SOCIAL MEDIA > Website and mobile platforms and applications that enable users to connect with your golf club, create and share content or to participate in social networking.
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Representatives from over 20 South Australian Golf Clubs including Northern and Southern District reps, attended a Social Media Workshop, conducted by Golf Australia’s Digital Director John Sutherland and Media & Communications Manager Hamish Jones.
Held at the Golf SA offices at North Adelaide on 3 July, the workshop centred around discussion on how social media can increase a club’s visibility and how to engage with your next generation of members.
With 12.8 million active Facebook, 2.5 million Twitter and 12 million active You Tube users in Australia, social media is not a fad and its clear Golf Clubs need to continue to embrace these platforms.
In the 21st century, Social Media is how brands take themselves to the consumer and needs to be a key part of a club’s marketing strategy.
The workshop presenters provided some key insights being; 350 Australian Golf Clubs are currently on Facebook, it is the most popular platform with the biggest active audience and a club page can provide significant club branding opportunities.
Over half of the 150 affilciated Golf Clubs in SA have Facebook pages.
In regards to Twitter over 150 Australian Golf Clubs are currently using the platform.
Only a handful of clubs in SA have Twitter accounts.
The presenters highlighted that the Adelaide Crows FC have 152,000 Facebook likes which is three times the amount of current members they have, allowing the club to communicate with 100,000 prospective members.
A Club’s next members and next generation of membership spend their spare time on these channels so widening a club’s reach over and above its current membership is vitally important.
Matthew Moate from Gawler Golf Club was happy to share a number of strategies his club has adopted in recent months to increase its number of Facebook likes to over 1,100 which is over four times their membership of 265.
Analysing who currently followers their page, direct messaging new followers with a welcome note and responding quickly to queries are all part of Gawler’s ongoing strategy to build their brand.
Responding quickly to positive and negative comments and selecting a platform that suits your target market was also echoed by Glenelg’s Josie Hodge who works as a marketing professional at Baker Marketing.
The key discussion points:
Strategies for Golf Clubs: Facebook
Strategies for Golf Clubs: Twitter
How do we create a social media strategy?
How do we resource it?
To access a copy of the presentation, contact Golf SA via christian@golfsa.com.au