Basic eSport Team Marketing…*

* and why it’s important.

What to expect in this basic presentation

● Marketing: what is it, and why is it important to your team?

● The basics of social media● What’s your relationship with your audience and

how is it best to interact with them?● Professionalism vs. being human● Measuring marketing success● The differences between sponsorships and

partnerships● Crafting a team portfolio

Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.

“ ” Social Media is a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein.

Basic social media*

*Like, super basic

The following slides will explain the key marketing points for Twitter, Facebook, Twitch and Youtube, keeping in mind that some of these points are transferrable between platform

Whilst Twitter and Facebook might seem like similar platforms, the two levels of interaction, both your own output and the audiences feedback, will be completely different.

● Whilst popular Facebook pages might update once or twice per day, Twitter can be updated on several occasions throughout the day

● Twitter is for quick, sharp updates whereas Facebook is used for careful image-based posting

● Advertising on Facebook can be a little more direct (age, gender, pages they are already signed up to) whereas Twitter adverts are directed to a user group

● Facebook can be used to send out large messages to community members, almost like customer support. The character limit on Twitter makes this near impossible

● Their audiences are almost completely different but entirely essential to a starting. If you’re looking for success on both platforms, you must invest time and expertise into tailoring posts that fit within the unique constraints of each.

Why do I need a Facebook and Twitter account?

Connect to audienceTwitter has millions of users and more people join up every day, which makes it one of the best places to look for people who will appreciate your brand and interests.

Build relationshipsOnce you have your first 100 followers, you should strive to create the most positive and engaging relationship you can with your audience. There’s no harm in reaching out to big or small names in the eSports business but try not to spam people with the same cookie-cutter message every day.

Create brand awarenessPeople usually prefer to interact with a person than with a logo, unless it is well-known. Your brand is still in its early stages, so it is better to create a personal profile first and then create a profile for your team. Once you gain the trust of your followers, you could introduce them to your brand and create a profile to create awareness about it.

Provide informationYour following will want to know when you’re streaming, when your next vlog or montage is up and who you’re going to be collaborating with in the future. Let them know! As long as your feed isn’t spamtastic, you should be good to go. Remember, your audience are there for a reason, don’t feel like you can’t update them with information.

Gain feedbackUnsure if you’re doing it right? ASK! Be humble and human, nobody will complain if you’re genuinely trying improve the service for others. Too afraid to ask? See below.

Keeping an eye on the competitionUsing tools like Twitter Search can be a great way not just to track your reputation on Twitter, but also to keep a tab on your competitors’ activities and their reputation. Learning about your competitors can help you plan what you’re going to say and also avoid mistakes that could affect your reputation.

Connect to audienceYou have more than 140 characters, HUZZAH! Use them wisely. It also means you can use image promotion to connect to your audience. Facebook is just as important (if not more) than Twitter. A common mistake in the eSports industry is that Facebook doesn’t contain the right audience.

Developing a loyal fanbaseFacebook allows you to breed, track and market to a mini community of your own. The key to success here is to post relevant and useful content that allows users to engage with you.

SEOSadly, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is ignored by a lot of small brands starting out. Having a Facebook page will allow you to top the Google search engines because all of your posts and links are indexed.

Your competitors are already thereForget trying to win in-game battles for a moment and think about your brand awareness vs other amateur teams out there. Getting noticed by sponsors and partners will take more than just a few tweets, they want to see that you’re not just a one trick pony. Having a Facebook with its in-built stats and tables will help you prove your worth.

Saving moneyJust like Twitter, Facebook is FREE, and even if you wanted to try advertising in the future, it costs very little to target ads towards your natural demographic.I.E - Male, between 13-22, also like ‘Starcraft’ page.

Absolute transparencyThousands of gamers worldwide use Twitch.tv to stream whatever game they’re playing. Twitch is a whole different beast to other social platforms, because you’re live on air streaming to your audience. It’s a scary premise to some, but after a few attempts, you’ll be sure to get the hang of talking to an invisible audience.

Live feedbackIf you suck, you’ll know about it. Not only will your view count reach an all time low but your audience are likely to tell you in the comments section. Take on the feedback and use it to improve.

Personal interactionLearn what makes your audience tick. Experiment with various kinds of streaming and different on camera approaches. Doing live Q&As, offering advice and just playing the game should all have different affects on your audience. Try different approaches and see which one you’re comfortable with and which suits your audience.

The ability to create top quality content on a budget Everyday, someone uploads a video that exceeds expectations of the owner and becomes viral. The possibilities on YouTube are endless. From your standard montage to crazy event vlogs and heartwarming human portrayals of your brand, it’s easy to get started.

CollaborationCollaborating is one of the best ways to promote your brand and network with other brands out there. The main thing here is to be creative, you’re up against huge YouTube channels and more creative minds than you can shake a stick at.

ALSO KEEP IN MIND...

500 Million + users87 Million users

100 Million+ users

Remember, it’s supposed to be dialogue, not a monologue. Engagement is just as important as

collecting ‘Likes’ and ‘Followers’.

What’s your relationship with your audience and how is it best to interact with them?

Knowing your audience will allow you to tailor your online presence to their wants and needs. If you don’t know whom you’re speaking to then you will have a hard time building a relationship with them.

DemographicKnowing your audience’s age, gender, education and social habits will help you weave relevant stories into your content. Being prepared for your audience is important.

ExpectationsThe bar is set fairly low within eSports so achieving the goals you’ve set yourself should be easy. The trick here is to set yourself comfortable goals so the audience aren’t let down when you’ve failed to hit a target. Is there a precedent? Have you interacted with them before? Is there anything you’re expected to discuss?

Knowledge of the topicNot everybody in your audience will know as much as you do about the topics you will discuss. Likewise, sometimes you won’t know everything about what your audience and target audience are discussing. Keep in mind that the topics you discuss won’t please everyone.

Your relationship with your audience

Highlight your membersYour team and brand is almost nothing without its players. Highlight them in montages, posts and most importantly, keep it human. Not only will it help your team members feel more included, it’ll encourage your team members to push people towards your brand account.

Get PersonalWith the recent addition of Vine and Instagram video tools, there’s absolutely nothing stopping you from creating witty and engaging content for your fans and audience. Don’t forget to let people know who’s tweeting; an initial at the end of the post should just be enough to let your audience know there’s a human behind the account. Never ignore the people who take the time to tweet or post to you and use humour to break some walls down. Don’t try to force it or you’ll end up looking like Piers Morgan - try to be relaxed and natural as possible.

Participate in chat groupsCommunity sites usually have a form of online shoutbox, skype chat or IRC (Internet Relay Chat) which can be helpful tools in getting to know various members of the shared community. If there isn’t an active discussion platform available, start one and then ask your friends to help you promote it.

Use hashtags creativelyIf you look at already existing hashtags out there within eSports, you’ll see that some of them are team specific and are used almost like football chants. It’s also a really handy way of picking out individual fans and thanking them for their support.

Knowing your audience will allow you to tailor your online presence to their wants and needs. If you don’t know whom you’re speaking to then you will have a hard time building a relationship with them.Best practice for interacting with your audience

Professionalism vs. being human

pro·fes·sion·al·ism [pruh-fesh-uh-nl-iz-uhm]

noun1.professional character, spirit, or methods.2.the standing, practice, or methods of a professional, as distinguished from an amateur.

Origin: 1855–60; professional + -ism

Being professional doesn’t mean having to be completely silent when a heated discussion is going on but it also means keeping your cool and not letting the way you feel personally affect your brand in a negative way.

Here’s some basics to keep in mind.

YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE DISAGREEMENTS, DEAL WITH IT

Knowing your audience will allow you to tailor your online presence to their wants and needs. If you don’t know whom you’re speaking to then you will have a hard time building a relationship with them.

Measuring marketingsuccess

We’re so small, why measure?

It sounds like a lot of hard work for very little return, but how else will you know how successful you are? More importantly, how will potential sponsors and partners know how successful you are?

What do I need to measure?

AudienceHow many are listening? How many are actively commenting? Your built-in statistics should be able to help you with this. Facebook analytics are incredibly helpful.

EngagementHow many of our audience actively participate in our conversations? 1 or 100? Set yourself monthly goals.

LoyaltyDo any of my audience participate more than once? Do they interact with specific posts? How can we get more people to become loyal to us?

InfluenceCan we actively persuade people who trust us to join in with us? Are we able to make the community believe in the same products as we do?

So just what is the difference between partnership and sponsorship anyway?

So what exactly is the difference between a partnership and a sponsorship?

PartnershipPartners are organisations who support you and your team without any financial backing.

This can be done in various ways, from products, promotion or advice, to offering services you’d not otherwise be able to afford.

SponsorshipSponsors are organisations who provide monetary support for either the bulk of your teams activities or individual events.

Sponsors provide financial support for a number of reasons. It could be to promote their field of work, organisation or to provide their members with opportunities.

ROI - Return on investmentBoth partners and sponsors will be looking for a return on investment in your team.

List every angle of opportunity you have and use it to your advantage - YouTube, Twitch.tv, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram etc.

Remember, it’s not about what your sponsor or partner can do for you, it’s about what you can do for them...

Crafting a team portfolio

Your team portfolio is basically a CV focusing on your goals and achievements through your gaming career online and offline. Just like a CV, you’d tailor the content to suit whoever you were sending it to.

Some portfolios look like this*:

*note this isn’t actually a portfolio but what is publicly available for companies at a glance

...whilst others look something like this*.

*note this isn’t actually a portfolio but what is publicly available for companies at a glance

Creating the perfect portfolio is as taxing as creating the perfect CV. There’s no real perfect formula but there’s certainly a set of guidelines you should follow if you’re part of a smaller team.

Social media statisticsNot only are your in-game statistics highly important, your social media presence should also be taken into account. Companies want to know that you can positively promote their brand on a variety of platforms. Part of their goal is to reach the biggest audience with the lowest amount of input on their side and that’s where you come in.

Individual team members achievementsYour team members’ experience prior to joining your team is just as important as the experience gained whilst in the team. No point in hiding that #1 just because they played for a rival team at the time.

Team achievementsIt sounds fairly obvious but a lot of portfolios I’ve proofread have completely failed to list their team’s achievements. Even the terrible last place placements at [x] LAN should be put on there because it shows your continued dedication and passion to the eSport you love.

Portfolio basics

In conclusion

REMEMBERListenUse the tools around you to tailor your online output. Tweetdeck, Socialbaker, Facebook analytics and YouTube analytics.

EngageDriving conversation is arguably the most important part of social media. Without it, you’re left with very little longevity.

MeasureMeasuring success can be used as a motivational tool as well as proof of achievement. Take time to ensure you’ve covered the basics.

Stay positive, stay passionateTalking about something you’re passionate about comes through in the delivery of content. People can spot fake passion from a mile away.

THANK YOU FOR

READING

Written by Alexis Trust@AlexisTrust

Edited by Christos Reid@failnaut