Key Takeaways from the 2024 Analysis of the Digital Landscape in Football
The football industry is evolving rapidly, with digital advancements and changing fan behaviors leading the charge. The 2024 Football Club Brand Analysis dives deep into how top clubs are navigating this shift. Let’s break down the key findings and what they mean for the future of football brands.
Lóránt Erős
Digital Strategist
This article is a component of our Football Club DDD blog series, which features important findings from our extensive Digital Due Diligence analysis of the top 15 European football clubs in 2023. Continue reading to learn how top-tier football clubs can benefit from this type of study.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Football’s global digital appeal continues to grow
Instagram and Facebook remain the top channels for fan engagement and community building.
The mobile and desktop website performance have improved significantly in 2023 and the organic initiatives were relevant in 2023
Clubs that excel in digital brand management, like Manchester City and Bayern München, are driving significant growth and strengthening their global presence.
Football Industry Insights at a Glance
Football’s global appeal continues to grow, with engagement across multiple platforms reaching new heights. While there have been small dips during global events like the pandemic, the interest in football remains steady.
The English Premier League dominates the scene, with 17 of its clubs ranking among the top 50 most valuable football brands. This is largely thanks to the league's international reach and growing fanbase.
Social Media Performance Highlights
Aggregated Social Media Followers per Football Club
Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Manchester United lead the pack in social media followers. Real Madrid shines on Facebook, FC Barcelona dominates on YouTube, and the rise of TikTok signals a shift towards engaging younger audiences. However, Instagram and Facebook remain the top channels for fan engagement and community building.
Website Performance Insights
Desktop and Mobile Performance by Brand
The Digital Due Diligence analysis highlights the critical importance of mobile optimization for football clubs. With more fans accessing content on their phones, clubs that haven’t optimized their sites risk losing engagement.
The good news: both mobile and desktop performance have improved significantly in 2023. Mobile performance scores jumped from 20 to 70, showing major improvements in speed and user experience. Desktop scores rose from 59 to 79, indicating a strong performance boost, though slightly less dramatic.
When we look at organic digital penetration, Manchester United and Real Madrid received the most traffic from organic sources, with Manchester City, Bayern München, and Liverpool making notable strides in the past year.
Digital Brand Strength: Key Takeaways
YoY Growth Rate of the Relative Popularity of the Clubs' Brand on Search
In football, digital brand strength is now a major competitive advantage. FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Arsenal have maintained strong digital popularity level over the last 19 years, proving that consistent brand management pays off. 2023 saw a significant surge in digital popularity among the analyzed brands, with the average growth rate reaching a five-year high of 24.69%. Leading the charge were Manchester City and Bayern München, both achieving growth rates exceeding 68%.
Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Liverpool are the most searched football brands, showcasing their massive global fanbases and engagement. Their top rankings are a mix of historical success, ongoing performances, and strategic branding, including big-name players that generate attention on and off the pitch.
While Manchester City has recently surpassed Real Madrid in brand value, Madrid’s rich history and consistent success keep it a top player in the brand game. Even with financial challenges, FC Barcelona has managed to stay strong, proving the power of smart sponsorships and performance on the field.
Manchester United and Manchester City are close behind, both seeing steady increases in brand value, which highlights the fierce competition for global dominance.
Curious about how different football clubs perform in the digital arena? Wondering if your favorite team is a winner or a benchwarmer in the digital brand championship? Or perhaps you’re eager to discover the powerful insights our Digital Due Diligence (DDD) methodology can offer for your brand?
Dive into our comprehensive white paper, where we analyze the top 15 football clubs through the lens of digital performance. Uncover who dominates the digital game and how the core principles of DDD can unlock opportunities for your brand. Don’t miss out—check it out now!
The present analysis utilises data collected in March 2024. While there are other historically significant European clubs, such as AFC Ajax, and SL Benfica, the analysis focuses on the top 15 football clubs based on Brand Finance's Football 50 (2023) report.
This blog series showcases the core pillars of our DDD methodology. Our complete analysis, customised for your organisation, includes an in-depth examination of business-specific data and offers a detailed perspective of your industry landscape.
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