6 tendencies of using Internet technologies by football clubs
Last years football clubs pay more and more attention to work with Internet technologies because they understand that the Internet is a main tool of increasing quantity of fans and their deeper engagement in club life. As a rule, football club uses different digital solutions, for example, official web-site, online store, CRM-system for fans and others. Specialists of IT-company WBE have studied successful cases of football clubs’ digital transformation and have revealed 6 main tendencies that should be obviously counted herewith.
Independent platform
Football clubs very often use platform for their informational resources which is dictated them by national federation. Of course, on the one hand, it deprives them of many problems, but on the other hand, it limits in managering their informational resources. Such web-sites very often look of the same type and it doesn’t facilitate to remember FC brand.
Integration of all Internet-resources of the club
As a rule, football club have some Internet resources, for example, official web-site, online store or specialized promo-site. It becomes necessary to integrate these resources (social networks as well) because only at that time maximal effect of their using will be provided. Last time football clubs come to necessity to use CRM-system that gathers in one place all data about users’ (fans) actions on different FC web-sites. One more tool of integration is the only login for users on all club Internet resources.
A fan is in the center
No doubt, fans are main asset in any football club and that is why informational resources of the club target at fans. Eventually, the more fans, the more club can get profit from selling attributes and has an opportunity to sign more sponsorship contracts.
Cross-platform
Percentage of mobile devices users is permanently growing and the audience of a football club is not an exception. Main web-site, online store and other FC resources must be equally user friendly as for desktop as for mobile devices. Herewith using mobile-first approach is effective decision. Firstly design for mobile screen is created and then there are further extensions. Mobile-first design makes web-site pages clear although if you don’t want to lose users’ interest, don’t limit functional too much.
User Generated Content (UGС)
User Generated Content became one of the most effective tools of digital marketing last years. UGC consists of all information that users share such as comments, post in social networks, photos, videos, reviews etc. Fans as web-sites users are very active in this respect. That’s why availability of tools that help effectively gather and spread users content is a pledge of FC audience increasing and growing its loyalty.
Attraction of millennials
Millennials is a generation that started mature life in the beginning of 2000, it characterized with high bound to digital technologies. These people spend much time in social networks and use actively mobile devices. Attraction of fans-millennials is a great challenge to the football club because they unwillingly go to the stadiums, preferring surf the Internet. Brends are important for millenials as they express themselves with the help of brands. They easily share information about the brand with others but at the same time they want to feel that the brand cares about them.