Remember when everyone was predicting YouTube would become the next Amazon? Social commerce was supposed to be the platform’s next big thing, and for a while, it seemed like the hype was justified. But somewhere along the line, the momentum slowed.
YouTube’s Social Commerce Ambitions
The Chicago Bulls are leveraging social media to grow their international fanbase and attract brand deals. The team has created dedicated social profiles in various languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, and more. The Bulls’ latest push is a new Spanish-language Instagram account, @LosBulls, which has gained nearly 24,000 followers in just 10 days since its debut.
According to Luka Dukich, vp of content for the Chicago Bulls, “Basketball is such a global game, a quarter of the NBA players are actually born outside the U.S. now. The Bulls are uniquely positioned for international fan bases. Across all social media followers, we have 45 million fans. That’s more than the other Chicago professional sports teams have combined. The difference is the international fan base.”
The Bulls aren’t alone in looking to foster this kind of growth — and eventually monetize it — with international fanbases. Social accounts in other languages represent just one approach to achieve this, according to brand consultants. Other approaches that could help teams grow their international audiences include partnering with popular international players in addition to U.S. stars and regularly playing games abroad.
The Power of Social Media in International Branding
Instagram’s consistency is key to the Bulls’ strategy. “Instagram is consistent across marketers whereas TikTok was a bit less consistent country to country,” said Dukich. The team may explore TikTok more in the future, but for now, Instagram is their primary focus for growing their international audience.
The expectation is that such partnerships will eventually pay dividends for the team. That line of thinking has become more commonplace among U.S. sports teams, according to brand consultants, who say they have worked with or consulted for U.S. teams in recent years as they seek to grow their audiences abroad.
“You might have a small percentage of fans in each country or region interested but when you amplify that or multiply that by every country in the world, you have big groups of people who are coming together to support,” said Malcolm Buick, chief creative officer and partner at Athletics NYC, a brand studio that has worked with the Bulls.
Attention is extremely important, and I love Roblox as a platform for brands. However, brands need to look at how Roblox fits their marketing mix and how they measure performance in grabbing attention. I don’t think it’s one or the other, I think it depends on what the brand is looking to do and what the brand wants to present.
- Maybe players are more attentive within a branded experience.
- Maybe within a branded experience a brand can present more information and deliver more value as well as drive a higher level of attention.
- Maybe there is less noise/distraction in a standalone experience.
- What is the value of the user to a brand when there is an integration versus a branded experience?
- Why shouldn’t a brand do both?
- How does a brand like Nike promote its retail partners via Roblox?
- Is a co-op more valuable as an integration or is it better suited for a branded experience?
- How does a brand like Walmart sell other brands and drive attention and exposure to the brands they sell?
- What is LTV at its peak?
The key is knowing what the brand’s goals are in order to deliver the right strategy. The questions I would want answered as a brand when looking at data like this are:
Marketers are experiencing FOMO around the metaverse, sparking a wave of brand activity, from branded in-game characters to non-fungible tokens, across a range of virtual platforms.
Following Facebook’s rebranding as Meta in October 2021, brands have been falling over themselves in the rush to stake their claim to the metaverse. 49 percent of marketers believe the metaverse will impact their strategies in 2022, according to TINT’s 2022 State of User-Generated Content report, with the same proportion claiming their company already has a metaverse strategy in place.
“I think part of it is how long it took brands to be comfortable moving from television to digital; moving from digital to mobile was also a journey,” said Nada Stirratt, the vp in charge of Meta’s global business group in the Americas. “And so I think brands and marketers now sit and go, ‘wow, it took us so long to jump into something that we should have jumped into early.’ There’s a little bit of that going on right now.”
Though Stirratt stressed that the metaverse is still in its early days — “there’s no metaverse to invest in right now” — it’s true that many of today’s virtual brand activations are intended more to demonstrate brands’ willingness to experiment with new technologies than to generate high ROI or create direct e-commerce opportunities.
NASCAR’s metaverse push, for example, is intended to give the brand an opportunity to incrementally improve its knowledge of virtual technologies, not to bring in new fans or sell tickets and merchandise.
At the moment, nothing in the metaverse is certain; it’s unclear which metaverse platforms will still be around in a decade, and information about metaversal demographics and user behavior can be difficult to track down.
The same factor that drives brands’ enthusiasm toward the metaverse could also be a reason why some consumers are skeptical of the concept. “The consumer view of a lot of these things is driven by, I would think, Facebook rebranding to Meta,” said Rosh Singh, the managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Unit9, a digital production studio that started a Metaverse Advisory Department earlier this month. “And if there was ever going to be a flag-waver for a new, virtual kind of existence, Facebook’s probably not the best advocate for driving us into this new future.”
TikTok’s Potential
The Chicago Bulls, recognizing the global appeal of basketball, are strategically expanding their reach through dedicated social profiles on various platforms. Their latest venture, a Spanish-language Instagram account @LosBulls, has gained nearly 24,000 followers in just 10 days. This initiative builds on their previous efforts, including a French language Instagram account, @LesChicagoBulls, with approximately 108,000 followers, and accounts on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and KuaiShou, amassing millions of followers collectively.
Luka Dukich, VP of Content for the Chicago Bulls, highlights the global nature of basketball, noting that a quarter of NBA players are now born outside the U.S. The Bulls’ strategy leverages this global fanbase, with 45 million social media followers, a number surpassing the combined following of other Chicago professional sports teams. The Bulls’ international strategy is not just about numbers; it’s about building deeper connections, particularly with Spanish-speaking fans who constitute a “huge percentage” of their international audience.
The Bulls currently favor Instagram for its consistent global reach, but they are not ruling out TikTok. “TikTok was a bit less consistent country to country,” explains Dukich. The platform’s growing influence and potential for engaging younger audiences make it a strategic consideration for the future. TikTok’s unique format, which encourages short, engaging videos, could be particularly effective for the Bulls to connect with a broader international audience, especially younger fans in regions where the platform is highly popular.
As the Bulls explore TikTok, they aim to create content that resonates with Spanish-speaking fans. By leveraging local influencers and creating culturally relevant content, the team can foster a deeper connection with this audience. This strategy not only enhances fan engagement but also positions the Bulls as a globally relevant brand, capable of adapting to diverse cultural contexts.
Building a Deeper Connection with Spanish-Speaking Fans
Building a deeper connection with Spanish-speaking fans involves more than just translating content. It requires understanding the cultural nuances and preferences of this audience. The Bulls can achieve this by:
- Creating content that highlights the experiences of Spanish-speaking players and fans.
- Collaborating with Spanish-speaking influencers and athletes to extend their reach and credibility.
- Hosting events and initiatives that engage the Spanish-speaking community, both online and offline.
- Using local language and cultural references to make the content more relatable and engaging.
- Showcasing the size and engagement of their international audience.
- Highlighting the unique opportunities for brands to connect with fans in different regions.
- Providing data and insights on fan behavior and preferences.
- Offering tailored marketing solutions that align with the brand’s goals and values.
- Consistently creating high-quality content that resonates with diverse audiences.
- Investing in local events and initiatives that engage fans in different regions.
- Leveraging data and analytics to understand and cater to the preferences of international fans.
- Fostering a global community of fans who feel connected to the team and each other.
- If the goal is to present more information and deliver value, a branded experience might be more effective.
- If the goal is to reach a broader audience, an integration within Roblox’s games could be more beneficial.
- If the goal is to minimize distractions, a standalone experience might be the best approach.
- What is the value of the user to a brand when there is an integration versus a branded experience?
- Why shouldn’t a brand do both strategies?
- How does a brand like Nike promote its retail partners via Roblox?
- Is a co-op more valuable as an integration or is it better suited for a branded experience?
By investing in these strategies, the Bulls can turn their Spanish-speaking followers into loyal, engaged fans who actively support the team across various platforms.
Monetizing International Audiences
Brand Partnerships
Growing international audiences online is a potential gateway for the Bulls to score international brand deals. The team’s long-term strategy involves building connections with audiences and providing experiences that resonate with fans globally. “We think there’s a huge opportunity for brand partnerships [with] international brands,” said Dukich. These partnerships can take various forms, from co-branded content to experiential marketing events that bring fans and brands together.
To attract international brand partners, the Bulls need to demonstrate their ability to deliver value to these brands. This involves:
By building a robust international audience and demonstrating the value they can bring to brands, the Bulls can attract partnerships that not only drive revenue but also enhance the fan experience.
The Long-Term Strategy
The Bulls’ long-term strategy focuses on building an international fanbase that will pay dividends in the future. This approach is not unique to the Bulls; other U.S. sports teams have recognized the value of growing their audiences abroad. The growth of soccer and F1 fanbases in the U.S. has shown that expanding into new markets can broaden revenue streams and enhance the team’s global presence.
For the Bulls, building an international fanbase involves:
By prioritizing these efforts, the Bulls can create a sustainable and valuable international fanbase that will support the team for years to come. This long-term strategy aligns with the broader trend in U.S. sports, where teams are increasingly looking to global audiences as a driver for growth and success.
Lessons from Other Industries
Roblox and Attention
While the Bulls focus on traditional social media platforms, other industries offer valuable insights into digital engagement. Roblox, a popular gaming platform, provides a unique perspective on grabbing attention and delivering value. Brands need to understand their goals and the platform’s capabilities to measure performance effectively.
Attention is a critical factor in Roblox’s marketing mix. Brands can leverage the platform to create engaging experiences that capture and maintain users’ focus. However, the key is knowing what the brand’s goals are and tailoring the strategy accordingly. For example:
Brands should ask themselves several questions when considering Roblox as a marketing platform:
By understanding these factors, brands can develop a comprehensive Roblox marketing mix that aligns with their goals and delivers the desired outcomes.
The Metaverse Rush
The metaverse has sparked a wave of brand activity, from branded in-game characters to non-fungible tokens, across various virtual platforms. However, the rush to stake a claim in the metaverse comes with risks, particularly the potential to burn out consumers before the concept fully takes shape.
Marketers are experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out) around the metaverse, leading to a flurry of brand activations. According to TINT’s 2022 State of User-Generated Content report, 49% of marketers believe the metaverse will impact their strategies in 2022, with the same proportion claiming their company already has a metaverse strategy in place. However, the metaverse is still in its early days, and many virtual brand activations are more about demonstrating a brand’s willingness to experiment than generating high ROI or direct e-commerce opportunities.
For example, NASCAR’s metaverse push aims to incrementally improve the brand’s knowledge of virtual technologies, not to bring in new fans or sell tickets and merchandise. This cautious approach highlights the need for brands to understand the metaverse’s potential before making significant investments.
Matt Greener, VP of Marketing at TINT, emphasizes the importance of R&D and resources in strategic metaverse investments. Brands need to be prepared for the possibility of failure and learn from their experiments. Those without the budget and resources may want to watch and learn first to see what works.
However, the enthusiasm for the metaverse could also lead to consumer skepticism. Rosh Singh, Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Unit9, notes that Facebook’s rebranding to Meta has made some consumers skeptical of the concept. To mitigate this risk, metaverse builders are focusing on creating clear reasons for users to spend time in virtual spaces without overtly pushing the metaverse concept.
Epic Games, for instance, has long been open about its goal to build the metaverse but has focused on making Fortnite an enticing playground for its teenaged user base. When millions of users logged in to experience Travis Scott’s live Fortnite concert in April 2020, most of them thought of it as simply an extension of the video game—not a window into Epic’s virtual world to come.
In conclusion, while the metaverse holds significant potential, brands need to approach it with caution. Understanding the platform’s capabilities, learning from others’ experiences, and being prepared for potential setbacks are essential steps in navigating the metaverse successfully.
Conclusion
As outlined in the Digiday report “YouTube’s social commerce bet: Still in the game, but playing the long strategy,” the article examines the platform’s efforts to intertwine e-commerce capabilities within its social media framework. Key takeaways highlight YouTube’s focus on a long-term approach to integrating shopping features, prioritizing user experience, and partnering with brands to enhance their online shopping experiences. The platform’s strategy involves leveraging its vast user base and promoting brand awareness through video content.
The significance of this development lies in the evolving nature of social commerce, where platforms like YouTube are redefining the boundaries between social media and e-commerce. As consumer behavior shifts towards online shopping, YouTube’s foray into social commerce has significant implications for brands and businesses seeking to reach their target audience. The article suggests that YouTube’s approach will have a lasting impact on the way brands interact with consumers, potentially leading to new revenue streams and marketing opportunities.
