In 30 seconds:
- Sports TikTok is where your brand needs to be. How can you approach it in the best way possible?
- Existing and fresh content can work in harmony on TikTok. We’re sharing how to employ both to maximise ROI.
- TikTok is all about communities. We’re sharing how your brand can access all kinds of #CommunityToks to skyrocket your reach.
How can you access Sports TikTok and become a front-runner on the social media platform? It’s not as simple as just posting content. You need to show up with your game face on and with the right tools, tricks and tips in your bag. That’s where we’re going to help.
TikTok is rich with engagement and marketing possibilities. It also happens to be young people’s favourite app. Gen Z and millennials are the largest and most influential generations yet, but they’re also the least likely to be sports fans (especially Zoomers). So now more than ever, sports brands need to use this powerful channel to reach these demographics and grab their attention fast.
If you do, there’s proof that great things can happen. 47% of sports fans that use TikTok say they have bought something new after watching sports and fitness content on the app. The #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt phenomenon came from TikTok’s unique “loop” of discovery, where finding products, buying them and posting about them will initiate further users’ sales within the online community.
Simply put, to win the TikTok world cup of marketing potential, you need to know how to compete. So what tools do brands need to persuade sports fans, maximise ROI and win on this social media channel? Here’s the run-down.
1. Use existing ad creative (but make it for TikTok)
57% of TikTok users watch sports content on TikTok every week. That means there is a serious opportunity for brands to catapult their existing content into the eyes of sports fans on the video-first app. In fact, research shows that if a brand is both on TV and TikTok, its brand perceptions will lift.
But just using this content on their TikTok account is not enough. You need to optimise it for the channel and make it irresistibly watchable. How? Here are some key points to remember:
- Make it vertical: How would it feel if you watched an amazing gymnastics video with the athlete’s legs cut off? Answer: not great. TikTok videos shot vertically get a 25% higher watch-through rate and have to get watched six seconds longer. If your content is already horizontal, edit it accordingly and ensure there aren’t any technical blunders.
- Use transitions: You can create simple transitions to merge content using a fade, whip, spin, or slide. This will keep content compelling.
- Use effects: Use effects to give existing content a TikTok makeover, like glitches, colour filters, or dividers that separate video into sections.
- Utilise captions: Your captions matter. Think about keywords your target market would be searching for, and keep TikTok SEO in mind to ensure it’s showing up in the right people’s FYP (For You Page) and working with the TikTok algorithm. Want to know more about how you can utilise TikTok SEO? Check out our article: TikTok SEO: How to Get Discovered on TikTok.
- Use TikTok Sounds: Brands can put a twist on old content with a trending or engaging sound. Use them as a tool to make videos funny, unexpected and for different audiences. NFL didn’t cut women out of the picture. They used this surprising sound that made the comments section blow up with statements like “I SAW THIS LAST NIGHT LMAO” and “who runnin this account 😭😭😭 they need a raise”. Existing content + unpredictable sounds = oodles of engagement.
For more info on how brands can use sounds in their strategy, take a look at our article: TikTok Commercial Sounds: What Brands Need to Know
@nfl joe brrrrrr forreal 🥶 #joeburrow #cincinnati #bengals #nflplayoffs ♬ hey daddy - dev
- Change up the context: Don’t just regurgitate content for TikTok; use your current and past material to add a new spin as the UEFA Champions League did. Using footage of Messi from their match, they changed it up with captions and a fitting original sound. This made for an endearing post (which garnered over 29.4 million views)
@championsleague The moment a million hearts sank 🫣😰#ChampionsLeague ♬ original sound - Champions League
- Turn it into a meme: Using existing content to create funny memes is your ticket to relatability. Simply add comical text to the video or in the caption that connects to the content in a humorous way. MLB are king at this technique.
@mlb just when I thought I was out they pull me back in (via @ncaa) #baseball #homies #weekend ♬ original sound - MLB
2. Make new TikTok-first creatives
Creating original TikTok entertainment can be extremely effective. After all, people come to the app for a reason- they want to see new, exciting and engaging videos. So, deliver that and watch your views and ER shoot up. How? Here are some golden rules for making your content click with TikTokers.
- Keep it entertaining: Humour on TikTok is a motivation for purchase intent 31% of the time, so lean into this. Sports fans want to see this content with hashtags like #funnysports having over 112 million views. Olympic Volleyball player Erik Shoji (@thelibero) uses a funny sound to create this humorous take on getting ready for practice.
@thelibero That rushing feeling #rush #shoe #hurry #volleyball #athlete #sports #practice #training ♬ valerie cherish - Shows
- Target different #CommunityToks: Targeting sports fans on TikTok is great, but why stop there? TikTok is a hub of different communities, and brands now have the opportunity to reach them creatively. You can access broad groups like #SportsTikTok or look at more niche circles like #Womenwholift or #sportsgirlfriend. You can even access whole swathes of other audience members like ESPN did. They partnered with NFL star Aaron Jones in a gaming video for @egirl. Not only does this engage potential sports fans, but it also brings gamers into the mix.
@egirl Had to get that pre-game workout in 😂👊 @espn #ad #vr #gaming #boxing #gamer #espnpartner ♬ original sound - egirl
- Work with influencers: Having creators as a central part of your TikTok strategy will help you grow exponentially. 71% of consumers feel that influencers’ posts have some sway on their purchase decisions, with 51% stating that they look to influencers for product recommendations. Sponsorships with members of sports teams can work, but collaborating with different influencers can catapult you into various CommunityToks and magnify your reach. @F0urBr0thers collaborated with @commonwealthsport to bring this hilarious video. They aren’t sports influencers, but this video drummed up over 878.2K views and tons of engagement.
@f0urbr0thers Huge hit 😂 Who’s Excited For The @Commonwealth Sport ?? AD #commonwealth #sports #cricket #fyp #comedy #relatable ♬ original sound - F0urBr0thers
3. Mix existing and new content
If you want to put a fresh spin on your videos and get people engaging, think about how you can pair existing content with new TikTok-first content. Here are a few ideas on how you can do this:
- Reaction Videos: Duet content to magnify it’s reach and engagement. Videos tagged with #ReactionVideo have 2.7B video views on TikTok. So cash in on this high-value technique. Better yet, if you partner with an influencer to do the duet for you, you’ll likely double your ROI.
- TikTok Stitch: Use TikTok stitch to put your content together and create a fresh new video. You could carry on a piece of content or make a compilation. Just ensure you use an entertaining link between videos for maximum effectiveness.
4. Boost the best-performing content with ads.
No one expects you to be the Ronaldo of TikTok content from the start. To get the best ROI possible, you’ll need to trial different types of videos. Once you know which kinds of content work best, you can boost them with ads. Maximising your reach on content that just isn’t working is pointless.
This is also good practice for when you work with influencers. Partner with a range of influencers (that fit with your brand values) and allow them to create authentic organic content. Measure the data from these campaigns and then boost them with paid ads.
Looking to maximise your ad campaigns? Check out our article on TikTok Advertising.
Timing is everything
For your brand’s native content to score high, you need to use your timeline to your advantage. Sports content can speak to TikTokers before, during and after big games.
Pre-game
TikTok sports fans and pop culture buffs love to predict game outcomes. #pregame has over 668.7 million views on the app, and there are tons of viral videos with winner predictions, team overviews and in-depth conversations.
Brands can lean into this and post their own predictions (like NHL did here) or partner with influencers to get their genuine thoughts on the coming game. You can even access different communities by changing the spin on the context with funny insights or even food prep for half-time. Why not add a countdown sticker for extra effect.
@nhl who are you taking - #NewYorkRangers or #TorontoMapleLeafs? @fdsportsbook #Hockey ♬ original sound - NHL
Mid-game
Think about what different communities may be thinking during the game. If something controversial happens, your brand needs to be one of the first in the conversation, reacting to the live event. TikTokers also add their own spin during games with “game day” fashion, food, lifestyle, music and art. What if your brand could amplify these stories? You could host a LIVE where you comment on other TikTokers’ videos or just chime in on current conversations about the game.
Post-game
Get the afterparty going on TikTok. It’s a brilliant social platform to check the post commentary on the game, get in on what your fans are discussing, and bring your original ideas to the match. Keep your fans interested with post-game giveaways, engaging conversations and funny reactions. Be a commentator and bring even more value to the game by connecting with pop culture fans through celebrity cameos as NBA did here.
@nba The stars SHOWED UP to MSG for @nyknicks vs. @lakers ⭐️👀 #nbacelebrow #celebrity #nba #basketball #sports #msg #madisonsquaregarden ♬ Dancing HIPHOP instrument(971901) - SunRhythm
Hit your target… and more
Your target audience on TikTok may not be traditional. We’ve established that sports fans do hang out here, but only marketing to them means missing out on a whole world of potential engagement. To increase your reach and maximise your ROI, you’ll need to access new groups of fans.
That’s exactly what we did with Bundesliga. They gave our team of TikTok experts the challenge to increase brand awareness for the latest ‘Der Klassiker’ (the name given to sporting events between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund).
Using Bytesights – our award-winning data and insights tool – we found a range of ideal influencers for collaboration and asked them to create varied football TikToks. The trick? They were in diverse niches and had mixed demographics as audiences, providing different kinds of fan engagement. This resulted in 14 million views, over 600K likes, 7K comments and nearly 2K shares.
If you want to find out new ways of tapping into Sports audiences, get in touch. We’ll take you through how to nail your sports marketing strategy on TikTok and win over new fans.
Eager for more sports marketing training? Check out the insights below to gain a head start.
