Esports offers marketers a vast, engaged audience and the ability to target specific with precision. The platform provides interactive engagement opportunities and extensive brand exposure through sponsorships and content. Collaborations with influencers grant direct access to dedicated fanbases, while valuable data insights offer strategic advantages for Dota 2 daily updates.
Esports also serve as a showcase for innovation and boast a global reach unconfined by geography. By fostering partnerships, embracing evolving trends, and respecting community values, marketers can effectively utilize the esports arena to enhance brand visibility, engagement, and long-term success.
What are Esports?
Esports, short for electronic sports, is a gaming segment where organized competitions take place among professional players and teams. Much like traditional sports, esports feature structured leagues, teams, and individual players. The meteoric rise of esports, especially Dota 2 matches, is largely due to the social aspect of live streaming and gaming, as well as its integration with media, pop culture, and e-commerce, highlighting opportunities beyond just gaming events.
Benefits of Esports for Marketers
Esports teams, akin to professional sports teams, have owners, franchises, endorsement deals, and cash prizes from tournament winnings, all contributing to their annual revenue and overall valuation. From a marketing standpoint, esports often conjure images of amateur gamers streaming on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Savvy marketers recognize the overlap between these gamers and platforms, leveraging it for advertising opportunities.
Marketers who venture into esports advertising can tap into the lucrative revenue streams from sponsorships and ads during organized esports competitions on digital platforms. Unlike the technological complexities associated with advertising in the metaverse, esports offers a straightforward and effective channel for specific advertisers.
Types of Esports Marketing
- Advertising: Examples include rewarded ads, banner ads, and in-game advertising during esports events.
- Sponsorship: Brands such as Honda, Totino’s, and Puma sponsor esports teams. Additionally, the gaming hardware company HyperX has naming rights to an esports arena in Las Vegas.
- Gamer Influencer Collaborations: Marketers often team up with popular gaming influencers to enhance brand visibility. For instance, Chipotle initially offered influential streamers “celebrity cards,” granting unlimited gift cards for brand promotion. In 2018, Chipotle sponsored Team SoloMid, a leading esports organization.
- In-Stream Video Ads: Most esports tournaments are streamed live on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Marketers often advertise on both professional and amateur gaming streams. These platforms secure licensing deals with leagues and players seeking exclusive rights to the most popular content.
- Partnerships: Brands seeking deeper engagement in esports can collaborate with publishers and streaming platforms to create multiple touchpoints. Beyond traditional advertising, video game developer Riot Games works with brands to produce custom content branded with their intellectual property.
What Marketers Need to Know About Esports
The esports industry is rapidly growing, attracting a passionate and tech-savvy audience with immense engagement potential. Building authentic relationships through branded content, influencer partnerships, and in-game integrations can foster meaningful connections with the esports community.
How Large is the Esports Market?
In 2023, the esports audience is expected to reach 31.6 million viewers. Esports ad revenues are projected to grow by 10.0% to $264.3 million. However, some advertisers remain hesitant to invest heavily in this niche area.
Marketing and Advertising Trends in Esports
Sponsorships and advertising in esports are growing, with marketers favoring digital video ads and influencer collaborations. The industry is tied to the creator economy, with expectations that streamer views will boost esports league fandom. Marketers focus on branded content within games, like in-game skins and virtual assets, and integrating products or logos seamlessly into the gaming environment.
Esports Viewership and Streaming Platforms
Esports viewers are internet users who watch organized gaming competitions among professional players and teams at least once per month. Livestreaming is where video and gaming intersect. In 2023, 31.6 million people in the US are expected to watch esports at least once per month. Twitch, which hosts both gaming and non-gaming content, will have 35.3 million users. Additionally, 62.2 million people will watch some form of gaming video content, including non-live videos.