#SSIPLWatch Glimpse into the SunRisers Hyderabad strategy to create an #OrangeArmy on social media

Keeping players at the heart of all social media content, SunRisers Hyderabad shares match updates, creates brand narratives and keeps people hooked online, here's how.

Orange as a theme colour and wings as an element form a big part of all creatives SunRisers Hyderabad shares on social media. From jersey hues to the background for player creatives, the concept of rising is constant in all their marketing communication. It forms the foundation of their main rallying point for the creation of an #OrangeArmy, the term of they have coined to band together all the fans of the team.

SunRisers Hyderabad Social Media Footprint

Since creating an #OrangeArmy is one of the most evident goals one can gauge from the social media presence of SunRisers Hyderabad, social media has been more important to them this year than any before. With all activities turning virtual, they are focussing on creating online experiences for fans to keep them hooked. This includes virtual meet and greets.

Facebook: 6 Million followers

Instagram: 1.9 Million followers

Twitter: 2.3 Million followers

Key Hashtags: #OrangeArmy #KeepRising #IPL2020

Match in Action

One of the most important ways SunRisers Hyderabad leverages social media is to bring on-field action to people online. Twitter is the main platform they use for the same as it gives them the option to share as many updates as they wish as well as interact with the fans. Live images from the match, along with memes and GIFs, especially those featuring the players, helps them add visual elements to the commentary.

Focus on Players

Players are the most important element of all the communication put forth by the team on social media. May it be the memes and GIFs or even brand partnership content, players shine through each piece of content they put online. The narrative is around their experiences, giving fans a glimpse and more and more reasons to fall for the players they see.

Also Read: #SSIPLWatch How Mumbai Indians leverages social media to fuel the #OneFamily theme

Driving Engagement

SunRisers Hyderabad often puts up content, which ends with a question for the fans. It is a cue for them to engage and share their thoughts and emotions around the narrative in front of them. Sometimes, the players also interact with the team's handle. These interactions are mostly not incentivised as a contest or giveaway, making them all the more interesting.

Creating the #OrangeArmy

With regular clarion calls to bring the fans together, promotion of merchandises and virtual meet and greets, the team is able to bring together their intended #OrangeArmy. Creating a space for fans to express their love helps in adding value to their experience in a significant way.

Extra Shots

Cake smashing visuals on the occasion of birthdays are one of the most recurring content pieces on the social media handles of SunRisers Hyderabad. These are the informal glimpses into their days, followed by some rather formal cricket-related content, where players can be seen talking about strategies in depth. Sometimes, the support and the love of the families of the players are also highlighted on social media.

Takeaways

• Creating content around players instead of adding them to brand narratives helps SunRisers Hyderabad keep people hooked. They add to the experience of the fans, always reeling them in for more.
• There are several recurring themes in the content put up by the team, one of them being the ritual of caking on birthdays. It helps build a narrative that feels familiar to people, nudging them to get more involved in the fandom.