WWE continues to capitalize on the value that Twitter can bring to a brand in the form of fan engagement, talent interaction and promotions. WWE is coming off a monumental year on Twitter by finishing 2012 with nearly 150 percent growth, with more than 2.1 million followers of its flagship account, @WWE. WWE continues to uniquely deliver to its fans as it capitalizes on creating and distributing news first, as it happens, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition, more than 300 live events are covered each year, driving more than 350,000 social interactions per week. All of this has made WWE the No. 2 most influential sports brand on Twitter (based on Klout). WWE Universe responded to WWE on Twitter in a big way in 2012 and redefined social sports-entertainment and Social TV as we know it. Groundbreaking social milestones by WWE include: WWE currently has more followers than: Nike, Pepsi, the UFC, the NHL, Disney and the PGA The main WWE Twitter account added more than 1.2 followers in the past 12 months for YOY growth of 150 percent WWE is in the Top 5 most followed sports brands on Twitter WWE is in the Top 20 most influential brands overall on Twitter (based on Klout ranking, Feb. 6 2013) In addition to WWE’s main Twitter accounts, the brand also includes more than 100 accounts that encompass WWE Superstars, Divas and products. With more than 44 million followers, these accounts also give WWE fans exclusive insights into the talents’ lives, shows, promotions and one-on-one interactions they wouldn’t find anywhere else. Our network is highlighted by seven Superstars with more than 1 million followers, 21 with more than 500,000 followers, and 72 with more than 100,000. Also, our fan-centric @WWEUniverse account has just eclipsed 1 million followers. The main @WWE account plays an integral role in facilitating and leading these other accounts in creating a truly holistic brand presence. In 2012, WWE continued its Social TV innovation by bringing in fan and Superstars tweets into a live Twitter ticker on WWE Raw, the longest-running weekly episodic television program of more than 1,000 episodes. This provides commentary and sustains conversation on the program's matches and promotions. Fans watching the show have the ability to affect the show’s outcome in real time by participating in polling contests via WWE.com, WWE Active (on WWE’s mobile app) and specific Twitter hashtag votes. Fans can also view which parts of the show are trending on Twitter both locally and globally. Finally, data is collected throughout each television broadcast and sent to writing and content staff to determine the popularity of each segment in the show. In summary, Twitter offers brands a tremendous opportunity to not only engage consumers, but also to truly create lifetime fans. As we say on a daily basis: WWE is not just another product, it is a lifestyle.
Recently, one of our flagship television programs, WWE SmackDown, highlighted WWE’s commitment to Social TV by running a pilot episode dubbed “Social Media SmackDown (SMS)" featuring live commentary, fan Twitter ticker and a live chat with talent. While this is a pilot program, it spotlights the conscious effort WWE has on remaining a leader in the social media space. (More info: http://youtu.be/YDBNClXaBuU)
