Super Bowl LI will be held in Houston on Sunday, Feb. 5 with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. While millions of people around the world will have their eyes fixed on the big game, countless marketers and consumers alike will be on the lookout for the night’s most memorable commercials.
This year, FOX is charging somewhere between $5 million and $5.5 million for 30-second commercial spots. In addition to covering that hefty fee, companies that choose to advertise during one of the most coveted events of the year will also have to pay to write and produce their commercials as well as create the digital content that almost always supplements ads these days.
It’s safe to say your small business won’t be able to stomach those kinds of costs. That, however, doesn’t mean you’re unable to capitalize on Super Bowl weekend altogether. Here are four ways your small business can leverage the big game for your marketing efforts:
Create Super Bowl-related content
Many of your customers will be searching for Super Bowl-related content as the game approaches. Use that knowledge to your benefit by creating blog posts and articles that include information about the athletes and teams involved to capture more traffic thanks to SEO. Need some inspiration as to what that content might look like? You’re reading it now.
Talk about the big game on social media
The Super Bowl will almost certainly be trending on platforms like Facebook and Twitter in the week leading up to the big game. Figure out which hashtags are generating the most interest and use them to promote the Super Bowl-themed blog posts you created.
Make your own witty Super Bowl commercial (and post it to YouTube)
While you probably don’t have the resources required to create commercials that would rival the ones we’ll see on Super Bowl Sunday, you still have the ability to produce some video content inspired by the humor that usually characterizes those kinds of ads. Brainstorm some ideas with your team and get to work. When you’ve put something together that you’re proud of, post it on YouTube and promote it via social media and your company’s blog.
Hold a Super Bowl-related contest
When all else fails, you can always plan some sort of contest around the Super Bowl. For example, ask your customers or clients to guess the final score of the big game. Whoever comes closest gets some sort of prize. A restaurant might choose to give out a $50 gift certificate while a small marketing agency could create a free infographic for the winner.
Super Bowl weekend is one of the most anticipated times of the year for marketers in all industries. Don’t let the opportunity pass your small business by just because you don’t have a zillion dollars to spend on a primetime commercial. By planning ahead and getting a little creative, you’re bound to come up with a Super Bowl-themed marketing campaign that helps your small business get its slice of the pie.
Good luck and enjoy the game!
