Social media at TUFC

bobby93 · Post by **bobby93** » 30 Dec 2014, 16:39

I'm interested to hear what you all think of our club's online/social media presence, or lack thereof? I feel like I may explore this a little in the next issue of the zine because it's a topic I have been thinking about lately (and posted elsewhere about it this afternoon).

No disrespect to those who run it, because I know they must be under enormous pressure and it's probably 5th or 6th on someone's priority list, but I think in general it is quite poor. We can and should do better, it's an important tool that's here to stay, and a valuable (not to mention cheap) way of engaging with fans and communities.

I mention it now because Plymouth Argyle have just topped the League Two 'table' of social media usage. Their Twitter posts, for example, are more frequent, more personal and ultimately more engaging than our official account.

http://www.pafc.co.uk/news/article/topo ... 73695.aspx

I think we're missing a trick and I wonder if I'm not alone? If Mr Candy or anyone else from the club is browsing the forum and reads this, it would be nice to hear how this sort of thing works at TUFC and if there are any plans to take better advantage of the platform?

njgull · Post by **njgull** » 30 Dec 2014, 17:17

Well I don't even know if the club has a Facebook page as I would never go near Facebook under any circumstance. But as someone who spends entirely too much time on Twitter I will say that the club's efforts there are pretty poor. Honestly being able to follow the club on Twitter was one of the primary reasons I, an avowed social media hater, finally caved and joined Twitter. And the club's not giving me much there. I ended up making a TUFC Twitter list to try to get the type of info from other sources that I'd be expecting to get from the club itself. Seems it would be such an easy way to engage with potential customers. Obviously they don't care to engage with me as I'm never going to see a tweet that inspires me to get on a plane and fly across an ocean to see a game. But there have to be ways to use those social media outlets to bring a few more local folks to a game.

ethantufcbaker · Post by **ethantufcbaker** » 30 Dec 2014, 17:58

Agree the club needs to interact with fans.
I think the club even has a Instagram page but mainly its Facebook twitter and YouTube.
A note on YouTube the highlights now take so long to go up that opposition clubs get highlights up before us. Also away games like welling I dount will go up because welling has wingstv which you pay for.
Also what happened to the camera behind the goal. I know the cameraman left or something but surely getting contraversial moments to the fans is important after all we pay the money into the club

brooker · Post by **brooker** » 31 Dec 2014, 16:07

I feel for the club on this one. Social media marketing is a large part of my job, and it's something that people assume can be knocked up in seconds, but actually does take both time, and creativity to do well. This is made particularly hard to pull off when, as bobby says, its way down somebodies list of jobs. It certainly is cheap as marketing goes, but can actually prove expensive in terms of staff time spent within a small company. Having looked at the efforts of Argyles social media, it definitely looks as though they have someone who knows what they're doing, as their content is varied and engaging enough to generate a decent amount of chatter. But it does also speak of a decent amount of time spent generating content.

One thing we could definitely do better without putting in too much more effort is our YouTube channel (and gulls player). Highlights take years to go up, but that is about the only thing that is ever posted. Why not get a camera and tripod over to Seale Hayne, and train a coach or even a couple of the players to use it, and get some footage there? Interviews need only for someone to set up the tripod and mic and press record, and with a couple of shots of the players training/warming up/passing about could be edited into good segments back at Plainmoor by someone who knows a little more. Our social media will never touch Plymouths without a similar level of knowledge and manpower, but since we can't match that, we need to be allowing as many people as possible to take ownership of our social media efforts, so that our media officer is not trying to do everything himself, but instead is merely curating, proof checking, and posting content generated largely by others.

ethantufcbaker · Post by **ethantufcbaker** » 31 Dec 2014, 16:32

brooker wrote:I feel for the club on this one. Social media marketing is a large part of my job, and it's something that people assume can be knocked up in seconds, but actually does take both time, and creativity to do well. This is made particularly hard to pull off when, as bobby says, its way down somebodies list of jobs. It certainly is cheap as marketing goes, but can actually prove expensive in terms of staff time spent within a small company. Having looked at the efforts of Argyles social media, it definitely looks as though they have someone who knows what they're doing, as their content is varied and engaging enough to generate a decent amount of chatter. But it does also speak of a decent amount of time spent generating content.

One thing we could definitely do better without putting in too much more effort is our YouTube channel (and gulls player). Highlights take years to go up, but that is about the only thing that is ever posted. Why not get a camera and tripod over to Seale Hayne, and train a coach or even a couple of the players to use it, and get some footage there? Interviews need only for someone to set up the tripod and mic and press record, and with a couple of shots of the players training/warming up/passing about could be edited into good segments back at Plainmoor by someone who knows a little more. Our social media will never touch Plymouths without a similar level of knowledge and manpower, but since we can't match that, we need to be allowing as many people as possible to take ownership of our social media efforts, so that our media officer is not trying to do everything himself, but instead is merely curating, proof checking, and posting content generated largely by others.

Looking at plymouths youtube channel (training ground)
Highlights (well put together)
Replays from a different angle
When player of the month is released a montage could be put together crosses/goals/assits/tackles/saves/blocks etc
Bournemouth do a great job of different things on youtube:
pitch walk
chairman
saves
reverse angle
manager interview
fan cam when they score
challenges to fans

This kinda stuff is better

montage

What happened to the gopro in our goal for replays?
The club need to get video and photos of the players doing stuff for the community. i see arsenal went to a hospital and gave out presents. this wouldnt be possible with our budget probably? however anything that makes local news on tele and newspaper would help

Edit: just found that Bournemouth even do google + hangouts with fans

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 31 Dec 2014, 17:48

Surely our players visit the childrens ward at Torbay Hospital???

I thought this was a standard Xmas practice for all professional footballers?

ethantufcbaker · Post by **ethantufcbaker** » 31 Dec 2014, 17:50

Burnhamgull wrote:Surely our players visit the childrens ward at Torbay Hospital???

I thought this was a standard Xmas practice for all professional footballers?

I don't know personally I would have thought so too but it wasn't put on website

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 31 Dec 2014, 18:26

Sadly we continue to play at being a football club.

There is still a massive lack of professionalism running through the club off the pitch. The only reason this club is in the public eye nationally is because of Helen Chamberlain and her weekly ramblings on Soccer AM.

Post by **Gulliball** » 31 Dec 2014, 18:41

Players at Torbay Hospital was the back page of the Herald when I was back in Devon over Christmas.

ethantufcbaker · Post by **ethantufcbaker** » 31 Dec 2014, 19:16

Gulliball wrote:Players at Torbay Hospital was the back page of the Herald when I was back in Devon over Christmas.

didnt see it personally but thats good to hear

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 31 Dec 2014, 23:26

Still waiting for the Happy New Year tweet from the club...................I'm sure it won't be long......

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 01 Jan 2015, 00:20

Ahhhhhhh 12:20am........done.

njgull · Post by **njgull** » 05 Jan 2015, 20:49

I see on Twitter today they're running a contest to give away a copy of Football Manager. So that's something. I imagine I'm ineligible what with the whole living on the wrong side of the planet thing. And I think you have to be on Facebook too and, well, I stand by my position that Facebook is evil. But somebody will win something and at least the club is trying something.

PlainmoorRoar · Post by **PlainmoorRoar** » 05 Jan 2015, 20:59

The clubs facebook can be found clicking on this https://www.facebook.com/insideplainmoor

It does need some more 'likes', a fan Torquay United page has over 2k

bobby93 · Post by **bobby93** » 05 Jan 2015, 22:26

brooker wrote:I feel for the club on this one. Social media marketing is a large part of my job, and it's something that people assume can be knocked up in seconds, but actually does take both time, and creativity to do well.

You're right, I have a bit of experience in similar areas and I know the people who do this at my company (national) very well. It does take time, more than people might think. With that being said, look at our programme - since the revamp 4 or 5 years ago (?), it's been a good read and was even nominated for an award. It's also a very slick, contemporary design. I think some of the people involved in doing that need to get on the social media team (assuming it is not already the same person!), because somebody obviously knows what they're doing.

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