Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, many facets of the sports world are in disarray; the NBA, MLB, and English Premier League seasons have all been postponed until further notice. Even the Tokyo Olympics announced that they will hold their event next year, hoping for a less chaotic environment.
As a result, many passionate sports fans out there are stuck in some form of self-quarantine with plenty of time on their hands, starved for content now that their favorite pastimes have been taken from them.
However, a crisis can also be an opportunity. Even amidst so much negative news, there are still ways for pro sports leagues to interact with fans during this crisis. Online quizzes, one of the most effective tools for marketers, can be used by sports teams in a variety of ways to engage with their audience, keeping them happy, entertained, and craving more.
Here are just a few of the many benefits that interactive content holds for sports teams.
Turn passive (and bored) fans into active participants with quizzes and interactive content
Currently, sports fans worldwide are suffering through an unprecedented bout of boredom. Think about it… the coronavirus outbreak really became a problem in March right before the NCAA March Madness Tournament, the NBA playoffs, and the start of the MLB season — not to mention an exciting Summer Olympics to look forward to. Now sports fans are left with nothing at all for the foreseeable future.
In response, many sports teams have used various methods to keep fans engaged, from the NBA hosting a video game tournament with some of its top players to Sky Sports filling its YouTube channel with retro highlights and games from past years. For all the Bulls fans, ESPN pushed up the release of its much-anticipated Michael Jordan documentary.
Quizzes are another way for sports teams to help keep their fan base entertained through this extraordinary crisis. If there’s one thing people have always loved doing, it’s testing their knowledge and finding out more about themselves — sports fans are no exception.
Deprived of their typical outlets, sports fans are desperate for a way to interact with their favorite sports teams. Some local bars have taken note of this and moved their trivia nights completely online. Savvy sports teams and leagues should do the same.
Why quizzes? They keep the quiz taker engaged throughout the entire process. For people sitting home alone, endlessly scrolling through social media, quizzes are an active outlet. Forget passive browsing — quizzes require active engagement around fans’ favorite sports.
For example, Michael Jordan was a basketball icon for fans around the world. Any basketball organization could take advantage of the upcoming Michael Jordan documentary and create a quiz titled, “How much do you really know about the ’90s Bulls?” In the same vein, NFL teams could easily design a quiz around historical players. In the current landscape, fans are really craving content. Now is the time to take advantage of this and build relationships with them — you’ll be thankful for it in the future.
Fire up your fans and grow your marketing lists with quiz-powered sports contests
Another benefit of interactive activities is that they are well-suited for giveaways and sponsored contests that get people excited. Look at any offline sporting event and you will constantly see mascots and team officials running contests or giveaways to fire up fans.
In the midst of this global sports lockout caused by the coronavirus pandemic, online quizzes can fill the same gap. When millions of Americans are being laid off each week, people can use a bit of light-hearted fun. Sports-themed contests, such as giveaways for signed T-shirts or tickets to a game next season, are the perfect way to connect with your fans and show them that you care.
Online quizzes are also the perfect way to grow your marketing lists. Quizzes offer a natural platform to collect emails with contest entry forms for quiz entrants (“Score 100% to be entered to win!”). In fact, quizzes can get up to a 40% opt-in rate, which is around eight times more than typical email-collection channels. Even better, leads gathered through quizzes tend to be pre-qualified as well, with consumers being much more likely to give correct information when asked.
Bench your agencies: Create interactive content in-house with online quizzes
Many sports teams hire big marketing firms to handle all of their content and find the best ways to interact with customers. This is typically a good idea, as marketing teams are able to work their magic on the market and find valuable leads. However, during these difficult times, it may be best for them to sit out for a while. It will help tight budgets, saving you money that can be better used for other things.
Online quizzes are great because people love them and they are easy to create by any member of your team — so you won’t need to spend money on agencies.
Here are a few tips for first-time quiz creators:
- Keep your quizzes short. While sports fans may have more free time during the pandemic, they still want to reach the end of the quiz — and their results — in as short a time as possible. Keeping your quiz in the sweet spot of between five to ten questions will prevent your audience from losing interest.
- Results are important. This is perhaps the most imperative part of the quiz, as you want your fans to enjoy the end-results. The best way to approach this is to write results that will make them laugh or make them sound smart. This way, they’re more likely to share their quiz results with their friends.
- Test out different quiz formats. From personality tests to polls and surveys, there are a wide range of quizzes and interactive content formats available for you to try. Be creative — you never really know what will work for your fan base until you try, so be bold and test out a variety of options.
Sports fans accustomed to near-endless live content from their favorite sports teams are now stuck with having to find other ways to pass the time. For sports brands, quick-to-create online quizzes are the perfect way to engage with these fans while simultaneously building their brands. In these topsy-turvy times, they are an easy way to score.
