• by Marco Veremis , Op-Ed Contributor, November 5, 2015

Though not all major sporting events attract global audiences, there are many that highly resonate with different consumers across the globe. Events such as the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games and even the ICC Cricket World Cup provide a unique opportunity to draw the attention of different cultures and audiences, giving content and subscription providers the chance to expand and grow, healthily, in emerging markets. 

Reaching fresh customers 

For brands, a major challenge is customer engagement, especially among new audiences. In emerging markets specifically, where localization is key, methods of access are not always a given. As payment options differ drastically, this poses a major barrier for consumer reach; however, leveraging an event like the FIFA World Cup, that local consumers are already tuned into, can be just the hook content providers need to grasp the attention of fresh customers. It’s important for brands to focus on all of these points to provide a truly unique experience to maintain relationships with consumers new to their services. 

Localizing global content

In order to successfully providing content to consumers in emerging markets, it’s important for brands to understand the keys to localization. First, brands must be able to provide content that resonates with local audiences. For example, during the Olympics, providing information such as event updates, games and content around teams from the specific region will entice consumers to engage. Beyond this, content must be provided in the native language. Fifty-five percent of pages on the Internet are in English, and only 5% of the world’s languages are represented online. More often than not, adapting to each region’s language when providing localized content will enable success as consumers in these areas have no other viable way of accessing content around global sporting in their spoken language. 

Methods of payment are just as important as relevant content and languages. Emerging markets do not have access to the same payment methods that markets like the U.S. and the UK, creating a major barrier to entry. In order to unlock success around these events, especially as their duration is usually limited to one to two weeks, brands must offer access to easy and quick payment methods, like PayPal.

A jumping point for subscriptions

Though sporting events last for a finite period of time, the opportunity to build a loyal, long-lasting relationship with a captive audience is not lost. Global sporting events can be used as a jumping point for content providers to offer subscription-based content. If a consumer engages with content from providers around a specific event and have a positive experience, they are likely to continue their relationship. Additionally, content providers may even offer content around specific events as part of their subscription package, rather than a one-off payment option, in order to encourage consumers to sign up. 

Alternatively, there is still an opportunity to reach consumers who already subscribe to content by network providers. Network providers can offer content around sporting events as a “premium content offering,” in addition to the standard plan. This option incentivizes consumers to engage further with the provider and provides an additional profit for content providers. 

Sporting events that draw a global audience are an opportunity for content providers to engage consumers in emerging markets. However, it’s the content providers that are able to build lasting relationships stemming from events like the Olympics and World Cup that will capitalize on their ultimate marketing benefits.