Should You Invest Digital Marketing Dollars in the Esports Industry?
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Should you spend a portion of your digital marketing budget on the rising esports industry? Sponsorship, Influencer Marketing, Product Placement, and Digital Advertising Opportunities await. Ready to work together?
Esports is Rising Worldwide, With Double Digit Growth in the United States
Brands and businesses looking to tap into the growing entertainment market should consider investing in the rapidly expanding world of esports. With a double-digit growth rate year over year in the United States alone, esports has become a hotbed of talent, passion, and innovation. By investing in the industry, brands can reach a large, dedicated, and engaged audience that is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting gaming experiences. A couple of years ago I wrote about the future of Esports and entertainment if you’re curious to read a different perspective about the viewer. The rise of esports has opened up a world of opportunities for brands, from sponsorships and digital advertising to product placement, influencer engagement, and beyond. With its combination of cutting-edge technology, a worldwide audience, and a passionate community, esports is the perfect platform for brands to showcase their products, reach new audiences, and build lasting relationships with consumers.
7 Reasons Your Business Should Consider Adding Marketing Spend To The Esports Market
Large, growing audience: The 2023 demographic of the United States esports market remains largely young and male-dominated, with a majority of fans and players aged 18-34. If your target audience aligns, there’s a significant opportunity to reach a historically tough and expensive demographic. Likewise, the industry is becoming increasingly diverse, attracting women and older individuals as well.
Cost-effective: In general, advertising and sponsorships in esports can be more cost-effective compared to traditional sports or entertainment, as the industry is still growing and there is less competition for ad space. I also see a huge opportunity for influencer-specific marketing via popular personalities on Youtube, Twitch, and social media channels. As the industry continues to grow and mature, the cost of marketing in esports will increase.
High engagement: While the cost of marketing in esports may be lower compared to other industries, the return on investment can be substantial, as the highly engaged and passionate esports audience is more likely to respond to marketing efforts.
Diversification: Brands can choose from a variety of revenue streams, including advertising, sponsorships, product placement, and more. This offers personalization that your business or brand can take advantage of. Examples: Give a free chair to a big streamer for product placement, promote one specific stream dedicated to playing your new video game, use an influencer on Tik Tok to promote your sports drink while gaming, etc.
Cutting-edge technology & digitally native audience: Esports is a technology-driven industry, and investing in the esports market offers brands the chance to showcase their products and services in this cutting-edge environment. Get your product placed in a virtual reality game, create a 3D video, and use technology to level up your creativity.
Strong brand association: What are the benefits? Some of the main wins include heightened brand visibility, reaching a large and actively engaged audience, enhancing brand reputation through association, fostering brand loyalty through experiences and products tailored to fans, and tapping into the thriving esports market.
Growing investment: Investment in the US esports market is increasing, with both the public and private sectors doubling down on this growing industry. This provides brands with the confidence that the market is poised for continued growth.
How Can You Invest in Esports?
Sponsorship: This is a popular and effective way for brands to invest in the esports industry. This can include sponsoring events, teams, and players, as well as having a presence at esports tournaments and competitions. Sponsorship can help increase brand visibility, awareness, and reputation among the esports audience. I wrote about the evolution of content creators in the entertainment industry featuring NickMercs, which gives you a perspective on potential sponsorship opportunities.
Digital Advertising: Digital advertising, including display and video ads, can reach a large and engaged audience in the esports industry. Brands can target their ads to specific demographics, such as age and location, and track the success of their campaigns through metrics such as click-through rate and conversion rate.
Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing involves partnering with popular esports personalities, such as streamers and content creators, to reach their audiences and promote products or services. This can be an effective way for brands to tap into the highly engaged and passionate esports community and build credibility and trust.
Product Placement: Product placement in esports involves integrating a brand's products or services into the gaming experience, such as in-game ads, branded virtual items, or custom skins. You can also team up with a streamer or influencer to have your product in the background of their content. This provides a unique opportunity for brands to reach a large, engaged, and passionate audience and increase brand awareness, familiarity, and preference.
Search Engine Optimization: SEO can be used to improve the ranking of esports-related websites, such as tournament websites, team websites, and content creator websites in search engine results. This can help these websites reach a wider audience, drive more traffic, and increase engagement with their content. Some common SEO tactics used in the esports industry include keyword research and optimization, content creation, link building, and on-page optimization, such as optimizing website structure and meta tags. By focusing on these elements, websites in the esports industry can improve their search engine visibility and reach a larger, more engaged audience. What does an SEO Specialist even do?
Ready To Invest in Esports?
My freelancing business, Rose City Marketing, can help! One of the areas we specialize in is Esports digital marketing strategy. Don’t wait another minute!
