How to Use Social Media to Grow Your Grassroots Football Club (Even with No Budget)
- the-football-hub
- Jul 12
- 6 min read
Why Every Club Needs a Digital Dugout
When I started growing social media channels in grassroots football, I wasn’t doing it for followers I was doing it for survival.
We needed players.
We needed sponsors.
We needed people to actually show up on match day.
What I didn’t expect was how powerful social media could be, even with no marketing team, no camera crew, and no real budget.
Just a phone, a bit of strategy, and consistency.
If you're running a grassroots club... whether you're a coach, club secretary, or the person who somehow became “the one who does the socials” this blog is for you.
What Social Media Can Actually Do for a Grassroots Club
Before we get tactical, let’s be clear:
Social media isn’t just about likes or trying to “look professional.”
When done right, it can help you:
✅ Attract new players
Young players check Instagram and TikTok before they even fill in your sign-up form. It can give them an insight if the club vibe fits what they're looking for or even just if the level is right for them.
✅ Engage fans and parents
Facebook is still gold for sharing match reports, club updates, or last-minute pitch changes... but there's so much potential beyond this.
✅ Land sponsors and funding
A local business is far more likely to sponsor a club with a visible online presence. Larger reach means a bigger potential customer pools sponsors can be seen from, making your sponsorship offering a more valuable proposition.
✅ Build community and legacy
Photos, videos, and stories help tell your club’s story and preserve its history. Things hand down over time but as we all know, something posted online is there forever. Socials can preserve your clubs journey, for all to see.
✅ Generate income
From merch sales to content partnerships or even a monetised channel, a growing audience has value.
But First: You Need to Take It Seriously
If you want social media to work for your club, you need to treat it like part of the club’s operations... not an afterthought. That means:
💡 1. Commit Resources - Even If It’s Just One Person
✅ Appoint a dedicated volunteer or small team to run your socials.
It shouldn’t be tacked onto a coach’s job or thrown at someone last-minute before a post. Coaches commit enough time and should be left to plan training and progression throughout the season.
That volunteer doesn’t need to be an expert either, they just need:
A basic phone camera
Willingness to learn
Consistency
A clear idea of your club’s tone (fun, professional, community-based?)
And a smattering of confidence/communication
> 🎯 Tip: Ask a player’s older sibling, a parent with design skills, or even a local student looking for experience in media or marketing. This can be someone’s passion project... if you let them own it.
💡 2. Decide Your Club’s Goals on Social Media
Not every club needs TikTok dances (but don’t rule it out either). What’s your focus?
Some examples:
Goal Focus Your Content On…
Attracting players Showcases, matchday clips, testimonials
Engaging parents Match updates, behind-the-scenes, team news
Finding sponsors Professional-looking posts, local partnerships, reach stats
Building legacy Throwbacks, milestone posts, coach/player stories
> 🎯 Choose one main goal and one secondary, that’ll shape everything from your tone to your posting schedule. Don't try to do everything, unless you're willing to commit the resources, you can always switch paths later.
💡 3. Create a Simple Strategy (Don’t Overthink It)
You don’t need a 20-page marketing doc.
Just a simple framework:
3 content types: e.g. matchday, training clips, behind-the-scenes
2 platforms: start with Facebook and Instagram or TikTok (personal recommendation, TikTok can be excellent for large reach and quick growth).
3-5 posts per week minimum: consistency > perfection
1 call to action: e.g. “Follow for updates” or “Join the club”
> 📌 Post what you'd want to see as a player, parent, or local fan. Give real consideration to your social media page structures... do you want individual pages for the mens and ladies senior teams, should the youth setup have its own page, etc.
We've built the worlds first AI season planner, perfect for grassroots coaches, check it out here.
Tangible Tools and Tips for Grassroots Content Creation
You don’t need a pro setup. But you do need to make the most of what you’ve got.
Here’s how to level up quickly:
✅ Invest in Canva Pro (£10/month)
This is hands down one of the most valuable tools you can use. There is loads of free stuff you can use on Canva but the pro version is what will help you stand out amongst the crowds and give you a more professional feel to your content.
Use it for:
Match graphics
Goal updates
Squad announcements
Sponsor shoutouts
Posters for events or fundraisers
> Top Tip: If your club are registered as a non-profit organisation, you could be eligible to get access to Canva Pro for free, check your eligibility here.
> Tip: Save your club’s colours and logo as brand assets. Create reusable templates for match days so you’re not starting from scratch every time. A little time investment at the start goes a long way.
Free download available for our readers, click the link to download yours now 👆
✅ Empower Your Players to Create Content
Want to grow your audience fast?
Get your players on board.
Let them run takeover posts on match days or just get them involved, Reels = Reach, make the most of them.
Use trending sounds on TikTok with training footage
Ask them to record challenges, reactions, or funny behind-the-scenes clips
You don’t need polished, you need real. And your players are already native to the platforms.
✅ Make Use of “Club Champions”
You probably have 2–3 people around your club who already love filming, sharing, or designing things for their own channels. Seek them out, particularly amonst the teen cohorts, they'll have an eye for what will perform well. In the younger groups this can be a parent or older sibling to engage with the content creation.
Give them a title. Make them feel responsible. Give them space to try things.
> Ask yourself: Who's already posting stuff anyway? Support them.
✅ Plan Ahead with a Simple Content Calendar
At the start of each month, plan a few guaranteed posts:
Weekly match result
Player of the month
Training photo dump
Throwback Thursday
Sponsor spotlight
This removes the stress of last-minute posting and helps your social media volunteer stay consistent.
Platform Tips: Where to Post What
Different platforms = different purposes. Here's a cheat sheet:
Platform Best Use Who's Watching
Facebook Match reports, club news, parent communication Adults, families
Instagram Visual storytelling, goal updates, reels Young players, community fans
TikTok Challenges, banter, behind-the-scenes Teens, young adults
Twitter/X Quick updates, league news, conversations Coaches, players, clubs
> Don’t try to do all four at once. Pick two and do them well.
Turning Social Media Into a Growth Engine
Once your club is showing up consistently, you’ll start to see:
👥 Player Recruitment Gets Easier
A parent is far more likely to message a club that looks active, friendly, and welcoming online.
💰 Sponsorship Conversations Change
You can now say:
> “We’ll post about your business once a month to 1,000+ followers.”
That’s a real asset... not just a logo on a shirt.
📈 Merch and Event Sales Increase
Post about your kit drops. Use stories to promote the end-of-season do.
Online presence = income opportunity.
Monetisation is Do-able - Done really well and you could quickly find yourself in the monetised space. 10k followers on TikTok, and every video becomes a lottery ticket that could go viral and bring income to the club. Grow large enough on Facebook and every post will get paid monthly based on the engagement it receives.
A new income stream with very little outlay, has to be worth the effort, especially when you could be talking £100s or even £1000s.
What If You’re Starting From Scratch?
That’s fine. Most clubs are.
Start by posting:
1. A welcome message
2. A photo of the team
3. The next fixture
4. A short video clip from training
5. A simple poll or Q&A story
No one expects perfection. But people respect consistency.
Final Whistle: If You’re Not Online, You’re Invisible
Social media isn’t about looking flashy. It’s about showing up where your players, fans, and future members already are.
Every post is a window into your club culture.
Every video is a handshake with someone new.
Every story is a chance to bring someone closer.
So even if you’ve got no budget, no full-time staff, and no clue where to start - that’s okay.
Just start.
One post. One platform. One person in charge.
It’ll change more than you think.
👇 Stay in the Loop
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