By Brad Rees, Mediacells CEO
Why is Instagram #fanengagement less sport-focused and more human-centred? Could it have something to do with the fact that the largest audience on Instagram are aged 25-34, followed closely by the 18-24-year-olds?
During the group stage of the first large-scale sports tournament in two years, it would seem more Insta-fam than Instagram.
The biggest post during the Euro 2020 group stages has nothing to do with football. CR7, the world’s most-followed player on Instagram, posted a birthday wish to his son, Cristianinho (Little Christian), which attracted 13.2 million engagements, making it the biggest Instagram post of 2021 for the Portugal captain.
The post resonated with fans across the world more than Cristiano’s jubilant post after the Hungary 0 – 3 Portugal game, which attracted a mere 9.7m engagements.
The human-interest theme continues with Denmark attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen at #2 who connects with fans after collapsing on the pitch with a cardiac arrest at the beginning of the tournament. It’s an unusually long, text-driven post, flouting the usual Instagram format laws, which reassures fans that he is ‘fine, under the circumstances’ and ends with a cheer for the Denmark side who have since progressed to the Round of 16 knockout stage of Euro 2020.
