My Take: Sports Teams on Google+
November 16, 2011 at 6:19 pm | Posted in Facebook, Google, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 4 CommentsTags: G+, Google, Google Plus, Googleplus, Sports Marketing
Last week, Google+ launched its brand pages and a few sports teams came along with it.
When G+ came along last summer, I was admittedly excited (with a dash of GoogleWave skepticism). It was fun trying to get and then giving out invites and there was a lot of anticipation about what the platform would offer. Then we all got on and played around with it. Posts and conversations soon focused on “Is there anything happening here?”, and then people maybe checked back once a week or so – if that.
Behind the scenes, G+ wasn’t ready for brands and shut down any Profiles that were brands. It was a bit of a gong show, but it did build anticipation for what the Brand Page experience would be like.
So – here’s my take on sports teams on G+…
First off, I would have (and recommend) to hold off for now. There’s no rush here.
Don’t get me wrong – a big part of me is excited to get teams busy here and the tech-side of me is keen to do it. But remember – this is a Marketing initiative. Why are teams on Facebook? Because their fans are on Facebook. I’m not sure the same is true of G+ with numerous articles (here’s a good one) that have my wonder if G+ is really the right market at this point in time.
Yes, building a G+ Page is cool – but is it smart marketing?
Another big factor with G+ is how it affects search. It seems obvious that Brands with a G+ page will rank higher in Google searches. But consider that from a sports team perspective – is ranking your team site, which has corporate partners invested in it, lower than a social networking site really a good idea?
Given the heavy load of content production, customer service and good old engagement required from a small digital staff, is layering on another social network from the ground up a wise investment of time?
I see less and less of teams actually using social media in a social way. There is increasingly less interaction with the Brand. Teams need to think fans first with Facebook and respond to their comments, answer questions, thank them for their photos. Teams on Twitter should be spending as much as 2/3rds of their tweets on @replys to fans.
Simply using social channels to drop links to your team site is not the point here. These are social networks.
Don’t forget how we got here in the first place.
Get a Twitter Handle on that Jersey
November 7, 2011 at 5:57 pm | Posted in Branding, Social Media, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 4 CommentsTags: Jersey, Sports Marketing, Twitter
I really enjoy the consulting work I do with teams.
But sometimes, I’d like to have the opportunity to “own” a brand and market it. This is one of the first things I would do…
Recently, an article hit the web about a Mexican football (soccer) team that replaced player names with their Twitter handles on the backs of their jerseys. Cool idea, I thought – but couldn’t see it happening in major league sports. But it gave me an idea…
I’d start giving away jerseys to my teams’ Twitter followers with player Twitter handles on the backs. Same home or away jersey, use the players real number but instead of their last name on the name plate, place their Twitter handle there instead…
@Mark_Sanchez on the back of a NYJ jersey
@RealStamkos91 on the back of a TB Lightning jersey
@dfreese23 on the back of a St. Louis Cardinals jersey
Give a few of these away, and watch other tech/social savvy fans get on board… imagine how many @BizNasty2Point0 jerseys would get moved…
What do you think? Here’s your free idea of the day…
Who Follows NHL Teams on Twitter?
July 18, 2011 at 5:48 pm | Posted in NHL, Sports Marketing, Twitter | Leave a commentTags: Demographics, NHL, Twitter
You might consider this an unofficial “Guest Post”…
Thanks to Pat Coyle of ColyeMedia
[Via Coyle Media]
The Social Media Honeymoon is Over
June 20, 2011 at 3:37 am | Posted in Blogging, Branding, Digital Strategies, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter | 1 CommentTags: Facebook Plateau, Social Media, Social Media Douchebag, Social Media Rock Star
I’ve been wanting to write this post for some time now. So here goes…
Like you, I’ve seen a number of blogs and article criticizing social media “experts”, “gurus” and the like – and they are well deserved. Social is hardly new – and though it is still new to some, that’s ok. Some people are new to driving, oysters or gardening. This hardly makes these practices and interests unimportant. We’re simply seeing the demise of the 1st wave of social media as the answer, and all the excitement and opportunity within the social space that must inevitably stare ROI right back in the eye (pun completely intended).
Some humorous examples of these criticisms here, here and here.
It didn’t help that (some of) this 1st wave of social media types took to calling themselves rock stars. It made some sense at the time – remember when Facebook had “Fans”? And with the dizzying rates of new users, various social start-ups and “game changing” events – who can blame them.
But this time is long gone now. Trending is great. Lots of Followers and Likes are fantastic. But it’s hardly enough to be remotely noteworthy any longer. Social media is a marketing channel – like any other. Its digital. It can be really cool. But it needs to factor in some ROI. Big time.
Those of you who’ve read me for a while know this – I’ve spoken on my position previously, once or twice.
I’m a little weary of brands that position social so close to the core of their digital assets – I’ve seen a number of TV ads that give a Facebook page as the digital destination. There are an increasing amount of articles featuring stories of Facebook plateaus and user rates that are dropping.
Social is hardly “done for” – but the role it plays and the impact it has, is having and can have is changing. Social is what we make it, every post, tweet or status update.
Social is a place – a dynamic place. But it’s not the only place. Use it wisely…
Twitter Matters More (…and More)
June 8, 2011 at 3:04 am | Posted in Mobile, Social Media, Twitter | 1 CommentTags: Apple, iOS5, Mobile, Twitter, UFC
Twitter used to be a distant second to Facebook not very long ago as far as social media platforms go.
Most teams have a “twitter too” policy, and some have only recently launched a presence there after a few years of activity on Facebook. Yesterday’s announcement regarding a deeper integration of Twitter with the new Apple iOS5 merits a closer look at just where Twitter is at.
Twitter is perfect for mobile – and mobile is simply where the internet is going (Ha!). Apple’s adoption of Twitter makes a difference – and it will drive new users. This adds to the 200M+ users (that’s over 65M tweets a day) – these are serious numbers. Arenas are getting increasingly wired to accommodate mobile use, and there are vast numbers of fans tweeting during games on their smart phones.
Twitter also launched a new “Follow button” which simplifies the follow process – much like a FB “Like” button, increasing the social aspect of the web.
Lastly, players and athletes are prominent Twitter users. When’s the last time you saw a player send a message on Facebook that was quoted on Sports Center? Twitter is the platform of choice, for sure. Expect to see more of this, and as player accounts draw considerable attention, I expect to see teams interacting more and more with players moving forward. Don’t believe me? Check out the UFC’s Twitter policy for bonuses.
So a word to sports teams – invest in Twitter. In fact, make Twitter a priority. It already is for your fans and your players.
Drill Down: Social Media Solution Selling
October 28, 2010 at 2:39 pm | Posted in Business Development, Facebook, Sales Methodologies, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 2 CommentsTags: Facebook, Social Media, Solutions Selling, Twitter
I’m all for short, sharp, blog posts. I touched on some big issues in my last post, and some of the bullets need to be drilled down.
Probably the most important aspect of social sales is determining what the goals of the sponsor/partner are. There are several variables involved and a number of factors to consider. For example…
Does the sponsor have an existing social presence?
What is their strategy? Do they even have one? Is the existing focus on customer service, or loyalty, or engagement? Something else? Do you they look to you for thought leadership? Are they in social because they feel they need to be or because it’s part of their marketing mix? What is the size of their current social population? What platforms do they use (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc…)? What kinds of resources are responsible for running/administering their social media activities? How does social fit into the rest of the organization?
What are the goals of the social sponsorship?
What will make the promotion successful for the sponsor? To grow their friends/followers? Drive traffic to their website? Awareness of new products/services? Launch a social media campaign? Brand/team alignment? Track the promotion via key words or coupons? Is the social component tied to existing activations? How long should it run for? What sorts of initiatives have they done in the social space before and what were the outcomes?
These are all important considerations and “must ask” questions required to build successful deals. Again, these aren’t rate card/commodity sales – they are solutions.
Hello, New Twitter! Goodbye, Background Image…
September 23, 2010 at 10:37 am | Posted in Sports Marketing, Twitter | Leave a commentTags: Background Images, New Twitter, Twitter
Timing is everything.
Right on the heels of my last post about the importance of maintaining digital consistency between Twitter, Facebook and your team website; then along comes the news that the upgraded Twitter platform or #newtwitter will pretty much wipe out any customized background image in place.
A good article on it here.
There is little doubt that the upgrade will be bringing with it a slew of very useful features (analytics, multi-media, redesigned interface…) but it looks as though one thing that will be lost is the ability to upload a customized background. Many, many marketers have leveraged this opportunity in the past and I have frequently driven home the message myself that teams need to use this space to extend their marketing reach here…
So – you are going to lose your custom background sometime soon. It’s a rolling/random upgrade so you never know when exactly, but it will be sometime between tomorrow and the next few weeks. Better get prepared…
- Do nothing… wait and see what it looks like
- Some background will remain, but not very much
- Prepare an interim background
- Use at least team colors
- Try some designs that utilize the border
This is going to happen soon – so don’t get caught off guard. This is a constantly changing space… it is important to quickly seize opportunities but also, perhaps even more importantly, to react swiftly and respond to changes.
If you have some new solutions in place – please let me know!
UPDATE (September 24, 2010):
I was just upgraded to the new Twitter. Here’s a screen shot. The black background is the space you will have to work with…
Social Marketing Consistency
September 16, 2010 at 10:27 am | Posted in Branding, Digital Strategies, Facebook, Twitter | Leave a commentTags: Branding, Social Media, Sports Marketing
When I start a social media project with a team, one of the first and easiest things that sports teams should do with their social media sites is focus on digital and social consistency.
Your social spaces should have as much of the same look and feel as your website. This is a lot easier to do with Twitter, but there are ways to make your Facebook page fall into line with your website.
Just like the rest of your marketing efforts, your social spaces should reflect the same level of consistency in appearance. Here’s an example:
Check out Minnesota Wild‘s website and compare that to the Wild’s Twitter profile and the Wild’s Facebook page.
If they don’t look the same – the first question should be “why”? In most cases, there hasn’t been enough attention placed on integrating the look and feel of these platforms. Social media has moved from an after-thought or value add space to a front/center position. So by now, if a teams’ social spaces do not share a consistent look it reads as sloppy or second class. The only reason that a teams’ social spaces do not share any consistency is because that is a part of a larger strategy at work.
Beyond the Team: Social Media and Sports Management
July 20, 2010 at 1:07 pm | Posted in Branding, Content Management, Facebook, Marketing, Personal Brand, Social Media, Sports Marketing, Twitter | 1 CommentTags: Athlete Representation, Online Branding, Online Identity, Social Media, Sports Management, Sports Marketing
The list of benefits for sports teams to be active in social media is clear:
- Marketing
- Fan engagement
- Sponsorship activation
- Monetization/ROI
Who else in the industry can benefit and how?
The past few years have seen the athletes/players themselves participate in social media on their own accord. Shaq being one of the first and most infamous on Twitter. Dozens of pro athletes have followed and built huge followings along the way.
The key here is “on their own accord”. Athlete as celebrity status provides these players with the opportunity to comment on news and events, or anything else the rest of the Twitterverse chooses to tweet about. In fact, the recent experience surrounding Twitter and NBA free agency really proved the medium had arrived and mattered as traditional media took a back seat to the goings on.
The Next Wave: Sports Management Companies and Player Associations
Now that teams have incorporated the social space as an important part of their marketing mix, sports management companies and player associations would be wise to do the same on behalf of their clients. Online identity and brand are of huge and increasing importance, and there are opportunities for sponsorship, promotion and PR that are largely un-managed and underdeveloped.
I realize that every player out there may not wish to be updating their Facebook profile or tweeting about their pre-game preparations – and this is not really required, but it is savvy, smart and time to develop an online identity and brand strategy… now.
This should be a priority for sports management companies and player associations alike.
2 Quick Thoughts
July 1, 2010 at 1:54 am | Posted in Facebook, NHL, Social Media, Twitter | 1 CommentTags: Facebook, NHL, Twitter
1. A follow up on my NHL Draft on Twitter post
There was a ton of info and images pushed out from teams at the draft – at least on the first round. I believe that all in all there was a great deal of good content that gave followers a sense of what was happening on the floor and around the arena.
Highlight of the event: Sponsored tweets from @NHL and Enterprise Rent-a-Car for each of the 30 draft announcements. An innovative activation in this space, and a few promo codes were provided for followers as well.
2. Facebook and Twitter Integration
You have always been able to coordinate your Facebook status update with your Twitter feed – which in my opinion is not a good idea. They are two separate platforms with different capabilities and benefits. Making them redundant is not a good idea – why would someone follow your team on Twitter if the Facebook status update was the same? But that’s not the point here…
The point is – Facebook now lets you see which of your Friends have a Twitter profile as well. This is a big step and should help to increase team Twitter populations and the overall Twittersphere in general. Unfortunately, we have seen more of the FailWhale as well.
This integration deserves a longer separate post – stay tuned for ideas on that.
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Carson McKee,
Digital wing man and social media consultant. -
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