The Rise of Esports and Its Potential for Brand Marketing

Esports has become a massive industry, and its growth has been fueled by a surge in online gaming, which has made it easier for introverted players to turn their hobbies into a career. In addition, advances in technology and the availability of high-speed internet have made it possible to stream esports events live to millions of viewers worldwide.

In recent years, esports has emerged as one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, attracting millions of fans and players alike. This explosive growth has opened up new avenues for brand marketing, presenting businesses with a unique opportunity to reach a highly-engaged audience.

The Rise Of Esports

One of the main drivers of esports growth has been the popularity of online gaming. The widespread availability of high-speed internet and the rise of social media have made it easier for gamers to connect and compete with each other, fueling the growth of online gaming communities. It also helps that mobile devices and PCs are a staple in every modern home. 

The popularity of esports has also been driven by the growing number of professional players and teams. Professional esports players are often seen as e-celebrities, with huge social media followings. These players and teams compete in major tournaments, with prize pools that can reach millions of dollars, and then go back to their personal streams to celebrate, building strong fanbases in the process.

The Benefits Of Esports Brand Marketing

The explosive growth of esports has created new opportunities for brand marketing. With millions of fans tuning in to watch esports tournaments, businesses have a chance to reach a highly-engaged audience with targeted marketing campaigns.

Reach Younger Audiences

One of the main benefits of esports for brand marketing is the audience’s demographics. Esports fans tend to be young, tech-savvy, and highly engaged with digital media.  Most esports fans are under the age of 35, and they are more likely to use ad-blocking software and skip traditional TV commercials.

Not to mention, there’s been a cultural shift towards being more accepting of hobbies openly, so these young fans will likely be a part of the community well past the age of 35. Keeping them happy now will ensure loyal customers later down the line. 

Long-Term Investment

Another benefit of esports for brand marketing is the level of engagement and loyalty among fans. Esports fans are highly invested in their favorite players and teams, and they tend to be passionate about the games they play and watch. This presents businesses with an opportunity to connect with fans on a deeper level, building brand loyalty and advocacy.

Influencer Marketing

Finally, esports presents businesses with an opportunity to tap into the growing trend of influencer marketing. Creating content on social media is something that many esports players and teams fall back on in between tournaments. They have large social media followings, and businesses can partner with them to promote their products to a wide and diverse audience.

Tips On Brand Marketing With Esports

If you are interested in marketing your brand through esports, there are several tips you can follow to make the most of this opportunity:

Diversify Your Platforms

Diversifying the platforms you create content on is essential in today’s digital landscape. With so many platforms available, it can be tempting to focus on just one or two, but this can limit your reach and potentially hurt your brand in the long run. 

Relying too heavily on one platform can be risky. If that platform goes out of business or changes its algorithm, it can harm your brand’s visibility and reach. Livestreams on Twitch, VODs on YouTube, highlight reels on TikTok, and announcements on Twitter all work towards diversifying your reach.

Keep Your Team Engaged

Whether it’s tracking social media KPIs or a meeting for major projects, it’s important to keep your employees engaged. Esports is a really fun career path if the people you hire have a legitimate passion for it. It’s hard to market for something that you have no interest in.

Sponsor Tournaments

Many esports tournaments and teams are sponsored by major brands, and sponsoring these events can help increase your brand’s visibility and reach. Look for opportunities to sponsor events and teams that align with your brand’s values and target audience. 

Many esports tournaments are sponsored by major brands, such as Razer, Intel, and Red Bull, who see the potential for esports as a marketing platform. With that many major brands trusting in the burgeoning new industry, there’s no reason for you to doubt them. 

Consider Small Business Loans

You should consider taking out a small business loan when starting your marketing campaigns for esports. Small business loans can be used to invest in growth initiatives such as expanding your product line, sending esports teams to different countries, and of course, sponsoring major tournaments.

Esports can be an expensive venture if you go into it without planning, and a small business loan helps curb the growing pains of esports marketing. Prioritize paying off this loan first the moment you start seeing profits from this venture. 

Conclusion

By marketing your brand through e-sports, you can effectively reach a young, engaged audience,  create targeted campaigns that resonate with e-sports fans, and build brand loyalty and advocacy. Its relevance only grows with each year, but it’s thankfully also a growing industry with plenty of room for new sponsors.