Improving Rugby Clubs’ Online Presence: The Ultimate Guide

“The most important things in life are the connections you make with others” – Tom Ford

Written by: Malachi Nojaduka   

We live in the most technologically rich moment in history. Never has information flowed so freely and frequently at mass like today. The internet has become an integral part of our lives and it has grown to encompass almost every area of our lives. This evolution has resulted in the internet becoming the foundation of any business’s survival and success, especially with the advent of social media and…That’s right you guessed it!

Your Sports Club is no different.

So, to help you out this article will go into what it means to have an online presence, how to improve your online presence, and some tips, tricks, and tools that you can use to your advantage as you build your own virtual real estate on the internet today.

So, what is and why is it important to be present online?

You may be inclined to believe that all you need in order for you to be successful in this space are a couple of social media accounts and a website. It just so happens that this is not the case. Don’t get us wrong, these are vital components to establishing a strong online presence. However, this doesn’t guarantee success. An online presence goes beyond this, as you need to build trust (a brand) and familiarity.

It is exactly this familiarity and trust that establishes you as an authority in your space. Only after you have established this authority can you lead people down a path that helps push your business’s agenda forward. Whether your goal is to educate, share, or just simply boost awareness about your club.

It’s all about marketing!

Here are some ways you can benefit from having a powerful presence online:

• Strengthen your club’s connection with fans

• Increase exposure to potential sponsors and endorsements

• Expand into additional ways of generating income

• Easily recruit new members

• Increase the ability to raise funds from donations

So how do you build a strong online presence?

There are a variety of channels you can use in order to build your own unique space online, but for the sake of convenience and your time, we’ll focus on the fundamental ways you can piece together your own online following.

Create your own website

It has never been easier to start strongly with a new website. There are plenty of website-building software tools at your disposal. Platforms like Wix, Weebly, GoDaddy, WordPress, as well as a variety of others offer free accounts for you to build a website. However, look into the
different packages offered by these platforms. Some may benefit you more than others as you can use integrations such as SportsPress, which is incredibly useful for sports clubs.

If you are not willing to build a website from scratch, you could also enlist the services of a professional website developer on freelance sites such as Fiverr, Upwork, or Guru.com.

Engage with other Sports Clubs

Engaging with other sports clubs can be a great way to promote your own club. This collaborative process is great, in that you can leverage the online presence of other clubs to boost your own vice versa. Besides that, taking part in an event can get your sports club’s name out there. But if you’re in a location that suffers from a lack of events, you could consider hosting your own event.

Organise an Event

There are many ways to promote your club, but none is better than spreading the word of mouth by organising an event. Not only will you be able to increase awareness about your sports club, but you will also be able to use the event as part of your promotional material on your website and social media channels. 

Organising an event is difficult, so if you intend to host an event soon, our article on How to host a Sporting event will help you. Especially Rugby Sevens events are ideal to get started with rugby-themed tournaments. Give us a shout if you need help with organising your next event.

Post regularly on Social Media

Attention is key! There is no better way to tap into your sports club’s business potential than regularly posting on social media. We encourage you to be intentional with your social media posts though, as they need to be backed by a clear marketing plan.

You will need to decide on which social media channels will best suit your goals. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are good social
media channels to use. Each platform is different, so you may need to consider how you will use each one to cater to your audience’s specific needs. From fun facts about the sport to simple updates on game results, there’s a lot of engaging content for you to post about.

Capitalise on visual and audio-visual content

After choosing which social media platforms to use, lean towards platforms that mainly focus on visual and audio-visual content. By incorporating this content, you benefit from increased engagement, more followers, and more shares from your target audience. YouTube
is a great platform for audio-visual content. With YouTube, you can focus on behind-the-scenes content, training videos, tutorials, and any
other forms of content that resonate with your audience.

Visual content is also effective. Design tools may be essential for this, though. We recommend Canva for your design needs. By using Canva Pro, you’ll be able to bring your ideas to life. Creating eye-catching graphics that seamlessly coordinate with your sports club’s brand. Using the 30-day free trial, you are bound to come up with some stunning designs that will help take your online presence to the next level.

Conclusion

Improving your online presence has never been easier. It doesn’t have to be a tedious process. So please use the information outlined above to get your sports club the recognition it needs.

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