Leveraging global events for your content
It’s not long until the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’, the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This year, Paris, France is the host city and from what I’m hearing, they’re going to be Games like none before: an opening ceremony down the Seine, medals featuring metal from the iconic Eiffel Tower and even payments for athletes! And that’s before the sports events have started.
There’s always a lot of hype around the Olympic and Paralympic Games due to the size of the spectacle and the human performance on show. Over the summer we’ll hear great back stories of athletes, marvel at achievements that astound and pause for moments that shock, so the Games generate a lot of press coverage as well as social media content for the events, the athletes and all the brand sponsors.
You might not be a brand sponsor, you might not even be a fan, but you and your business can leverage the Games for content too, or any global event for that matter. Events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games really grip the world. They’re cross-generational TV spectacles and they span demographics so it makes sense to join in and be inspired by them when it comes to social media and blog posts.
‘How can I do this for my business when my business isn’t related to sport?’ I hear you cry. It’s definitely possible. Here are some examples for some entrepreneurial friends of mine.
Image Audi Nissen via Unsplash
Real Life Real Kitchen
You might have seen on my socials that I worked with Zoë Willis of Real Life Real Kitchen. She is a family food consultant who can help you overcome the overwhelm of cooking by giving you tips and tricks on creating quick and easy family meals. Zoë is a mother of five.
I have some ideas to work with here on how Zoë could leverage the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
How to cook quick and easy nutritious meals - The link? Athletes need to eat healthily in order to perform. This is the bread and butter of Zoë’s business so it wouldn’t be too difficult for her to add in some references to athletes and the Games. However, I think there’s a better idea.
How to cook nutritious meals / how to prepare nutritious snacks for sporty children of different ages - The link? All athletes were once children and it’s highly likely that they were sporty! Many parents can relate to having sporty children whether that’s soccer or shooting, gymnastics or gymkhana. And we all want to help them perform their best, any way we can.
If Zoë preferred, rather than go it alone, she could consult experts, either to use their wisdom in her own blog, hosting a guest blog from them or maybe interacting on an Instagram live.
Anthony Delanoix via Unsplash
Zoë Knight Interiors
OK, if you thought that food, children and the Olympics and Paralympics were easy to link then let’s exercise the ol’ grey cells a little more with an interiors business. Zoë Knight Interiors specialises in exquisite soft furnishings for your home. How could we make the most of the Games for Zoë and her business?
My idea would be to link Olympic and Paralympic medals (a big focus at this year’s Games thanks to the Eiffel Tower metal being used) and the use of metallic fabrics or accents in the home. This subject really has legs in my opinion:
Zoë can talk about metallic fabrics - sofa covers, cushion covers, rugs, curtains. How can they be best utilised?
How can you incorporate metallic decorative pieces such as ornaments, picture frames and functional pieces, like fruit bowls or lamp stands?
Zoë could talk about classy ways to integrate metallics into your existing decor and also, how to avoid over-use.
This theme provides the opportunity to use some eye-catching imagery too - metallics often stop people in their tracks.
NAO Landscapes
I worked on NAO Landscapes website in 2023. It’s a hard landscaping company that works on more commercial projects than residential, although they do design outside spaces for the occasional private home.
The company is based in London so an obvious link is the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. I think a great piece for them would be the London Games legacy buildings and surrounding areas, and especially the awe-inspiring ArcelorMittal Orbit. The blog could look at other Games venues of the past and the impressive buildings that were built and remain. Or they could discuss the benefits of having an impressive structure such as a statue or sculpture outside an office building.
These themes lend themselves well to high-quality images making for a great social media campaign.
One of NAO Landscapes key values is sustainability, and this would be a fantastic theme for a blog with an Olympic and Paralympic twist. How could the Games be more sustainable and what techniques do they employ in their commissions?
Samuel Regan Asante via Unsplash
You might think that I’m shallow for suggesting exploiting something as wholesome as the Olympic and Paralympic Games for entrepreneurial gain but honestly, it’s because I think it’s fun to be part of it, even if that is just a few Insta posts, and I think followers get on board with it too. Who knows you might attract some new ones.
And we’re not limited to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Large events such as the coronation of King Charles III, the recent solar eclipse and the UK (or US) Election have the same impact. On a smaller scale, whatever your niche, industry events would work - think awards’ events, exhibitions or a new product launch.
I would recommend keeping it ‘light’ rather than getting too heavy unless your business has a direct and obvious link to the cause or event. It would be inappropriate to use more sensitive events such as wars or protests as inspiration for a blog. (Of course, commentate and opine away if that suits your business, and aligns with your company values.)
I think any business can link themselves to almost any event. If you’re stuck for ideas then do get in touch!
Remember that with any blog you write you should be thinking about SEO, keywords and what you want your blog to achieve.
So, on your marks; get set, go and leverage the Paris Games for your marketing! (And as you can see, by writing this, I have too.)