Footballers, at the top of their game, are not individuals – they are business marketing machines. Businesses turning over millions of pounds a year, with a large team creating value across many areas of interest; music, fashion, stationery, social media etc. Top footballers, it could be said, are similarly placed to CEOs of organisations. They are also a great example of how using a sound social media strategy can be crucial – especially as their careers can be over in an instant or, at best, once they are 30+, they might be looking for a new career.

Rio Ferdinand is a prolific tweeter with just shy of 2.5million followers, his own online magazine and a network of famous individuals who know, recognise and would be happy to help him in whatever he does.

In a recent interview with the BBC he speaks about using social media to engage with his audience.

“To get closer to the fans, so that people actually see the real you, rather than the person that is perceived by somebody that probably doesn’t even know you that is sitting at a desk writing for a newspaper”.

This is also applicable to business people looking to mitigate risk from negative press – having the right branding and online presence in social media can have dramatic impact in your reputation management. Future business development opportunities could depend on it.

The network your create, both online and offline, is where you are going to do business. Online networks provide you with that instantaneous, flick-of-a-button connection that offline just cannot compete with.

Here is what yBC created on the subject: