,000 via the JustGiving page that they broadcasted over their various social channels, with England internationals James Milner and Jack Butland making sizeable donations after seeing the cause pop up on their timelines. With the money, they were able to fund a successful campaign at the 2017 Deaflympics. This goes to show just how powerful a Tweet can be.

Your club could also generate some revenue by promoting your sponsors’ content. If done correctly (and sporadically), a few tweets endorsing their products or service could cost you nothing other than a minute of your time to post. As well as the extra dosh, it can also be an excellent tool for building on your working relationship with your commercial partners by showing interest in their organisation and your willingness to engage with them. Know your worth, but maybe don’t expect the reported £169,280 per tweet Cristiano Ronaldo earns!

Posting about your sponsors – whether promoting their goods or simply by announcing their partnership with you as our friends Boston Celtics FC did recently – might even secure sponsorship from other businesses keen to be associated with your now digital-savvy organisation.

Creating the Conversation

Social media has also been used to create a sense of connection with the fans that keep clubs across the world going. It allows those who often do not have the access to get to games to keep tabs on the latest on-goings, transfers and performances from their club. It is also a place for supporters to voice their joy after a big win versus their arch rivals, or their frustrations after being torn to pieces in the following match. Frustrated or jubilant, fans want to express their feelings about the club as after all – to paraphrase the late, great Sir Bobby Robson – they are the club.

Clubs can also use their player’s brand – and vice versa – to push their messages across. When scouting potential additions to their squads, top teams even scan their digital footprints to judge their character. At their most resourceful, a star striker can bring everyone connected to a club closer together (take Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp, for example, who loves a good post featuring ‘#twitterblades’). Just make sure you make a better attempt of it than Sunderland and Victor Anichebe after the Black Cats suffered a last-minute defeat to West Ham in last year’s Premier League campaign:

Similarly, managers have been known to thank fans for their support via similar channels as they look to increase the bond they have with their community, whilst others have used it to send parting messages to their supporters. Kevin Nicholson recently posted an emotional goodbye over Facebook to Torquay United after being fired from his ‘dream job’ as head coach, whilst also reminding future potential employees of his managerial credentials; an excellent demonstration of how social media can be used for different purposes!

Recruiting Staff and Players

In the lower-leagues of the English footballing pyramid – and indeed at a grassroots level – there is an increasing realisation of yet another advantage that a tweet, for example, can generate. The search for new players and staff can often become an easier task for clubs when posting about it online. Mousehole AFC recently advertised vacancies for new youth coaches via Twitter, whilst the likes of West Midlands Foxes also publicise their open trails for younger players via the same means.

Adam Crapper, responsible for communications at of one of South Yorkshire’s largest grassroots clubs, Southey Wolves, recently informed us that Twitter is their main channel for trying to attract new players to join their teams across all age-groups. Whilst the club may have a reach currently of just over 700 followers, they are able to amplify their posts by using their network of contacts to share it with Adam stating, “When posting our materials on the search for players, we tag local leagues and the county FA in our posts.” Working closely with the Manchester, Cheshire, West Riding and London FAs ourselves, we are able to see first-hand just how helpful said County FAs can be when it comes to increasing a club’s standing via social media.

What Channels to Use?

There are many different channels for clubs to take advantage of, most of which are free. Facebook and Twitter are largely the most utilised and (dare I say) ‘traditional’ of these modern-age networking solutions. They also offer the opportunity to build on your organic network with the option of paid, sponsored posts to really help get your name out there. With 78% of those over 18 in the UK using Facebook, and just 45% of the same demographic using Twitter, it is important to realise who you are targeting with your messages however. If you are using social media to attract new players like Southey Wolves do, you might have better joy on Facebook if it’s an adult’s team.

It’s also well worth noting that what might be hot today might not be further down the line, so keep an eye on the latest trends. If you’re not seeing much traffic being diverted to your website from your MySpace posts, for example, I wouldn’t be too shocked- this isn’t 2007 after all! Instagram continues to rise at a rate of knots and, as the trendiest social media app out there today, it should be at the forefront of your mind when it comes to developing the brand image of your football club.

At it’s finest, social media has transformed grassroots teams into a global phenomenon. This might seem aspirational, but try telling that to Palmers FC. Using just YouTube and other standard online platforms to bring highlights of their Sunday League matches to millions across the world, the lives of all those connected have been transformed thanks to such technologies. In turn, it has boosted the exposure of English grassroots football to a younger demographic with their videos being viewed mostly by 18-24 year olds.

Hit the Post!

Whether you like it or not, the lines between a ‘football club’ and a ‘brand’ are becoming increasingly blurred. In order to be competitive in modern soccer, it’s not just the players on the pitch who need to do the talking. By creating the conversation online and opening it to your squad, staff, supporters and sponsors, you’re helping to paint a brighter picture of your club worldwide. If you’re after more money to fund match kits for the new season, or if you’re just trying to create a feel-good factor within your community, the opportunities that posting on social media can create are endless.