How Fabrizio Romano’s Content Took Over Transfer Twitter

One piece of sports content that has knocked it out of the park, and three championship-caliber takeaways to make you a better marketer — let’s play ball!

This Week’s Game Plan:

Those three words alone are enough to send any football fan into a flurry — when said by the right person, of course. The man in question here is Fabrizio Romano, famed Italian football journalist and arguably the most reliable and prolific source of transfer news in the entire sport.

But who exactly is Fabrizio Romano, and how did he develop the vice-like grip he has over some of football’s best kept secrets?

With the transfer deadline closing at midnight today, there’s no better time to ask the question…

Who is Fabrizio Romano?

The “prophet of the deal,” a “transfer window superstar reporter,” and “football’s most respected journalist” are just some of the way’s Fabrizio Romano has been described by his peers. From humble beginnings as a journalist in Naples, to cross-platform content behemoth, Romano’s rise to the top has been nothing short of amazing. 

Romano’s niche is European football transfers, and he writes for a host of respected media companies such as The Guardian and Sky Sports Italia. However, with a Twitter following of 23.4 million, he dwarfs both outlets' audiences combined! When one man can command a larger following than entire media outlets and their extensive resources, he must be doing something right.

Romano’s catchphrase, “Here we go,” is one of the most eagerly anticipated lines in sports media. When that phrase gets tweeted out, you can safely assume that what follows is true. Romano’s reputation is built on having insider knowledge that nobody else seems to have access to. His extensive network is a who’s who of players, agents, and high-ranking team officials.

His main platform is Twitter, where with just 280 characters he can whip football fans into a frenzy. As the man himself puts it:

However, Romano is also an extremely clever content creator, and has expanded his footprint to include sponsored livestreams, podcasts, and video of all kinds. His production value, while far from poor, is often stripped back and simple — just Romano in front of a neutral background talking to his audience. He knows that what he has to say is the star of the show, and speed of publication is everything, leaving no time for heavy editing.

@fabrizioromano

JOÃO CANCELO DEAL: HERE WE GO! 🔵🔴⚡ #FabrizioRomano #HereWeGo

While I’ve no doubt that someone of Romano’s standing within the sports content world has a team around him to help. It’s refreshing to see how effective relatively simple content can be. Aside from the sheer volume (and the sourcing of the scoops themselves of course), Romano’s content could be made by anyone with a phone and some headphones with a mic.

Romano has risen to the very top without needing to be flashy, without a cache of expensive equipment, and with content that defies the typical traits of modern algorithm-driven content. It works because it gives his audience exactly what they want, the way they want it, and with the knowledge that it can be trusted.

Hmm…simple content aimed at a specific audience. It’s almost as if we don’t need to create Mr. Beast-worthy content everytime we hit publish. Surely that can’t be right..?

Post Game Analysis

1. Trust is one of the most powerful things you can build to supercharge your content

Fabrizio Romano’s content and its success can all be attributed to one simple thing — trust. When you read the words “here we go” from Fabrizio, you know what you’re reading is the truth. The man doesn’t really miss. He’s built up a vast network of sources, and likely double confirms any big news before giving it his final seal of approval. Unlike some outlets, he doesn’t report on rumours or speculation, and doesn’t sensationalise to try and drive extra clicks.

Remember this when you’re creating your own content. Regardless of what you’re working on, you should be able to stand over what you produce. Personal opinions and thoughts are great, and should be encouraged, but don’t label them as anything else. Build a strong sense of trust within your audience, and watch the value of your content grow exponentially. After all, isn’t it much easier to recommend content from someone you trust?

2. Personal branding can be subtle, but extremely effective

Much of Fabrizio’s work is confined to 280 characters (or at least it was before a certain billionaire made Twitter his personal plaything). He has to mention players, teams, contract terms, details of negotiations, and so much more. It’s very difficult for him to get his personality across when his main content is based around reporting facts. However, the simple introduction of a subtle catchphrase has allowed him to develop a stellar personal brand without having to change his journalistic style. 

“Here we go” is now synonymous with Romano.

I’m not saying you need a catchphrase (although I’d be lying if I told you I haven’t brainstormed one on more than one occasion), but could you introduce a subtle piece of personality across all your content? A greeting, a sign off, a style of writing, a design style — the list goes on!

3. You have to put in the work with content — think marathon, not sprint

When we look at Romano’s rise to the top of the transfer world, it’s easy to think it all happened rather quickly. However, he’s been honing his craft for the better part of 15 years! From cutting his teeth in journalism under the tutelage of Italian transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio at Sky Italia, to literally walking the streets of Milan trying to make contact with agents and managers — Romano has had to slowly build his vast network of contacts over time. The work he did early in his career has paid rich dividends for him now, but he had to really grind to develop that trust within the football world.

Thinking of your own content journey, remember that you simply have to put in the work. Consistency is key. Create as often as you can, learn from everything you do, and keep hitting publish. You might not have to wander the streets searching for leads like Fabrizio did, but you will have to dedicate time and effort to your craft to hit the heights he’s scaled.

I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into the fascinating world of Fabrizio Romano’s football content. If you did — or even if you didn’t — let me know why in a reply. 

If you’re feeling really generous you could also share this with a friend you think might enjoy it so we can grow the Social Setpiece Squad even more.

See you all next week.

PB ✌🏼