This document discusses MLB's use of social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram. It provides statistics on MLB's presence and follower counts across various platforms. It also describes strategies MLB uses like linking between platforms, individual team accounts, expansive content curation, incentives for user engagement, and campaigns like their "Members Only" promotion. Several experts offer their perspectives on using Instagram for sports brands, including tips for fan engagement, creating a connection, and curating photos. Criticisms of Instagram mentioned include a lack of two-way communication and difficulty managing from common tools until recently.

1. Dan Connors Brian Burr
@DanConnors1 @bmburr
#MLBSM
Ben Glidden Rayna Linowes
@beneg92 @relinowes

2. MLB and SM
• @MLB
• Facebook Fan Page
• Pinterest: MLBAM
• Google+ and Live
Statistics

3. Twitter: @MLB
• 2,547,161 Followers
• +40,000 Tweets
• Post Photos, Links,
and News
• Utilize Trending
Tweets
• Interact With Big
Name Users

4. Facebook.com/MLB
• 4.2 Million Likes
• Posts Mostly
Pictures with Links
• Ask For User
Engagement
• 2nd Most Active
Vehicle

5. Google+: +MLB
• +1,403,009
• In 1,375,412 Circles
• Not Used as
Frequently
• Post photos with
Links

6. Pinterest.com/MLBAM
• 14,557 Followers
• 23 Boards, 544 Pins
• Strictly Photos
• Newest and Smallest
Medium

7. Effective Use of SM
• Linking Between
Platforms
• Individual Teams with
Individual Platforms
• Expansive Content
Curation
• Incentive For Users
• All Media directs to
MLB.com

8. Members Only Campaign
• “9/20/12 It begins”
#MLBMembersOnly
• Encouraged People to
“Follow Before It’s Too
Late”
• MLB Closed Twitters to
“Members Only”
• Gave away prizes

9. Members Only Campaign
• +8,000 New Followers in <24 hrs
• +4,000 Hashtag Mentions and +5,000
Mentions @MLB
• Created Anticipation for Upcoming Playoffs

10. Why Use Instagram
• Fan engagement
• Behind-the-scenes access to professional sports
teams and athletes
• Constant communication with fans
• Visual, fun, viral
• For athletes, these are photos by the actual
athlete on and off the playing field.
• Creates a stronger connection with fans

11. Instagram’s Notable Follower’s List:
Sports
@tonyhawk @jimmiejohnson @clint_dempsey
@kingjames @shawnjohnson @kellyslater
@carmeloanthony @celtics @julianwilsondotcom
@dwaynewade @nyknicks @tpolamalu
@trey5 (Kevin Durant) @chicagobulls @ochocinco
@serenawilliams @okcthunder @floydmayweather
@dallasmavs @mike_tyson
@bmdc27 (Matt Kemp)
@lakers @jeremymcgrath2
@kaka
@miamiheat @travispastrana
@sacamentokings
@milwaukeebucks @lewishamilton
@philadelphiaeagles
@kcchiefs
@patriots
@49ers
@nhl
@nhlbruins
@nyrangers
@buffalosabres
@gopro

12. MLB & Instragram in Sports Illustrated
Since spring training, SI contributor Brad Mangin has been snapping
pictures of MLB ballparks with his iPhone 4S, using a filter to give them an
old-time feel.

13. July 23, 2012, issue featured a six-page spread of images
processed using Instagram from contributing
photographer Brad Mangin.
Mangin spent a few months shooting with his iPhone 4S
at spring training and major league ballparks in the
West, then posting the resulting photos to his own
Instagram feed (@bmangin) as well as Sports
Illustrated‘s (@SportsIllustrated).
Terry McDonell, editor of the Time Inc. Sports
Group, says that putting some of those images in
the physical magazine was a decision born out of
social networking’s impact on media and
journalism.
“This week’s Leading Off reflects the ‘socialization’ of
photojournalism,” McDonell told Mashable in an email.
“Great pictures, with intimate access to the MLB, shared
with Instagram.”

14. During each week of the season an official NFL blog collects and curates the best Instagram
photos from our NFL photographers.
Each week, NFL selects two teams for a “Social Media Showdown,” encouraging fans to use
the team’s hashtag on Instagram and other platforms and compete off the field for most
favorites/likes/tweets.

15. A regular feature titled, “#PatsGameFace”, which showcases some of the best game faces
from young Patriots fans, sporting their favorite team’s gear.

16. Nick Kioski, Director of New Media and Technology for the Los Angeles Lakers:
“Basketball is a visual medium and Instagram is a useful tool for showing everything that
goes on... It is more than just a means to push out our photo content… Extends our reach
and photos have a longer shelf life on Instagram than they would purely as a tweet….So
much of what we market as a team is an experience and that can be shown so much better
and more tangibly through images.”

17. The Celtics understand the impact a powerful photo can make. They rally their fan base and
inspire confidence through social media.
One of the top Instagram brands in the world.

18. • Peter Stringer, Senior Director of
Interactive Media, snapped a
photo of a simple message on the
dry erase board in Celtics’ locker
room after Game 6 of Eastern
Conference Finals vs. Miami
• A motivational message from the
coaching staff to players, and by
sharing that picture with fans on
Instagram, sent a message of
hope to a fan
• Simple, raw and powerful.
• Insider access and emotional
marketing.

19. Howard Jacobs, Madison Square Garden’s executive vice president of sales and marketing,
says Instagram is a natural fit for sports teams.
Sometimes the players themselves often take over the feed, posting photos from inside the
locker room or on the plane ride to their next game.

20. April 21, 2012: NY Rangers vs Ottawa Senators pivitol playoff game at Madison Square Garden
Six popular Instagram photographers were brought in to document the game with a social media twist.
The honorary photographers were picked for being especially popular on the network.
Each has between about 80,000 and 200,000 followers.
During and after the game, their photos will be found on Instagram via the hashtag #NYRDelta, in albums posted
to Facebook and on the Rangers’ official fan site.

21. Olympic Athletes’ Hub aggregated the Twitter and Facebook streams of Olympic athletes
and served as the window to all of the IOC’s other social endeavors.
Instagram has also collaborated with the IOC on a special section for the hub called “Faces of
Olympians” which collects photos taken of the athletes during the Games.

22. • Athletes post behind-the-curtain shots that give their
followers previously unimaginable levels of Olympic
access.
• Fans share photos from venues and landmarks as
individual keepsakes, and to share memories with
friends who aren’t in London.
• Journalists upload casual Instagram shots to go along
with their more traditional news-gathering tasks.
• More than 650,000 photos have been posted with
the #olympics hashtag.
• More than 263,000 have been uploaded with the
#london2012 hashtag.
• And a whopping 27,000 photos have been shared
with the hashtag, #michaelphelps.
• More than 7,600 photos were posted from Olympic
Stadium.

23. THE RED BULL KING OF THE
ROCK INSTAGRAM CONTEST
• Red Bull King of the Rock is a one-on-one
basketball contest with 64 of the world's best
players.
• Red Bull hosted an Instagram photo contest to win
an all-inclusive trip for two to the 2012 Red Bull
King of the Rock Finals scheduled to be held in San
Francisco
• To enter: take a picture of you holding a basketball
in the most unexpected or surprising location you
can think of to play ball.
• Upload the photo to your Instagram account and
caption it @redbullSFO #TakeMeToTheRock

24. •Multiple SM Curation Campaigns
•Use of Hashtags to crowd source
•A visual representation of twitter
•Offer incentives for IG use

25. #Pictober

26. #FlyWitness

27. #IStandUpFor

28. Josh Lukin
@CoffeeOn3rd
Klout: 58
Director, Club Initiatives - MLB
Advanced Media
Facebook = network among friends
Twitter is broader
Instagram is the visual interpretation
of that
Sports Brands Unique because fans
already exist

29. Curation Tools:
•Statigr.am
•Ink361.com
•This Is Now: now.jit.su

30. Katie Richman
@ESPN_ProdGirl
Klout: 62
Director of Social Media Strategy at
ESPN
Inside Scoop: Disney in Talks with IG
Stresses importance of content
curation
Sports is the #1 topic on SM every
day. How can we harness that?

31. Tariq Ahmad
@tariq_ahmad
Klout: 55
Professor of SM at Columbia
University
Founder of #SMSportsChat
“It gives fans the opportunity to show
why their team is the best”
Find a Niche
Learn HTML

32. Jameson Fleming
@JamesonFleming
Social Media Editor: CBS Sports
Stressed in instant nature of sports
coverage.
“Advertising in other industries isn't
about getting consumers to purchase
something right now, it's about
making consumers subconsciously
choose your brand when the need to
buy the product arises.”

33. Shanna Bright
@shannabright
Provides SM strategy to sports
brands
Criticizes Instagram
No two-way communication
Not enough features
Can’t manage from Hootsuite
No web presence ... until now

34. How can YOU use Instagram?
•Post Smart
•Find a niche
•Curate