Digital & Social Media for Sports Stars

© Freestyle Interactive – www.freestyleinteractive.co.uk

Starting a website

31st October 2011

DKHLT Workshop


Overall UK Media consumption


48.1m Internet users in the UK


We spend an average of 2 hours 30 minutes using the internet everyday


Social Media accounts for 22% of all time spent online

* Neilsen, June 2010


An active social presence sells!


• The web is a highly competitive landscape, particularly for businesses. It isn’t enough to create a website, do nothing else and simply ‘hope for the best’.

• The web is a network of content competing against each another to be the most engaging, receive the most traffic and rank higher in search results.

• Whatever the business, you need to regularly engage with your customers with content.

• The more valuable the content you generate, the more likely you will see web traffic – as well as improvements in search engines. This means = More potential customers.

How do I launch my website?


• Your website is as only as good as the content on it.

• CHOOSE the right web platform (the software your website will be built with) for the right audience.

• CREATE engaging content for your audience

• SHARE your content with the right people and right places

• SHARE other peoples content – become part of a community – don’t just talk about yourself.

Lesson


PRINCIPLES


• PEOPLE– Who are your target audiences?– Where do they interact on the web?– Why would they be interested in your services?– What value can you offer them?– Who do you already know who can benefit your efforts?

Leverage personal connections

3 important web principles


• PROCESS– How can you build brand awareness for your services?– How can you create better content for your customers?– How can you perform better in search engines?– How can you convert web visitors into customers?– How can you measure success?



• TECHNOLOGY– What is the primary purpose of the website?– What web platform is best suited to your objectives?– How can you improve the performance and engagement of

your website?– How can you manage your website easily & cost effectively?



CASE STUDIES

ATHLETES USING THE WEB FOR COMMERCIAL GAIN


• Professional EPL footballer coming to the end of his career

• Has a far from clean brand – marked by several scandals throughout his younger years – drugs, sex and speeding to name just a few.

• However, Ferdinand is widely acclaimed for his usage of Twitter and regularly engaging with his fans in creative and innovative ways. He is probably the best example of an athlete using Social Media effectively.

• Ferdinand uses his Social Media kudos and fanbase to promote his own commercial venture – his media brand and magazine.

Rio Ferdinand – Media Mogul?


RioFerdinand.comFerdinand’s business model sits around a free online magazine – that undoubtedly raises his own media profile but also generates revenue via advertising and his online store.

Ferdinand leverages his own brand (and connections) in order to create engaging content suitable for his audience – it’s very subtle and never a hard sell.

Makes it obvious what his social media channels are


Leveraging Social Channels to promote business

902,628 Likes13.3 Million Video Views1,538,546 Followers

Ferdinand focuses his energy on interacting with his existing fanbase in order to push them subtly to his commercial website.

He generates content to the needs of his audience, so he doesn’t just broadcasts but asks them for ideas and engages with them to see what they want.


Active Social presence & content rank higher in Google

Regular activity on Social Channels has pushed Ferdinand’s Twitter and Website to number 1 & 2 in the Search Rankins.


Why is Ferdinand so good at Social?Talks AND Listens to his fansToo many athletes broadcast – only talk about themselves – on Social Media channels. Ferdinand is more personable and has gained a reputation for being more social by:

- Asking questions about what content they would like

- Holding impromptu Q&As

- Sharing engaging content such as photos and video shot from his iPhone

- Open dialogue with fans about all kinds of issues – has a balance between his personal life and his footballing career. People don’t want to hear just about one thing.


Why bother?

Benefits• Trust – Fans trust what he says and are more willing to accept his

content, as such they are more likely to visit his website.

• Community – Fans feel like their views count and they are part of a community, they actively share content and create more buzz – again, pushing traffic to his website.

• Increased Media profile – Twitter comments are often picked up by the press, seen as a Sports Social Media innovator in an industry where Social Media often causes problems.

• Improved search rankings – Not only does this improve traffic to the website, but it buries press stories surrounding his past scandals.


Keri Anne Payne on Tumblr


Keep actively engaging with content


Focus on two way conversation – LISTEN!


Broad range of content = Trust!

Personal

Motivational - Sport

Achievements

Events

Sponsorship

Fans


• Recognise that they already have a powerful brand and play to their strengths.

• Deliberate focus on utilising Social Media – quickest way to promote yours services to varied audiences.

• Leverage their fanbase on social channels – it isn’t a sales pitch, but a business by association. Blur the lines between personal and business.

• Build a website using the right web platform – one that is comfortable for you AND your audience to use.

• Create regular and engaging content – websites need to be dynamic in order to compete in a Search & Social world.

Common practices


THANKS!

Sean [email protected]@freestyleint

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Digital & Social Media for Sports Stars

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