Public Relations in

Collegiate Sports

A Guide to Manage Social Media for

Collegiate Athletics

By Alyson Jones

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Public Relations and Collegiate Sports

A Guide to Manage Social Media for Collegiate Athletics By Alyson Jones ENG 321: Writing II: Beginning Technical Writing Instructor Tracy Dalton November 11, 2015 Missouri State University Springfield, MO (Cover photo: http://capemaysocialmedia.com/.)

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Table of Contents List of Illustrations ............................................................................................................................................ iii Abstract .............................................................................................................................................................. iv Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Facebook for Collegiate Athletics ................................................................................................................... 2

Have a Game Plan ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Keep a Continued Conversation ................................................................................................................. 3 Invite Everyone ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Get Players Involved ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Contests .......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Automation .................................................................................................................................................... 5 Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Twitter for Collegiate Athletics ........................................................................................................................ 6

Have a Game Plan ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Tweet Content ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Engage your followers .................................................................................................................................. 8 Hashtags and Retweets ................................................................................................................................. 8 Get Everyone Involved ................................................................................................................................ 9 Tracking Success .......................................................................................................................................... 10 TweetDeck ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Periscope ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 Overview....................................................................................................................................................... 11

YouTube for Collegiate Athletics .................................................................................................................. 12

Have a Game Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Make a Channel ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Video Content .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Engaging Fans .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Overview....................................................................................................................................................... 14

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 15 References ......................................................................................................................................................... 16

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List of Illustrations Missouri State Facebook Homepage ............................................................................................................. 2 Lady Bear’s Pregame Locker Room Huddle ................................................................................................ 3 Pregame Football Pictures ............................................................................................................................... 3 Softball Christmas Countdown Video ........................................................................................................... 4 Bookstore Sales Infographic ........................................................................................................................... 4 Softball Game Infographic ............................................................................................................................... 5 Shared Link from News-Leader ........................................................................................................................ 5 Missouri State Twitter Profile ......................................................................................................................... 6 Cross Country Infographic .............................................................................................................................. 7 Track Team at Meals-A-Million ...................................................................................................................... 8 Volleyball Game Infographic .......................................................................................................................... 8 Soccer Team Supporting Field Hockey ......................................................................................................... 9 Tweet Activity ................................................................................................................................................. 10 TweetDeck ....................................................................................................................................................... 10 Periscope .......................................................................................................................................................... 11 Football Summer Workout Video ................................................................................................................ 12 Fan Hype Video .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Best Sports Moment Video ........................................................................................................................... 14

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Abstract Public Relations in College Sports: A Guide to Managing Social Media for Collegiate Athletics By Alyson Jones

Collegiate athletic programs must understand how to manage social media to create a positive perception to the general public and develop a solid fan base. This guide reveals the arsenal of social media in collegiate athletics and the proper procedure to manage them each. Social media is a necessity in the athletic communication arena, and proper management is the key to gaining a loyal following and reaching success. Facebook offers a new and efficient approach to targeting and reaching fans like never before. Developing a successful page, creating content, and engaging fans can be the ultimate game changer for media presence. Twitter is the newest phenomena that captures the digital age in a brilliant way. The 140 character, tweet building application allows for information to be passed rapidly among fans. The efficiency of Twitter allows play-by-play updates, relatable content sharing, and a nucleus for all other forms of media. Lastly, YouTube is the largest video sharing network ever created. The ability to produce, share, and engage the visual eye is crucial. YouTube also plays a role as the home for other social media outlets to link, content, and share content. By understanding the basic features of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, developing a solid media strategy for your collegiate sports team will be obtainable.

Keywords: collegiate athletics, social media, public relations, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

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Introduction College athletic departments are always looking to be at the cutting edge and currently, this means putting a lot of importance on social media marketing efforts. Coaches use social media to help recruit players and promote their program, while athletic departments can use the various platforms to connect to fans and media members. With more than 800 million people on Facebook, 300 million people on Twitter, and 1 billion users on YouTube, it makes sense that athletic departments gravitated to the three most popular social media platforms. A few of the most important reasons are to build a relationship with fans, promote the program, and serve those who are dedicated to the university. Social media can be one of the biggest hassles when it comes to athletic communication management. It tends to act as a double-edged sword, so it must be handled with fragility. In this digital society, the effects of poor media management can be detrimental and long lasting. The skills to maneuver and manage social media are among the most important when hiring a person to an athletic communication department. After some extensive research and studying, I have developed a guide that will tour you through three of the most popular social media used by collegiate athletic programs. You will discover the tips and tricks to Facebook, master the madness behind Twitter, and use YouTube to your biggest advantage. By understanding how each medium functions, the features involved in each, and the correct game plan for each, you can manage social media effectively. Managing social media successfully can build a loyal fan base, engage the university, and represent the university with maximum positivity.

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Facebook for Collegiate Athletics It is an easy task to find passionate collegiate athletic fans. They are everywhere, waiting to become involved with his/her favorite sports team. Your goal is not only to engage fans, but to turn them into super fans that will buy tickets, hats, shirts, any anything else with a logo on it. Facebook offers a new and efficient approach to targeting and reaching fans like never before. In the digital age, the ability to reach fans has exploded so much that if you do not take advantage, you

could lose prospected or current fans. As the channels of communication continue to grow, the goal is to reach people on any and every device that they may obtain.

Have a Game Plan In the world of sports, having a game winning strategy is pertinent at any level. Just like a typical sports team, a plan in developed to aim toward success. There are rare opportunities when raw talent beats a solid game plan. Unless you have the Michael Jordan of Facebook, you must sit down and develop a strategy with your athletic communication team. First, you must determine what you want to achieve with your use of Facebook. If it is solely fan participation and engagement, you will focus on components such as likes, comments, photo submissions, and click through of other content. You will learn and discover new ways to make your page more presentable like the official Missouri State University profile page shown below. It is also important to establish the type of content you will post and how often it will be done. Brainstorm ideas for daily, weekly, or monthly features that will attract viewing and build a strong following for your page. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new techniques. You could trial new ideas involving posts of the week, photos of the month, trivia, or some type of interactive videos. The options are endless when it comes to engaging fans, so it is crucial to have a variety and mix of ideas. Establish goals, stick with them, and monitor Facebook Insighter to see how all your hard work will gain success.

The Facebook header for Missouri State Bears official athletic home profile. (Source: https://www.facebook.com/missouristbears/)

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Keep a Continued Conversation It is important to keep in mind that the off days are just as important as the game days. You need to fuel excitement leading up toward every game, while providing an insight on the event. With the accessibility of the Internet and Facebook, fans can read through content all day long. An important task is to discover the high traffic times on your Facebook page. Once this is determined, you can launch more content during this specific timeframe. Some solid posting strategies would be to use content that sparks fan opinion. Fans will have time to digest and interact with what you post leading up to the contest. Comment threads will build as interaction among fans prospers based on connection and feedback. Keeping in mind that the Internet traffic tends to be slower during the 9-5 working hours of the day (Brantley, 2011, p. 3). The Facebook newsfeed is designed in a way that does not require posting around the clock. As a rule of thumb, posting two to three times a day is the most effective. This is the perfect amount to raise awareness and engagement without overwhelming fans in a negative manner. Long-time fans want to be very involved with what is happening on the inside of the program. For instance, the picture above posted by the Missouri State Lady Bears Facebook page shows the team in the locker room before the game. It is important to post pictures of situations that could not be accessed elsewhere, like a team having dinner or preparing for a big game.

Invite Everyone No matter the location or playing field, it is imperative that each fan feels involved with every game. With thousands of fans from around the country, it is impossible for each fan to attend every event. The use of Facebook allows you to make sure that those who are left at home still feel a part of the big crowd. To do this, you can post photos of the tailgate parties, actual crowds, the physical ticket, coaches interacting, or the players warming up as shown (right) by the Missouri State Bears football account. Any image that will give a glimpse into the overall atmosphere is a winning selection.

The Missouri State Lady Bears basketball team pre-game locker

room talk. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/LadyBears

Pictures of Missouri State Bears football warmup before a game. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/BearsFootball)

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These photos could produce thousands of likes and shares that spread from fans to fans all across Facebook. Bringing the world to your venue is a goal that can be achieved through Facebook.

Get Players Involved College sports fans love the school they support, and also the athletes they watch game after game. In the collegiate sports arena, players have a harder time being introduced and publicized. The ability to reveal athlete’s personalities to fans can allow for a stronger connection among them. In a way, it humanizes the brand and allows interaction on a level past the game. If the players were not loved by the fans, the support would be very little. The interaction that you can create between fans and players not only helps the program, but the entire reputation of the university. You can create positive interaction and engagement at the press of your fingertips through Facebook. There are several effective techniques to getting players involved with your Facebook. You can release featured videos, give personal shout outs, spread holiday wishes, and add personal photos and facts. As shown below, Missouri State Softball player is delivering the Christmas countdown to young fan, Lexi, a 3-year-old cancer survivor. However, it must be noted that an individual player must never take control of this social media site. Everything must be appropriate and politically correct on every level. If a mistake is made, the effect can be very damaging to the athlete and program.

Contests Having contests allows fans the opportunity to win prizes they would not have access to otherwise. Missouri State Bookstore (right) announces store sales to everyone through their Facebook to draw more fans into their store. This type of use for social media has been very popular in the sports arena. All fans love a good, friendly competition that allows them a chance to get close to their favorite team. Teams can offer free tickets, free gear, or just the chance to come hang out with their favorite player. The contest can be as simple as a drawing or delivered as a competitive challenge to all. This allows a unique opportunity for the fans to get closer to you, but also for you to gather more information about the fans.

Madison Jones, for Missouri State softball delivers a Christmas countdown to young fan, Lexi, a cancer fighter. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/Bears Softball

A post by Missouri State bookstore informing fans of apparel sales. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/MSUbookstore

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This exchange will allow you to gather a more precise idea of what the fans want so you can tailor your approach to meet specific needs.

Automation Customization is important when it comes to engaging fans and growing a loyal fan base. However, automation software can be used to achieve timeliness without having to sit behind a computer all day. Sometimes a generic message can achieve success while being more efficient. The software features make it easier to plan, manage, and implement at certain times. Facebook automation software allows you to develop two types of Facebook messages. There is just a typical, basic post that you can set to help fill your wall. Information that will not change is best for this feature. This can include game start times, upcoming event reminders, or photos of players to celebrate birthdays (Brooks, 2013, p. 13). An example (right) of this automation is shown by the Missouri State softball Facebook to alert people that it is game day. These posts can be generated in one full batch and set up automatically to deliver at certain times. The fear of this feature is that the post will seem robotic, mechanical, or not genuine. However, automated posts varied with humanized material will allow great range for your page.

Overview

The most important guidelines to remember are to be authentic, be consistent, be responsive, and be positive. Your posts don’t always have to be about sports, such as the story of Missouri State softball player, Allie Alvstad, shown right. It is important to keep in mind that this is simply not just marketing for your sports team. Lastly, it must be reiterated that everything posted on the Internet is eternal to some capacity. This media is a representation of the coaches, athletes, every athletic program, and entire university. It is important that every post is edited or looked over prior to permanent placement. Establishing a chain of command or higher authority to evaluate content is very valuable in this department. However, the effective use of Facebook can be the fuel behind a raging crowd.

An MSU Bears infographic announcing the scheduled game times. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/BearsSoftball)

An article from the Springfield News-Leader about cancer survivor, Allie Alvstad, shared by the Missouri State softball Facebook profile. (Source:

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Twitter for Collegiate Athletics The social media matrix added an explosive tool with the recent addition of Twitter. Twitter has rapidly gained worldwide popularity, gaining millions of users since its first launch nine years ago. Twitter has several unique qualities that make it a social media necessity in collegiate athletics. Twitter is essentially a microblogging tool, which allows 140 character messages to be sent to your subscribers (followers). Your

tweets can contain, attach, and deliver different components that can fully maximize the character limit. Successfully managing a Twitter account for your collegiate sports team can take your marketing, fan base, and program to another level in the sports world.

Have a Game Plan With the responsibility of managing multiple social media accounts, the strategies tend to overlap. It is important to develop a specific strategy for each social media so you can monitor progress and achieve goals. Deciding the content and a general tweet calendar is an effective way to create organization. Once this is established, a pattern will be created that is recognized by followers. On your calendar, mark out dates for major events that are relevant to your audience or culture as a whole. Either have something to produce, or be on the lookout for ways to respond. Certain days be devoted to offer promotions, fan photos, or other contests. You will gain followers by this sense of consistency and trust through content and timeliness. As with most social media, the main goal is to gain a stronger fan base. Creating an account that clearly represents your program is crucial, as shown in the Twitter profile below for the Missouri State Bears. Luckily, this can be easily monitored by the amount of followers you obtain. If the goal is solely fan engagement, you will want to monitor the amount of retweets, favorites, and fan dialogue throughout your twitter page. Create new ideas and do not be afraid to experiment. Maximizing the spread of content seems to be the favorable source for maximizing followers. Luckily, there are tips and tricks to this craft that we will soon explore for doing just that. Ultimately, Twitter offers a feature of real time that is not seen in other social media. People can ask immediate questions, and answering in real time is a huge advantage. You must be aware, on guard, and ready for every opportunity that awaits. After you form an initial plan, your next step is to learn new tactics and techniques to help manage the media and reach your goals. Let’s explore the Twitterverse.

The Missouri State Bears official Twitter profile. (http://www.twitter.com/MissouriStBears)

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Tweet Content Planning a content strategy for Twitter is easier than any other social media platform because you are limited to 140 characters. There are several options and ideas to formulate tweets most effectively. This is what the audience wants to see, consequently, making it the most important line of duty. When arranging content, it is important to add variety to avoid predictability or loss of interest. When developing a tweet, ask yourself what can make this tweet more attractive, interesting, or readable. You may decide to ask a question, so you can engage followers and receive feedback. You may include a solid quote from a player or coach on a future event or previous effort. By simply adding a picture, video, or infographic, your tweet will become multidimensional. People tend to have a short attention span and rapidly skim through information, so you must attach something that will create attraction. Adding an element such as these will give your tweet the attention it deserves. Here are some other ideas that you can include to enhance your content:

Slideshows

Testimonials

News

Behind-the-scene peaks

Tips

Trending hashtags

Memes The most important element of content is the ability to attach links. Tweet links to content on your own site as well as university related news. For instance, once an introduction or recap of a game is posted on your university website, it can be attached and shared via Twitter. This will allow followers to click on the link, go to the website, and read the article just posted. As shown in the infographic above, Missouri State XC and Track and Field used a picture and attached the link to access the race live. This facet makes sharing information easier and convenient. Most likely, the articles written will include everything you want to say. The ability to attach a link will leave you with the responsibility to simply add a lead-in or hooker to catch the reader.

An infographic posted by Missouri State Track and Cross Country Twitter to inform fans of the MVC Championship race. (Source: http://www.twitter.com/MSUTrackXC)

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Engage your followers Fans are hungry for up to the minute information, and the Twitter feed satisfies the hungry. When anything related to your sports team is said or happens, it should probably be tweeted. By relaying the mood before or after games, it provides people with a true feeling of unity within the organization. Twitter has closed the gap between team and fan interaction, and as a result, fans don’t feel distanced anymore from the day-to-day happenings of their favorite team. An example of this is shown right, posted by the Missouri State Track and Field Twitter showing the team volunteering at Meals-A-Million. Live-tweeting is the most effective facet of Twitter. Fans can rely on their mobile device to get information about the sporting event, rather than being physically at the game. Give the fans play by play sequences, big moments, or periodical scores throughout the event. Regardless, there must be a reliant display of game information that could not be delivered elsewhere. Give followers a different perspective, or an insight into something with which they would not otherwise be familiar. Other strategies can include Q&A sessions, fun polls, or behind-the-scene looks into the organization. It is important that you remember to regularly check any mentions of your sports Twitter account. Twitter is all about making connections and having conversations. Doing so, you can interact with people better and respond to some requests of your followers. This will show the audience that you are interested in what they have to say. More than likely, they will share your content if you acknowledge them. Ultimately, by humanizing the sports team, offering access to teams through unique content, and making fans contributors, you can engage followers on another level.

Hashtags and Retweets The multi-media use of the hashtags has made it a necessity in the sports marketing world. On Twitter, the pound sign (or hash) turns any word or group of words into a searchable link. A hashtag is a simple way for people to follow a specific topic or trend. A hashtag is used to get certain exposure, engage with fans, and promote messages for your sports team. Developing a specific brand tag for your sports team is the most important facet of this feature. You will need to develop a general, main hashtag that can be used throughout all athletics. An example (right) of a primary hashtag used by Missouri State Volleyball via Twitter is #MSUBears. The most successful hashtags are specific, short, and

A picture posted by Missouri State Track and XC Twitter account of the team volunteering at Meals-A-Million. (Source: http://www.twitter.com/MSUTrackXC)

An infographic posted by Missouri State volleyball to tell fans about the next scheduled game. (Source:

http://www.twitter.com/MSUVB)

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identifiable. You can also develop secondary hashtags that are used for your specific sport. An example of some secondary hashtags for Missouri State include #MaroonNation, #MSUSoftball, or #SpeedyBears. The hashtag will allow followers to identify and share relatable content to keep the conversation continuous. Twitter enables fans to click on the hashtag and see all the tweets and information that pertains to that subject. Fans can share content which will lead to additional followers just by the use of hashtags. It is important to monitor popular trends and hashtags and use them to your advantage. Another unique feature of Twitter is the retweet. A retweet allows for information to be circulated to every follower you have. A retweet allows for information to be tweeted from your account, without being the author of that information. For instance, when you see something tweeted from another team account, you can retweet it which will then be delivered to each of your follower’s feeds. Retweeting can also allow fans to spread your information to reach a greater mass.

Get Everyone Involved A username or the @ symbol is how you are recognized on Twitter. Your username, or name that appears to the public, should be very precise and direct. Using the @ symbol will allow you to tag other accounts to your post. For instance, you can tweet directly to another sports team or tag specific people and they will see it. This tool works well to get people directly involved with your Twitter. For instance, if Sara Jones makes an incredible play in the outfield, you can tweet:

“What an incredible catch by @SaraJones in the outfield to conclude the seventh inning!” This will automatically tag the message to her personal account, allowing people to click on her username to get more information and follow her Twitter. Tweeting at athlete’s personal accounts will allow them to get directly involved in the action. Fans like to see interaction and play amongst their favorite players and social media. This will humanize the Twitter page and enable players and fans to interact to a small, controlled degree. You can also use the @ sign to tag other athletic teams at your university. Let’s say that you control the football Twitter for your university team. You can @ other sports teams and wish them good luck, congratulations, or just a shout out. A tweet (right) by Missouri State head soccer coach Jon Leamy was retweeted by the MSU field hockey account because he directed it to @MSUBearsFHockey to be displayed to all their fans and followers. This will create positive promotion for all sports teams and a media harmony for all to be involved in.

A photo posted by Missouri State Men’s Soccer of the team supporting the women’s field hockey team. (Source: http://www.twitter.com/MSUSoccer)

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Tracking Success One important component for any goal is the ability to track progress. Twitter offers three main tools that give you the ability to do just that. First, the account home serves as a Twitter report card. This feature tracks your high-level statistics from month to month for you. The image (right) shows a bar graph displaying tweet activity. It serves as a gallery of your greatest hits and spotlights your most successful tweets. It will also show you top influencers within your desired network. The second tool to use is tweet activity dashboard. This is where you will discover exact metrics of each and every tweet you conspire. You will know the exact number of how many times your tweet was seen, retweeted, liked, or replied to by users. The last tool is your audience insight dashboard. This contains valuable information about the people who follow your Twitter. You can track your following growth, and discover certain demographics and characteristics of your audience. The ability to use this tool effectively will help you meet the specific needs and interests of your audience. The diversity, complexity, and separation of an audience can make it hard to pinpoint particular characteristics, so any insight can help.

TweetDeck TweetDeck is an application used to track, organize, and organize on Twitter. It acts as a dashboard, allowing you to filter tweets in columns and manage multiple accounts if necessary. TeetDeck automatically updates with real-time, so there is never a need to refresh or update using additional clicks. The columns of this application are shown (right) by the University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball account. TweetDeck lets you keep track of multiple timelines or columns at once. You can customize and prioritize the columns based on what you need to see. A filter on TweetDeck is a way to polish your search to help you best find what you are exactly searching. Your columns can be limited to a specific

A graph that illustrates tweet activity, a way to track tweet success. (Source: http:www.twitter.com/tweetactivity)

A look at TweetDeck columns created by the University of

Connecticut athletic program. (Source: www.ovdrv.com)

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hashtag, keyword searches, accounts, lists and even more (Talty, 2011, para. 3). You can further focus those columns to only feature Tweets with images, video, any media, or links. For instance, you can set up a column to only display when people tweet a certain hashtag like #MSUBears. This will allow you to monitor what fans are saying, while you are in the middle of a sporting event. TweetDeck can also tweet, schedule a tweet for a specific time, or send direct messages. The automation facet of this application can save you time when you are in a crunch and deliver tweets as you are away from a computer screen. To receive TweetDeck, go to <www.tweetdeck.twitter.com> and sign in using your account. From there, click the search button to start creating columns and adding filters. Once a column is made, you can also go back and customize, add, or remove initial filters. You can arrange and order columns to more accessible and convenient for your use. This application is easy to use and will make your Twitter experience easier and more organized.

Periscope Periscope is a live video streaming app that was acquired by Twitter just last year. It can be downloaded directly to your playing device and casted to the world. Periscope users have the option to tweet out a link to their live stream. Every athletic communication department should use this application delivered through Twitter. Periscope will allow you to stream live sporting games as shown in the image right. People can click on the link and see the game playing live from their phone or computer screen. People viewing the broadcast can instantly send comments, and you can tap the screen to send a heart to the person broadcasting. These hearts accumulate on the video and are listed in a group that is seen as most trending. Periscope is a game changer because it allows fans that cannot make the event to still be involved and watch the game as it is occurring, like they are a fan in the stands.

Overview At this stage in the social media game, Twitter is the most successful sports marketing tool. The real-time interaction requires full dedication. It is essential to have a plan, implement that plan, and track the success. By using the available features and applications already provided by Twitter, it makes the job a little easier. The key to becoming a Twitter mastermind is practice, practice, practice. It may take several month or even years to build a strong following. Once that strong following is built, however, it will be there to stay. As with any media platform or sport environment, failure is always an option. Being creative and experimenting can be the ultimate key to a high performance in the media world. However, you must be mindful of the potential dangers of Twitter and how detrimental it can be to a program if abused. As the saying goes, “Go big or go home” and this is the mindset to have in athletics and social media management.

A person using livestreaming a game using Periscope. (Source: http://www.hispanicprblog.com)

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YouTube for Collegiate Athletics YouTube is another tool in your social media arsenal that can lead you to success. YouTube differs from other social media platforms because it does not require routine updates. This video distributing site allows you to post, share, and connect with fans on a whole new level. With the millennial and digital age,

the impact of visualization is crucial. YouTube allows you to capture the visual and audial attention of all your fans. By creating a variety of content, your video views and fan base will continue reach a new peak.

Have a Game Plan The strategy for your YouTube channel is not as strenuous as other forms of social media. This site does not require constant production or continuous attention. You must establish particular goals for your sports channel. This can include new subscribers, increased video views, or one huge breakthrough video. Luckily, YouTube can be supported by other social media to share videos and draw people to your channel with little effort. In this initial planning phase, it is important to discuss some parameters for your video content. You do not need specifics; however, it is essential to gather new ideas and have a plan for the future. You may decide certain occurrences for video production such as big games, featured players, or certain interviews. The image (right) shows a Bear Football All-Access with summer workouts. Video ideas will be diverse, with content ranging all across the spectrum. Establishing what videos may draw the attention and meet the needs of your audience is vital to the planning process. Decide what your channel stands for, and then you need to map out the different types of potential videos and the best times to release them. Promoting and optimizing your YouTube channel should be the main focus. With a site with millions of videos to choose from, you have to stand out to the crowd. Gathering your team and discussing future goals will allow everyone to be on the same page. From there, you can all work together to achieve the finish line of success.

A video of the Missouri State football summer workouts posted by the Missouri State YouTube channel. (Source: http://www.youtube.com/MSUBears)

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Make a Channel The first step is creating a channel that correctly displays what you are all about. Your channel must have the correct colors of your university, a picture of your team or logo, and a mission statement about the organization. The goal of your channel and intent must be made very specific so people know what to search and follow. This information can be updated and changed as time passes, however, it must always remain identifiable. The channel title must be the name of the university followed by the particular sport for example, “Missouri State Bears Basketball.” Once the channel is created, videos can be posted directly to YouTube and attached as a link to other social media. The video will ultimately gain the most views if it is channeled through other media. It is important that the channel has a welcoming appearances because the link will be brought up in the YouTube channel. You can monitor your followers by the number of subscribers to your channel. The subscribers will receive every video that is posted and be able to comment and share feedback.

Video Content Before making videos, you must make sure that your future content meets the goals of your team and engages the fans. Content is the most important feature of YouTube videos. Creative content can produce compelling videos that draws viewers, introduces them to your other content, and builds a loyal fan base. The most successful videos in collegiate athletics offer a unique story that has never before been told. Fans like to see an insight that goes deeper than just shared words but creates a visual. People want to see game highlights, player interviews, team activities, and hype videos. The image (above) is a fan hype video posted by the Missouri State Bears YouTube channel. First, you may want to do engaging pre or post-game interviews with athletes. This allows fans to get a feel for the real tone, personality, and physicality of athletes beyond the playing field. Viewers love to see athletes in their natural element while engaging on a personal level. Secondly, making videos that includes fans can encourage the community to get more involved with the program. Showing the fans what teams do outside of the sport through community activities, school activities, or fan gatherings is another successful content strategy. There are several instances where games will be dedicated to certain disabilities or sicknesses, and this can be used as a tool to really maximize what those mean to players. Fans want to see athletes getting involved with the community and giving back to those who support them. Fans love consuming videos, the numbers from YouTube are simply record breaking. By uploading sports videos, you give supporters the opportunity to be engaging with your team when they’re at

A fan hype video posted on YouTube and shared through the Missouri State Bears Facebook page. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/MSUfanhype)

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work, at home, or browsing on their mobile phone (Hipke, 2014, p. 23). It is important to produce videos that has clarity, structure, and functions toward a goal. There is never a bad time to record because you never know what you will catch.

Engaging Fans Videos offer an interactive and live feature that is different from other social media. It is important to use this feature to your advantage when engaging fans. By the use of video, you can announce contests, drawings, or big events within the organization. Videos allow you to directly call out to the fans and thank, ask, or acknowledge them verbally. This creates a connection that the fans truly enjoy and look forward too. Using special occasions or holidays can also be to your advantage. This video shown in the image below is a featured video of cancer survivor and student-athlete, Allie Alvstad. You can videotape coaches and athletes wishing happy holidays to the fans and community. Giving personal shout outs to fans, charities, and other sports teams is a good way to humanize the program (Reynolds, 2011, para 5). Some topics to address which will help get you started with engaging fans:

Identify the topics your viewers want. Determine your goals for your videos (and for each audience). Create appropriate content for each audience. Measure your videos' success with key metrics over time.

Lastly, fans love to get excited about sporting events. Content such as fans tailgating, pregame excitement, huge highlights, and pre-game hype, can get everyone pumped for the big events. The excitement created earlier in the week for a big game will carry over to the actual event. Engaging your fans in this manner could affect the athletic atmosphere in such positive ways.

Overview YouTube is directed toward the digital times, feeding the hungry audience what they crave. The ability to elicit sight, sound, and emotion is what makes this media source so successful. This media has an incredible reach because the content is shared through a variety of other media. You will be able to add the sense of personality and face to your collegiate sport through the production of video. The measurability, durability, and effectiveness of YouTube make it a tool that all athletic communication departments must be able to use and manage.

A tribute video to softball player, Allie Alvstad, posted on YouTube and shared through the Missouri State Bears Facebook page. (Source: http://www.facebook.com/BestSportsMoment)

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Conclusion As the Internet peaks to greater heights, the use of social media will live on. The ability to use social media is an essential skill needed by any athletic communication member or someone involved with public relations for collegiate athletics. Managing social media can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding components of collegiate athletics. The time, stress, and load can be tiring, but the rewards are so outweighing. The organization, fans, athletes, and entire university are affected by the work behind athletic communication. When any content is delivered to the masses, it is expected to represent the university with utmost prestige. Successful management is the most important duty for anyone involved with the athletic communication department. Being educated and well-rounded on the key features of each social media platform can help equip the program for maximum success. The complexity of social media offers several tools that can meet the diversified needs of an audience. By using Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube fully, the fan base will see an astounding increase over time. The accessibility and presence of social media has changed the dynamics of collegiate athletics. In order to stay in the game, managing social media must be done fully and correctly. The knowledge presented forward will further take your athletic program to another level against the competition and create a loyal fan base that beats all odds.

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References Brantley, W. (2011, November). Athletic communication: Clemson Athletics social media plan.

Brooks, C. (2013). Sports marketing: Competitive business strategies for sports. Englewood Cliffs,

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Hipke, M., Hachtmann, F. (2014). Game-changer: A case study of social-media strategy in big ten

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Reynolds, Sue. (2011, April 4). How to use YouTube for effective marketing. Business Insider.

Retrieved from www.businessinsider.org/youtube-for-marketing/

Talty, John. (2011, December 15). How social media effects college athletics. International Business

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