Football Marketing’s Digital Revolution – Tools Making A Difference

Best in Class, Best Practice

Read Time: 4 min

Dec 21, 2023

In the era of digital transformation, football clubs face the challenge of asserting themselves not only on the field but also online. The effective marketing of a football club today requires more than just posters and flyers. Innovative digital tools play a crucial role in capturing the attention of fans and building a strong brand presence. Below, we present the best digital tools for the marketing of football clubs, with examples, key clients in each category, and monthly costs:

1. Best Social Media Management Tool: Hootsuite

Social media is the engine that drives interaction between football clubs and fans. Hootsuite has proven to be an outstanding tool for managing and optimizing social media presence. It allows clubs to schedule posts, publish on various platforms, and monitor interactions in real-time. Through the integration of analytics tools, clubs can measure the success of their campaigns and continuously improve their strategies.

Best Practice

FC Barcelona uses Hootsuite to reach its global fan base. Through targeted post planning and engagement data analysis, the club has expanded its reach and intensified interaction with fans from different parts of the world.

Cost

Hootsuite offers various plans, starting at € 99 per month for individuals and € 249 per month for teams of 3 people. Hootsuite also offers an enterprise plan.

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2. Best Fan Engagement Tool: Pipeup

Everyone is part of the show. Pipeup lets the audience post in real time on LED walls. This also creates maximum attention for the advertising, which is linked to consumer-generated content. Brands are credibly activated and perceived positively by the target group.

Best Practice

The Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) relies on Pipeup to activate its fans. The special challenge: the ÖFB plays its home games in different stadiums throughout Austria. The Raiffeisen Arena in Linz is a state-of-the-art stadium, while Vienna has to make do with the Ernst Happel Stadium, which was built in the 1920s. Thanks to Pipeup’s flexibility, the ÖFB can activate its fans in high quality in all of them.

Cost

Pipeup offers its services for between € 750 and € 5,000 per event.

3. Best Content Management System (CMS): WordPress

A robust CMS is the key to maintaining a dynamic and appealing website. WordPress has established itself as the best CMS for football clubs. It is user-friendly, offers a wealth of extensions, and allows clubs to easily manage their websites and regularly provide fresh content.

Best Practice

AC Milan uses WordPress to regularly update its website with current content. From player interviews to exclusive background stories, the website serves as a central hub for fans to stay informed about the latest developments in the club.

Cost

WordPress itself is an open-source platform, but additional costs may arise for hosting, a domain, and possibly premium plugins. Total costs vary but typically start at around $10 to $30 per month.

4. Best CRM Tool: Salesforce

The relationship with fans extends beyond matchdays. Salesforce is the leading CRM tool that enables football clubs to create comprehensive profiles of their fans, facilitate personalized communication, and manage the entire lifecycle of fan engagement.

Best Practice

Manchester City successfully utilizes Salesforce to gain a 360-degree view of its fans. By leveraging CRM data, they can create personalized offers, address specific fan needs, and thus build a deep emotional connection with their fan community.

Cost

The costs for Salesforce vary depending on the requirements of the club and the chosen edition. They typically start at € 25 to € 300 per user per month.

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5. Best Online Graphic Generator: Canva

Visual presentation plays a crucial role in the digital world. Canva is the ultimate online graphic generator that allows football clubs to create appealing graphics for social media, websites, and marketing campaigns. With a plethora of templates and user-friendly tools, even teams with limited resources can create professionally looking graphics.

Best Practice

Chelsea F.C. uses Canva to create eye-catching graphics for social media. From match announcements to birthday wishes for players, the visual presence on social media has been significantly improved through the use of Canva.

Cost

Canva offers free basic functions, but for advanced features and additional elements, there is a paid subscription. Costs start at € 11.99 per user per month.

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6. Best Video Software on Smartphones: Filmic Pro

The ability to capture high-quality videos directly from smartphones is crucial for creating engaging content. Filmic Pro is the leading video app that provides football clubs with professional features such as manual control, frame rate adjustment, and focus peaking.

Best Practice

Real Madrid uses Filmic Pro to record impressive behind-the-scenes videos during matches and training sessions. By using high-quality smartphone videos, they have engaged their fan base more deeply in the day-to-day life of the club.