Global Fútbol

Levante UD continues to work hard to be on the leading edge of technical innovation. Having already made pioneering moves by introducing e-ticketing and public Wifi at the Ciutat de Valencia, the club has taken another step forward by offering services for its fans through 'WhatsApp Granota'.

The importance of digitization is key for keeping Levante fans in touch, and in turn, for attracting even more supporters. The club aims to have presence on as many platforms as possible. This has led to the opening of the new mobile communications channel, which aims to keep the club’s fans up to date with main news items and the most relevant information about the club.

News updates with interesting content
'WhatsApp Granota', which launched just over a month ago, is the easiest way to receive notifications from the team and is aimed at complementing the club’s other channels – its social networks and website. Carlos Bau, Levante’s Head of Sponsorship and Ticketing points out that this project "is new in the world of football" and that it’s focused on offering "very specific content". He also acknowledges that "it’s clear that we have a very useful app and that it works very well, but message opening rates on the app don’t match normal WhatsApp messages. We’re convinced that the opening rates for a typical WhatsApp message are 100%."

"It’s a key strategy for the very specific notifications we want to give our fans. We don't send WhatsApp messages every day; maybe we’ll send a team line-up, or information on a new signing, or an interview with exclusive content. These are one-off things, i.e., news with some content that’s interesting for fans," explains Bau.

Levante is aware that WhatsApp is the simplest social media tool, designed to share as much content as possible. "What we’re trying to do is get fans to share content, and the easiest way to do so is through WhatsApp. For example, if fans are sent the season ticket renewal video campaign and are able to share it, they can send it to their groups and it could go viral.”

More than 3,000 users of 'Granota WhatsApp'
WhatsApp, the most used instant messaging app in the world, is a communication channel that’s different to all others and which is available to almost 100% people, both for adults and young people alike. As such, joining the 'WhatsApp Granota' is totally free and an automatic process – prospective users simply send the words 'Hola Levante' to 661 833 183 or by clicking the link bit.do/Hola-LevanteUD and sending the message ' Hola Levante'.

In the short time that the 'WhatsApp Granota' has been in place, more than 3,000 users have signed up. "Our goal is to reach between 5,000 and 6,000 users, which I think we can achieve over the course of the year, while making a big effort with the content we offer", says Bau. "This channel is very personal, it makes fans feel part of Levante. The idea is to involve them even more within the club family, because we consider ourselves a family."

The WhatsApp service is currently geared to the Spanish market, but Levante isn’t ruling out offering international fans a similar experience. As Bau concludes, the club is continuing to work on more global projects to give itself a more international presence. "As part of our globalization strategy, we are translating the club website into several different languages, for example," he says. "In addition, our idea is to make the most out of our overseas players and make Levante more global. Trying to tap into the international market is one of the club's strategies."