The rules of sports marketing are being rewritten every single year, by the industry-leading brands we've known for decades, the up-and-coming disruptors, and every business in between. However, no matter how big or small your sports brand is, there's no denying it's within the digital field where the winners are made. If you're a sports brand playing the old game, you're already on the bench.
These days, it's not just about reaching as many eyeballs as possible; it's about forging a bond with your fans that turns them into a roaring crowd. This is your quick-fire playbook for ensuring your digital efforts work for you. Strategies to help you maximise both your resources and your results. Get ready to level up your game – domination isn't just a goal; it's the only option.
Get Hyper-Specific with Your Audience
Gone are the days of blasting ads everywhere you can into the crowd and hoping for the best. These days, it's about getting true, die-hard fans on your team who want to be seen.
As a simple example, imagine you're launching a new line of running trainers, and you're ready to promote. You could produce an ad that aims to connect with as many people as possible, but this is only going to lead to generic content that tries to tick all the boxes. Very difficult to do well.
Instead, zoom in on your niche, find your tribe, and define a message that will land with impact. Are you marketing to teenagers? Sporty women? People who are breaking into a new sport? The try-hard five-aside footballers who love to dominate their local leagues? Each of these audiences use different language, have a different outlook on life, and want different things from their sports products.
Want proof? In this ad, Under Armour has gone for grit and grind, keep going at all costs, and tapping into the results-orientated minds of a young audience. Note the dark colours, fast cuts, and dramatic soundtrack. Compare this with this Gymshark ad from a few years ago. While it still has the classic workout and fitness tones, it's narrated with a nurturing outlook. Compassionate and inspiring, but in a different way.
Niching down enables brands to connect with a specific audience. To do the same, here are some important considerations:
Data-Driven Decisions: Data's your secret weapon. Track those fan habits, pinpoint their passions, and build a profile so sharp that your campaigns will target them with laser precision.
Tailored Messaging: Generic content is the benchwarmer of marketing. Speak your audience's language, get at what gets them hyped. Think Paddy Power–their razor-sharp humour cuts through the noise because they know their crowd. That's how you build not just followers but die-hard fanatics.
Campaign Success: This isn't guesswork; it's a science. Targeted marketing isn't just about feel-good vibes; it's about those sweet, sweet numbers. Engagement, loyalty, sales... a hyper-focused approach delivers the results that make the whole stadium cheer.
Tell a Story to Connect with Your Audience
Another top marketing tip, especially when using digital spaces, is telling a story. People connect with human stories because they’re emotional. Instead of saying, 'Hey, buy these trainers because they have nice soles, cool laces, a nice design, and a competitive price tag,' focus on Helen...
Helen gets up every day at six to run. She has to because after that, her morning is busy getting her kids up and ready for the day. She needs to be out the door at eight, in work by nine, running the office with the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, back to pick the kids up at three, cooks dinner with her husband, has a short time to chill, and back to bed for the next day. Helen loves her morning runs. It's her break. It's her space. It's a place she goes to be with herself, to look after herself, and to breathe before she starts the craziness of her day. Your trainers help her do this in the best possible way.
See what we mean? Same trainers, but so much more appealing when positioned using a story that resonates with other female runners like Helen. Remember, stories aren't just about sport; they're about the human spirit – and that's what grabs hearts. Weave those stories into your marketing, and you won't just be seen; you'll be unforgettable.
Partnerships, Sponsorships, and Influencer Marketing
If you've been on social media over the last few years, you're likely to have seen an influencer marketing a product. It pays to team up with people who have already grown their own digital audience.
Marketing in this way has changed a lot over the last few years since people have become more savvy around being sold to. However, when it comes to brand awareness, reach, and getting the name of your product out there, this still works fantastically. At the end of the day, there's a reason 93% of marketers still use influencer marketing in their campaigns. You need to pick the right people to both represent your brand in the best possible way, as well as connect you with the right people.
Take Time to Pick the Channels, and Never All of Them
It's incredibly tempting as a brand to ensure you're on every single digital channel you can possibly be on, because why wouldn't you? You're maximising your sales potential, right?
Well, possibly, but only if you have the resources to sustain it long-term. The chances are you don't unless you're one of the major brands in the space.
The trick to modern marketing is taking the time to find your crowd, pop up in the places they hang out online, and then master posting and optimising content on these platforms. Each platform has its own tricks and strategies you need to know to get right. For example, you might think Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are absolute musts these days, but what if you spent all your time on Reddit and got back an even higher ROI?
Here are some tips for being successful here:
Identify Your Audience: Don't guess. Data is your all-seeing eye. Know your fan demographics inside and out, and choose your digital battleground accordingly.
Mix It Up: One size doesn't fit all. Blast out those highlights on social, drop in-depth blogs, build a community with email... be everywhere your fans are, and be there with the right kind of content.
Measure and Optimise: Marketing isn't static. Track those numbers like a hawk. See what gets the crowd roaring, what makes them yawn, and adjust your tactics on the fly.
Choose your channels wisely, and your message will spread like wildfire among the fans who matter most.
Make the Most of the Power of Video Content
And finally, no modern marketing guide is complete without the mention of video content because it's THE top consideration for getting your brand out there. The numbers are so incredibly clear on this:
86% of businesses use video for marketing. That means if you don't use video, 86% more businesses have eyes on them rather than you.
Video content is 12 times more likely to be shared than text or video.
Video marketing content makes revenue 49% faster than any other form of media.
78% of modern consumers watch video content weekly, with 55% watching video content every day. (Source)
Long story short, make video content and get better results while putting yourself out there among the top brands. This is where we come in to help. At Vivid, we understand video content's power, and that quality can feel like a big investment. However, with your efforts focused in the right place, clear ideas in mind, and plenty of opportunities to maximise the reach of your content, we ensure you get the best mileage from every piece of content you make.
From quick-hit TikToks, behind-the-scenes YouTube docs, Promo films for Instagram, and live streaming programming... the only limit is your creativity. Each format lets you tell a different side of your brand's story. But don't just tell your audience about the game; make them feel it. Video is your superpower; unleash it and watch your brand become the legend.
Conclusion
The digital landscape is your stadium. To win big, you need targeted campaigns that ignite passion, partnerships that boost your reputation, and content that hits harder than a champion's knockout punch. Time it right, choose your channels wisely, and your brand will be the one the crowd cheers for. Ready to take your sports marketing to the next level? Partner with Vivid. We'll turn your vision into winning content that helps you reach new heights, achieve your goals, and beat your competition.