Social media marketing strategy in English football clubs

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the evolving social media marketing strategies of football clubs involved in the English Premier League (EPL), in a constantly changing sporting and digital landscape. Interviews conducted with practitioners from a range of clubs revealed that social media marketing has been fully adopted as a key strategic marketing channel. Other insights include the importance of trust to clubs being able to harness the collective of passionate fans on social media platforms. Also, how clubs are using social media to grow their global reach and capitalize on worldwide EPL exposure. The paper also highlights some of the negatives of social media, as experienced by football club social media marketing practitioners. Finally, a social media marketing strategy framework applied to football is proposed, based on the social media marketing strategy of football clubs and their understanding of why and how their fans use social media.

The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Football – Fan Loyalty

“…The use of social media then spreads to more people as a result of this. McCarthy et al (2022) further state that fan research has shown the significance of fans using social media for (a) a sense of community and belonging; (b) information and entertainment related to the football team they support; (c) respect through their influence among the fan base; (d) based on trust, the expression and nurturing of their emotional connection and passion for the club they support; and, (e) positive and negative reactions to the club.…”

Case Study: Marketing Communication of a Sports Organization Helping it Move towards its Sustainability

“…Following the topic of social networks as marketing communication tools, McCarthy et al (2022) describe these as strategically important. Via them, a sports organization can ensure the achievement of goals.…”

The more we post, the better? A comparative analysis of fan engagement on social media profiles of football leagues

“…Relationship marketing and fan engagement in football Social media have become indispensable to football teams' communication and marketing strategies (Guzm an et al, 2021;McCarthy et al, 2022). This significance is further magnified as consumers assume more active roles (Kolyperas et al, 2019).…”

“…While the existing literature is prolific regarding the use of social media by sports clubs or athletes (e.g. Anagnostopoulos et al, 2018;McCarthy et al, 2022;Zakerian et al, 2022), there exists a gap specific to how football leagues employ these digital channels. This study addresses this gap by adding an international perspective, analyzing the social media accounts of leagues from different geographic areas (Europe, North America, and South America).…”