Equestrian Social Media Strategy: More than Posting Pretty Pictures

Updated: March 2025

In equestrian marketing, social media is no longer a side project or “nice to have.” It has become a central pillar of visibility, sponsorship, and growth. For brands, businesses, and professional riders, these platforms shape how the industry is perceived and who engages with it. Occasional posting might sustain an account, but it will not deliver the credibility, reach, or return on investment that today’s digital landscape demands.

The equestrian industry, valued globally at more than $300 billion, is increasingly intertwined with digital visibility. In North America alone, the equestrian sector contributes $102 billion to the economy annually. With audiences this large, the opportunity and risk of social media is clear: It has become the first touchpoint for new customers, sponsors, and fans.

The Role of Social Media in Modern Sport

The transformation is not unique to equestrian sport. Across the global sports industry, social platforms are now core to how fans connect, how sponsors measure value, and how athletes build their profiles. Research predicts the sports technology market, including digital fan engagement tools, will surpass $55 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR above 20%.

In practice, this means that the highlights, behind-the-scenes clips, and storytelling that once belonged to broadcasters are now shared directly by athletes and brands. Wimbledon's 2023 “Tennis-Tok” campaign, which generated more than 200 million TikTok views during the tournament, illustrates how targeted content can dramatically expand reach, engaging younger audiences who might never otherwise have tuned in.

The equestrian sector is seeing similar shifts. TikTok and Instagram Reels featuring training tips, yard routines, or horse lifestyle clips attract audiences far beyond the competition arena. In Scandinavia, studies have shown that social media influencers in equestrian sport are reshaping how stable culture is perceived, affecting not only trends but also attitudes toward horse-human relationships. The lesson is clear: Digital storytelling now drives not just awareness, but cultural interpretation of the sport itself.

Sport consumption is increasingly digital-first. A 2022 Nielsen study found that 46% of global sports fans use social media platforms as their primary way to consume sports news and updates, with younger demographics relying on it even more heavily. This shift places enormous weight on social channels, not just for highlights, but for shaping the very narrative of a sport.

For equestrianism, this trend exposes both an opportunity and a gap. Unlike football or tennis, where billions are invested in broadcast rights, equestrian sport has historically underutilised media rights and digital distribution. Many events still rely heavily on niche broadcasters or federation streams with limited reach, missing the chance to amplify their stories on platforms where audiences actually consume sport. A well-rounded social media presence is no longer supplementary for events - it is essential to ensure that competition content reaches new fans, builds community, and attracts sponsors. Without it, the sport risks being sidelined in an era where visibility is currency.

Best Practices Backed by Data

The last five years have clarified what works and what doesn’t. Audiences no longer want glossy perfection alone - they want authenticity, expertise, and meaningful interaction. According to recent research, content that features authentic behind-the-scenes moments, educational value, and human connection significantly outperforms purely promotional posts.

At the same time, personalisation has emerged as a major trend. In broader sports marketing, hyper-personalisation, tailoring content to specific audience segments has become standard practice. For equestrian businesses, this could mean tailoring content for pony-club families, competitive amateurs, or luxury buyers, rather than treating “horse people” as a single homogeneous group. Retail and sports data show that personalised digital marketing increases customer engagement rates by over 70%, and the same expectation now extends into equestrianism.

Another defining shift is the role of social commerce. By 2026, social commerce sales are expected to exceed $2.9 trillion globally. Within equestrian sport, this trend is already visible in brands selling directly through Instagram shops or TikTok, blurring the line between entertainment and retail. Social media is no longer just about building awareness - it is directly shaping sales and sponsorship value.

Another crucial development is the role of market research in shaping content strategy. Too often, equestrian businesses approach social media as a creative outlet, focusing on photography, design, or witty captions without embedding those activities in a broader marketing plan. Yet research shows that over 70% of consumers expect brands to tailor content to their interests and buying journey, and businesses that align content to a defined funnel convert at far higher rates than those that do not.

This distinction matters: Content creation is not marketing. Creative without strategy is decoration. To transform posts into performance, equestrian brands must first define their objectives, whether that’s lead generation, merchandise sales, ticketing, or sponsorship ROI, and then build a funnel that guides audiences from awareness to action. Market research is what makes this possible: Identifying audience pain points, mapping where they engage online, and testing formats that convert interest into measurable outcomes. When these insights guide execution, social media stops being a stream of pretty pictures and becomes a revenue-driving asset that works in tandem with other marketing channels.

Analytics and Measurement as Strategy

A critical but often overlooked element of equestrian social media is measurement. Too many accounts still report success based on follower counts or likes, but these are surface metrics. Real strategy relies on key performance indicators (KPIs) tied to business outcomes. For a brand, that might mean conversions, such as tack shop sales, riding school bookings, or event registrations. For athletes, it often means sponsorship ROI, demonstrating how digital visibility translates into brand exposure, fan engagement, and media coverage across regions.

According to Sprout Social’s 2023 Index, 60% of marketers say their top challenge is linking social data to ROI. Yet those who succeed see the highest budget growth. For equestrian businesses, this means building analytics frameworks that track not just reach, but clicks to websites, sign-ups, or sales. For riders, it means proving to sponsors that campaigns deliver measurable impact. Agencies like EQuerry specialise in this type of reporting, helping equestrian professionals move from vanity metrics to meaningful measurement.

Crisis Management and Reputation

Equestrian sport faces unique challenges around public perception. Welfare, safety, and inclusivity are under constant scrutiny, with viral moments capable of shaping opinion overnight. In this context, social media is not just a marketing tool, it is a reputation management channel. Having a strategy in place ensures that content reflects brand values, while also preparing organisations and athletes to respond swiftly and professionally in moments of controversy.

Research from PwC’s 2022 Sports Survey identified reputation and social responsibility as rising priorities for sports organisations globally. For equestrian businesses, this means proactively using social platforms to highlight positive welfare practices, community initiatives, and transparent communication. A strategy-led approach ensures that messaging is consistent, authentic, and capable of withstanding public scrutiny, turning potential risk into an opportunity to reinforce trust.

Platform Prioritisation

The temptation for many equestrian businesses is to “be everywhere at once”, and as a result, post sporadically across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn. But without the resources of major sports leagues, this often leads to diluted impact. Strategy means making deliberate platform choices. For instance, Instagram and TikTok might be ideal for visual storytelling around training or lifestyle; LinkedIn may be more appropriate for B2B positioning with sponsors, breeders, or federations.

Research from Hootsuite’s 2024 Social Trends report shows that brands focusing efforts on their top-performing two platforms see significantly higher engagement than those spreading thin across five or more. In equestrian marketing, this translates to quality over quantity: Selecting platforms where your target audience is most active, and tailoring content specifically for them. At EQuerry, we help clients identify those spaces through data analysis, competitor benchmarking, and audience insights, ensuring resources are invested where they matter most.

Long-Term Content Planning

Social media should not be reactive alone. A professional strategy incorporates long-term content planning, aligning posts with key dates, campaigns, and seasonal rhythms. In equestrian sport, this might mean planning content around major competitions, foaling or breeding seasons, sponsorship activations, or community awareness days. Without this calendar view, content risks becoming inconsistent or irrelevant to broader objectives.

Research published by HubSpot in 2023 found that marketers who plan content at least one month in advance are 331% more likely to report success than those who post ad hoc. For equestrian businesses, this approach builds consistency, creates room for storytelling arcs, and ensures sponsors are featured at the right moments. It also allows flexibility, leaving space for real-time engagement with trends, news, or viral opportunities, without losing the structure that keeps strategy on track.

Owned Media and the Importance of Integration

While social media is indispensable, it is not enough on its own. Research consistently shows that while 91% of people who engage with a brand on social platforms visit the brand’s website, nearly 90% of conversions and referrals happen there, not on the social feed. This makes integration with owned media essential.

This is a crucial distinction between equestrian sport and global sports like football. Footballers rarely need personal websites because their business is constantly promoted by billion-dollar media rights, international sponsors, and club PR teams. They also have dedicated social media managers ensuring daily visibility across platforms. Equestrian athletes, however, do not operate in such a heavily resourced ecosystem. Without the global machinery of mainstream sports behind them, riders and equestrian entrepreneurs must rely on owned media, especially websites, as a central hub.

A website is the one piece of digital real estate a brand truly controls. Social platforms can change algorithms overnight, restrict reach, or disappear entirely. A professional site ensures that competition results, horses for sale, sponsor activations, and brand storytelling remain discoverable and credible. This isn’t just about the present, it’s about building a future-proof digital strategy that can withstand the volatility of social media trends.

As we highlighted in this article, some website platforms can be a useful first step, but professional integration of design, copy, SEO, and analytics is what transforms a site into a true marketing engine. When combined with social media, this creates a complete ecosystem where awareness translates into measurable ROI.

Sponsorship, Representation, and ROI

Social media also plays a defining role in sponsorship. Global sponsors are shifting their investment strategies, favouring athletes and brands who can demonstrate not only large audiences, but engaged, diverse, and regionally relevant ones. The WNBA’s partnerships with brands such as Glossier, Sephora, and Fenty Beauty highlight how cross-demographic marketing is now central to sponsorship success.

For equestrian sport, this underscores the importance of representation. Sponsors increasingly measure value through Media Impact Value (MIV), a metric that quantifies the commercial return of media exposure. Inclusive, relatable storytelling generates broader engagement, which in turn drives stronger MIV. In practical terms, this means that a rider who shares authentic training insights or a brand that highlights grassroots programmes may deliver higher sponsor ROI than accounts that focus only on elite competition.

As outlined in Research-Based Marketing article, consumer insights are critical. Strategies that rely on research, whether tracking participation trends, segmenting by geography, or analysing platform data, are the ones that turn content into commercial outcomes. A data-driven social strategy not only elevates brand visibility, but also proves to sponsors that the partnership can deliver tangible returns across regions and demographics.

Social Media as Strategy, Not an Afterthought

Social media for equestrian brands is not about chasing every trend or posting endlessly for the sake of visibility. It is about building a strategic framework where every post, every video, and every campaign serves a defined purpose. In a sport where mainstream media attention is limited, equestrian businesses and athletes cannot rely on the spillover effect enjoyed by football or tennis. Visibility must be designed deliberately.

That is why treating social media as a self-contained creative exercise is a mistake. The photos, Reels, and TikToks may attract attention, but without integration into a wider marketing plan they deliver little lasting value. Strategy is what transforms reach into results. It is what ensures that content supports the sales funnel, enhances sponsor relationships, and builds a resilient digital footprint. As we often emphasises, content creation alone is not marketing; it is strategy that determines whether that creativity moves the needle.

Equestrian brands that excel on social media treat it as part of a full ecosystem: Integrated with their website, supported by email marketing, aligned with PR efforts, and measured through meaningful data points like MIV, conversion rates, and audience growth. It is this alignment that allows brands to demonstrate professionalism to sponsors, credibility to clients, and inclusivity to fans.

At EQuerry Co, our approach reflects this philosophy. We don’t simply manage feeds or create graphics - we design marketing strategies that combine research-driven insight, creative production, and ongoing management. That means auditing where your audience is, defining how social fits into your funnel, and building campaigns that are optimised not only for engagement but also for SEO and AI discoverability. It means providing reporting that goes beyond “likes,” showing how your digital presence supports sponsorship ROI, community growth, and long-term positioning.

The future of equestrian marketing belongs to those who think strategically, not reactively, when it comes to connect new potential audiences to a brand and its community. When built with purpose, that bridge will be strong enough to carry not only awareness, but also commercial growth. Because without strategy, social media creatives are little more than decoration. Social media in equestrian sport and industry should therefore be treated as a strategic business investment, not a creative afterthought. By aligning content with business objectives, reinforcing it through owned media, and measuring impact in ways sponsors understand, equestrian brands, athletes and federations can position themselves for relevance and resilience in 2025 and beyond.