74% of World Cup Viewers Use Social Media During the Games

It’s no surprise that social media has become one of the most important tools for marketers to leverage during live events and sports games.  Social gives brands the power to engage and influence consumers second by second.
In an effort to seize real-time opportunities and become part of the social conversation during the World Cup, marketers will be connecting with their consumers through #hashtags, “brand newsrooms” will be abuzz with trending topics, and consumers will be prompted to share ads across their networks.
In fact, the World Cup is already prepared to be the most social sporting event ever.
Mashable recently reported that this year’s World Cup ads have already been shared more than the 2014 Super Bowl commercials. With all the content brands are pushing out, it’s a smart move for brands to get involved in creative ways.
This recently released “Social Side of the World Cup” infographic shows that, from a poll of over 850 men and women, 74.2% of viewers will be on social media during the World Cup. After the games, 42% of viewers are likely to be posting about their favorite ads and 52% are likely to follow or like a brand.
One way to engage in social influence is to find your brand’s advocates and leverage them. Remember that  92 percent of people trust the recommendations they receive from friends and family above all other forms of advertising. This means that you can push your content out to your audience, but it may go unnoticed unless someone they trust tells them to pay attention.
Search your customer relations management systems and followers on social channels. Your repeat buyers and social followers already posting positive mentions about your brand are your advocates. Develop partnerships with them to create and share branded, user-generated content (UGC), which increases your credibility.
The World Cup is heating up for brands, and the best social strategy will take the gold.