The internet has been a wonder for many, especially with the introduction of social media platforms.
Whilst there will be many that mainly use the internet to browse for products to buy and complete their online shopping, there are many more that will use the internet to access their social media accounts and keep up-to-date with the latest goings-on in the world.
Of course, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat will all provide users the opportunity to get the latest news, find out the latest trends and remain in the know about what their favourite celebrities are doing.
However, many users will also use these platforms to keep up-to-date about the sports events currently taking place, with people able to ‘follow’, ‘like’, ‘share’ and do everything else that they wish when on a social media platform.
Social media is incredibly important for sports engagement
Social media can be used to provide individuals with all of the latest news from the sporting events that happen, whilst it can also be a great tool for those who take part in online betting when the big tournaments such as Wimbledon, the US Open or the Olympic Games are taking place, as they will be able to follow their favourite athletes and keep informed about what is happening in regards to their training, their mood and how good they are feeling as they head into the competition.
Indeed, social media platforms are a brilliant tool in helping to create a whole new engaging experience as users will be able to send messages and interact with their favourite sports stars ahead of contests and tournaments, whilst the actual sporting event can also provide a rather engaging facility that was once unheard of.
Social media is a two-way street
However, it should be noted that keeping fans engaged is a two-way street and it is not simply down to the fans that decide to ‘follow’, ‘like’ and ‘share’ pages. Naturally, the page itself and the owner of it need to be as receptive and as engaging as possible on it to be deemed a success and to keep fans coming back for more.
If an event did not decide to post too much about what was happening, then it would unlikely attract too many visitors to the page, whilst it could also have the detrimental impact of making the event rather unpopular because of the age currently being lived in.
For instance, there is no doubt that we are in a social media and digital age at the moment, with much of the world’s population using these devices at every waking hour that they have. With many getting their news and information from these platforms, a sporting event that does not continue to provide updates or news could become rather obsolete to that particular generation, whilst others may feel that the event simply does not care about fan engagement.
Athletes are key to keeping fans engaged with sports
The same could be said for athletes and sports professionals who have profiles on social media platforms.
Unfortunately, there are a number of athletes who may not have the ability to be able to continue to post on a regular basis as they are incredibly busy with their sporting schedules, however many will hire a team of people dedicated to building their profile.
This does not mean they will never use it, but it will mean they have a continued presence and one that can continue to help keep their fans in the loop and engaged about what might be happening.
There is no doubt that social media is the best way and is perfect to keep fans engaged with sports, however it is vital that it is used in a way that allows for a positive impact to breed.