Digital Age Fans Want More Than Just A Tv-show

Since the growth of social media, conversations on blogs, chat rooms, Twitter, Facebook, etc in real time have contributed to the shared social experience.

In today’s “Golden Age” of television, no longer are the viewers restricted to watching the Tv-shows only when it’s aired on television. They now have the option of viewing Tv-shows through online streaming such as Netflix, video-on-demand such as TiVo, etc. And the fans of these shows are as numerous as the kind of Tv-shows that exists. And similarly, there’s numerous ways one must now engage with the fans.

Thanks to digital empowerment, the influence of the fans over the success of a Tv-show is now greater than ever. A Tv-show given bad reviews by critics has sometimes managed to build itself a strong fan base capable of convincing TV networks of reversing their decision to cancel a Tv-show. Most recently, the network airing the hugely popular comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine took the decision to cancel the show. Such was the strength in the dedication and following of the fan base, that the show was picked up by another network and revived.

Since the growth of social media, conversations on blogs, chat rooms, Twitter, Facebook, etc in real time have contributed to the shared social experience. We as fans are now capable of consuming, connecting and creating on our own terms, with access to multitudes of others who share our passion. Some industry analysts call this the “second screen,” where viewers, while watching TV are but at the same time engaged in their laptops or smartphones, downloading information about the show, or talking to other fans.

As the television industry evolves beyond a traditional broadcast model, television networks are adapting to the change to increase engagement. They have now come to realise how important and valuable it is, to understand the behavioural characteristics of the fans and fandom. The noticeable shift in the language used in targeting “fans” instead of “viewers/audiences” is proof of that. Promotional strategies are being devised to focus not just on widening the engagement but deepening it.

From discussion panels at events such as Comic-con, print media advertising and publicity stunts to interactive social media campaigns, by allowing consumers to become an active part of their favourite series and sets, brands are deepening fans’ emotional connection to their programs and driving tune-in among newcomers..

But in all the efforts to maximise their reach, by using a multitude of channels to reach out to the viewers, the content that’s being distributed becomes diluted. Measuring and analysing the engagement by collating the statistical information across the various channels proves to be a considerable challenge.

It’s now more about how best to ‘relate’ to fans rather than ‘managing’ them.

But ‘relating’ to fans has more to do with the quality of content that is being shared. While the quality of content is extremely important in this highly connected environment, the importance of managing the fans cannot be ignored. Infact, thanks to the large volume of fans that television networks now have to deal with, managing the fans the right way is more important now more than ever.

This growing need to ‘manage’ the fan base in this new digital world has led to the rise in fan management systems that help Tv-shows give their fans the much desired immersive fan experience. And at the forefront of these fan management systems is Fanisko – a social platform that fans can use to discuss, build and socialise with other fans.

They can get personalized news and updates about the favourite character on the show, behind the scenes coverage, interviews with actors, rewarding super fans, quizzes and much more. Fanisko offers a one-stop fan engagement platform that helps TV networks increase mobile fan retention, digital engagement and the opportunity to monetize the fan engagement.

With the Tv-show fans now evolving and looking to be more involved thanks to better networking technology and social media, understanding the fan is now more important than ever before. With so many shows to choose from, it is crucial for the networks to keep the fans interested beyond the show itself and keep them coming back for more.

A fan management system like Fanisko gives you the control and flexibility to provide the fans with a more interactive experience whilst accumulating the analytical data to identify trends that help strategize the engagement strategies for best results. Not to mention the increased ROI from the additional revenue stream of targeted advertising that is available on Fanisko.

To know more about Fanisko and how it can help you engage your fans better, click here.

Let Your Fans’ Story Be Heard

Sports teams have intricate relationships with their fans, often based on devotion, loyalty and a bit of a love-hate dynamic, depending on how well the team is doing. Many books are about that relationship and its uniqueness.

You can’t overstate the importance of fans in the functioning of a team, but it also can’t be explained in a few words. And to have the fan engagement you want, you often need to have your fans’ story heard. Let’s have a closer look at the team-fan relationship as well as how sharing fan stories can affect overall engagement.

The Psychology of Being a Sports Fan

Nobody can pinpoint exactly how or why fans pick the teams they will support. Sometimes it’s a family tradition, other times the reason can be as trivial as the color of their jersey or their name. Most of the times, it’s fascination with one or more players.

What’s important to remember when it comes to this relationship is that the sports team eventually becomes a fan’s expression of self, an extension of their identity. It is what creates that strong sense of belonging. What urges fans to say “we” instead of “the team,” what causes them to be so enthralled with the team successes, and so disappointed with unfavorable match outcomes. So how do fan stories help engagement?

Relatability of Fans’ Experiences

When we scratch under the surface and take a look at why even the teams with the worst win-loss track record have devoted fans, we conclude that it isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about sharing an experience with other like-minded individuals, the electric atmosphere of the field before a game, and the unique sense of belonging. When a fan shares their story, other fans can immediately relate — and they’ll want to share their experience.

It is why it’s important to encourage this kind of interaction. Put your fans front and center! Let them tell the world how they fell in love with your team and why. Give them a unique experience, both on the field and off it.

The Power of Social Media and Team Apps

Engage the fans through social media and encourage them to share and connect with other fans. It facilitates stronger connections within the fandom, as well as its stronger connection with your team and a rise in engagement. Give them a place to discuss match outcomes, tactics, a way to compete with each other on who’s more knowledgeable about the team and the sport.

Team app is one way of letting your fans’ stories be heard while increasing engagement. With our SDK-integration platform Fanisko Engage, you can improve your existing team app or build a new one. It offers plenty of features that align with the goal of enhancing the fan experience by getting the fan base to interact.

Making an impact with team apps is possible, primarily when they can provide you with ways to engage fans even when no match is currently being played. Check out our website for more information about Fanisko Engage and its unique features that bring team apps to the next level.

Fan Engagement at the Rink and Beyond

For the most passionate hockey fans, nothing beats the feeling of being there, at the rink, watching the games unfold. But once the game is over and fans go home, what’s there to do other than wait for the next game?

There could be quite a few things. Hockey teams focus on improving the fan experience immediately before and during games, which is commendable, but they could be doing more. When it comes to fan engagement at the rink and beyond, there are things you can do to ensure that fans stay engaged and in touch during the time while they wait for the next game. Let’s have a look at a few of ways to improve fan engagement:

Make Them Play

Fantasy sports have gotten popular for a reason — for the teams, it helps keep fans in touch with the latest news, and for the fans, it’s a way of showing how well they know the sport and being competitive in their way. So if you want to engage your fans, make them play team-related games!

It doesn’t have to be fantasy — you could have them take part in quizzes and offer cool prizes for the best players. Augmented Reality stations and Mixed Reality games are also a cool way to both use the latest technologies and keep fans engaged at the rink. Either way, fans will jump at the opportunity to test and prove their knowledge about their favorite team, especially if the prizes are attractive enough.

Offer Exclusive Content

Exclusivity is a way of making your team-related content more interesting, and it also helps it be perceived as more valuable. It’s a great way of engaging fans beyond the rink. For example, you can offer them a player interview that they won’t be able to find anywhere else, or follow a player for a day to get a glimpse into a hockey professional’s day-to-day life.

Fans appreciate when they can get a look behind the scenes, so you can have content that reflects that as well. How does a professional prepare for a game? What are their rituals, their routines, and way of thinking before a match? At least through video content, offer the fans a chance to go “backstage” and see how things work if you wish to increase engagement.

Use a Team App to Bring Engagement Levels Up

All this and more becomes possible with an SDK-integrated platform that can improve your existing team app or help you build a new one from scratch. Fanisko Engage offers a multitude of features, including AR and MR gaming, fantasy leagues and predictions, as well as content that connects fans and also keeps them in the loop regarding the latest team news. Once you provide them with exclusive content they’re craving, your fan engagement will shoot up, which opens the door to more effective marketing and better ROI.

Ultimately, how you choose to engage fans is up to you, but some solutions can make that job so much easier. For more information on how we can help, visit our website and take an in-depth look at the features of Fanisko Engage.

4 Tips to Boost Fan Engagement

Boosting fan engagement is a crucial first lesson you should learn to keep your team fan base growing. Here are our four tips to encourage fan engagement:

Once you realize how vital fan engagement is, you’re only starting your journey of elevating your team to stardom. You still need to learn the ins and outs of fan engagement and find the right platform that can help you achieve your goals.

Boosting fan engagement is a crucial first lesson you should learn to keep your team fan base growing. Here are our four tips to encourage fan engagement:

Be Present Throughout the Year

During the off-season, you likely won’t have as much involvement as you would while games are being played regularly. Still, that doesn’t mean you should stop trying to communicate with your fans. There are ways to keep engagement levels high even during the off-season, especially with the most passionate fans that enjoy next season speculation and rumors.

Make sure that you’re fighting short attention spans by reminding your fans that there’s life in the off-season, too! Engage them with highlights from the last season, polls about the best players, matches, and keep the discussion alive. Get them pumped and excited for the upcoming season.

Make the Most out of Team Announcements

Even if your team’s not playing a big match or you don’t have any significant news to announce, you can still keep fans engaged. A training session could be extremely interesting for your fans if you know how to create buzz around it. The players could perform a unique challenge in their off time, or pull off a neat skill trick or two that will get the fans talking about it.

Of course, new signings and announcements are equally essential to take advantage of, both during the season and during the break. Make sure to create buzz around upcoming big matches, ask for predictions, and show your fans that their opinion is valued. You’ll be surprised by the increase in the engagement.

Make Your Fans a Family

Most successful teams are the ones where fans feel like family. Striving to create a friendly, family atmosphere around the club is much easier when fans are engaged and passionate about the team. Even the smallest local groups can have their die-hard supporters who are there because they feel valued and essential.

By engaging with fans through team engagement platforms, you show that you want them to create a strong bond with the team. That’s something people find invaluable, and that kind of devotion isn’t only reserved for the biggest clubs in the game.

A Fan Engagement Platform that Does the Job

All this sounds great, but not all fan engagement platforms out there can deliver the results. With Fanisko Engage, our SDK integration platform, your team will get a multitude of ways to engage fans effectively and boost engagement. If you already have a team app, our platform will enhance it, using AI, Mixed and Augmented reality, polls, video content and much more. It also provides data analytics that helps you figure out what boosts your engagement most and how.

Visit our website for more information about how our fan engagement platform can become your perfect ally in making your fan base more significant and your team more relevant.

Reasons Why You Need a Fan Engagement Platform

It’s difficult to lose fans in the sports industry, but you’re certainly not taking advantage of a tremendous growth opportunity if you’re failing to engage your fans.

Even the biggest football clubs in the world must engage their fans via social networks or by organizing fan days. It’s difficult to lose fans in the sports industry, but you’re certainly not taking advantage of a tremendous growth opportunity if you’re failing to engage your fans.

To stay relevant, you have to make an impact in the engagement game as much as you have to do it on the field. Your biggest ally could be an excellent fan engagement platform, so let’s have a look at the reasons why you need one:

Communicating with Fans

Communication with your fans via modern communication channels such as social networks is crucial for engagement. However, social media isn’t the only place where you can engage fans. With a fan engagement platform, you don’t have to worry about maintaining a social media presence for your team on every social network there is. That can be time-consuming and not yield enough return.

You’re in the driver’s seat, so lead the conversation and be innovative. Fan engagement platforms are on the rise, and might soon become the fan-preferred way of communicating with their favorite teams, especially if they let them express their passion for the team.

Keeping the Fans Entertained

As modern technologies are becoming more widespread, fighting for attention gets harder. Everyone can send their message into the internet ether, and consumers can’t pay attention to them all. Even the biggest teams in the most profitable sports can struggle to get people to follow them online.

That’s because no matter how big you are or how many fans you have out there, you still have to make it worth it for the fans to follow you. To do that, create content that fans find interesting, use video, ask for their opinion, and above all, aim to include fans into everything the club does, so they’ll feel like a part of it.

Analyzing the Data to Figure out What Works and What Doesn’t

With a fan engagement platform, everything you do can be measured. You can see how many people engaged with your content – for example, whether they preferred a video announcement or a fan contest. Analytics is the most important thing for determining how successful your engagement strategies are, and whether they need changes. Not every team will be able to utilize the same tips and tricks – what works for an industry giant might not work out so well for a smaller group. That’s why it’s imperative to make informed decisions based on real hard data and not assumptions.

How Fanisko Engage Can Help

With Fanisko Engage, your team gets a fan engagement platform that can answer your needs and stand the test of time. Engaging your fans throughout the year is not an easy task, especially in the off-season, but fan engagement platforms such as Fanisko Engage certainly make them more manageable by offering the options you need to keep interest alive.

For more information, please visit our website to find out exactly how Fanisko Engage can make your fan engagement hopes a reality.