Why are Lincoln City not utilising social media properly | Vital Football

Why are Lincoln City not utilising social media properly

GreenNeedle

GreenNeedle

Vital Squad Member
I have been on here for a few months as a lurker and signed up a couple of weeks ago following the news to see who the new manager would be. I must say I am very impressed with the Cowleys.

However what has surprised me over the past few months is how Lincoln City miss the boat entirely on facebook. I am not on twitter but assume that is the same.

Being born in Winchester and a Saints fan first and Lincoln second I am used to their facebook page "reaching" out several times a day with short 5 minute montages of the players taking training. Short interviews with the players. Snippet here and there.

As soon as a weekend match is finished they are building up interest for the next game. Just look at their facebook page and you will see there are 25 entries just for today of Koeman says this, player says that, players training etc. press conferences.

I know this is a top Prem club and Lincoln are not but the idea is that you build the interest and maintain that interest. You get followers those followers share posts and then some of their friends become followers and the net casts and casts. Saints facebook has 1.4million followers and feeds them these snippets through the day every day.

Its a simple process and I have got 20 people to follow Lincoln City's page just by sharing a couple of posts this week.

So my question is why are Lincoln not up to speed with this. They post 1 post showing the pitch before the game.

We now have a young exciting manager. Our facebook page has 12,000 followers which is a good starting point but it is wasted because there are never any updates other than announcing a game which people already know about.

this is the modern way of involving people and making them feel part of the club. The club can even do their videos on youtube if they want and monetise them to earn from the advertisers as a revenue stream.

This is the age of brand awareness and making people think they are involved.

Can someone have a word with the club and suggest they take a look at this. I would love to see bigger crowds in the Bank like we used to get. The last time we came up from the conference, The Beck era. Was great back then. I've only been to 9 games with my boys this season but it is a shame how small the crowds are now and with just a bit of effort the club could be getting lots more people interested.

For those who wonder what on earth I am on about take a look at the Saints page. People on the Saints forums post links to articles and videos on facebook and the official site and all these links draw in more and more interest etc etc.

Sorry for this rant. Am hoping to make at least half the games this season, maybe more. Not had a season ticket since 98 but always managed a few games at least a season. I'm at that nostalgia age now of just past 40 where I am drawn back to the things I used to like so forgive me.

This is the Saints page:
https://www.facebook.com/southamptonfc/
 
Probably just time and staffing levels.

Twitter is the main news/match source and has 25.5k followers on it and is updated regularly.

https://twitter.com/LincolnCity_FC/with_replies

I think Imps Player is pretty pointless now. I know it's a standard thing across the website platforms, but the goals are now on a BT Sport highlight show, so you don't need it for that (and some Clubs put free highlights up anyway). Pre-match interviews you can listen to on Radio Lincs on Friday Football or Saturday Sport on Radio Lincs and post-match interviews you hear on your way back from a game anyway. And if you miss it that way, there's iPlayer.

Personally, I'd like to see, if possible, Youtube become more prominent next season with pre and post match interviews on there with the goals, then followed by highlights. I'm not sure what we earn with every subscription of Imps Player, but I wonder whether getting hits on Youtube will prove more financially beneficial once it's established?
 
No-one uses those players anymore. Saintsplayer was popular but now on the forums people with links to the club post up vimeo clips of goals and youtube will stream friendlies as well as youth games plus there are youtube videos for highlights of youth and friendlies on there too.

Twitter has nowhere near the reach of facebook or youtube. They really should put the effort in and build this interest. They will get left behind eventually. It is quite astonishing how many people love all these updates.

Saints often put up 5 minute ones of the stadium empty with the ride on mower going back and forth or the sprinklers on. lol

Do LCFC not have a few tech savvy employees that could do a bit here and there just to put a couple of updates a day on? So people see a bit of the behind the scenes and feel part of the club rather than just a turn up and watch 90 minutes?
 
Understand what you are saying GreenNeedle, however, premier league staffing levels are a far cry from our non-league status.

Those teams who are being relegated from the preimer league this season will be making redundancies.
We are where we are but now on the up !
 
It isn't about staffing levels really. redimps.com has 7 news articles this week. They should all be uploaded on facebook. Only takes a minute. Who does the website?

Just look at Grimsby's page. They have loads of updates of all sorts of stuff not just advertising games or events like Lincoln do.
 
I suspect there's an element of staff levels, time and more importantly, a lack of knowledge inside the club about using the media & technology. I know for a fact that during one previous managers reign he banned the club using Player to show full match recordings as he thought it would give opponents an edge when their teams played the Imps. I had an exchange with the club about that & wasn't impressed with the responses I got given that we are in the 21 st century.
 
I can't fathom it. Never really thought about it before just noticed this week that the only posts they put up are ones advertising games etc.

Looking at vitallincoln's facebook page they put up lots of updates.

People are strange tribal creatures and it is surprising how many people watch everything their club puts up. Makes them feel like they know the club and are part of it etc.

I've posted a comment on the club's facebook page asking why they aren't doing this sort of thing. they must have someone in their offices that does the website and twitter that can get a bit more stuff that isn't just adverts up on social media.
 
GreenNeedle - 14/5/2016 00:03

I have been on here for a few months as a lurker and signed up a couple of weeks ago following the news to see who the new manager would be. I must say I am very impressed with the Cowleys.

However what has surprised me over the past few months is how Lincoln City miss the boat entirely on facebook. I am not on twitter but assume that is the same.

Being born in Winchester and a Saints fan first and Lincoln second I am used to their facebook page "reaching" out several times a day with short 5 minute montages of the players taking training. Short interviews with the players. Snippet here and there.

As soon as a weekend match is finished they are building up interest for the next game. Just look at their facebook page and you will see there are 25 entries just for today of Koeman says this, player says that, players training etc. press conferences.

I know this is a top Prem club and Lincoln are not but the idea is that you build the interest and maintain that interest. You get followers those followers share posts and then some of their friends become followers and the net casts and casts. Saints facebook has 1.4million followers and feeds them these snippets through the day every day.

Its a simple process and I have got 20 people to follow Lincoln City's page just by sharing a couple of posts this week.

So my question is why are Lincoln not up to speed with this. They post 1 post showing the pitch before the game.

We now have a young exciting manager. Our facebook page has 12,000 followers which is a good starting point but it is wasted because there are never any updates other than announcing a game which people already know about.

this is the modern way of involving people and making them feel part of the club. The club can even do their videos on youtube if they want and monetise them to earn from the advertisers as a revenue stream.

This is the age of brand awareness and making people think they are involved.

Can someone have a word with the club and suggest they take a look at this. I would love to see bigger crowds in the Bank like we used to get. The last time we came up from the conference, The Beck era. Was great back then. I've only been to 9 games with my boys this season but it is a shame how small the crowds are now and with just a bit of effort the club could be getting lots more people interested.

For those who wonder what on earth I am on about take a look at the Saints page. People on the Saints forums post links to articles and videos on facebook and the official site and all these links draw in more and more interest etc etc.

Sorry for this rant. Am hoping to make at least half the games this season, maybe more. Not had a season ticket since 98 but always managed a few games at least a season. I'm at that nostalgia age now of just past 40 where I am drawn back to the things I used to like so forgive me.

This is the Saints page:
https://www.facebook.com/southamptonfc/
Click to expand...

Some really good points. You can't get enough exposure. I'd check out FB if it was available and it could be useful for fund-raising.
BTW, I live in Alton, not far from Winchester. I guess Eastleigh is our local game.
:cheers:
 
You make a very good point GreenNeedle. I have liked City's Facebook page but see very little posted on it - much more from vital posting links on there. The scope of Facebook use is enormous and really could be made better use of, like you say daft little things like clips of the pitch, player interviews etc, any fun little insights. They soak into your consciousness and keep the club in your mind, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if a more active approach to Facebook use resulted in higher attendances. Hard to tell of course at this point with the appointment of our exciting new management team, supposing this was implemented.

Someone said further up about Twitter being the main club contact on social media which is true, they are very active on there. So it's a start!
 
PerthImp - 14/5/2016 01:01

I suspect there's an element of staff levels, time and more importantly, a lack of knowledge inside the club about using the media & technology. I know for a fact that during one previous managers reign he banned the club using Player to show full match recordings as he thought it would give opponents an edge when their teams played the Imps. I had an exchange with the club about that & wasn't impressed with the responses I got given that we are in the 21 st century.
Click to expand...

I like to support the club where I can and not being located in Lincoln I find the player welcome. However, I will be reviewing my subscription as of late (during the season) the content has not been as it use to be from a vfm pov imo.
 
greenneedle, like your thinking re the Facebook page... the perfect location for a mega series of 'nicky and the dvds' clips - plus a monday morning special of the cowleys eye to eye with alan power. i would definitely watch it.

it may come with the fresh blood being injected into the club. the introduction of nates and now the cowleys may drag the club kicking and screaming somewhere a bit closer to up-to-date thinking. last night was also the first time i have heard bates speak and i thought he also came out of it well, so hope there [with dean west?] for the youth set up too.
 
Ex-Ref - 14/5/2016 06:55]Some really good points. You can't get enough exposure. I'd check out FB if it was available and it could be useful for fund-raising.
BTW, I live in Alton, not far from Winchester. I guess Eastleigh is our local game.
Click to expand...

Social Media is the cheapest and easiest way to advertise. It makes people feel involved. Just look at how UKIP and Corbyn use it to build a following and support. Lincoln could do the same even if it only boosts each game by 200 people then thats money in the bank x 23 games minimum.

I live in Lincoln. Have done since I was 1 :) My Dad is from Winchester where I was born. He supports Pompey. I am the glory boy that supported the Saints in 1984 when I first got into football.


One thought I had last night was that it shouldn't even cost anything. City could utilise the media education facilities in this city and involve the Uni or NLC or Bishop Grot. Students on courses could be given access to training or to do interviews or anything else and edit up their stuff to uncopyrighted music (youtube provides music you can lay over videos without paying royalties) and then the club could say yay or nay to them.

Doesn't need Lincoln to have salaried IT guy in there to do this stuff. Get outsiders to do it for free. Involve and work with the community and let the community do something other than just turn up or do fund raising.

It is all about keeping the club in people's minds. People would be really interested in thinking they were seeing the insides of the club. The day to day running etc. It makes people feel involved with the club.
 
The club has a long history of poor communications strategy. That might just be changing a little with the arrival of Clive Nates. I would pm SATToffeeIMP and see what happens (or he may alredy have read this thread...)
 
NottyImp - 14/5/2016 12:32

The club has a long history of poor communications strategy. That might just be changing a little with the arrival of Clive Nates. I would pm SATToffeeIMP and see what happens (or he may alredy have read this thread...)
Click to expand...



Just what I was about to say Notty, Clive is the mover in this Club now, and any sensible ideas are best through him I would have thought and now is the time to do it, while enthusiasm is so high.
 
It isn't just about the facebook generation. retro and nostalgia is really big at the moment and might not be so much in the future. It is a great opportunity to get people like myself back into the club. Those Dads that used to go but haven't been much for a decade or more.

Like I said in this thread or earlier. I am 41 now and last had a season ticket in 98. A lot of people of my age group have been sharing City videos and throwbacks around recently on facebook. The video of the promotion from the conference. The last day when we beat Brighton to go up on the last day. Pictures of the bank in the old days etc. Nostalgia and retro is a big theme at the moment.
 
I'm a social media savvy, Lincoln City loving, 19 year old who'd love work experience in this area (football marketing like this is my dream job). So I'd be incredibly keen if they advertised for a volunteer or two to do stuff like this and I guarantee that I'm not alone!
 
Dreaming of McAuley - 14/5/2016 17:10

I'm a social media savvy, Lincoln City loving, 19 year old who'd love work experience in this area (football marketing like this is my dream job). So I'd be incredibly keen if they advertised for a volunteer or two to do stuff like this and I guarantee that I'm not alone!
Click to expand...

Send Bob your CV etc.
 
Dreaming of McAuley - 14/5/2016 17:10

I'm a social media savvy, Lincoln City loving, 19 year old who'd love work experience in this area (football marketing like this is my dream job). So I'd be incredibly keen if they advertised for a volunteer or two to do stuff like this and I guarantee that I'm not alone!
Click to expand...

:clappy:

don't wait for them to advertise... get in touch and convince them it is a good idea. if you want to volunteer your time, and have the appropriate skills the club should be interested. remember they talk about reaching out into the community, and this is a chance for the club to put this into action.
 
It needs to be a bit more professional than some of the stuff that went out on twitter last season. That's no reflection on Dreaming of McAuley, just saying quality/editorial control is important if it's an official mouthpiece of the club.
 
I agree with all that's been said, if anyone has the necessary skills set and would be happy to volunteer some time, I would imagine Bob, Clive and the club would be willing to listen.

It's at least got to be worth a shout, anything that promotes the media footprint of the club has got to be a good thing. :clappy:
 
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