Texas Rangers Social Media Audit
Written by: Josh LeViseur
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball organization based in Arlington, Texas. They compete in the American League West division and have existed since 1972. They also happen to be my favorite baseball team. My father lived in Texas his entire childhood and attended Texas Tech University. I have Texas in my blood, and with it, I inherited the Rangers fanhood. The team has accounts on all major social media platforms, but I will analyze their four major accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
The Texas Rangers have a massive following on Twitter. As of today, they have 1.4 million followers and are verified. This account gets used very often, especially during the baseball season. It mostly gets used for tweeting photos and highlights from the games, as well as news updates throughout the week. They use the #StraightUpTX hashtag that is unique to only them and it helps their brand stand out. The Rangers have gained 22k followers on this platform in the past year. It is a very interactive account and a strong start for a sports team like the Rangers.
Their Instagram has one of the largest followings in Major League Baseball. They currently sit at 756k followers and are verified as well. This account, similar to the Twitter account, is used very often, especially during baseball season. The content is similar to the Twitter account. Lots of pictures and videos of the games. During the off-season and occasionally during the season, the team will make fun content with the team, such as “what is your favorite” videos. In the last year, the account has gained roughly 65,000 followers.
Just to put it out there, the reason for the dramatic increase in followers may not have to do with just the marketing of their social media accounts. During the past offseason, the Rangers spent over $300 million on free agents, including one of the best pitchers in the world, Jacob deGrom. Coming into this season, the Rangers had high expectations, and bringing in marquee free agents such as deGrom generates buzz around the team, thus expanding the following.
Lastly, the Rangers' Facebook account has received 2.2 million likes since it was created in 2008. This account is active, but not as much as their Instagram and Facebook. On average, they post two to three times a day. During the season, it is usually just news about final scores, team news, and the occasional score update. They have 2.1 million followers, which is among the leaders in Major League Baseball as well.
Overall, I love what the Rangers are doing on social media. They are constantly promoting their team throughout the off-season and season, posting highlights and scoring updates which people love. I like the hashtag they use to promote their brand, and they are taking advantage of being good this year to help their fanbase grow. Their Facebook could use work, however. Running their Facebook the way they do their Twitter and Instagram would help them gain some extra traction and help keep existing fans and boost ticket sales. Nonetheless, the Rangers have a strong social media presence, and it is one of the best in Major League Baseball.