As a result of its passion for social media, event registration and cloud computing firm Active conducted a survey amongst its clients in the UK. This asked race organisers how they use social media to promote their events and boost attendance.
Some key findings are:
- 76% of sport & endurance event organisers use social media as a marketing tool to promote their events
- While social media adoption levels are high amongst all sizes of organiser (76%), they are highest amongst larger event organisers (90%)
- The top social media channels used to promote events in the sport and endurance industry are Facebook, Twitter and forums
- 84% of the total respondents do not measure ROI of their social media activities
- Email marketing and social media are the top two digital marketing activities used by organisers to attract participants
The ACTIVE Social Media report is available to download online.
The majority of event organisers polled by Active see the social media channel as an effective tool for driving participation at their events. However, event organisers also stated that print advertising and online calendar listings are the most important channels that attract participants.
So, while Facebook and Twitter dominate, a multi-channel approach is recommended. Coupled with traditional advertising in specialist media, the impact of video and visual content is seen to be increasingly important as a way of driving engagement and also for improving search result rankings.
As noted by Active, all of the above should be measured effectively. Once a return on investment is determined, this will help present a case for increased investment in the future.
Blog: Social Media for Sports and Endurance Event Organisers Report: A Missed Opportunity?
Download report: Social Media for Sport & Endurance Event Organisers
