It’s no secret that the sports sector is expanding, so you need an esports marketing strategy. The idea is that you are up to date with industry trends and you can successfully apply them to your plans. 

In recent years, and especially during epidemic-induced captivity, the sector has grown exponentially. Consumers have found a place of entertainment and confusion in video games. 

For this reason, it is very important to know your best esports marketing strategies if you are developing in the gaming industry. Many brands have integrated the various strategies that exist in the vicinity of electronic sports into their projects so that they reach the youngest audience.

 

Learn about some esports marketing strategies 

There are many successful examples of brands that have applied sports marketing strategies. But before you get to know them, first you are advised to know some strategies that you can use to create your own strategies and thus be able to reach the target audience of your interest:

 

A.    Select your audience

 

If you want to succeed in this world, the first thing you need to do is know and understand the community that created it. This way, you will be able to design sports marketing strategies with a focus on goals. Keep in mind that esports can be categorized into different genres of visitors.

 

In fact, these are usually categorized by your favorite games, which include:

 

●      Player versus player (PvP).

●      First-person shooter (FPS).

●      Real-time strategy (RTS).

●      Online multiplayer battle arena (MOBA).

●      Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG).

 

Knowing who you are going to target, you have the ability to create interesting content for them. And it also helps you communicate with the esports team that your target audience may be interested in. If these match your objectives, you can achieve a collaboration that is lasting and satisfying for both parties.

 

B.    Identify the appropriate channels

 

The next thing you need to do is research where your audience spends most of their time playing. Next, you’ll look for the esports teams that are most popular and that offer the best sponsorship opportunities. It should be noted that players are more likely to be on video game streaming platforms such as:

 

●      Twitch.

●      Hitbox.

●      Azubu.

●      YouTube Gaming.

●      Bigo Live.

●      Gosu Gamers.

 

 

C.    Choose the perfect game

 

Another basic step in sports marketing strategies is to choose the right game for your type of audience. It is important that you know that there are currently more than 30 video games, including professional tournaments. It should be noted that each of them has its own audience.

 

Nowadays trends and environments change very quickly as they move forward with the release of new titles. So you need to thoroughly analyze the spectators of different tournaments and determine which one is most suitable for your ideal spectators.

 

D.    Work with content marketing

 

Content is the king of any strategy and esport is no exception. So, you need to include a good content marketing plan, as it can help you establish your brand in the gaming industry. Blogging is a good idea because you can post valuable information about video games and it can help you follow loyally.

 

You can also create exclusive content for your site from your influential partners in the industry and promote it through their channels. You can take advantage of social media and in-stream ads to promote your posts Don't forget to make a mandatory call at the end of each post to encourage you

 

As long as your content is up-to-date and high-quality, it has a great chance of going viral in gaming communities. You can also take advantage of esports dedicated video content, the important thing is that everything you share brings real value to your audience.

 

 

E.    Apply collaborations with influencers

 

Taking advantage of the influence of certain people on digital platforms is one of the infallible esports marketing strategies. In this industry, the possibilities can be even more attractive, as these celebrities specialize in improving their digital image.

 

But it’s essential that you know how to distinguish between two types of potential influencers: streamers and professional gamers. It should be noted that the most followed accounts in Esports are not the accounts of professional players, but the accounts of streamers. The latter broadcast and comment on their games through channels like Twitch and YouTube.

 

F.    Sponsor events and teams

You need to think about using the sponsorship of both the event and the team in your strategy. In the first case, it is important to consider the following factors that will determine its effectiveness:

 

●      Visibility: It is important that before signing a sports sponsorship, you should be clear about the contract to guarantee the visibility of the brand/product.

●      Busy: You need to explore opportunities for interaction as this will allow you to enhance the brand's memory in the minds of the audience.

●      Price: Sponsorship will help cover costs, sports organizations will be open to long-term relationships.

●      Category: Although the majority of sports audiences are young and technology-conscious; You need to study and segment viewers based on each video game.

 

When it comes to sponsoring an esports team through an agency or even starting a team from scratch. You should also rely on visibility but this will be associated with team results. So it is relevant that you know the sector well to choose the most promising players.

 

G.   Organize events through your team

Organizing events can give your brand more visibility and recognition. In fact, you can go to nearby pubs and gambling halls to find companies interested in co-sponsoring. Through your team, Twitch has the option to start developing these events:

 

●      Mini Tournament: Here you can share your team and launch them among themselves, promoting it on your social media channel. You can arrange gifts for more people to watch the tournament.

●      Multi-Stream Events: By collaborating and interacting with broadcasters, your team will gain more viewers.

●      Podcasts / Webinars - You have the opportunity to host a weekly or fortnightly show. Invite your team members to share trade secrets and sports tips with visitors.

●      Team Meeting: A place to exchange ideas to improve your transmission. You can create a discord server to better connect with your team and they will be able to post questions and exchange notes using dedicated servers.

 

Examples of esports marketing strategies

Since you know the key strategies for creating your plan, it’s time to look at examples of your best sports marketing strategies. The idea is that they can serve as an inspiration and include them so that you can have more success:

 

1.     Marketing influencer - Ninja and Drake

 

A good example of influential marketing is Ninja, YouTube's largest streamer with 19 million followers, and Twitch with 14 million followers. This influential sports character played a Fortnite game with the famous rapper Drake.

 

Fans of this live broadcast love this kind of collaboration. Also, you can combine two audiences on the same channel, streamer, and singer. What can create greater reach and visibility for your brand?

 

2.     Association with influential characters - Shroud with JINX

 

Outside of the gaming arena, you can play with the effects of the streamer. All you have to do is find someone whose audience is like yours and active on the platform of your choice. A good example is the relationship of the shroud with the clothing brand JINX.

 

3.     Create great tournaments - Rocket League

Another esports marketing strategy that adds to this list is the creation of large tournaments. A good example is PepsiCo's subsidiary Brisk, 7-Eleven, and Twitch, which did an off-season sports tournament for the game, Rocket League.

 

Do they work? They help create a highly competitive environment for all famous esports teams. It also offers a greater chance of being recognized by major sponsors.

 

4.     Launch an esports team - Gen.G

 

As you know, sports teams can be another good option and for example, on the Twitch platform, it can have a number of members. And above all, even if you are a small brand, you can build your team for electronic sports.

 

There are many sports marketing strategies that you can apply and you do not have a good strategy. You have successful examples that can be a good incentive to develop your plans in this industry.

 

Now if you are looking for a specialized agency that can help you throughout the process, we are specialists in creating strategies in Esports and Gaming. Through this, you can generate experiences that help you connectwith the younger audience.