Fan Engagement Tactics

Netflix Is Going Physical — And It Might Just Rewrite the Experiential Playbook At Cannes Lions, Netflix unveiled more details about its boldest move yet in fan engagement: Netflix House — permanent, immersive venues launching this fall in Philadelphia and Dallas. Think “Stranger Things” escape games, “Squid Game” obstacle courses, “Wednesday” carnivals, mini-golf through your favorite titles, themed cocktails, exclusive merch, and yes — a TUDUM Theater to host fan events and screenings. But this isn’t just a cool activation. It’s a strategic pivot that’s worth unpacking: ✅ Strategic Intent: Netflix isn’t trying to build a theme park empire. This is about deepening emotional ties with fans, amplifying buzz, and future-proofing its brand beyond the streaming wars. These venues aren’t just fun — they’re fan conversion engines. ✅ A New Content Loop: Every attraction is designed to be shared — built for UGC, influencer walkthroughs, cosplay, TikToks, and viral moments. Fans become marketers. Data becomes feedback for future IP development. The venue becomes a living R&D lab. ✅ Not Just Eyeballs — Wallets: With exclusive merch, themed dining, and potential collabs (think Netflix x Funko or Netflix Bites F&B), the monetization flywheel is in motion. Even modest visitor volume could generate $25–30M/year per location — and that’s before you count the uplift in brand love or viewership. ✅ Global Signals: This could be the first step toward regional pop-ups, international localization (imagine a “Lupin” heist experience in Paris or “Money Heist” in Madrid), and even a Netflix-con-branded event model. It’s fandom scaled offline. 💡 Big Picture? Netflix is building something Disney mastered decades ago — real-world storytelling at scale. And if this works, it unlocks a new dimension: streaming IP that lives, breathes, and sells in the physical world. 📊 Our modeled impact: ⌙ ~1M visitors in Year 1 ⌙ 100M+ earned impressions ⌙ 10–15% churn reduction among local superfans ⌙ $5–10 lift in ARPU among engaged segments ⌙ Payback in ~3–5 years — with marketing ROI baked in 🎯 This isn’t about “content” anymore. It’s about building culture. Kudos to Marian, Greg, Josh, Mitzi, Emily, Nidia, Lauren, Jessica, Nikki and team. #Netflix #Cannes #Media #Licensing #ConsumerProduct

Fred Again is a masterclass in building fandom. Every artist, brand & company should pay close attention to how he's doing it: - Direct engagement - Community over everything - Building from the ground up Here's 7 ways he's built an insanely loyal fanbase: (and what we can learn) 𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 Fred has prioritized personal interactions & lean-in locations like Discord & Whatsapp chats from day 1. → It creates genuine community → A true understanding of his fans → The ability to activate them in real time Everything is built on top of this. It’s not just about big numbers. It’s about deep interactions. 𝟮. 𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 He asked his most engaged Discord fans to host 18 Actual Life 3 launch parties across the globe. → Superfans became the central nodes → Fans connected more deeply IRL → All with Fred as the context First, feed the community. Then, the masses. 𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺 Before his LA coliseum show, he hosted a secret listening party for 150 fans he found & invited who went to his first LA show in 2021. → He greeted each personally → Handed out mugs of tea → Previewed new songs Show fans they're seen. Show fans they're valued. 𝟰. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 Fred consistently includes fans in his process. → Voting on tracks to release → Asking fans to suggest venues → Video recaps from the dancefloor → Cultivating community-generated content Don't serve fans content Make them part of the journey 𝟱. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Fred is the king of pop-up shows. → No rollout → No pre-hype → Fans find out first Fans band together on Discord to help each other get in. Every event feels like you’re lucky to be there. They’re marketing through magic. Through fomo. 𝟲. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 It all works because it feels authentic. → He's pouring you pints of Guinness → Sharing facetimes with collaborators → Attending quiz night with fans There's no pretense. It’s not about being slick or coming across as bigger & more famous than you. 𝟳. 𝗕𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 Fred finds ways to bring people together. → Massive community bike rides across London → Facilitating proposals on the dancefloor → Turning everything into a social event People are craving human connection. This is the dopamine Fred delivers. (and it's what this is all about, right?) 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗡𝗼 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 But there are lessons: 1. Build Direct Fan Relationships 2. Put Community First 3. Get Fans Involved 4. Reward Fandom 5. Create FOMO 6. Be Authentic 7. Be a Connector If you lean all the way in, your reach will grow. And it will last. ___________________ If you like this, you'll love my newsletter. Insights & tools to navigate music's future: https://lnkd.in/ePEK5vdd What did I miss? I've got 1 extra lesson in this week's edition.

Fan engagement technology is heating up... Last week, LiveLike secured a $3.5M growth credit facility from Bigfoot Capital to scale its interactive fan tech. 𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬: • FanCircles raised $2M for subscription-based fan communities • Momants raised €1M to power global fan chat with multilingual AI • ALT Sports Data brought in $5M to gamify niche sports engagement • sesh raised $5M to build superfan loyalty tools using mobile wallet tech • 15 Seconds of Fame, Inc. closed $15M to deliver personalized in-game clips What’s happening? 💡 ❶ Fan behavior = monetizable data (and everyone wants to own it) ❷ AI is everywhere (powering clips, chats, predictions, and rewards) ❸ Direct-to-fan channels are booming (wallet cards, fan clubs, etc) In an era where reach is easy but retention is everything, these platforms are aiming to 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 for the next generation of loyalty.

Sports viewership is drastically changing. According to a Nielsen ratings report, in 2023 the NFL made up 93 of the top 100 broadcast programs. But the wide majority of those viewers included Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials. Gen Z is shifting the entire landscape of sports media as we know it. Here are a few interesting stats to consider about Gen Z from various reports: • 74% of Gen Zers get most of their sports content from social media • 60% have never watched a college game in person • 47% said they have never watched a professional sporting event in person • 28% of Gen Zers watch sports events live on broadcast or cable • 1% say they will go to a bar to watch a game The next generation of sports fans is less engaged, more isolated, and spends on average 7.2 hours in front of screens. Stakeholders across teams, leagues, and media companies have a reason for concern given the enormous value of media rights and deals. Despite all of this, I think there is still hope. Gen Z is still: • Highly engaged in women's sports which is on the rise • More diverse and culturally aware than previous generations • Very socially active and environmentally conscious For executives to succeed in this changing landscape they need to: • Be where Gen Z already is • Align with their interests and values • Make athletes the face and build points of connection • Consistently incorporate state-of-the-art technology and data • Create immersive and engaging experiences Times are changing. Older people have to be willing to change with it. #sportstech #sportsmedia #linkedinsports

Too many brands treat engagement as reactive. They wait for someone to tag them, leave a comment, or ask a question—and only then do they respond. That’s not community building. That’s customer support. We approach engagement differently here at Plot. One of our most effective tactics is spending just one hour a day—split between the morning and afternoon—commenting intentionally across the platform. Even on posts that have nothing to do with our category. We call this approach the "proactive surface area" The idea of it is pretty simple: show up outside your core niche increases your chances of being discovered, especially by people who didn't even know to look for you in the first place. I’ve done this work for years across multiple brands, and I can tell you it’s one of the most lightweight, low friction ways to get found organically. Especially on TikTok, where the algorithm doesn’t care if your content or comment is niche specific. It cares whether you’re interesting. The goal behind this strategy is awareness. When we’re engaging this way, we don’t go hunting for high performing videos. We scroll like regular people. We stop when the hook is strong, or when a video has a recognizable creator or celebrity, or when it touches on a topic people clearly care about. Then we leave a comment that’s on brand for us but still relevant to the moment. 📌 This tactic alone helped us 3x our TikTok growth in 6 months. We know who our community is. But we also know that those people don’t live exclusively inside our bubble. They’re out there laughing at the same memes, probably following the same creators, and watching the same stupid videos as everyone else. I actually take it back, engaging with that content isn’t random. It’s just meeting people where they are. And when one of those comments ends up with 75,000 likes (which actually happened btw), that’s not nothing! It’s organic brand visibility without spending a dime on ads. This is how small, scrappy teams cut through the noise. We don’t have massive budgets. What we do have is time, gut intuition, and a clear strategy that helps us test what works. And now, thankfully, we’ve built a feature in Plot to track all of this work. Back when it was just me and my spreadsheets, I would've killed for this. Here’s how we log and measure proactive engagement inside Plot. I'm ready for your questions and welcome your debate. Come @ me, bruh.

I checked in with 5 artist managers and asked: "When thinking about driving revenue and the economics around your artist’s business, what areas are you putting increased attention to in 2024?" Here are their answers: 1) Kei (like Key) Henderson - CEO, Third & Hayden "Putting a lot more attention on direct audience development and engagement. For example - newsletters, discord channels, SMS, subscription-based platforms like Patreon, Fanbase, Twitch. And also putting more energy into small activations to activate 10-60 fans at a time." 2) Glyn Brwn - Management, Cash Cobain + P0WR TRAV "World building is key for expanding the brand of an artist. If a 7 year old can’t draw you...a lot more work has to be done." 3) Justin Fleischer - Artist Manager, Contact Management "With our main client, Logic, we're targeting less traditional revenue streams that cater more specifically to his core fanbase. The gaming, sci-fi, and comic book space is a great home for us. While we're still pursuing and ensuring success with touring/merch/streaming, fan conventions, discord, and synergistic brand partnerships such as Rubik's and others I can't yet mention will really help solidify our position in the nerd universe for years to come." 4) Veli - Manager, Veli Brand/Sounds Music Group "With an artist who has as clean of a brand and musical content like Cochise, we want to put more attention to securing brand partnerships in 2024. With the musical and touring success we've had, continuing to align ourselves with other entities strategically is the next step in creating a household name and brand." 5) Dougie - Manager, Lolo Zouaï "I’m putting increased attention on ‘exclusive’ opportunities for Lolo’s superfans, aka The Lo-riders, which translates to things such as more concise merch drops with fewer items for sale and fewer but more expensive and rewarding VIP experiences at live shows and fan meetups. I feel that if we can make an item or experience feel exceptionally special, we can bring down the quantities and cater more to the fans we know will be most excited and supportive of having these exclusive opportunities." ---- Subscribe to my music marketing newsletter for release strategy, rollout breakdowns, executive check ins, & more https://lnkd.in/e8UhEnti

I'm noticing an interesting phenomenon happening on social media: The rise of silent supporters. People who consume tons of content but don't actually engage in the feed since many platforms (including X) publicly showcase "likes" & "replies". The only reason why I know this is because it's been happening to me. I obsessively track this stuff, constantly checking who are the people engaging with my content. Once in a while, I will have a conversation with someone who references multiple posts that I've done. The interesting part is oftentimes they didn't even engage with the post but consumed and maybe even shared it with their team (which in this case, a share is even better). But I guess this brings up the question of engagement in general and how valuable it really is? Yes, it should be used to track performance and even sentiment. But this doesn't fully showcase the impact that your content is having with your audience. 7 ideas that should help with this: 1) Have conversations with people who are engaging with your content and ask for feedback (so that you can replicate what's working) 2) Setup calls with people who follow you but maybe haven't engaged with your content (you might find that they love your content but just don't engage on social) 3) Allow people to join a private community or newsletter (and track engagement such as opens, sessions, etc.) 4) Host virtual or in-person events to deepen the relationship with your audience (you may find that they become more publicly supportive after they've attended an event, I know this is true for me) 5) Do more outbound community management (make it a daily goal of interacting with 5 different followers per day) 6) Test out different content formats (sometimes people may be supportive of you and what you stand for, but just don't learn or enjoy consuming the content format that you produce -- try video, photo, infographic, short form, long form, etc.) 7) Try different forms of engagement (like polls, questions, AMAs, etc.). Some people might not even use the "like" button but may be willing to respond to a question (or have a question to ask you if they were prompted to do so) As people become more inundated with social media, it's up to us as creators to find different ways of measuring our impact (as well as coming up with ideas to keep our audiences engaged along the way).

"Ryan is Curious" - Are you watching the Olympics? What sport or sports are you most excited about? 👇🏾I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! As the Summer Olympic Games kick off in Paris, over 200 countries will compete across 32 sports. This grand stage offers us a prime opportunity to examine how the landscape of sponsorship, activations, and viewership is evolving. Here’s a sharp look at the 𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫: 1️⃣ 🎯 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 - 𝐀𝐈-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 Brands are harnessing cutting-edge AI to push beyond conventional targeting. Real-time data analysis is enabling hyper-personalized sponsorships that adapt instantly to audience behavior, driving unprecedented levels of engagement and ROI. 2️⃣🌐 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 The next frontier in fan engagement is the seamless integration of physical and digital experiences. Expect groundbreaking activations that use augmented reality to enhance live events, transforming passive viewership into interactive, immersive experiences. 3️⃣♻️ 𝐄𝐜𝐨-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞  Sustainability is no longer a checkbox but a core competitive differentiator. Brands are adopting innovative, eco-friendly practices, from carbon-neutral sponsorships to sustainable product lines, setting new standards for environmental responsibility. 4️⃣📱 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞-𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧-𝐭𝐡𝐞-𝐆𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  With the advent of 5G and advanced app technologies, mobile viewing is being redefined. Brands are harnessing these innovations to deliver high-definition streams and interactive features, making mobile engagement more dynamic and immersive. 5️⃣🏅 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞-𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 Today’s athletes are more than competitors; they are influential content creators. Brands are collaborating with athletes to produce authentic, behind-the-scenes content that forges deeper connections with audiences and enhances brand credibility. These trends reflect a strategic shift in how we connect with global audiences. It also sets the stage for creating impactful, memorable experiences that resonate globally. PS: Watch the video till the end—I had to share a behind-the-scenes moment. You know, I couldn't resist putting up a couple of shots! Big shoutout to my WFH colleagues for the summer :) #Olympics2024 #Business #Marketing #Leadership

Most people assume the best way to attract clients is to be as visible as possible. More followers. More engagement. More reach. But what if the real opportunity isn’t in being everywhere—but in being in the right place? Some of the best leads don’t come from social media. They come from small, niche communities where people are already asking for help. Slack groups. Industry forums. Private memberships. These spaces are goldmines for business growth—if you engage the right way: 🔹 Be helpful first. Answer questions, share insights, and give value before ever making an offer. 🔹 Set up keyword alerts. Many groups let you track conversations about specific topics, so you can respond at the right moment. 🔹 Take it off-platform. When someone needs deeper help, invite them to a conversation: “I help clients with this all the time. If you think it would be helpful, we can have a quick convo and dig in deeper on this." The best clients aren’t always shouting on social media. Sometimes, they’re in smaller rooms—just waiting for the right person to show up. Are you spending time where your ideal clients are actually looking for help? P.S. If you've been thinking that it's time to ditch cold pitching and find a new way to fill your sales pipeline, DM me to build a lean, organic marketing strategy that naturally turns your passive audience into ready-to-buy fans.

There are new contenders in sports marketing: Personalization, Interactivity, and Visual Appeal. There has been a massive shift in how we market athletes and brands, and combat sports are fertile ground for these strategies. It can't be one-size-fits-all content. Today's audience craves a personalized connection with brands, seeking out interactive experiences that are as visually captivating as the sports themselves. Recent trends show a clear move towards content that tells a story and resonates on a personal level. This approach aligns with the broader content marketing trends across industries, where personalization leads to a 5x - 8x ROI on marketing spend and lifts sales by 10% or more, according to McKinsey & Company. Fans are not just spectators. They're active participants. Here's how are some ways you can rise to the occasion: ✨ Personalize Your Narrative: Know your audience and craft content that speaks directly to their interests and motivations. From tailored emails to user-specific content recommendations, personalization is the key to customer engagement. 👥 Embrace Interactivity: Create content that invites and engages fans. Interactive polls, Q&A sessions with fighters, and behind-the-scenes access can transform passive viewers into active community members. 👁️ Invest in Visual Storytelling: They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in combat sports, a high-quality image or video can convey the intensity and drama of the sport more powerfully than text alone. Leverage the latest in video and graphic design to create stunning visuals that capture the essence of combat sports. As we navigate this digital transformation, let's remember that at the heart of combat sports is the raw, unfiltered connection between the athlete and the audience. So, use these tools to enhance that connection, not replace it. Share your thoughts on how content marketing is changing the game in combat sports. What strategies have you seen knock it out of the park? Join the conversation below! 👇 #linkedinsports #contentisking