What to expect working in esports social media

Have you considered a career in social media for an esports organisation or team, but are not sure what to expect?

In this guide, we look at some of the things you can expect when going into this field, and how you can best prepare yourself for the job.

Trial and error:

One of the biggest things to know when getting started in social media is that you’re probably not going to get it right the first try.

Your first few posts might not bring in a lot of traction, but this then opens the doors for you to be able to experiment a little with what could potentially work. Look into social trends, put your own spin on things and just have a bit of fun with it.

Something that you would least expect to bring in a lot of interest might be one of the biggest posts of the year for you – so make sure you take the time to try a variety of things and see what works best. 

Stay positive:

A really important thing to remember when starting out, and experimenting with content ideas, is that not everything is going to ‘bang’.

You might have one post that does very well on likes and interactions, but a similar post a few weeks later hardly gets any – but don’t let this get you down.

Take inspiration from trends and relevant topics going on in the industry at that moment, and work around those. Doing this, you are putting out content that is relevant, and people are more likely to understand what you’re on about, thus interacting with it.

Kim ‘KimmieRiot’ Fogg, Head of Socials at FreshCut, said: “When posting content, prepare yourself for all kinds of reactions, the good and the bad! You really have to disconnect your emotions sometimes and do what’s best for the brand you’re working with when it comes to communicating online.”

Don’t let these posts get you down; just establish what you think was wrong and work on that to trial something new.

Understanding your target market:

Looking at, and understanding, your brand’s demographics is incredibly important, and can really make a difference in how successful your posts are.

Taking the time to look into this before getting started with an organisation can help with the initial starting period, and will make you seem passionate about the brand.

CeejayShaw, Head of Content and Social Media for Riddle Esports, said: “Find out how the organisation functions now and get to know their social media strategy before you join. Once you have done that, you can come straight in and showcase not only that you know a lot about them already, but that you have an idea of what you think they can improve on and what you think you can help to make even better.”

Know what you’re getting in for:

It may seem that social media work is just scrolling through Twitter, TikTok or Instagram all day, but even though this is a big element of the job, there’s much more to it.

Ian ‘Doku’ Robinson, Social Media and Community Lead for the NLC, said: “Most people see social media as just posing memes and jokes on Twitter, and this is absolutely a part of the job, but only a small one.

“Depending on the role, and what type of company you work at, you could be doing live coverage for games, you could be creating content plans, designing and implementing content with teams and players, you will be interacting with your community, giving advice or answering questions,” he added.

With this in mind, be prepared to try out a variety of different things, and just get stuck in to whatever opportunities that may arise. 

Consistency is key:

Ensuring that you post regularly, and engage with interactions on these posts too, will make a whole world of difference.

People are more likely to interact with your brand or organisation if they know you are going to put out regular content, and also interact with them to further promote this content and grow.

Kiran Jones, Social Media Manager for the GCS Owls, said: “I would say that consistency is crucial, whether you’re trying to establish a brand or a personal account. It’s critical to have a strategy in place and to ensure that at least one post is published each day, as well as that you’re communicating with people that interact with you! That’s an important aspect in forming a community! Maintain as much activity as possible, and post content on a regular basis. Join debates that are related to your brand, for example,” he added.

We recently spoke to Kiran about all things social media and Overwatch on The BEe Show – check it out here. 

Have fun with it:

One thing that gets overlooked the most is that to enjoy social media work, you are allowed to have some fun with it.

Whether you make some memes, or play around with some GIFs, giving yourself that space to play around a bit can make the work more enjoyable.

Make sure you do a nice balance of professional and professional fun to keep your followers engaged, but also keep your work fun too. 

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This is only a brief guide on what you can expect from esports social media, and for more information you can check out this guide by Will Gleadall, British Esports Social Media Executive.

Are there more guides you would like us to cover? Let us know on the British Esports social media accounts, and we may feature your idea.