The Power of Interactivity and Community Building in Sports: The Evolution of Fan Engagement Platforms
In today's sports landscape, the competition extends far beyond the court or field. Clubs and organisers face an equally critical contest - engaging fans and building communities. In an era marked by digital connectivity and an audience desire for active participation, clubs that provide interactive experiences often emerge victorious in this competition. The evolution of fan engagement platforms has drastically changed how clubs interact with their fans.
For instance, clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City have embraced interactivity through fan engagement platforms. Real Madrid's app allows fans to delve into an immersive experience where they can access real-time match statistics, player data, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Manchester City's Cityzens platform goes a step further by enabling fans to vote for the player of the match, predict scores, and contribute to decision-making processes related to the club's initiatives.
However, a common challenge that such app-based fan engagement platforms face is the audience's resistance to download new apps due to device limitations or clutter. This is where Votemo's solution offers a distinct advantage.
The Votemo Advantage: No Downloads, More Participation
Votemo, an innovative fan engagement platform, has ingeniously circumvented this challenge by providing a web application that requires no downloads. This not only eliminates the barrier to entry but also encourages a higher participation rate, as fans can engage with the interactive elements with just a few taps on their mobile browsers.
The Votemo-Kalev/Cramo Initiative: Engaging Fans in an Innovative Way
Leveraging its advantage as a dynamic fan engagement platform, BC Kalev/Cramo, an Estonian basketball club, collaborated with Votemo in May 2023. The aim was to enhance audience participation during game breaks and forge a stronger connection with their fans. The audience was invited to participate in fun, engaging polls about the game and its players, accessible via QR codes and Votemo's easy-to-use web application. Participants could also enter a draw by submitting their email, further incentivizing audience involvement.
BC Kalev/Cramo Interactive Experience, Photos by BC Kalev/Kramo
In addition to the on-site fan engagement, Votemo's advanced technology was also deployed for online and TV broadcasting. Utilising its API, Votemo could integrate real-time audience participation results with live graphics, effectively intertwining sponsor ads and engagement metrics. This meant that not only the spectators at the venue, but also thousands of fans watching the games from their homes could participate in the engagement. As a result, BC Kalev/Cramo and its sponsors were able to reach a broader audience, enhancing their visibility and data collection capabilities significantly.
Allan Siimann, Marketing Manager of BC Kalev/Cramo, praised the collaboration: "Votemo provided a very cool way to make game breaks fun and interesting, involving people at home through the broadcast. Votemo was very easy to use for both participants and organisers. For our partners and sponsors, the greatest value was additional advertising and visibility during the games in prime-time broadcasts. For BC Kalev/Cramo, data collection was a nice addition where we could get people to sign up for our newsletters."
Results and Impact: Fan Engagement at Its Best
The Votemo-Kalev/Cramo collaboration proved to be a win-win-win situation for all stakeholders. The club enhanced its fan engagement experience, the sponsors enjoyed additional visibility, and the audience, entertained with real-time interactive games and exclusive discounts from sponsors, felt more connected to the event.
The initiative also provided valuable audience data, with an average user age of 27 years and an impressive 31% of the audience participating in the polls. The most popular engagement was Emojis, generating over 700 clicks per game. Meanwhile, the click-through rate (CTR) for banners during games stood between 7-10%, a figure that exceeds the industry average for online advertising, further attesting to the effectiveness of the interactive approach in capturing audience attention.
The Role of Votemo's Audience Engagement Tool
Votemo's audience engagement tool revolutionises the way sports clubs and venues interact with their fans. By seamlessly integrating interactivity into sporting events, it builds a stronger sense of community, enhances fan loyalty, and offers valuable advertising opportunities. Moreover, its web-based approach, requiring no downloads, ensures a higher participation rate, making it an ideal fan engagement platform in today's digital age where audiences crave engaging, interactive experiences.
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