social media + athletics
let’s build excitement
NEW PALTZ
hawks

agenda + goals
overview of social media + tools
research findings
examples
review what you’re doing now
brainstorm new ideas

overview: tools & quick poll
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
blogs
flickr
Ning

Demystifying Social Media

social media in plain English
commoncraft.com

what’s it all about?
relationship building
interaction
community
informal

social networking
one aspect of social media
individuals in communities that share ideas, interests;
looking to meet people with same
most popular: Facebook & MySpace

Facebook
personal profiles + friends
status, wall, messaging
networks (companies, geographic regions, schools)
groups
applications
fan pages

blogs
online journal
commentary/news
conversations
idea sharing
* two-way conversation *

YouTube
video sharing
doesn’t have to be professional quality
tools/equipment available
can embed in blogs, Facebook

flickr
photo sharing site
sets, collections, tags
public/private
friends
can embed in blogs, Facebook

Twitter
microblogging
140 characters, like TXT messaging or mini IM
status updates
networking
can be automated
See: @newpaltz & @nphawks

Twitter
Examples in sports:
Shaquille O’Neal: http://twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ
Jason Richardson: http://twitter.com/jrich23
Lance Armstrong: http://twitter.com/lancearmstrong
Michael Phelps: http://twitter.com/Michael_Phelps
Detroit Red Wings: http://twitter.com/detroitredwings
ESPN’s Pardon the Interuption
Others

Ning
very much like Facebook
personal profiles + friends
groups
walls
forums
live chat
photos, videos

Ning: Example

concerns
loss of control
time commitment
information overload
“it’s a passing fad”
it’s “in addition to,” usually not “instead of”

best practices
Twittering team: Dartmouth College tennis
Fan community: cavfanatic.com
Athlete blog: benchwarmer frenzy
Team blog: Detroit Red Wings blog

what the research says
Lotame Innovative Data Report: Sports Enthusiasts in Social Media

what the research says
Lotame Innovative Data Report: Sports Enthusiasts in Social Media

what the research says
“ Social media is at the center of fan par2cipa2on
like we have never seen before. From fan blog
sites, to communi2es devoted to teams &
ac2vi2es, to social media groups devoted to
teams & athletes, to teams reaching out by
”
crea2ng social networks devoted to their most
faithful of fans.
Lotame Innovative Data Report: Sports Enthusiasts in Social Media

what you’re doing now
Coach blogs
gohawks.newpaltz.edu
Facebook Groups
athletics
wellness & recreation
Twitter (and you didn’t even know!)

what do you want to be doing
what are your goals?
increase fan support?
recruitment?
communicate w/ current student-athletes & their
families
others?

“ If you build it,
”
they will come.
Not with social media!
Start with a goal (or 2, or 3...).

what can you do?
go where your fans are
be passionate about your sport (not hard) + be
authentic
add social media to e-newsletters, business cards,
publications, programs, media guides, news releases,
e-mail signatures, blog, team sites
announce it at events

let’s build on
Coach blogs + student-athletes (~2 per team each
season)
Facebook Groups: recommit/re-energize, or abandon?
Twitter @nphawks: Add a human voice, create
accounts for coaches, student-athletes
Video: practices, live stream home events
Photos: team galleries
Let’s brainstorm

?
??
questions
Rachel Reuben
reubenr@newpaltz.edu
www.rachelreuben.com
Twitter: @rachelreuben