Sporting events typically excite sports fans and attract millions of viewers every year, but this year is likely to bring in more people than ever. After a year of limits when it comes to attendance and many postponed events, there's a heightened level of excitement around sports during 2021. If you want your business to benefit from this surge in viewership, taking advantage of sports marketing, like the NFL for example, can draw plenty of attention to your brand.
The Benefits of Sports Marketing
There are several specific advantages for effective sports marketing strategies. These benefits include:
Wide Reach
Through a well-optimized sports marketing strategy, you have the chance to connect with many audiences you may not reach otherwise. People of all demographics watch and enjoy sports. The accessibility of sports is likely to increase even further with the development of 5G technology. In fact, 70% of 5G providers' launch plans are sports-centric, which means more people will be able to view sports from just about anywhere in the world.
Large Following
With a good sports marketing strategy, many brands can build a large following. Supporting a specific event or sponsoring a specific team or player can encourage more people to follow a brand the more familiar they become with it.
Engaged, Loyal, and Live Audience
Sports fans, and Atlanta fans particularly, are known for being highly engaged with their favorite teams. Consider all of the times you see fans cheer on their teams and are on the edge of their seats during the most intense moments. Whether you advertise to them at home or live in the stadium, you'll have the chance to expose your brand to many loyal and engaged audiences.
Opportunity to Introduce New Customers to Your Brand
Millions of sports fans may remain unaware of your brand without effective sports marketing. One way to introduce people to your brand is to launch a new ad campaign during a game or in spots leading up to or following a big event. As people begin to associate your brand with a particular event, team, or athlete, they'll be more likely to remember and trust you. This could subsequently lead to a significant increase in sales depending on the level of exposure.
Different Sports Reach Different People
Depending on the type of sport you choose for your marketing, you can connect with different audiences. For instance, you can advertise during women's sporting events to reach more female sports fans. Another type of sport that's becoming increasingly popular among millions of spectators is esports, which are great for advertising. Deloitte's 2019 Digital Media Trends Survey found that 40 percent of gamers tune into at least one e-sports event every week, making this a lucrative opportunity for many brands to boost exposure.
Why You Should Take Advantage of Sports Marketing
Based on the benefits of sports marketing, there are several key reasons why you should consider implementing sports marketing, including:
- Increase your following — Inspire more people to follow your brand by familiarizing them with it through far-reaching campaigns.
- Expose your brand to new prospective customers — Attract sports fans who may be less likely to encounter or recognize your brand elsewhere.
- Increase overall ROI — Sports marketing can be cost-effective while maximizing exposure and increasing conversions, leading to the kind of ROI you want.
- Align your brand with loyal sports fans — By utilizing sports marketing to your advantage, you can make your brand synonymous with various sports and figures in the minds of loyal fans.
How to Incorporate Sports Marketing Into Your Mix
If you want to successfully integrate sports marketing campaigns with the rest of your marketing efforts, the following are some strategies to consider:
- Digital ads based around the game day experience that generate some excitement among fans
- Advertise during games or on the same day
- Provide an enticing offer based on the outcome of local teams, e.g. a dollar off for each goal a team scores or a promo code if a particular team wins
- Host an event to increase exposure and align your brand with loyal fans
- Go beyond TV ads with a combination of digital, over-the-top, and other ads, as only 27% of sports fans in the U.S. watch live sports on TV every week.
Connect with a Media Partner to Get the Most from Your Sports Marketing
There are many ways to use sports marketing to increase brand exposure, connect with millions of viewers, and significantly boost both sales and customer loyalty. Implementing the right strategy can be the key to appealing to sports fans and increasing ROI, but it's often far from easy if you're new to sports marketing. To help you get the best results from your sports marketing campaigns, consider working with an experienced media partner. A dependable partner can help you develop a comprehensive strategy and produce the best creative to ensure your brand stands out.
