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This story is the seventh in a series about how marketers for sports teams and leagues around the world approach social media strategy.<\/em><\/p>\n For some people, cheering on their favorite sports teams is one of their earliest memories\u2014even if it was while wearing noise-canceling headphones.<\/p>\n Major League Soccer fandom tends to lock in place around the age of 13, according to Zach Riggar, the league\u2019s VP of digital marketing and paid media. In an effort to connect with that group and other new potential fans of US soccer, MLS has recently increased its focus on social platforms including YouTube and TikTok, as well as off-pitch content, Riggar said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re always trying to find ways to be innovative and fresh and connect with fans in new and interesting ways,\u201d Riggar told Marketing Brew. \u201cIf we\u2019re going to be relevant in this challenger space of the global soccer landscape, we really have to convert fans\u2026younger.\u201d<\/p>\n MLS has a presence across all the social media platforms that are \u201crelevant to our fans,\u201d Riggar said, from LinkedIn to Instagram to Twitch. TikTok, though, is one of the league\u2019s priorities at the moment, he said.<\/p>\n MLS struck up a partnership with the platform last year that includes the Club Creator Network, which pairs teams with creators to collaborate on content. The league has seen \u201cexplosive growth\u201d on TikTok as a result, Riggar said, with the MLS account now counting more than 4 million followers on the platform. MLS also increased its focus on YouTube this year, since that\u2019s a popular platform among young sports fans, he said.<\/p>\n Across platforms, MLS takes a unified approach to content creation, a change from a few years back when the league tended to have different strategies for different platforms, Riggar said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re converging more now than we ever have, which is great, but it\u2019s also pretty scary, because your content really has to hit,\u201d he said. \u201cIt has to be world-class.\u201d<\/p>\n Like many sports accounts, MLS\u2019s \u201cbread and butter\u201d is match highlights, Riggar said. Not only does the league own that IP, but it\u2019s also particularly well-produced thanks to the league\u2019s studio, which handles MLS Season Pass content for Apple TV, he said.<\/p>\n While highlights \u201cwill always be our baseline,\u201d Riggar said off-field, player-oriented content is really popping among fans these days, something several individual teams across leagues have also found. In addition to serving the interests of followers, that kind of content can help MLS tap into a global soccer audience beyond the US, especially as more international players join the league, he said. Leo Messi is a prime example: His presence on Inter Miami has helped boost interest and even revenue, and he also plays well on social.<\/p>\n Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cHe\u2019s like an alien all to himself,\u201d Riggar said. \u201cReally anything that we put forth with him, in English and in Spanish, it works. He is the algorithm hack for all things, and it\u2019s a blessing to have that, but we also have to figure out how we\u2019re balancing that and thinking about the rest of our ecosystem and providing other opportunities,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019d be very easy for us to just go down the Messi path, and I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s the best long-term solution.\u201d<\/p>\n MLS has been embracing other global stars, too, like LA Galaxy\u2019s Marco Reus and Hirving \u201cChucky\u201d Lozano, who\u2019s set to join San Diego FC for the club\u2019s inaugural season next year. One recent well-performing MLS post featured illustrations of Reus and St. Louis City SC goalie Roman B\u00fcrki, who used to play together in Germany, Riggar said.<\/p>\n As soccer continues to grow in popularity in North America heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, one of MLS\u2019s primary KPIs is to grow the scale of its audience, Riggar said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to invest in putting our brand in front of as many people as we possibly can, because we\u2019re really experiencing this tailwind of soccer right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Social media is a key component of MLS\u2019s audience growth strategy, Riggar added, ultimately helping the league to attract, engage, and retain fans.<\/p>\n \u201cIt allows for us to introduce ourselves and to be relevant in the path of new fans and potential fans we wouldn\u2019t typically have access to,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is the first interaction a lot of people have with MLS, and so the goal is to figure out: How do we get you excited about our product, about our brand, and then continue to service you with opportunities to move deeper into our world?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFull field<\/h2>\n
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