The evolution of digital media and social media has provided fans with unprecedented access to content and information, allowing them to engage with content on their own terms and in the format they prefer.

As a result, today’s sports fan has more information and access to information than ever before. And as media organizations continue to experiment with new platforms and approaches to content, the line between traditional forms of marketing and digital marketing becomes increasingly blurred.

The Rise Of Virtual Assistant Marketing

One area where this blurring of the lines between traditional and digital marketing occurs is in the area of virtual assistant marketing (also known as chat-based marketing and online marketing).

The growth of virtual assistants like Alexa, as well as platforms like HomeAssistant and Google Assistant, provides fans with easy access to content and information at the touch of a button.

This makes the information available to fans more accessible and convenient—which in turn, makes them more likely to engage with that content and information. In other words, the line between digital and traditional marketing becomes increasingly blurred.

The Role Of Social Media In The Digital Marketing Mix

Another area where this blurring of the lines occurs is in the role of social media in the digital marketing mix.

With the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as digital marketing automation tools like HubSpot and Marketo, fans have more opportunities to engage with brands and create awareness around a product or service.

This is why many brands turn to social media to expand their reach into new markets and audiences. But rather than merely using social media as a broadcast platform to send out marketing content, marketers can use these platforms to get feedback from fans about their product or service—making social media a crucial tool in the marketing process.

As a result of these new platforms and increased access to information, fans are now a crucial part of the marketing process—and marketers must adjust their approach to suit these new dynamics.

The Changing Role Of TV In Our Lives

While social media and digital marketing have changed the way we access, interact with, and disseminate information, a form of content that has always had the power to move and inspire people — and which continues to do so — is television.

For decades, marketers have used TV to gain exposure and engage with consumers. But in today’s world, TV can be more effective in terms of marketing and sales when used as part of a multi-channel marketing strategy.

This is because television can function as both a traditional and a digital marketing channel. As traditional media, TV can help to establish credibility and trust for a brand or product, and help to promote upcoming events and special offers. In addition, sports channels like ESPN and Sky Sport can help to establish a connection with an audience who might not always been connected to or aware of your product or service.

As a digital marketing channel, television can easily be used to disseminate content in near real-time—making it a highly effective tool for engaging with a digitally-savvy consumer base.

The combination of traditional and digital marketing through TV can help to increase a consumer’s awareness of a brand or product, and drive purchasing behaviors and actions. Which means that TV, when used in conjunction with other marketing methods, can have a significant impact on the success of a campaign.

Thanks to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, as well as the proliferation of podcasting, video chatting, and other forms of online content, fans have more opportunities to be exposed to content and information about brands and products than ever before.

The opportunity for virtual assistant marketing, social media, and other digital tactics to help shape the future of sports marketing

This is a constantly evolving field, and while some aspects may remain unchanged (think of the relationship between sports fans and their favorite teams), others will almost certainly see significant change in the coming months and years.

New Platforms, New Approaches

Social media and digital marketing are changing the way we access information and content, which in turn, is changing the way we engage with marketing—and this, in turn, is altering the role of sports in our lives.

As new platforms emerge, with new opportunities for fans to engage with content and information, marketers must adjust their approach to suit these new dynamics. This may mean revising the way they engage with consumers through marketing—a topic that will be covered in more detail in the upcoming edition of this book—may mean rethinking the way they communicate with sports fans and influencers in the first place.