The post Football Clubs using Instagram to share photos [LIST] appeared first on Digital-Football.com - Football Social Media & Digital Sports news.
]]>Instagram is a fantastic way to create and curate quality photography from matchdays, events, behind the scenes and from the fans – so it’s surprising to see so few clubs active on the app. However, the closed “app only” nature of the Instagram community means that it’s very difficult to access photos or profiles through the web.
Liverpool FC – @lfcinstagram (22790 followers)
Bristol City – @bristolcityfc (264 followers)
Blackburn Rovers – @onerovers (498 followers)
Birmingham City – @bcfcofficial (509 followers)
Huddersfield Town AFC – @htafcinstagram (168 followers)
QPR – @officialqpr (1530 followers)
Everton FC – @officialeverton (1584 followers)
Olympique Marseille – @olympiquedemarseille (3952 followers)
Fulham FC – @fulhamfc (1985 followers)
FC Dallas – @fcdallas (1782 followers)
Manchester City – @mcfcofficial (18,988 followers)
Toronto FC – @torontofc (2,135 followers)
Vasastan BK – @vasastanbk (19 followers)
Zenit St Petersburg – @zenit_spb (1699 followers)
FC Koln – @1fckoeln (791 followers)
América de Natal FC – @americafcnatal (915 followers)
FC Twente – @gctwente (1059 followers)
If you want to follow these clubs you’ll have to search for them in the Instagram app. Additionally, if you (or your club) wants to be added to the list, please just tweet @Walshybhoy or email seanmichaelwalsh [at] gmail.com:
The post Football Clubs using Instagram to share photos [LIST] appeared first on Digital-Football.com - Football Social Media & Digital Sports news.
]]>The post Football Clubs and Instagram appeared first on Digital-Football.com - Football Social Media & Digital Sports news.
]]>Users have come to Instagram in droves because of the visual experience. The whole experience of a football match and everything that surrounds it is filled with visual stimulants. Clubs can take advantage of Instagram by using these photos to tell a story about their brand and connecting fans to the brand through photography.
Photos can tell a story quicker and oftentimes, better, than words. Football is filled with powerful images – goal celebrations, the joy of fans, the vibrant colors in the stadium on matchday. Photos can evoke strong emotions in fans. A team with a rich history could go with a strategy of posting classic photos and memorable moments in team history. Perhaps after each match, a team could post a great photo or two from the game to connect with fans. Here’s some ways other sports brands are engaging fans through imagery:
Promotional vehicle (Philadelphia Eagles)
Provide a visual connection to a final score (New York Knicks)
One of the big draws for fans to follow any social network is the chance to see what it’s like “behind the curtain.” Fans love to see what goes on behind the scenes. The opportunity to catch a glimpse of that “secret” world can create a strong connection between a fan and a brand. Photos of the dressing room before a big match or the manager’s office can get fans excited. Images such as these can help build excitement and buzz leading up to a match.
Before/After Shot of Arena with 9,000 t-shirts ready for fans for big game (Univ. of South Florida Athletics)
Team dancers practicing in-game routine (Boston Celtics)
Images posted through Instagram can tell a visual story about the brand. Visual imagery is a powerful way of communicating the values and beliefs of a club. What does it mean to be a fan of a particular club? Each and every professional club has a tradition and “personality” that is reflected in the style of play, the fans, the stadium and the club history. A team can use Instagram to tell that story and build a stronger bond with old and new fans.
Red Bull posts a daily “awesome” photo that reflects the nature of the brand
Instagram is an excellent resource for crowdsourcing for user-generated content. Levi’s Jeans is using Instagram to find the star for their next ad campaign. All fans have to do is upload a photo of themselves and tag it with #iamlevis. Starbucks provides an outlet for fans of its brand by re-posting creative shots tagged with #starbucks.
At my job here at the University of South Florida Athletics Department, we recently had an in-venue “Instagram Photo Contest” during one of our spring scrimmages. Fans could enter the contest by tagging their photo with #USFSpringGame and one of the following categories: #Fans, #Action, #BestShot. The following week, we posted the top five photos on our website and allowed fans to vote on the winners. The winning photos will be printed and signed by our head coach.
Instagram can be a very useful tool in a club’s social media assets and provide another way to connect fans to the brand. A few Premier League clubs (Arsenal & Manchester City) have made some forays into the world of Instagram, but I haven’t seen as a serious a commitment as some of the brands listed above.
The post Football Clubs and Instagram appeared first on Digital-Football.com - Football Social Media & Digital Sports news.
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