Shooting Sports and Firearms Firms Get Social
February 24, 2010
(SPORTS TECHNOLOGY)
As Internet usage becomes more pervasive, its popularity among sports groups is growing. Beyond the ability to find information on the latest gun gear and accessories, shooting sports enthusiasts are flocking to social media sites to share their experience, opinions and tips on the sport.
And for those marketers that cater to the shooting sports market, this is a dream come true.
Social media gives readers a technical environment to find syndicate content using new media tool. With it, companies can offer news, commentary and product information to drive loyalty, as well as maintain interest in a brand, according to an Ammoland.com report.
“Social media marketing is the future of building brand awareness through content syndication,” Editor Brian Johnson (News - Alert) (News - Alert) wrote. “Internet activism through blogs and user forums are abundant in the shooting and firearms industry. There are large volumes of users embracing the technology that is the foundation of social media marketing.”
One crucial component of social media is e-mail marketing. Many companies rely on the tactic to spread their message, according to the report, which was co-authored by Ashley Burgess at Laura Burgess Marketing. And with the advent of smartphones and other electronic devices, smart marketers must change their habits to adopt to the new technology, Johnson said.
“Being an effective social media marketer requires a concentrated effort, just like e-mail marketing,” he wrote. “ Producing content with regular frequency, content that works well in all delivery devices and content that communicates your message is vital to your online marketing success. “
Johnson offered the following social media marketing tips:
-
Develop a well thought out plan. Do you research and make sure you are targeting the right audience with your message.
-
Find good partners. Finding an effective syndication partner help businesses connect with more users. By finding the right partner, companies can boost their content distribution to reach a greater number of users.
-
Create a good plan. Decide what content to post is crucial. Companies shouldn’t just rely on random tweets to spread the word about news or new product announcements. Organizations should pay attention to the type of content they release and update it with snappy titles, video and images to make it stand out.
-
Engage, engage, engage. Social media gives companies the ability to respond to end users in real-time. Unlike e-mail, businesses can ensure that users are receiving the right messages at the right time.
Amy Tierney is a Web editor for TMCnet, covering business communications Her areas of focus include conferencing, SIP, Fax over IP, unified communications and telepresence. Amy also writes about education and healthcare technology, overseeing production of e-Newsletters on those topics as well as communications solutions and UC. To read more of Amy's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney
