Arsenal simple Social Media earns over 4000 Twitter mentions

Arsenal are the latest club to use Twitter to crowdsource questions from fans and put them to their players. Over the past few months Manchester City and Norwich City have created dedicated hashtags in which fans ask a question and the players respond to the best ones. Running today, Arsenal have asked fans to send their questions to @Arsenal along with the #ArsenalLive hashtag (Which UK Sports Network reported to be trending 3rd worldwide). Players at Arsenal’s training ground will then respond.

UK Digital Agency Freestyle Interactive reported that the #ArsenalLive hashtag had received 4334 individual mentions on Twitter on the day alone (at 12:55pm).

This is a very simple, quick and cost-effective tactic to generate some fan content, strengthen the relationship between fan and club and create a bit of easy PR. We’ve consistently talked on Digital-Football.com about thinking of football Social Media as a relationship, and not a marketing channel. Clubs need to do more initiatives like this to create a sense of affinity and allow fans to have a “behind-the-scenes” access to their heroes.

Football Social Media doesn’t need to be expensive nor does it need to be complicated – it just needs to be smart and ALWAYS involve the primary audience – the fans.

– This story was first covered and recognised by the UK Sports Network here.