the PDF

Case Study
Manchester City Football Club Grows
Twitter Followers by 125% with Robust
Social Media Strategy
When English Premier League Manchester City Football Club (MCFC) was
looking for a way to further the engagement with its fans and enhance
the overall game-day experience, integrating social media into its in-venue
and on-line properties was a logical solution. MCFC turned to Spredfast to
integrate real-time social content into multiple campaigns throughout the
season. As a result, MCFC grew its Twitter followers by more than 125%
and generated a record amount of social buzz about the team.
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Case Study
Objectives:
• Build fan engagement and brand awareness by enhancing the connections
between fans and the game.
• Drive fan engagement through social media integration strategies, including
delivering real-time social content to match day screens.
• Add value to Manchester City fans’ experience, not by reinventing the wheel,
but by complimenting existing typical fan behavior.
• Foster community among players, fans, and followers to connect and be a part
of the match day experience, both on and offline.
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Strategy:
MCFC’s approach to social media integration was to “test first, then apply”
strategy. The club first launched real-time social content into the match day
experience by displaying fan Tweets that contained hashtag #blueview on
jumbotrons and other screens throughout Etihad stadium. Fans generated more
than 1,500 Tweets within a six-hour time span, reaching nearly 400,000 Twitter
users. MCFC then expanded its effort to weave relevant social media seamlessly
into the match day fabric and Manchester City fans’ overall experience.
With the Spredfast platform, MCFC could develop season-long social media
integration strategies that enhanced the overall fan experience. One month, the
“Man of the Match” campaign launched, where fans voted for a VIP player of the
game. The next month, MCFC deployed player Tweets on the site, highlighting
players’ social conversations on their official club profile. The next month, MCFC
used the #askvincent hashtag for Twitter Q&As with the MCFC Captain, Vincent
Kompany. The #askvincent campaign was the first live-streaming Twitter chat
with a captain of a football team in the UK. Then, MCFC launched the integrated
#Together campaign, where fans' Tweets were displayed in-stadium and on a
microsite, alongside video content and a social heat map.
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Case Study
" Inviting fans to be a greater part of the game through
social media integration helped Manchester City create
a deeper connection with fans inside and outside the
stadium. Our partnership with Spredfast allowed us to
build on our social media strategy throughout the season
and create new experiences for fans to engage with–
which created greater excitement and loyalty throughout
the season."
Chris Nield
Social Media Executive, Manchester City Football Club
Results:
1,500
TWEETS
600
Integrating Tweets in stadium, #blueview resulted in 1,500 Tweets in 6
hours by 965 unique Twitter followers reaching 400,000 Twitter Users.
QUESTIONS
The live Twitter chat with MCFC Captain Vincent Kompany, using
#askvincent was the first live Twitter chat with football club in the UK.
Approximately 600 fans participated and asked questions.
100-300
The Man of the Match campaign received 100-300 votes per game.
VOTES PER GAME
125%
GROWTH
10k
TWEETS
Overall Twitter follower growth from November 2011 to May 2012
increased more than 125%.
A record 10,000 #Together Tweets on the Manchester United vs.
Manchester City match day.
Want to Learn More?
Visit us at spredfast.com or email us at info@spredfast.com
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