Simon Banoub Increasing engagement A case study: Opta Twitter
A bit about Opta Our Twitter strategy The tactics we use The tactics we use Results and examples Lessons learned
Prologue/Preamble/ Something that dawned on me: Everyone thinks they have the cutest toddler
So with that in mind....
Throw In. Antonio Valencia (Man Utd). Pass [square] [from x/y to x/y]. Darren Fletcher (Man Utd) to Anderson (Man Utd) Pass [through ball] [forward] [key pass] [from x/y to x/y] Anderson (Man Utd) to Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) Good skill. Take-on [successful]. Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) Tackle [unsuccessful]. James Collins (West Ham) Pass [square] [from x/y to x/y]. Assist. Dimitar Berbatov (Man Utd) to Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) to Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) Goal [right footed] [shot] [sliding] [3 yards] [into:bottom right of goal] Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) Shirt number of scorer. 7 Latest score (2-0) Minute of goal (54 th minute) Over 2,000 actions in every football game in every top league in Europe. Also Rugby Union, Rugby League and Cricket.
Who buys this stuff? Bookmakers Broadcasters Brands and sponsors Brands and sponsors Print, online and mobile publishers Professional clubs
Our marketing challenges
1) A small number of key decision makers
2) Long contracts and a techie-hassle to change suppliers
3) increasingly commoditised products data is data, right?
4) small marketing budget whinge, whinge, whinge
BUT a database of loads of great content And we know what’s interesting
Why Twitter was a good choice
Our content works beautifully in the format – quirky, regular, highly shareable A lot of the influencers in our target market use it heavily – and it allows us to chat with them. A lot. With their permission With their permission We can talk directly to fans, and build our brand in the mind of the end users It’s cheap
opta Wow, our customers think Opta content adds real value Buyers and Buyers and influencers Wow, Opta content is great. Fans (customers of our customers)
How we approached it
1) we created a set of individual characters
Introducing: The Opta Twitter Family
The daddy: Opta Joe @optajoe Tweets about: Tweets about: English football
The little brother: Opta Jim @optajim Tweets about: English cricket, rugby and tennis
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Jose @optajose Tweets about: Spanish football
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Juan @optajose Tweets about: Spanish “other sports”
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Paulo @optapaulo Tweets about: Tweets about: Italian football
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Jean @optajean Tweets about: French football
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Joao @optajoao Tweets about: Portuguese football
The exotic foreign cousins: Opta Jack @optajack Tweets about: American soccer (yes, I know....football)
And the Godfather: Opta Suit @optasuit Tweets about: Corporate Opta info and news
2) we developed a unique and consistent style
Each and every tweet: Number � Fact � Summary word
@OptaJoe: 86.8 Jack Wilshere has completed 86.8% of his passes in the Premier League this season. Prodigy.
Or: 9 West Ham have won their last 9 FA Cup matches against lower league teams. Bullies.
Or: 11 In the Premier League this season, Wayne Rooney has conceded 11 fouls, been fouled 11 times and been caught offside 11 times. Legs.
The parodies - @OptaJoke: 155 The average number of miles Man Utd fans have travelled for today’s Manchester Derby. M25.
Largely loved but... 8,197 Tweets by @OptaJoe, all probably with an annoying closing 1 word statement. Unfollow.
3) we are, or try to be, highly responsive
Mark Bright (BBC Sport Presenter) @ optajoe can you confirm that Wigan have not won in London for 17 apps? @markbrighty That is correct. Wigan are @markbrighty That is correct. Wigan are without a win in their last 17 league trips to London. Homely.
4) we are selective with who and why we ReTweet
5) we do quizzes
@OptaJoe: Name the player who has scored the most braces in the Premier League without ever having scored a hat-trick. Quiz. @OptaJean: Name the 7 players who have scored in a final for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. Quiz.
6) we do request slots
@OptaJoe: 2pm. The next 60 minutes is REQUEST HOUR. We will answer as many questions from our followers as possible, so tweet your pleasure. Slave. Slave. Over 500 requests in the hour Managed to answer 67
How it has worked
Firstly, the numbers 60,000 10,000 3,000 10,000 1,000 1,000 5,000 7,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
But it’s not just about the quantity
A selection of industry followers:
A few examples
BBC Sport
The Guardian Football Weekly Podcast
What we’ve learned
1 - Tweet what you promise: Consistency is key Meet the expectations I have when I click “follow” Segment by type of interest I’ll forgive the occasional tweet about what you had for breakfast (if I expected it)
2 – Be human Answer questions Listen to what people are saying and stick your nose in and stick your nose in Encourage staff to use personal accounts to come in “via the side door”
3 – Be regular Try not to let people forget that they are following you But, conversely, don’t tweet for the sake of it
4 – Reflected glory can be nice Selective re-tweeting can help align your brand with others as you see fit Or, sssh, take (a bit of) credit for other Or, sssh, take (a bit of) credit for other people’s content If you don’t have your own content, you can be a helpful digital signpost (people like helpful people)
4 – Share. Don’t Sell. Twitter will never be a direct response sales tool for us: If it isn’t for you – don’t force it, it can still be useful For us, it contributes at each stage of the buying process
Thankyou
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