cleveland cavaliers final
TRANSCRIPT
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS Shannon McCallDigital Marketing AuditSummer 2015
WEBSITE
Top of page has quick links to Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Instagram accounts. Visual focus on the photos draws fans in to click and find out more.
Middle of the webpage has video platform to showcase Cav TV, their main news outlet for the team.
Advertisement easily visible to web viewers without overpowering page content.
Side bar encourages fan engagement across social media platforms.
Users can quickly share links to social media accounts when their cursor runs over the featured photos.
Bottom of the page fans can find news about the team and see how they can engage with the Cavs on Twitter and Facebook.
Ad in news section as well as when you click on article,. Blends in within the size and placement of the ad with the other articles as not to overwhelm.Once users click photo they can
find out summarized information about players and the team news overall as well as find links to the full articles.
WEBSITE
The bottom of the website shows these sponsors but has a simple design so it does not affect the overall experience of the website.
Side bar to right of daily news allows fans to easily access news and updates from past weeks as well as press links.
Unsuccessful post as the fans are wearing hockey gear and the photo appears to show no one is at this fan tailgate event.
A more successful post from the same event earlier in the season. Draws fan attendance by looking fun and something that would fulfill the fans need for affiliation.
One of the most liked Cavs photo during the 2015 NBA Finals. Cavs brand is about working hard to be a contender. This post got fans excited about the future of the NBA finals and fosters fan avidity.
These game and score announcements to the right are kept consistent throughout the season. In keeping this consistency fans can rely on Instagram to inform them of game times/final scores, check it often, and in turn maximize their interaction.
In spite of their finals loss, the Cavs showed class on their Twitter in congratulating the Warriors as well as thanking the fans. Their brand promotion of unity in the team as a a city is predominant in many of their tweet responses to the adversity they face as a team.
The Cavs Twitter does a great job of only offering key score highlights throughout the games as to not overpower fans with notifications. Throughout the year they make good use of #CavsNation, #AllinCLE, and #AllForOne serving to unify their fan base over common ideas.
MOBILE APPHome page of app provides easy access to news, stats and Twitter. Although it is the off season, the schedule tab is not working and the Cavs should be using this space to promote their summer league or other upcoming events.
At the Q, helps foster the "driveway to driveway experience" through its directions, parking, and map resources. It engages fans during games through multicam replays as well as upcoming events in the arena.
Side bar provides information about tickets, news, team standings, and provides a message center for fan interaction. In settings fans can set up the app to alert them with game scores and team news.
Cavs credit card ad is prominent but is the sole ad space within the app so is likely not to annoy the average userFan Zone tab great
for avid fans to find out the latest contests, promotions, track games, and gain access to exclusive content. By making this feel personalized for mega fans it encourages engagement and grows brand loyalty.
Fans can access Flash Seats to easily buy, sell, and transfer Cavs tickets.
As shown above, Facebook is a unique tool in that longer posts can be made with extensive stats, videos as well as links to further intrigue fans.
Overall the Facebook of the Cavs provides a variety of different updates for fans. Many highlight videos and behind the scenes looks into practices and game prep provide further insight into the heart of the team and their brand. They do a good job of using their hashtags from their Twitter and Instagram feeds as well as incorporating their sponsors into content when it is appropriate.
CAVS TEAM SHOP The team shop is pretty standard in terms of the categorized tabs and overall organization of the page. Their promotion efforts are strong as they emphasize their free shipping and ways to save 15% by telling others about the products. Their back to school promotion is a great way to get people to think of buying Cavs items when they maybe had not before. Highlighting “just arrived” apparel is also a great way to engage fans who arrive at the site. The Cavs Team shop also has their own Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts in order to keep their promotions separate from that of the overall team.
This is the only place where their other Cavs logo being used. All other platforms used the logo with only a capital C.
INTEGRATION OF PLATFORMSThe Cavaliers do a great job of integrating their online platforms without oversaturating their followers. As each user uses the platforms differently and for varied amounts of time depending on their lifestyle, the Cavs have done a superb job at ensuring the platforms could be used together or as separate entities. Reminding users on each platform of their other social media accounts and web content on a more regular basis would further integrate these platforms.
Above, the Cavs do a great job of promoting their team shop to gain new customers, while also promoting their sponsors and the arena with the appropriate use of #ALLinCLE. Since the Team Shop has their own social media accounts, cross integration between the two is key but in moderation.
While some repeat posts do occur across the platforms they are mostly used when there is a short time frame until the event date or special offer ends.
DIGITAL MARKETING OBJECTIVE:Drive Fan Unity and Avidity
With the return of LeBron James and the ups and downs the city of Cleveland has experienced in recent years, the Cavs are in a unique branding position. Their objectives at this time are to drive the way in which the city, team and their fearless leader come together to be one. This past year they strived to prove themselves as a team not only to their competitors but to their fans, and their social media reflected that.
These tactics serve to:1. Increase engagement2. Build brand loyalty3. Increase sales overall
They have achieved this through:
• Self esteem enhancement in using “we” and “us” in their marketing brand loyalty
• Euphoria displayed across platforms showing the highs and lows of the Cavs journey.
• Consistent and good overall balance of content between platforms
LETTER GRADE
Website B+Twitter A-
Instagram AFacebook A-
Mobile App ATeam Store B+
Overall Grade A-
While their website is easy to use and visually appealing, it lacks fan engagement in a primary location on the page. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook all adequately cover informing their followers as well as stepping outside of posts solely with statistics and scores. Facebook and Twitter could use more frequent fan related posts to encourage fan involvement. The mobile app could use more content in the off season such as a game or another interesting feature to engage fans. While the team store has great promotions and organization, it needs to be updated a bit to match the branding and visual content expressed on the other Cav platforms.
RECOMMENDATIONSIn order to further propel these objectives• Highlight more player profiles into content to grow personal
connections between players and fans• More prominent engagement on website for fans—make their
thoughts on the team feel important• Use more co-created video and photo contests with fans to
prompt more fan involvement. The offseason would be a great time to engage with fans in this way.
• Promote season ticket sales as well as the availability of the mobile app on the team website to in turn increase the ease of getting to the game and the in game experience
>As seen on LA Lakers website