Provide content marketing model of in sports E-business with the grounded theory approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Student in Entrepreneurship, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran.

2 Department of Business Management, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.

3 Department of Management, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, Iran

10.22034/sms.2023.139886.1258

Abstract

Today, the sports industry plays a crucial role in the production and consumption of sports goods and services and in economic development. It is considered one of the most effective factors in economic growth and one of the most revenue-generating industries of this century. The inclination of audiences and customers of sports products to use social media as a platform for exchanging information and concepts has created new approaches in marketing science to make greater use of these capacities and the appropriate interactive space between businesses and customers. Therefore, businesses are compelled to focus on producing valuable and relevant content for their customers and consumers. In fact, businesses need the attention of audiences and users to purchase their products. Marketing trends indicate that converting audiences into users in the virtual space requires knowledge-based and awareness-raising strategies to stimulate and encourage emotional action.
By reviewing the literature on content marketing in past research, a fundamental gap is evident in both domestic and foreign studies regarding content marketing and electronic sports businesses: the lack of attention to a content marketing model in consumer-based electronic sports businesses. Hence, there is a necessity for a study aimed at developing a content marketing model in electronic sports businesses. Electronic sports consumers, sports product and service producers in Iran, and even electronic sports consumer businesses can benefit from the results of this study. In this regard, the main question of this research is: What is the content marketing model in electronic sports business with a grounded theory approach?
In this study, given the exploratory nature of the subject, a qualitative grounded theory method with a systematic approach by Strauss & Corbin (1998) using semi-structured interviews was employed. The statistical population of this research included senior managers and experts in the field of content marketing of online sports goods stores that sell various sports items and equipment under different brands. The snowball sampling method was used with criteria (having relevant education to the research topic, having more than 3 years of work experience in online stores, holding at least a managerial, executive, specialist, or expert position in content marketing in virtual space, and being interested in participating and expressing views and experiences). For data collection, library sources and 15 semi-structured interviews with experts were conducted. From interviewees 14 and 15, no new codes were extracted, and theoretical saturation was reached at interviewee 13.
The typed interview texts were transferred to the MaxQDA software and coded, resulting in a total of 233 initial open codes. After removing duplicate codes and merging similar codes, 95 final open codes were extracted. Finally, in selective coding, the axial codes were systematically categorized. In this research, 29 axial codes were categorized into 8 selective codes. The final model of this research shows that content production and distribution are influenced by contextual factors, the review of the current business status is influenced by causal factors, the measurement of content marketing success is influenced by intervening factors, the use of content production and distribution techniques and the application of psychological insights in marketing are influenced by strategic factors, and business success and customer penetration are influenced by outcome factors. Each of these factors is specifically explained below. This includes reviewing the overall company status, the current content process, and evaluating the effectiveness of the current content as causal factors in content marketing in electronic sports businesses. The overall business status review involves examining financial performance, growth trends, competitive position, and other factors that affect the overall status of the electronic sports business. In this technique, content is divided based on common topics or clusters. For example, electronic sports businesses can produce content related to bodybuilding exercises, healthy nutrition, training techniques, etc., and categorize them into different clusters. This method helps them provide relevant content to their audience and create diversity and breadth in their content.
 

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References

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Sports Marketing Studies
Volume 5, Issue 1
May 2024
Pages 101-121

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