Questioning using social media for marketing sports?

If you are a Race Director who is coming back from a year of hardships in 2020 - why wouldn’t you choose to use social media for marketing?

Maybe you ‘think’ you have the time to create graphics & captions - but the reality is, your focus should be on the details of putting on the actual event: following COVID guidelines (state, city, county, park), ensuring roads will be closed and/or marked for the racecourse, police officers + medics available, registration platform has the correct race distances + prices, getting volunteers, creating a COVID safe atmosphere, and the list goes on. So does that really leave time to hype up your racing company + racing events?

The article Social Media in Sports Marketing gives data that should be paid attention to:

• 3.8 billion people around the world use social media daily

• 5.1 billion people use mobile phones

• 142 minutes per day is the average time someone is on social media platforms

While this article is geared toward larger sports industries, it still has a message for local multisport/endurance races. Social media creates many avenues to connect with your current audience + future audience.

Another article, The Best Sports Marketing Strategy on Social Media in 2021, gives insight into which platforms are best for sports marketing audiences. You’ve got to understand what your user is looking for when they open each platform.

• Facebook: universal marketing channel

• YouTube: long-form marketing [longer stories & videos]

• Instagram: show best moments in your business & how the audience can benefit

• Twitter: fast-paced newsfeed style

• LinkedIn: focus on how you can create valuable content for your users

Each platform has benefits for the specific needs of your audience. You don’t have to just choose one - but be mindful to post with consistency so your audience starts to rely on you as that trusted advisor.

Hiring a Social Media Manager can make the difference