Month: September 2016

Fan Development, Social Media

Social Media, Sports, and Personality: Representing The Brand

Personality is the best thing to happen for sports and social media. When Facebook posts and Twitter feeds became less robotic, glorified RSS feeds and formal PR channels and more engagement tools, building relationships with fans, it was a win for all.

But, somewhere along the way, many team personalities diverged from the values and brand that so long defined the teams and were inculcated throughout the locker room.

When a new coach comes in, they appreciate the history and organization they’re inheriting, while also putting up the slogans and infusing the team with a bit of his/her personality and philosophy. Here’s guessing that most organizations don’t think of themselves as standing for snark, nor coaches coming in with plans to taunt and chirp opposing teams at every chance on social media.

“Our online presence needs to reflect what our brand is…,” Boston Celtics VP of Digital Media Peter Stringer told me in a recent interview. “We should be echoing what [head coach] Brad Stevens wants to put out, what our players are talking about. To me, we should be amplifying and echoing what those guys are all about…”

Fans may relate to a little snark, may laugh at a taunt at another team, but is cultivating a community that feels closer to the team? Is it helping fans identify with the messages being put forth in emotional locker rooms after games or on the backs of t-shirts worn on training days? Fans like seeing their teams have a little fun, but they like even more feeling like they’re on the same emotional wavelength of the team, knowing what is being said in the huddle before a team takes the field or the ice or the court. A little snark may catch the attention of a casual fan for a fleeting moment, the flavor of the minute, but a connection that hits at heartstrings build fans for life.

“Could we be more fun on Twitter? Maybe occasionally,” said Stringer. “But, realistically, I just don’t look at it that way. To me, you’re representing the brand every time you tweet…It’s always been about ‘we don’t want to screw up what all these people have built with their blood, sweat, and tears, and what that brands means to so many people and generations of fans.’ Because what’s the point?…”

There is no easy answer here. When social media managers are eager to show ROI, to show off some hockey stick growth in reach and engagement, it is tempting if not seemingly responsible to engage in a tactic that has proven to produce metrics that, whether they drive revenue or not, matter to many. Maybe it leads to more followers, which leads to more reach on marketing messages, which leads to some incremental sales. But is any short-term, small gain worth the expense of a brand that has been built over generations? For the Celtics and Stringer, the answer is clear.

“I respect [the Celtics brand and history] way too much…There’s no upside,” said Stringer, whose Celtics’ Twitter handle was ranked last by a Complex Magazine article ranking NBA team Twitter accounts. “Even if you get 10,000 retweets, then what does that mean? Does it help you sell more tickets? Does it help you sell more merchandise? Does it meet any of the bottom line goals that we have as an organization?…I don’t really think so. So that’s how I’ve always looked at it and will continue to look at it.”

This post is not a prescription for what’s right and wrong. Stringer even admitted the Celtics have more of a brand and legacy to protect than a team with less history and fewer generations that have grown up with the organization and its values. But it is a reminder that the personality of the team on social media should NOT be a reflection of the personality of the social media manager. That personality should be defined and perpetuated across the organization, consistent on all channels, and readily identifiable with fans. It should reflect what the team wants to stand for, not what personality will work best on each platform. This may sound difficult to comprehend and even plain wrong, but at a certain point, the brand is what matters most. It transcends the vanity metrics; it’s not all about the likes or retweets.

If you want to build a team that a community of fans can and will rally behind, it’s not built with a few snarky tweets, it’s a long game. Make a fan laugh and you have fleeting attention, make a fan feel and you’re starting to build an emotional connection that’ll last a lifetime.

Podcasts

Episode 75: Under the Hood of the Social and Digital Strategy of a NASCAR Team

Listen to episode 75 of the Digital and Social Media Sports podcast, with Jeff O’Keefe, Manager of Digital and Social Media for Richard Childress Racing.

Episode75

60 minute duration. Show format contains separate parts. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or listen on Stitcher

Posted by Neil Horowitz Follow me on Twitter @njh287   Connect on LinkedIn

Digital, Fan Development, Social Media, Streaming and Video

Themes, Lessons, and Examples from Social Media on College Football Opening Days

There’s nothing like a college football Saturday. And with each passing season, the tonnage and creativity of content continues to grow. While many settle in, kick back, and take it all in (phone in hand), I have my eyes wide open, trying to learn as much as possible from all the content, strategies, and posts coming from all directions.

I can’t help it. But it’s fun. And while I will readily admit I likely missed 99% of the content put out there, here are a few, unique themes (and examples) that stood out to me:

Going Live When You Can

Anyone that works in sports knows a lot of content is off-limits. When content ownership is valued in the millions, there is simply too much at stake to risk overstepping one’s bounds. But while some may lament and complain about it, others look for what they CAN share and how they can use the access and content THEY own.And the results came.

Whether it was Auburn capturing the Tiger Walk, UCF having their phone ready on the field after the game, a pre-game walk down the tunnel at The Big House for Michigan, or (though not live) a peek into Wisconsin’s post-game locker room after their upset of LSU, so many teams killed it, even having to navigate the times and nuances when sharing video content was off-limits.

Real-time and Personalized GIFs

If this past year in sports was about having pre-baked GIFs prepared for touchdowns, interceptions, sacks, fumbles, (and similar for other sports), a small next step is customizing GIFs for players. Not only does this deviate from the same-old stuff that can get old after one game, let alone an entire season, it makes fans more familiar and more in love with the individual players – a key factor in driving emotional fan attachment to a team in any sport, pro or college.

Beyond the personalized GIFs is the increasing speed with which GIFs are created across the board. From a shot of fans cheering from that game to a GIF that one can loop over and over of a sick move or hit in a game, content teams are getting bigger and better and faster.

Just a tiny sample here, but so many teams had custom GIFs for players that would be making big plays throughout the season (Clemson also stood out with this) or a GIF template that could be quickly tweaked to at least add in a player’s name, teams are realizing more and more that going into a season with a half dozen GIFs and then calling it a year is not the best idea. GIFs are also getting more and more eye-catching and creative.

Be Human

We’ve been evolving for years, now, away from the robotic game updates to the enthusiasm-laden fan-like exclamations now more prominent in social. But it’s all part of a greater theme, which is that fans relate to humans, so appealing to those ties and emotions and senses is all further penetrating this space, hitting fans with goosebumps and even tears. Sports lead the way, but stories also serve to transcend, and personality reminds us that we’re fans, they’re players, and we’re all chasing the same goals.

A few different examples here — with Colorado State kind of mocking themselves because they, like their fans, knew that first quarter was NOT what anyone had in mind or had anything worth celebrating. It’s one thing to say one should amplify what the fan community is saying, but when there’s nothing good to say, sometimes a little light-hearted humor can work. Everyone can relate to being upset when a game is not going well, so don’t try to pretend otherwise.

Meanwhile, Nebraska and Pitt celebrated (not just on Twitter), a couple of stories that tugged at our heartstrings. While Saturday was all about football, the digital teams for each school came in prepared to throw gasoline on the fire of emotion surrounding their games, which they knew would include some moments of inspiration and introspection. Nebraska beautifully provided a verbal supplement to the touching way the Huskers football team honored the late punter Sam Foltz. This was bound to go viral as a game highlight, but the way they articulated that in under 140 characters hit hard.
For the University of Pittsburgh, Saturday marked the return of star running back James Conner, who spent last year battling back from cancer, inspiring so many along the way. Their digital team knew the story would resonate and found a way to package in such a snackable, but meaningful way that gave chills to any fans that watched that GIF.

Unique Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are still in their relative infancy and teams and media outlets are still trying to figure out how best to utilize the new feature, which can become a Snapchat clone, for some. For others, it’s a stream of Instagram posts, some re-purposed for the main feed and some that just didn’t make the cut for IG, but may be from Twitter or Facebook. But there were a few that impressed yesterday (and in the days leading up), bringing fans something unique, using the ease of uploading creatively produced video, and giving a visual panoply to delight fans tapping through the story.

I likely missed 95% of the awesomeness happening on Instagram video, but two that stood out to me as being different from an IG stream or Snapchat story were Clemson and Michigan. We all worship at how Clemson utilizes their incredible array of resources and talent (would just anyone be able to do the same, all things being equal? Easier said than done) and the way they package content for their Instagram Stories is nothing short of incredible (they also re-purpose some for other platforms and the feed). It truly is visual story-telling with that polished level that Instagram was, at least heretofore, known for. (Incredible use of video and narration, too). Michigan also did something unique with the platform, including some great graphics that fit better in a story than a stream and videos using IG’s hyper-lapse effect. I got something on there I wasn’t getting elsewhere.

Snapchat did its thing, still unique and novel

While the Live stories were a bit more fragmented than last year, due to Snapchat’s makeover prioritizing its Discover channels, the content is still unique in its rawness and behind-the-scenes feel and content. Whether it’s a quick look at warm-ups, the locker room before or after the game, fans going nuts in the stands or at a tailgate, and even a fan in the front row getting to meet JJ Watt, this is still content unlike stuff we’re able to digest so easily on other platforms. While I did not see a ton of unique geo-filters at home stadiums, teams are still taking to Snapchat (some doubling up on IG Stories with very similar content) to give fans stories they’re not getting elsewhere. Snapchat’s live curators also differentiate it from other platforms (including Twitter Moments).

What was the Worldwide Leader up to?

I’m always trying to keep track of what ESPN is doing, because the size and forward-thinking mindset of their digital team typically brings out some key themes to watch in sports with each and every season and sport. They kept up throughout the day, sharing updates and video on Twitter and Facebook (but not much native video and not much live video on FB, more on IG), photos and graphics a bit, and activated their Snapchat channel more than ever. So here’s a quick look at their efforts

Vine was fine

 

An oft-forgotten platform (except for the NBA) and often just put in the same boat as Twitter (yes, Vine is a separate app), Vine saw some consistent usage from ESPN’s properties, including the samples above from the College GameDay account. Whether using real-time shots or a Vine uploader, Twitter seemed to see a bit more Vines than GIFs and ESPN’s accounts racked up millions of loops on the platform. The questions are if ESPN will find a way to monetize Vine and if they will get creative beyond clips, with music and creative montages and multi-video Vines.

ESPN the Ocho? Nope, it’s Snapchat

While I mostly just watched some of the College GameDay content on ESPN’s Discover channel, it’s clear ESPN is devoting more than just passing attention to the platform. With Snapchat becoming a primary place for fan engagement on game days, and every day, ESPN basically produced a show, packaging its content specifically for Snapchat. The look and feel felt native and the content was thoughtful and not just filler. The call-to-action at the end included ‘Swipe to subscribe’ and native ads were served throughout, but they felt appropriate (and were easy to tap through, which will remain an issue of concern, for now). Another surprise was, after hearing that Snapchat deep links were coming a while back, all ESPN could do to promote the GameDay channel was to tell their Twitter followers to go to Snapchat and click on the ‘Discover’ tab. Not exactly the most frictionless way to deliver fans from point of promotion to content consumption.

Instagram native videos racked up the views

 

While Facebook and Twitter were more links than native, Instagram served up a ton of native video content from games ESPN owned. And while there was nothing jaw-droppingly unique (but some cool angles stood out from the ‘normal’ highlights), the selection and copy and consistency helped each video garner hundreds of thousands of views. ESPN knows their content is powerful and when they make it a point to serve their Instagram audience, they get results. Definitely keeping an eye on how they utilize IG Stories and if/how they start to more consistently monetize the platform with partners and their other channels (App install promotion?)

 

The best news to consider coming off this opening Saturday of the college football season? We’re just getting started. Each week is another chance to create, to experiment, to innovate, to surprise and delight. Social media is our classroom and school is always in session.

Digital, Social Media, Social Media ROI

10 Lessons from College Digital and #SMSports Pros

We’re back to college football for a new season of emotion, excitement, engagement, and [fire] social and digital media content!

But it’s all easier said than done and all more thoughtful and strategic than it may appear, with so much happening in real-time and so much dramatic and unpredictable theater. These ten pros have lived it, studied it, practiced, strategized, and evolved. Read on for ten insightful quotes from ten pros that work and/or study in the digital and social media space in college athletics!

Kelly Mosier, Assistant Athletic Director of Digital Media for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, on the value of personal, deeper connections with fans.

“Of course I love when we have a Twitter pot that gets a couple thousand retweets…But again, that’s not the end-all, be-all. I still make sure we’re always moving forward, extending our reach…but at the micro-level it’s about the one-on-one connections with fans. The deep connections can be just as rewarding…those small wins, those deep wins — deep engagement. It’s about deep engagement expanding the reach of your engagement.”

Hear his conversation with me

Chris Yandle, PR and Social Media Strategy Consultant for Maximus [with University of Miami at the time], on building a community of brand ambassadors, through social engagement.

“If we [interact with a fan on social media], 99% of the time we’re making their day. Small stuff like that can make fans feel part of the program and that’s ultimately how we build brand ambassadors who help build our brand…

We want brand ambassadors to not only have that conversation with us, but with other [fans, too]. We start the conversation with them and we want them to take it and continue it…They’ll help amplify our message and fight for our case.”

Hear his conversation with me

Grace Hoy, Digital Media Specialist or the Arizona State University Sun Devils, on why it’s important to have a true brand across all teams that comprise the university’s athletics program.

“Unifying the message and brand voice is critical…We have 22 sports teams on social media and our own things to promote…In the eyes of fans, it’s one brand, [so] we often come together to help the messaging, themes, and main points we should be pushing. And that’s replicated on the main account.”

Hear her conversation with me

Katie Cavender, Assistant Commissioner, Strategic Communications for the Mountain West Conference, on fostering a strong, unified identity and brand for the young conference. [She also nailed it in our interview with preternatural allusions to a future of multi-platform content serving!]

“One of our key goals from day one has been to really build camaraderie across the Mountain West…We’re only 16 years old, so helping level the playing field a bit with some of the higher resource conferences (is important)…Our team has always felt social can help the Mountain West get there with identification of the Mountain West and its brand…and also build healthy competition (among conference schools), too…paying attention to the rivalries and traditions we have…while also putting our conference champions in the best possible position…”

Hear her conversation with me

Jimmy Sanderson, Assistant Professor in Sport and Social Media at Arizona State University, on what it means to bring digital and social transformation into an institution.

“It’s about looking at (social media) from a 50,000 foot level…It was ‘what is social media, what doe it do, why do you need a plan for it? Using it as a relational tool, having goals…We also talk about strategy decisions (platforms, resource allocation, customer service)…We also talk about social media use by (coaches and athletes); you need to account for those individuals, so you need to have education…”

Hear his conversation with me

Bethany Cordell, Associate Athletic Director of Marketing and Events at Montana State University (at Cal at this time), on why it’s so important to bring out student athlete stories that transcend what happens in the games.

“The story-telling is much bigger than social…we have 11 athletics communications managers…they were tasked with the meat of this – finding those stories…Well the story of our student athletes who were interning with us over the summer…Who spend their summers volunteering in third-world countries. Those are the stories we are seeking out and then we [as] how we can take it one step further from this great article…and [make it] translate on social…

We have done a fantastic job of building those relationships [and] bridging the gap between our student-athletes, our coaches, our campus and, our [students and alumni]…The more that someone cares about [the student athletes and programs], the less likely they are to tear you down. And that’s what our goal on social is…”

Hear her conversation with me

Gary Paczesny, Coordinator of Digital Media for University of Memphis Athletics, on how to get buy-in for digital and social and why it’s important to align digital strategy with goals in mind.

“It’s understanding that (coaches’) end goal is to recruit student-athletes…That’s what you have to remember in everything that you’re doing – the images you’re putting out on social media or the content that you’re producing for coaches’ TV shows is all about helping you recruit. So how can we help expose the brand in a way that coaches want?…It’s not just about putting out a tweet, it’s about putting out the right tweet that’ll help the end goal of these coaches.”

Hear his conversation with me

Jason Matheson, Founder and Owner, SkullSparks (and veteran of Auburn and Oklahoma), on how powerful digital and social in athletics can be to project a big and impressive brand for a university.

“You can look huge on digital and you can be a one-person operation…If you have a very talented (person) that can create visuals, get some video together, and understands the digital space…you can project such a bigger image…I would argue there are some teams (at smaller schools) that are putting Power 5 (schools) to shame. And they’re doing it with fewer resources, which kills me because I can imagine these larger schools that just aren’t leveraging the power they have.”

Hear his conversation with me

Chris Dion, Assistant Director of Championships and Alliances, Digital and Social Media, for the NCAA, on how analytics drives the content and social/digital strategy for his group at the NCAA.

“I use analytics to help guide my team [and] guide my choices. If something is not working and the numbers show that, there is no reason we should continue doing it. If it’s a resources discussion…we have to make better choices, based on analytics…The fans are part of it, the other part of it is what story are we trying to tell? What is the story of the year [and] what is the cadence of the story? Then what do fans best react to?…

We start with goals…and then we build measurable goals. If you can’t measure the success of a good feeling…let’s not put good feeling as goals. Let’s put things that are measurable…then we’ve got an opportunity to say if we’ve had success or not..”

Hear his conversation with me

Kyle Seay, Social Media Strategist at Texas Christian University, on how they use digital and social with their athletics to promote the brand and values of TCU.

“What makes TCU different?…That never-give-up attitude…As fa as having a consistent brand…that has been a huge emphasis for me in this position. I do want to have all our accounts have that look…for people to immediately see it and know that’s TCU. We’re working on that…to have that consistent look and have it still be appealing…I’m very aware of the brand and standards (of the university)…and I want to incorporate those and make it look appealing at the same time.”

Hear his conversation with me