The Beneficial Impact of TikTok on English Football: Case Studies on Wrexham AFC and Walton & Hersham FC

Abstract

This thesis studies how beneficial TikTok can be for any football organization from England using it as a marketing tool. The way younger generations are engaging more with short-format content obliges football clubs to adapt to the new style of digital marketing. Being in a lower division is not limiting a club to not meeting success on platforms such as TikTok, Wrexham AFC, and Walton & Hersham FC are two useful examples of how creative content and constant updating to the application can make a successful impact on their account, this resulting in better exposure of their brands and expanding the revenue sources.

The construction of this academic work was based on a vast theoretical background that discussed the connection between TikTok and English football, assessed through content analysis of the provided secondary research. Furthermore, an interview conducted with Brighton’s social media manager, Matthew Bishop, discovered the inside perspective of how TikTok is incorporated into the big clubs’ marketing strategy.

The results concluded from this research revealed that managing a successful TikTok account requires understanding the platform and hiring the correct people to manage it. Regarding the content creation, the results showed that promoting the club’s brand and revenue sources through relevant and relatable updated content is the right path to follow. These recommendations are meant for new social media managers or any marketing representatives of a football club from England who want to adapt to the new style of digital marketing.

The thesis was not commissioned by any third party and represents only the author's own perspective.