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Facebook is peppered with poker-style groups. Players are particularly partial to the social aspect of poker, and so they take to social media platforms like Facebook to share their love and appreciation of the game. As the world’s most social casino card game, poker blends the interactive appeal of healthy competition with strategic gameplay. Texas Holdem Poker Groups are a dime a dozen on Facebook with many related groups boasting tens of thousands of registered members. Among the many world-class Facebook groups available to poker players are the following:
- The Poker Forum –with 20,000 registered members and 9 posts daily
- Poker Hand Discussion – with 5,500 registered members
- The Poker Page Group – with 3,500 members and 10 daily posts
- Florida Poker Players – with 1,700 registered members in 3 posts daily
- Poker Chat Club – with 1,700 registered members and 6 daily posts
- Poker Knights – with 8,400 members and 10 daily posts
Facebook is peppered with a seemingly endless stream of poker groups that players can join. These span the full spectrum from Newfoundland Poker Tour to Madison Poker Community Forum, Malta Poker Fish, Poker Buddies, Poker Night for the Pucks, The Casino Dealers Lounge, Online Poker Password, Poker Banter and the Global Poker Players Forum among others. The sheer number of poker-style Facebook groups is testament to the social nature of the game. Indeed, social media has proven to be the most powerful vehicle for driving the game to its current popularity levels. The game’s global reach is a direct result of social media.
Why Is Social Media so Important in Online Gaming?
Off-line gaming on handheld devices, video gaming consoles and related systems enjoys tremendous levels of popularity, but it’s the rapid growth of online gaming that is taking the world by storm. It’s a well-known fact that gamers are avid fans of social media, and Facebook routinely ranks head and shoulders above the competition. Most every online poker player shares their stories on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram. Some of the world’s most successful poker players have their own YouTube channels where they post videos of ground-breaking plays, big bluffs, and monster pots.
Sharing Poker News & Updates on Social Media
Not only does social media allow poker players to share updates with throngs of fans, it also allows for a two-way conversation. Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook are ideal for generating feedback and sharing poker posts. Luckily, social media sites tend to have strong retention among dedicated fans and this allows for ongoing feedback, communication, and sharing of posts. Microblogging platforms like Twitter have incredible appeal with fans, especially now where people are more interested in soundbites and short strings of information than they are in lengthy paragraphs and articles. Some of the world’s most popular poker players routinely take to Twitter. Legendary characters like the Texas Dolly a.k.a. Doyle Brunson have a vibrant Twitter account, while a guy like Phil Ivey is no slouch with his microblogging site either.
One of the most legendary poker players of all, Antonio Esfandiari has tweeted over 4,000 times and has 195,000 followers. Canadian poker player Daniel Negreanu is one of the most prolific Tweeters in the world with 48,600 Tweets since he joined in March 2009. He is arguably one of the most active poker players, with a mass following a 454,000 fans and plenty of tweets to his credit. Players recognize that there is power in numbers. If enough poker fans can voice their opinions by joining the conversation, word will spread far and wide.
Why Do Social Media Platforms Feature Prominently in Online Gaming?
Ever heard the expression: There is strength in numbers? This is a universal truth, since most everything is a numbers game. As more fans support their poker players on social media sites, it becomes easier to share news of their poker performance, monies won, and monies lost. Social media platforms also provide yet another useful resource to players in the form of analytics. Every time a post, newsfeed, or update is made, it can be analysed. Posts can gain mass traction with players around the world. As far as online gamers go, there is no better way to communicate as effectively with hordes of adoring fans. We see evidence of this with all the world’s premier gaming companies. From online casinos and online bingo rooms, to online poker rooms and beyond a strong brand presence is being created online, and on social media platforms.
Social media has become so relevant today that major online poker companies and other online gaming companies are allocating an increasing portion of their marketing budget to it. This makes sense, since the purpose of social media is social reach. As the number of players in the proverbial fold increases, so too does the media exposure that gaming companies get from this type of traction. Social media breaks down the social hierarchy by providing a level playing field where everyone can communicate, share opinions, and feel closer to their heroes. If challenges arise, social media presents the perfect forum for finding resolution. The synergistic capabilities of social media and gaming have far-reaching implications. As more people pool their knowledge for the collective good, solutions are easy to come by.
As a case in point, 888poker.com boasts a strong social presence on Facebook with an estimated 316,000 people following this fan page. Regular daily updates, poker player news, tournament invitations, freerolls and challenges are posted for fans to enjoy. Online real estate is just as important today as billboards and banners. Groups offer a sense of camaraderie for players, and this is precisely the reason fans join these vibrant online clubs.
