PGA TOUR’s Top 50 Players See An 82% Rise In Social Media Engagement

A marketing strategy implemented by the PGA TOUR back in January 2017, incorporating players social media channels, has resulted in an 82% increase in fan engagement over the last 20 months.

Instead of simply relying on its own social media channels, the PGA TOUR, which now boasts four permanent staffers on its “Tour player content team”, has targeted the game’s leading professional tour players to help share content on their personal channels.

The top 50 players across the PGA TOUR produced in excess of 200 million video views – a 157% increase, grew their collective audience by almost 10 million followers and increased their social fan engagement by 82%.

The PGA TOUR has relationships with Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, athlete marketing platform, opendorse, has been enlisted to help players share social posts featuring images and video.

Players are now engaging fans at three times the previous rate, an increase that’s not only key for the sport, but crucial for players who in many respects are independent contractors seeking to build their image and brand.

Rory Mcilroy has the highest overall impressions and video views, but The highest growth rate of any player using the opendorse platform is the long-hitting Tony Finau, who has increased his followers by 86% since adopting the new content producing strategy.

“The PGA TOUR has embraced the power of its players beyond the course,” opendorse CEO, Blake Lawrence said.

“Players can use opendorse not only to build their brand but to capitalize on their value alongside the TOUR’s premier partners.”

A year ago, PGA TOUR players had a 34 percent growth in followers and a 4.1 percent engagement rate, both of which were better than that in the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball.