[Interview] How Bulawayo Chiefs Became The Kings Of Sports Social Media

A few weeks back, we compiled social media statistics to determine which local club was most popular on social media. Bulawayo Chiefs is not known for high-calibre performances on the pitch but they’ve managed to foster a huge social media community and becoming the most popular club on Twitter and Instagram…

We got in touch with the Ninjas to understand just how they’ve created this huge following that has made them many people’s second team and the only local club that is verified on Twitter:

The main objective of that Twitter account is to push the brand of Bulawayo Chiefs.

Football is not all about seriousness. It must not be too intense and ours is actually a clever way of calling for peace in football. For instance, when you lose a game, you should pat each other on the back and just say it’s part of the game

Bulawayo Chiefs media officer Thulani Sibanda

TZ: When Chiefs initially set out on creating social media accounts, did you intend on becoming the most popular team on social media or did that just happen organically?

BCFC: The grand plan was to be as active as possible on social media and dish out as much information as possible so as to bridge the gap between our activities and the world out there.

TZ: Why does the club consider internet presence an important part of the organisation?

BCFC: The internet knows no boundaries and we loved it for that. Chiefs needed to go global, our football had to be carried across the country and oceans.

TZ: The best teams on the pitch usually have the largest social media following – How has Bulawayo Chiefs managed to become the most popular team on social media without being one of the best teams in the league?

BCFC: We preached tolerance and love in sports, despite the results we stayed true to our promise of engaging our fans and followers.

TZ: Bulawayo Chiefs is the most popular local team on Instagram. Most local teams don’t take Instagram seriously – why does Bulawayo Chiefs prioritise IG?

BCFC: We love Insta because it offers a platform for us to showcase our amazing graphics and images.

TZ: Your team also released an app last year (making it one of the few teams in the league with an app) – what did you hope to achieve with the release of that app?

BCFC: We wanted to continue championing the use of digital platforms for our local football news, If Chiefs can, then everyone should.

TZ: Do you intend to turn your social media following into a revenue-generating stream in the near future?

BCFC: Yes, it is the ultimate dream, and first we have to start by attracting sponsors.

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