Building Community and Boosting Engagement Through Social Media

Written By Pursue Persuade

by: Austin Hansen

Introduction

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds Soccer Club is an integral part of the Pittsburgh community and more than just a soccer team. As members of the United Soccer League, located on the South Shore of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, PA, the Riverhounds require a strong social media strategy that makes use of the Pittsburgh community, as sports are an integral part of it. Targeted content to improve their relationship with fans and increase ticket sales. This plan describes how to accomplish these objectives by utilizing digital data and the insights of industry experts.

Target Audience - USe of cohorts

Cohorts are groups of people who are studied together across time and have something in common, such as age, experience, etc. “Cohorts are labels that describe any current customers or clients” (Vaynerchuk 44), and developing cohorts can be beneficial to reach the specific groups you want to reach. Cohorts are vital to producing organic engagement with the audience who desires:

“If you’re serious about gaining meaningful, evidence-based insights, the test you use should have a track record for being reliable, valid, independent, and comprehensive. This means that it must produce consistent results over different times, contexts and cohorts, and it must also provide comprehensive information on the categories it is sampling” (Nahai 42).

These insights, if proven to be consistent, accurate, unbiased, and thorough across different situations and groups of people. Through the use of cohorts, the Riverhounds' social media strategy will focus on three key cohorts: young adults, families, and sports fanatics.

Dollar Beer Night Enthusiasts:

Young adults (21-35) in Pittsburgh enjoy affordable events and a lively atmosphere.

Family Experience Seekers:

Families from surrounding towns and counties are looking for fun, family-friendly activities.

All Sports Fans:

Sports enthusiasts in the Greater Pittsburgh Area who appreciate the competitive spirit and local rivalries.

GOals of Cohorts

Increase Ticket Sales:

Promote games and special events to drive ticket purchases.

Enhance Community Engagement:

Foster a sense of community among fans through interactive and engaging content.

Boost Brand Awareness:

Increase the visibility of the Riverhounds across social media platforms.

TYpe of Content

Through my research, the importance of social media for fan engagement, “Nearly two-fifths of sports fans in the US (37%) say they follow sporting updates on social media, making it the second most popular medium of keeping up with the action, behind only live TV (69%)” (Dsouza).

Gameday Highlights and Recaps

Share exciting moments from games to keep fans engaged and attract new followers, “organizations use social media platforms to announce upcoming games, share lineups for a new game, or even highlight a player’s performance. Social media also helps people stay connected with their favorite sports teams and athletes” (Greenfly). For example, the Indiana Pacers have done this well recently, tying into both the game highlights while also incorporating the personalities of their players.

Behing-the-scenes content

Provide a glimpse into the team's training sessions, player interviews, and locker room moments. Behind the scenes content can be described as a welcoming invitation into a world that you are not typically within, “Because behind the scenes is where the magic simmers. It’s where the ordinary transforms into extraordinary, where a blank canvas becomes a portal to another world” (Sydney) The Pittsburgh Steelers have done this well recently, giving fans behind-the-scenes content,

Fan-generated Content

Encourage fans to share their photos and videos from games using branded hashtags. Recently, the NHL posted an Instagram reel highlighting fan reactions to the recent NHL draft lottery. This post is a great example of having the fans be a part of the team’s culture, it allows for the fans to feel connected as one to the.

Interative posts

Use polls, quizzes, and contests to engage fans and create a sense of community. Building that interactivity and community tends to be very successful. “Many of the most successful websites are interactive. Where relevant, encourage users to engage with you either through comment sections, product ratings, social media, or user-generated content (Nahai 83). In sports, this content would be even more beneficial because of the nature of sports being a team, allowing for the back and forth of fans to build a tight relationship.  

COnclusion

By implementing this social media strategy, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds can enhance their community engagement, boost ticket sales, and increase brand awareness. All through the overarching theme of giving the audience what they desire and appealing to their emotional connection to their favorite sports team. Through this social media plan, the Riverhounds will continue to grow their presence both online and offline.

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