MUMBAI: It’s time for making money from Twitter. Starsports.com and Vodafone India have tied up with Twitter for its Twitter Amplify programme in India for the first time. Through the programme, the broadcaster and the brand will be tapping into growing social conversations around TV programmes especially live sports.
Twitter Amplify allows broadcasters to publish their best content directly to Twitter and then monetise it with advertisers through sponsorship packages. Assisted by ‘promoted tweets’, it will amplify the reach of the video content distributed through companies’ Twitter accounts.
Through the programme, starsports.com looks to enhance viewer experience across the web and mobile by offering high quality clips of sporting action directly to consumers engaged in conversations on Twitter around live matches. It says, “This is likely to lead to greater engagement around live sports in social media as well as create an opportunity for fans to consume the action without leaving the conversation.”
Advertisers will be able to tap into social conversations on Twitter along with a multi screen audience engagement strategy to consume content wherever or whenever they want.
“2014 is a great year for Twitter becoming the social soundtrack for television as 95 per cent of the public social conversation around TV is happening on Twitter today, especially for live sporting events. Broadcasters and brands know that Twitter is a natural TV companion that drives audience tune-in, engagement and affinity,” said Twitter India market director Rishi Jaitly. “We look forward to working with cutting-edge broadcasters and advertisers, like Star Sports and Vodafone, who want to tap into a compelling second screen experience We are delighted that cricket fans can now enjoy TV highlights in real-time on Twitter,” he added.
Star India head of digital business Ajit Mohan said, “We have built starsports.com as the most compelling destination for fans in India to follow sports on a mobile screen and the best platform for advertisers to reach an attractive audience on digital. This program is a new innovation for us to understand the possibilities of being present when the conversations are happening on Twitter.”
Vodafone India chief commercial officer Vivek Mathur said, “As a brand we are always looking at innovative ways of driving brand engagement and conversations on social media. Cricket (and sports in general) is one of our identified passion points and one with which Vodafone has a huge association. We are very excited to be the pioneers in launching a new social innovation in India centered around Twitter and cricket.”
Through this partnership, Twitter users will receive timely updates about their TV experience and remind them to tune in to the live cricket action and key sporting moments.
