As one of the most famous French football clubs in the world, AS Monaco’s various social media channels number over 5 million fans. Every day, the club’s digital team strives to provide creative and innovative content to its global community.

Digital Sport was afforded an opportunity to sit down with Bruno Skropeta, AS Monaco’s Communication and Marketing Director and former Head of Communication for Paris Saint-Germain. As a sports media expert, Bruno Skropeta shared with us how his club uses social media to provide the best digital experience possible for the club’s fans.

How many people work in AS Monaco’s digital team?

There are over 10 of us that create digital content in different languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese etc), in addition to some external experts which help us to know and understand people’s expectations in some international regions including China and South America. This helps us to create the best content possible, tailored to the audience.

AS Monaco’s social content is very visual, why is it important for you to provide this kind of content?

We are in “the age of imagery”. Previously, TV took up most of the space in the world of communication and information. Today, social media is taking the lead and is an incredible tool to unite people. For that, we decided to be creative and original in our content as well as enable fans to follow AS Monaco on any platform. On social platforms, we have to catch the eye via graphics as well as videos. We try to innovate each time, diversifying our communication on each platform with a different tone, because each fan and each platform is different.

12 ans… ????????????#Émotionshttps://t.co/GFwUS1y2Dt

— AS MONACO (@AS_Monaco) April 6, 2016

AS Monaco was the first club in Ligue 1 to open an account on Snapchat, how do you use it?

Our Snapchat seeks to fulfill users’ expectations of real-time entertainment. The platform is also a fantastic tool to immerse fans, who can’t be close to their team, in the every-day activities of the club and its players. For each game day, we give a behind-the-scenes peek of the event to immerse fans in the action. During the week, we let players participate in the content as an ambassador. They take control of our Snapchat to entertain the platform’s users. Fans love it!

Live-streaming platforms including Periscope and Facebook Live are becoming more prevalent in the sporting world, is AS Monaco interested in using these tools?

Definitely. Live-streaming platforms allow us to create a link with the community. For the moment, we use it to take fans behind-the-scenes of big games. Recently, we also broadcasted a training match, adhering to the club’s policy of trying to show what happens inside the team. Friendly games this summer are a real opportunity to use these platforms. Live-streaming is a must to offer a great experience of a real event!

What’s AS Monaco’s strategy to entertain and increase its fans? 

Two points are very important: creativity and innovation. We must move away from the traditional communication platforms and traditional marketing in order to create enthusiasm and buzz from social users. We have to give fans the opportunity to be immersed in AS Monaco’s life, even if they are thousands of miles away.

Moreover, in Monaco, we are lucky to have a unique place. The glamour image of the principality has an important visual impact and interests people. So, we try to tie our fan experience to that “magic” and try to stay close with our followers by offering information and entertainment, particularly to youngsters who are becoming increasingly connected.

Content from AS Monaco on Snapchat ahead of a fixture

According to you, how will be the communication and marketing of the future in the sporting world?

Fantastic things are coming to improve the closeness between fans and clubs and we are working on a number of them. As for the general industry, it will be very interesting to see how all of that will progress.

*This interview was conducted in French and translated to English