Sprokkit‘s social media analytics platform Track Social took a look at the NFL to see how well the teams fare on Facebook and what each is doing to deserve its ranking. Despite the Internet honoring Tim Tebow in its own meme-tastic way, the Denver Broncos don’t even make the top ten.
That factoid underscores Track Social’s observation that it takes more than a fad to attract and retain Facebook fans. The company notes that the NFL provides a good Facebook laboratory, since it’s instructive to look at how the teams translate their millions of physical world fans into social media ones.
The Dallas Cowboys top the Facebook league with 4.2 million people choosing to “like” them in this relatively public forum. In addition to the typical posts about players, coaching changes and game analysis, the Cowboy’s page also includes sponsored interactivity along with other advertising. Track Social observed that a recent sponsored post offered a game towel (eww) as a prize for guessing how many flavors of Gatorade were in the team’s training facility soda machine, attracting more than 6,000 responses in nine hours.
Second place is held by the Pittsburgh Steelers, with 3.8 million Facebook fans. Its page serves as a public square for the team’s geographically scattered followers. It also gives running updates of live games, which gives fans the opportunity to share the experience with each other in real time.
The New England Patriots are at third with 2.8 million Facebook fans. One of its techniques is a regular “Ask a Pat” feature, which each week offers up a different team member to answer posted questions in a video response.
Filling out the top five are the Green Bay Packers with 2.5 million Facebook fans, and the New Orleans Saints with 2.35 million.
Related links:
Photo by Flickr user Dê Preferência à Vida, used under Creative Commons licenseClick here for a larger view of Track Social’s infographic.
