One of the benefits of engaging fans through platforms like social media is to maintain a relationship, even when there is nothing happening. Of course it is still better to have something going on, and ‘winners are grinners’ when it comes to the online worlds of Facebook and Twitter.
So there are no real surprises in this month’s look at the top sailing brands on Facebook.
Well we say that, but perhaps we are becoming used to advertising campaigns and abnormal growth distorting the results acheieved by some brands who continue to invest money and energy into aquiring Facebook likes and keeping their fans engaged.
The Top 10 Sailing Brands on Facebook – February 1.
In January, Oman Sail stands out as a property that continues to punch above its weight. Oman Sail attracted more ‘Likes’ than any other property on our list except for the Volvo Ocean Race. We expect that most of that gain is in Oman, as the program continues to expose school children and the wider community to sailing, but there is also interest through Sail Arabia The Tour.
We would love to say that the America’s Cup is building on the momentum it created in San Diego. We would love to see the investment in marketing and communications driving interest from a new fan-base, but the numbers tell a different story. Despite several ORACLE Racing sailors taking part in the Australian A-Cat Championships, Ben Ainslie announcing a new AC45 Team, Luna Rossa launching its AC45, James Spithill on stage at the Dusseldorf Boat Show and members of Artemis Racing performing well at Key West Race Week – the official America’s Cup page managed to attract only 870 new likes.
The Top 10 Most Engaging Sailing Brands on Facebook – February 1.
Of course it is not how many Likes you have, its what you do with them. Team Telefonica’s continued success in the Volvo Ocean Race means that nearly 20% of their Facebook audience is talking about them.
There is no surprise that the Volvo Ocean Race Game is also near the top of the list. Games by their very nature encourage the audience to spend time with a property – to communicate with other players and become involved. (Read more about this here…)
And just for fun, we have put in the top 10 fastest growing brands (by percentage).
Loick Peyron’s record breaking acheivements of late continue to be translated into social media growth, partly through being visible and partly because he is one of the only sailors to have someone manage his social media presence.
Most of the numbers on this list are tiny compared to the growth in actual likes achieved by the Volvo Ocean Race (8107), Oman Sail (7,4087) and Sperry Topsider (7,288).
