Racing enthusiasts can be found everywhere online, in next gen racing simulation games and especially on social media. Since the beginnings of the internet, hobbyists of all different types have gathered online to discuss and share their ideas and experiences. As the internet evolved, so did the methods of communication.
Social media is the preferred online pass time of today’s racing enthusiasts, over a range of different platforms.
There are many ways in which racing fans engage in social media to share their hobby, such as sharing news, organizing events, commentating on races, speculation, or even simply taking photos to remind themselves of the awesome time they had enjoyed together.
TikTok
Car racing has two types of participants: the racers and the watchers. Amateurs are recording videos of races they watched and sharing them on TikTok. Some buy TikTok followers and earn money posting such videos on the app.
Although an entire race cannot be uploaded on the app, the most exciting parts of it are often shared through the app. Also, as there are many challenges and battles that users take part in, different car models usually challenge each other to TikTok races.
As Facebook is a platform supporting all types of media, it is natural to find racing videos, written posts, and even photos on Facebook. Some racing enthusiasts have full-fledged websites, but use their Facebook pages to promote and bring traffic towards their website. Facebook has been used to arrange events related to racing, both legal and illegal (such as street races).
Those interested in car racing can find millions of photos on Instagram related to their hobby. Instagram also gives users the option to share videos, which is also very popular amongst Instagram users. A particularly popular car-related Instagram page is of Australian vlogger Super Car Blondie. Many fans follow racing celebrities on Instagram, among other social media platforms.
Like Facebook, Twitter is often used to organize events, given the ease of using Twitter’s hashtags. It is also a popular forum for hobbyists of all different types.
Hashtags are also used by people attending races to follow or comment online. Many successful media campaigns have been run through Twitter. Given the ease with which Twitter hashtags can spread and ‘go viral’, news related to racing and motorsports is often shared on Twitter pages of brands and celebrities alike.
Spotify
Although this platform is mostly known for music streaming, there is a significant number of podcasts. Anyone can record a podcast with very minimal equipment, and racing enthusiasts are no exception to the rule. It may seem like podcasts are not the optimal place for a topic like racing, but there are a lot of discussions that go on before and during a race, which can be included in the podcast. The most popular racing podcast available on Spotify is the AutoSport F1 Motorsport Podcast.
Youtube
Last but not least is the number one platform for video sharing online – Youtube. There you can find accounts related to all things racing, both amateur and professional. Even major brands such as NASCAR and Formula 1 regularly post videos on their respective channels on Youtube. There are also live streams that people watch on Youtube, for major events and smaller unorganized races as well.
Racing is a sport enjoyed by millions all over the world. Although you can never get the same feeling as being on the racetrack, social media platforms have made it easier to join a community of racing enthusiasts to enjoy the sport together. Many races are streamed live for many cable television channels and those platforms which have a live streaming feature also accommodate for races.
Regardless of the platform that they use, racing enthusiasts are a large portion of social media users, generating traffic for many of the websites they visit regularly.
Brands looking to market themselves on social media platforms can easily make use of events related to motorsport racing in order to reach their target audience.
Most famously, german race car and luxury vehicle manufacturer BMW used TikTok to create a challenge, to raise brand awareness amongst the younger population. The campaign was wildly successful, and inspired other automobile brands to follow in BMW’s footsteps.
Social media is a powerful tool to increase communication and amongst all different types of people, and continues to evolve as time passes. It has been used as a marketing tool in many different ways, and the motorsport industry has utilized every possible aspect to its advantage; not unlike other major industries. As people continue to share their experiences online through social media platforms, we can speculate that more marketing will come through this way.
