In this blog post, we're highlighting football clubs that have significantly enhanced their digital rankings over the past few years and the strategies they used to achieve this success. Leading the pack is Real Madrid, the current powerhouse of digital brand presence. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich and Manchester City have shown impressive improvement, climbing significantly in the overall digital landscape rankings. We'll take a look at how these clubs are making their mark online and what sets them apart in their digital strategies.

Manchester City Becomes the World's Most Valuable Football Club Brand in 2023

Manchester City has emerged as a powerhouse not just on the pitch but also in the digital realm. With a staggering growth rate of over 68% in 2023, the club's digital popularity soared, largely due to its impressive on-field performance, securing four Premier League titles in the last five seasons.

The club has effectively leveraged its success by engaging fans through interactive content, behind-the-scenes access, and a robust social media strategy that resonates with a younger audience.

Manchester City's organic penetration and visibility in search engines have significantly increased over the past year. The club's visibility has grown by appearing on 60% more keywords in 2023 compared to 2022.

Manchester City's success on the field and their digital and branding strategies led them to overtake Real Madrid as the world's most valuable football club brand in 2023.

Bayern München Tops YouTube Engagement

Bayern München has also seen remarkable growth in its digital presence, driven by strategic initiatives that emphasize commercial dominance and fan engagement. The club's decision to embrace digital innovations, such as NFTs and gamified experiences, has allowed them to connect with fans in new and exciting ways. By expanding their digital presence and focusing on user experience, Bayern Munich has solidified its position as a leading brand in football, achieving a significant growth rate that reflects their commitment to digital transformation.

FC Bayern München had significant improvement in terms of webpage performance score, rising 8 positions in the ranking from 2022 to 2023.

In terms of YouTube, Bayern München has the highest number of video views per subscriber, with an average of 457 views and a total of 1.8 million views.

Like Manchester City, Bayern München has achieved remarkable progress in the past year, significantly boosting their organic search visibility and penetration.

In fact, Bayern München and Manchester City led the way in digital popularity growth in 2023, both recording an impressive increase of over 68%.

Real Madrid Achieves 42.16% Follower Growth and Dominates Video Platforms

Real Madrid has long been a dominant force in football, and its recent digital and branding strategy has further cemented its leadership in the digital landscape, as highlighted by our Digital Due Diligence Framework. The club's comprehensive approach—emphasizing high-quality content and engaging fan interaction—has earned it recognition as the top performer in digital performance among football clubs.

From 2022 to 2023, Real Madrid retained its position as the leader in overall digital rankings. According to our analysis, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona dominate social media presence, with Real Madrid achieving 42.16% growth in its follower base, the largest among clubs. The club also boasts the highest follower count on video platforms, including around 53 million followers on YouTube and TikTok combined, giving it the strongest aggregated presence across these platforms.

In terms of website performance, Real Madrid stands out with the best domain, supported by an impressive number of high-quality backlinks and strong domain authority. The club, alongside Manchester United, leads in organic search penetration, with Real Madrid's organic keyword footprint being 1.7 times higher than the average among analyzed brands. Additionally, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Liverpool emerge as the three most searched football brands globally.

While Manchester City claimed the title of the most valuable football club brand in the world in 2023, Real Madrid remains a close second. Despite this shift, it continues to hold a slight edge over its fierce rival, FC Barcelona, which ranks third.