Running a sports pub in today's competitive landscape feels like you're constantly fighting for customers' attention.
Between rising costs, changing drinking habits, and fierce competition from other venues, getting bums on seats – especially during those crucial match days – has never been more challenging.
Here's the thing: your potential customers are scrolling through social media right now, deciding where to watch the big game. If you're not showing up in their feeds with compelling content, you're essentially invisible when it matters most.
Let's be honest about what you're up against. Research indicates that restaurants have overtaken pubs and bars to become the most popular type of venue to visit in 2025, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials.
Add to this the pressure of keeping up with fixture changes, promoting special offers, and maintaining that crucial atmosphere that keeps regulars coming back – it's a lot to juggle.
The biggest mistake we see? Pubs treating social media as an afterthought, posting the occasional blurry photo of an empty bar or sharing generic stock images that could belong to any venue. Your customers can spot inauthenticity from a mile away.
Start by establishing a consistent presence on a social media site you think that most of your target customers are on.
That might be Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or TikTok, but avoid the temptation to try and get started on multiple sites at once - that’s a huge workload requiring specialist insight.
Target one you feel most comfortable on and come up with some simple goals tied to your wider business aims.
When used smartly, social media is a great free way to hit specific goals, whether that’s reaching new customers, telling existing ones about big games coming up, driving bookings or spreading the word about special offers.
This is where lots of pubs fall down. Customers need to know what's on, when it's on, and that you're definitely showing it (ideally with sound).
The smart approach? Use tools like FANZO Venues that automatically update your fixtures across all platforms in minutes, not hours. When Arsenal vs Manchester United gets moved to Sunday because of European fixtures, your customers know immediately and they know you're on top of it
Your social media should be used to regularly remind people why your pub is the place to watch live sport. Set yourself small, achievable targets and post consistently, not just when there's a big match on.
A great way to keep things interesting is mixing up the types of posts you share as well as detailing what games you’re going to be showing, try sharing:
Crucially, the goal here is to keep your venue in customers' minds between visits.
Stop posting photos of your beautifully clean but empty bar - people come to the pub for a social experience, so remind them of what they're missing every time they watch at home.
Instead, capture the energy when the crowd erupts after a goal, the tension during a penalty shootout, or friends celebrating together.
These authentic moments sell the experience better than any professional photography ever could.
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Don't just blast "20% off food" into the void. Connect your promotions to specific fixtures and create urgency. "Book your table for Saturday's Manchester Derby – first 20 bookings get complimentary halftime pints!" gives customers a reason to act now, not later.
Social media isn't just a broadcast channel – it's a conversation. Don't forget to respond to reviews and be as present as possible online – positive interactions and connections build a community feel that turns occasional visitors into regulars. Reply to comments, share customer photos, and acknowledge your regulars online.
Use location tags, relevant hashtags (#ChampionsLeague, #AVFC, #LiveSport), and engage with local fan groups and community pages. When new people move to the area or visitors are looking for somewhere to watch the match, you want to be the first venue they discover.
Social media isn't just another marketing channel for sports pubs – it's your digital front door. In a world where customers make split-second decisions about where to spend their evening, your social presence needs to consistently communicate what makes your venue special.
The pubs thriving today aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or fanciest fit-outs. They're the ones that understand their customers' journey from "where shall we watch the match?" to walking through your doors. Social media bridges that gap, but only when it's done with strategy, authenticity, and consistency.
Your customers are already online, already engaged, and already making decisions about where to spend their money. The question isn't whether you can afford to invest in social media – it's whether you can afford not to.
