The Most Searched Football Brands: What This Means for Brand Growth
In this analysis, we dive into the digital metrics that matter most for football clubs in 2023, exploring how search volume, digital popularity, and growth rates reveal which teams are leading the digital game. Let’s break down the numbers and uncover what makes the top clubs stand out!
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.
This article focuses on two main topics:
Measuring Digital Popularity in Brand Development: Learn how to track key digital metrics that reveal the strength of a football club’s brand (or any brand). These insights give you a clear picture of where a club stands in the digital world.
Ready to unlock the power of digital metrics for your brand? Let’s dive in!
Measuring Digital Popularity in Brand Development for Football Clubs
Before diving into the results of our analysis on the most liked and searched football clubs, let’s take a quick detour to explore how you can measure brand popularity using digital metrics.
Already an expert on this? Skip ahead to Analyzing the Digital Popularity of the Top Football Clubs.
If you’re curious about the “how,” stick with us!
In today’s digital world, understanding fan behavior and tracking brand performance is a game-changer for football clubs looking to dominate the market. By tapping into search trends and key metrics, clubs can fine-tune their strategies to boost engagement, build loyalty, and drive growth. Let’s break it down.
Search Volume: A Key Indicator of Brand Awareness
Search volume reflects how often fans and consumers look for a club online. For example:
Brand A sees 10,000 monthly searches for its name.
Brand B records just 1,000 monthly searches.
This significant gap highlights Brand A's stronger market recognition and fan interest, which likely translates to higher engagement, loyalty, and revenue potential. Clubs can use this metric to benchmark their awareness and identify opportunities to grow their digital footprint.
Understanding Consumer Intent Through Keywords
Search volume doesn’t just measure awareness—it also reveals intent. By analyzing which keywords fans are searching for, clubs can uncover what their audience values most, from match schedules to player transfers. These insights help clubs fine-tune their messaging, offers, and digital campaigns to resonate with fan expectations.
Tracking Digital Popularity Over Time
Measuring relative popularity growth gives clubs a clear view of their momentum in the market. For instance:
Brand A has an average digital popularity score of 50 (on Google Trends) with a 15% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over five years.
Brand B scores 40, but its growth rate lags at 5% CAGR.
Brand A’s stronger growth trajectory signals rising fan interest and potential future dominance, while Brand B risks falling behind without new initiatives to boost its appeal.
Expanding the View: Additional Metrics Matter
Beyond search volume and popularity scores, other metrics—like social media sentiment, engagement metrics, website traffic sources, digital behaviour based on website visits, Net promoter score, CLV, pipeline conversion rates, and the list goes on—offer deeper insights into how a club's brand is perceived. These indicators help identify what resonates with fans and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Turning Insights into Action
Data-driven strategies are essential for clubs to stay competitive in the fast-paced digital landscape. By understanding what drives searches and digital popularity—whether it’s star player signings, standout performances, or viral social media campaigns—clubs can:
Align their strategies with fan interests.
Leverage trending topics to boost engagement.
Strengthen their position in the market for sustained growth.
The Digital Popularity of Football Clubs in 2023
Relative Digital Popularity Of Football Club Brands
Football club popularity isn’t just about trophies anymore; it’s about winning the digital game. In 2023, clubs like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City set the benchmark for engaging fans and dominating search volumes. Let’s break it down:
Real Madrid: With a legendary history and relentless success, their compelling social media content keeps fans hooked and constantly searching for more.
FC Barcelona: From celebrating players to crafting narratives around key matches, Barça knows how to keep fans emotionally invested.
Liverpool: Community-driven initiatives and recent triumphs have deepened their bond with fans, driving a steady rise in search interest.
Manchester United: Despite a rollercoaster of performances, their global outreach and robust marketing continue to captivate audiences worldwide.
Manchester City: Stellar on-field success and star-studded rosters power City’s growing digital presence, showcasing the club’s meteoric rise.
Who Owned 2023?
Arsenal, AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Manchester United led the charge, making the biggest waves on the digital scene this year.
The Numbers That Matter
The average digital popularity growth rate in 2023 hit a five-year high of 24.69%, signaling a big leap forward for football brands online. Two clubs stood out with growth rates exceeding 68%:
Manchester City: Four Premier League titles in five seasons helped City claim digital glory.
Bayern München: Smart commercial moves and a high-profile coaching change fueled their rise.
YoY Growth Rate of the Relative Popularity of the Clubs' Brand on Search
The Top Performers of 2023
When it comes to brand search volume and overall popularity, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Liverpool take the crown as the top three clubs. Their ability to consistently connect with fans through digital channels reinforces their elite status.
Fun Fact: Real Madrid’s search volume alone rivals the population of some countries—talk about global reach!
This data-driven view shows that digital dominance is about more than just matching results. It’s about engagement, strategy, and knowing what your fans want—on and off the pitch.
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.
We’re curious in which car do you see yourself taking this roadtrip. If you need a helping hand figuring out the road to grow, check out our Consultancy services and don’t hesitate contacting us.
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