The advent of social media has had a revolutionary impact on the sporting world, and skateboarding hasn’t been left behind. Gone are the days when you had to subscribe to a magazine and wait a whole month to catch wind of the latest happenings in the skateboarding circles.
Today, all you need to do is log onto the internet and with the click of a button, get all the news about the latest skateboarding events, your favorite skateboard stars, and the best budget electric skateboards on the market.
From print media or VHS video to Instagram/YouTube, there’s been a huge paradigm shift on how enthusiasts across the globe consume skateboarding news.
Skateboarding as a Sport is Earning more Fans
Once upon a time, it was difficult enough just to keep abreast with skateboarding events happening on your local scene, leave alone on the international stage. If it wasn’t on the news, then you had to buy a magazine dedicated to the sport to get the 411!
Thanks to the various social media platforms, access to the latest news is as easy as logging into your social media account. Whether you want local news or international developments on skateboarding, you can get real-time updates on current competitions, as well as access the schedule for the whole year’s events.
As such, social media has significantly popularized the sport of skateboarding by enhancing its exposure around the world. More fans are joining the bandwagon after bumping into the sport on sites like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc., and developing an interest in it.
It is Easier to Learn About Skateboarding
With both pro athletes and amateurs riders posting videos on their accounts, it is now easy to learn how to skateboard. Even for countries where skateboarding is unheard of, one can easily be a pioneer of the sport by mastering it on the internet.
Beginner video tutorials on skateboarding are posted on social media almost every other day. The same is true for the coolest tricks and latest challenges. As long as you can afford a skateboard, you don’t need an instructor to learn the basics of the sport.
Brands are Becoming Content Publishers
When physical media like magazines ruled the day, skateboard brands had to make sure that skaters covered in videos and magazines wore their gear to promote their latest offerings to the market. However, things have changed with the entry of social media.
Brands are now using the available digital space to bypass the intermediaries and avoid paying advertisement fees. Instead, they are constantly updating their social media pages with new skateboard accessories, all the information about them, as well as short videos on what they offer.
This way, they can maintain close and persistent contact with the end consumers of their products. For instance, Nike’s Instagram account offers a daily feed of posts that incorporate both video clips and shots of sponsored skateboarders donning their gear and other products they are promoting.
Skateboarders are Building Personal Brands
Another new frontier that has been made possible by the power of social media is the ability of skateboarders to create personal brands without having to partner with already established labels in the market. In short, it has disrupted the hierarchy of the skateboarding industry with the empowerment of skateboarders, both pros and amateurs.
A rider can start a channel on YouTube and build on their followers by constantly posting unique content that endears to the audience. Eventually, they can curate their growing audiences and establish their own brands.
This is unlike in traditional media, where a good percentage of the rider’s publicity was almost entirely in the hands of the apparel or equipment company sponsoring them. This was also dictated by the editorial preferences of the major skating magazines available, as well as video publishers.
Today, skateboarders are using social media to connect with audiences running into the millions and creating an online fanbase. This allows them to get around the previously set routes to popularity by entertaining, educating, and engaging directly with their fans.
This also means that the potential to earn has been maximized for both amateur and pro skateboarders. The more videos you post, the more views you get, and the more followers you earn enable you to potentially become a well-paid social media influencer. For more information on skateboarding visit prolongboarders.com.
