The numbers above were taken on 4/19/2011 from Twitter and Klout. The numbers for retweets and @ mentions are for the number of retweets and @ mentions a team has received. I’m not sure which type of retweet Klout counts (built in Twitter retweet function vs. using RT in front of a tweet) or if they count both. I wanted to include “average tweets per day” in this table but Twittercounter was acting strange and not giving me completely accurate data.

Take a look at some of the winners and losers below. Obviously the teams below aren’t true “winners” or “losers” since I have no idea how much money and resources these teams are putting into Twitter and what they’re getting in return in the form of sales and cost savings/avoidance, as well as whatever other goals they’ve set that Twitter is contributing to. I just thought it would be fun to look at these numbers.

Winners

• Followers – LA Lakers
• Klout – LA Lakers
• Retweets – LA Lakers
• @ Mentions – LA Lakers
• Tweets – Chicago Bulls
• Bonus – first to join Twitter – Portland Trailblazers (5/28/07)

Losers

• Followers – Atlanta Hawks
• Klout – Atlanta Hawks
• Retweets – Memphis Grizzlies
• @ Mentions – Atlanta Hawks
• Tweets – Memphis Grizzlies
• Bonus – last to join Twitter – Denver Nuggets (3/23/09)

Observations

It is interesting to see these numbers, but it would take a lot more research to dig in and see why the numbers are like this and what teams are doing well/not so well to move the needle. But here are a few observations:

• The Lakers are the second most profitable NBA team (valued at $643 million here vs. the Knicks at $655 million) but are dominating the Knicks and all other teams from a numbers perspective on Twitter
• Twelve teams have more @ mentions than retweets. Four teams (Magic, Heat, Bulls, Nuggets) have more retweets than @ mentions.
• The Chicago Bulls have 1/9 as many followers as the Orlando Magic, but they have six times more @ mentions.
• The average ratio of interactions (retweets + @ mentions) to tweets is 1.75
  • Tweets from the Lakers generate the most interactions per tweet – 5.7 per tweet
  • Tweets from the Trailblazers (despite being the first of these teams to join Twitter) generate the lowest number of interactions per tweet – .36 per tweet
• The Orlando Magic have the second most followers but the sixth fewest @ mentions. They rank seventh in retweets. They have a relatively low amount of interactions per tweet (.61). I’m not sure what they’ve done to gain such a huge number of followers. Any ideas?

It’s late and I’m tired, so I haven’t done much more digging to understand why the numbers are what they are. What other insights can you find in these numbers?

Next up: A look at NBA Playoff teams and their Facebook pages.

But how do you actually know if your social engagement efforts are successful?

Some have argued that it’s silly to ask for ROI or to measure things; after all you wouldn’t ask what the ROI of answering the phone is, would you? Or maybe you would.

My philosophy is that you have to be where your fans and enthusiasts are (if it fits with your goals and objectives). If people are talking about you and you’re not listening, responding and engaging with them, that’s bad business. But if you’re running specific programs, promotions and initiatives that require time, money and resources, you need to be measuring what’s working and what’s not working. Before you do that you need to set goals and look at how social media can support them by mapping metrics to these goals.

Ultimately, I believe in looking at a bigger picture (social, search and email factors and trends) to understand your online recognition and reputation and their impact on your business. It is kind of silly to look at things in silos, as social, search and email all are connected and can affect each other. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also look at what your specific social media initiatives are doing for you. While your company should create a customized measurement program that is based on real goals, here are six overall buckets to examine.

Business Metrics

There are tools out there that can help you link specific social media efforts to business outcomes. These are things such as leads, new email subscribers, sales and donations. I use a tool called Argyle Social for this. You can create campaigns and see which links/posts to social sites are driving the most conversions.

Depending on your goals, you may also want to be tracking other things (assign a value to them first), such as number of calls to customer service over time, number of new ideas submitted or the number of times people have given feedback on your products or services. Keep track of these things and look at how your social engagement has affected them.

Share of Voice and Sentiment

In social media, share of voice refers to the number of conversations about your brand vs. your competitors/market. To do this, you’ll want to use a monitoring program that can help you keep track of all conversations about your brand and your competitors over a given time period. When looking at all these mentions you’ll want to make sure to track which ones are positive, negative and neutral, so you can assign a weight to each of these categories and calculate your average sentiment. To get share of voice, you divide the number of conversations about your brand by the total number of conversations about brands in your market. Jay Baer has a great beginner’s guide to share of voice on his blog, and some useful spreadsheets to help you get started.

It’s good to keep track of share of voice and sentiment over time, so you can see how your social engagement and promotions are affecting your overall trends and use this information to make smarter marketing decisions. Also, if your sentiment/share of voice jumps or drops suddenly, then you’ll want to dig deeper to understand why.

Awareness

Building awareness may be one of your goals or jobs as a marketer. A few things that may help signal online awareness include:

• Amount of website traffic/site visits/page views
• Number of searches for brand terms
• Video and content views

Engagement

Engagement is the extent to which people interact with you and your content. Some signs of engagement include:

• Likes (of a Facebook page and of your content)
• Shares
• Mentions (positive, negative, neutral)
• Blog comments
• Ratings
• Retweets
• Email opens and clicks, complaints, etc. Don’t forget about email, as your participation on social sites can have a positive (or negative, if you’re doing it wrong) impact on your numbers here.

Influence

Influence is the likelihood that what you’re doing inspires action. Some signals of influence may include:

• Number of (and quality of) inbound links to your content
• Likelihood that emails drive actions
• Likelihood that Twitter links are retweeted or commented on
• Likelihood that Facebook posts will be commented on and liked
• Likelihood that content will be shared/liked (and to what extent)

Popularity

Online popularity is essentially just the number of people subscribed to your content. Some people always say it’s all about the quality of your following, not the quantity. That’s true to some extent; however if you’re looking for advertisers or sponsors to partner with on social programs, having 10,000 followers on Twitter looks a lot better than having 500. Some examples of  online popularity signals include:

• Number of email subscribers
• Number of followers on Twitter
• Number of members of a LinkedIn group
• Number of people who like your Facebook page

I hope these buckets serve as helpful starting points for you. Before starting a new program, make sure you understand your current numbers for this so you can see how things change over time.

What do YOU think about these buckets as starting points for social media measurement?

If you’d ever like help measuring your social engagement efforts, please feel free to email me (jason at ewaydirect dot com) or drop me a line on Twitter. At eWayDirect (where I work), we’ve developed something we call eMindshare, which helps you benchmark your online awareness and sentiment vs. your competitors and keep track of how you’re doing. If you’d like to know more, let me know.

Please see below for some questions and answers about the Panthers Purrsuit from Mike and Dana Thomas, Account Manager/Events Coordinator with the Panthers.

What is the Panthers Purrsuit?

The Panthers Purrsuit is citywide quest to discover new places, visit local businesses and non-profits, and connect with other Panthers fans. Team up with friends to find clues, complete challenges, earn points and win prizes – all while sharing the experience with friends via popular social networking sites.

What was the thinking behind launching this? Did anything that other teams/brands have done with social media inspire this?

We started talking about this in May when Scott Hepburn mentioned this concept over a coffee brainstorming meeting. He thought the Panthers could be a tour stop on this brilliant “road rally” concept he had thought up to get folks to interact not just online but in person with places around Charlotte. I thought it was a perfect (purrfect) way to get our fans in closer contact with our team partners, sponsors and non-profits and brought it back to our team internally who saw the potential in the event.

How are you getting the word out about the Panthers Purrsuit?

Mainly via social channels, our Twitter and Facebook pages, but also email, PR, and they’ll be Panthers radio ads and also ads in our GameTime program as well. So far at least one Panthers player, Everette Brown, has done a Youtube video inviting fans to participate and we are hoping for more support in that area.

How has social media changed the way you think about creating programs like this that engage fans?

From the sponsorship side, our partners really share a passion for Panthers football and they want to engage our fans that share that passion. Social media is a great bridge between traditional media (print, radio, tv) and interactive sampling that happens at and around games. Social is also measurable and helps start conversations as opposed to one-way messaging. Our sponsors have been asking for more ways to interact with fans and social media really helps make this possible.

I see that Allen Tate is a sponsor. How were they involved in creating this and how will they be involved on October 23rd?

Once we met internally as a team around the Panthers Purrsuit idea and decided it was an event we wanted to make happen, we had to have a sponsor that believed in social media as a medium to help cover the costs of such an event, the prizes, the T-Shirt, the food and beverages at the awards party. Allen Tate was the first company we looked to because of their adoption of Facebook, Twitter, and blogging. We also executed a Twitter contest last year with Allen Tate that netted some excellent results for them and for a lucky fan so we thought they might have an appetite for pushing the envelope a little further.

Registration for a team is $40 – what was the thinking in having people pay to register vs. letting them register and participate for free?

We have two main reasons for the entry fee. We believe the fans will find value in the event. It’s going to be a lot of fun to participate and fans will get a T-shirt for signing up and checking in, as well as an awards after-party where the teams can gather and have dinner and drinks and watch as the prizes will be handed out. Secondly with so many local partners involved we had to have a way for them to plan their day and how many people will show up. We have a defined start and end but lots of clues along the way. We need to plan exactly how many teams will show up an Allen Tate office or a Harris Teeter store (if those are clue stops, my lips are sealed) so that the brand staff can have a positive experience with them. So with an entry fee there is a commitment to participate.

What kind of prizes can people win by participating?

The grand prize is a trip to our Panthers vs. Steelers game in Pittsburgh with airfare, hotel and game tickets on 12/23. There will be many different prize categories from something as simple as Best Team name or best team costume. I hope nearly everyone goes home with something from the awards party whether that’s a trip to the ‘Burgh or a Panthers hat.

What are your expectations for this? What would make it a success?

First I hope we have all types of teams sign up. This is not only for social media addicts. This is for Panthers fans and fans of shows like the Amazing race. It’s not all social, but there are physical challenges as well. Then I want 100% of the challenge teams that participate to sign back up in 2011 when we have this again. The same for our partners because that will mean it will have been fun for the teams and a productive example for our partners that social media is not just online, but its real life.

—

Mike and Dana – Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions.

I hope you found their answers valuable and that they spark some thoughts on new ideas that you can try with your company or organization.

What do you think about the Panthers Purrsuit?

• why should fans care?
• why should teams care?
• why should athletes care?
• why should agents care?
• why should coaches care?
• why should colleges care?
• why should agencies care?
• why should properties care?

Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

Today’s topic is sponsors. Sponsors should care because social media can help them increase the effectiveness and reach of their programs and activation efforts. Social media can help them achieve their goals and reach fans in interesting ways at the stadium and beyond it. Everything online is measurable, so sponsors can see what is driving actions/activity they’re interested in.

See below for a few thoughts from other smart folks about why properties should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins – Social media gives sponsors a whole new medium to reach fans. The catch is the sponsors have to completely rethink how they approach fans in this medium. Talking at them isn’t going to work, so sponsors have to figure out how to start conversations with the end-consumer in a non-intrusive manner that leans more towards a conversation than it does advertising.

Dennis Allen – Social media provides sponsors a way to eliminate layers between them and their consumers. The real time assessment of their brand, product and strategy is invaluable in today’s world of global competition. Social media also affords them a way to be more personally involved with their audiences. As well as a method to get out in front of potential negative branding issues before they cause irreparable damage.

Anthony De Rosa – Sponsors, like properties need to connect organically on social media. They have to be here because that’s where the audience is.

Brian Gainor – Sponsors should care about social media because it serves as an additional channel to deliver and reap value from their property agreements. Sponsors can utilize social media as a cost-effective, engaging means to drive awareness for programs/promotional offers, drive traffic to microsites and URLs, stimulate discussion about products/team affiliation, capitalize on new inventory (owning social media channels), and seamlessly align with athlete endorsers (to name just a few). Properties are still in the early stages of developing and valuing their social media channels, so sponsors looking to make a huge splash with limited activation dollars should seek out this inventory now!

Lewis Howes – Sponsors should be looking at new ways to use social media in their campaigns in place of the traditional advertising methods. It’s no secret that people are becoming less trusting of companies and want to trust and interact with “real” people today. Sponsors should capitalize on that and come up with sponsorships that are personable to their consumers.

Ash Read – Social media allows sponsors to build up relationships with sports fans. Rather than just broadcasting their message they can provide interesting content, interact with fans and really build their brand through sponsorship. If a sponsor really wants to make the most from their sponsorship they should look into the possibilities of social media and digital activations. Sponsors shouldn’t try and use social media as a way to broadcast their brand name though, they should look to provide content that fans will appreciate and become a part of the community.

Brian Reich – The economy of eyeballs has been undermined by social media — its not enough to deliver a message, a brand now has to make a strong case for why their product is worth buying, address questions that consumers might have… and explain how their connection to an athlete or team can translate to an individual’s life. Sponsoring a sporting event and having your ads appear in the stadium or between segments of the broadcast won’t be enough. Fans get information from a variety of sources, and they look for more information than what is simply put in front of them before deciding to make a deeper investment. Sponsors make it possible for sports leagues to exist and games to be played, but social media gives them both an opportunity – and I would argue an observation — to add more to the fan experience, and the quality of the sports offering as well. They can use sports sponsorship as a venue to deliver a message about their commitment to a serious issues — and mobilize action among fans to respond and support a worth cause. They can add data and insight, through a lens that promotes their products or services — and in doing so demonstrate the value of their offering and commitment to creating a valuable experience for the audience. But they have to do something different if they want to realize a return on their investment.

Trevor Turnbull – Social media is all about building relationships. The success of a sponsorship agreement can be directly related to how closely tied their brand is to a team, athlete or event. Social media allows sponsors the opportunity to directly associate themselves to a sports team, athlete, venue or event. The influence that these entities have over their fan base can be directly attributed to the connection consumers might inevitably have with a sponsor.

Brendan Whilhide – Social media is a unique opportunity to reach your audience directly. Also, when done well, marketing via social media can have incredible results. See the recent Old Spice viral YouTube campaign as evidence of that.

Joseph Yi – To an extent, social media has changed the way that sponsorship deals have developed. No longer are online assets limited to banner placements and pre-roll advertisements on videos. Rather, sponsors are looking for ways to tap into the large distribution opportunities that social media provides. Because of social media’s sharing capabilities when sponsors look at areas like impressions, visibility, and the distribution networks that are possible, the opportunities are endless.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think sponsors should care?

It’s been a lot of fun putting this series together. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I have.

*photo credit – http://www.flickr.com/photos/spiros2004/3896658394/sizes/s/

• why should fans care?
• why should teams care?
• why should athletes care?
• why should agents care?
• why should coaches care?
• why should colleges care?
• why should agencies care?

Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

Today’s topic is properties. Properties can use social media in a variety of ways:

• drive awareness and get more butts in seats (sell more tickets to events)
• improve the fan experience before, during and after the event
• improve the experience for fans who are not able to experience the event in person (new content/monetization opportunities)
• increase the reach and effectiveness of sponsor activations to drive more sponsorship revenue

See below for a few thoughts from other smart folks about why properties should care about sports and social media.

Anthony De Rosa – Properties need it to brand themselves. Social media allows them the opportunity to connect with people in a organic way, if done properly.

Brian Gainor – Sports properties that assess social media primarily as a fan engagement tool and secondarily as a revenue-driver (direct/indirect) will experience the best results. Those who invest necessary time and resources to provide users with unique content (videos, pictures, stories), behind-the-scenes access, promotional offers, and insights will attract a multitude of avid fans online. This is in turn will help formulate new fan databases, deliver new promotional inventory for sponsors, serve as a means to drive traffic to merchandise/ticket/suite sales, and help maintain brand relevancy 365 days per year. Twitter and Facebook also help teams monitor real-time fan feedback, promote individual players’ brands and charities, demonstrate a tech-savvy corporate culture, and interact directly with both avid and casual fans all across the world. The opportunities are endless with social media!

Ash Read – Social media can generate more exposure for sponsors. In my social media interview with Real Madrid I learned that some club partners now prefer exposure on the clubs social media profiles (mainly Facebook and Twitter) to the official Real Madrid website. When putting together a sponsorship proposal or package properties should put a focus on digital rights and opportunities – this is something which is often overlooked. However, before properties can build social media into proposals they first need to build up their social media profiles and following; sponsors want eyeballs and being put in front of 20 Twitter followers probably won’t make them stand up and take note. If properties can allow sponsors to become part of a vibrant and large community then this becomes a great opportunity for sponsors.

Brian Reich – The people who build ballparks and design arenas are looking to create the ultimate fan experiences, and maybe to provide a team with home field advantage as well. The game unfolding on the field will always be the primary attraction, but in the digital age, and a socially enabled world, the experiences that fans have is not limited to what they can see from their seats. We are always connected, have access to more information than what is available on the scoreboard, and welcome the observations from those who are attending or watching the same game, at the same time. Just as social media creates the possibility of building a community around any event, properties should recognize the experience they must now create should be socially-enabled also. Give fans a way to interact with the building. Make connections between those inside an arena and those participating from afar. Capture and share the total experience that the gathering of fans makes possible, and use it as a way of enhancing the product (sports) as well.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think properties should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post (the last in this series), which will examine why sponsors should care about social media/sports.

*photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambermarie/3805836002/sizes/l/

• why should fans care?
• why should teams care?
• why should athletes care?
• why should agents care?

Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

Today’s topic is coaches. Social media can bring coaches closer to fans, ticket holders, donors, sponsors and even athletes they’re trying to bring to the programs they run. Social media gives coaches a direct line of communication to fans, which can help strengthen fans’ loyalty to the coaches and teams they love. Similar to athletes, coaches can use social media to build a following and open up new job and/or sponsorship opportunities. Social media has also led to recruiting 2.0–enabling coaches at schools with smaller budgets to identify talented athletes (or athletes they want to stay away from) based on the content about these athletes that exist online.

Also, some people have said that coaches need to make sure their players understand the RIGHT way to utilize social media–in a manner that reflects positively on the teams they play for. While this may not be coaches’ primary responsibility (I think this should fall to the same people that educate athletes on how to speak to the press), coaches are the perceived leaders of their teams. When a player does something negative, this reflects poorly on the coach, too. A coach needs to make sure athletes are given proper training so they aren’t using social media in ways that could hurt people’s perceptions of the coach or team.

See below for a variety of thoughts from other smart folks about why coaches should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins – If you are like Pete Carroll, you can use social media to make your fans fall in love with you even more. If you’re like Roy Williams, you need to educate your players about how to act appropriately in social media. If you’re like Joe Paterno, well, leave the Tweeting up to your son.

Dennis Allen -Coaches need to know what the general perceptions are regarding their team and players. Also regarding their strategies. Coaches longevity is in decline. Demands to win are heightened. They need to please a lot of different audiences and as such need to heighten their awareness of what is being said. Social media allows them to stay “in the know.”

Anthony De Rosa – For amateur coaches, its a great tool to broadcast information to their players, like when their next practice is, etc. For major league coaches, again, it’s a way to talk to fans, but coaches aren’t really buying into social media in that way just yet. They prefer the traditional press conference, but that could change.

Brian Gainor - Social media serves as an effective means for coaches to connect with players/recruits, fans, and donors, and their local community. In the coaching space, Pete Carroll has differentiated himself through social media in both the collegiate and professional ranks. While at USC, Carroll used his Twitter profile to post viral videos of team meetings and off-field activities, engaging Twitpics, and unique moments where celebrities like Will Ferrell visited practice. With the Seahawks, Carroll has used social media to connect with the local Seattle DMA, provide real-time updates detailing team progress, promote his book tour, and thank fans for their support. If anything, coaches need to understand the social media space to stay one leg up in recruiting battles and understand how members of their organization (coaches, personnel, players) may be violating rules and/or missing out on engagement opportunities.

Lewis Howes – Coaches should care for similar reasons to athletes in career building. They also should be using social networks to monitor what’s happening with their own players.

Ash Read - Athletes will soon start arriving at new teams with social media profiles and fan bases, coaches will need to understand the ins and outs of social media and also keep on top what players can and can’t share through social media. Some coaches may be very open, however, others may not want to share behind the scenes images or info from the locker room as well as injury news and updates. Social media also holds massive opportunity coaches themselves to build their personal brands, just as it does for athletes.

Brian Reich – One of the wonderful extensions of the rise of social media has been the explosion of information that is available, and the addition credible voices to almost every conversation imaginable. With the controls on who can create and promote information lifted, new experts emerge, new perspectives begin to flow, and new insights can be gathered and processed. For coaches, this means there are more eyes to analyze game tape and countless different perspectives from which data and insight might be offered. The coaches that embrace social media can present their ideas for how to lead a team in more compelling ways — but also can embrace the opportunity to expand the size of their virtual staff.

Trevor Turnbull – Coaches need to be especially aware of the impact that social media is having on their role as the leader of their team. We have seen examples in the past where coaches have come down hard on players that act inappropriately online. Alternatively, by providing guidelines on acceptable conduct for players on social media platforms, a mutual trust and respect can be established between a coach and his players that is critical to the success of their team.

Brendan Wilhide – Coaches, especially college coaches, have the unique opportunity of fielding fan questions about their team or program on social media sites. Coaches can be brand ambassadors in social media.

Joseph Yi - With teams, athletes, and agents adopting social media, coaches can benefit from social media by giving themselves a voice. One great example of this is John Calipari, coach of the University of Kentucky. Calipari, who has over a million Twitter followers, uses social media as a way to interact with UK fans and the community. Just how athletes often like to voice their opinion on topics, social media gives coaches an outlet to the community rather than having to go through the media.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think coaches should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will examine why colleges should care about social media/sports.

• why should fans care?
• why should teams care?
• why should athletes care?

Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

Today’s topic is agents. Agents need to stay on top of social media and what their clients are doing to:

• educate them on what to do and what not to do
• research what potential clients are doing well and not so well (you want to identify potential liabilities now, rather than later)
• understand where new monetization opportunities exist for athletes
• understand how to do damage control if necessary
• in some cases, to keep athletes from violating terms of their contracts

See below for a variety of thoughts from other smart folks about why agents should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins – Your athletes will probably use some form of social media, whether it be a personal Facebook page or a fully integrated social media presence. No matter what it is, you have to realize that everything spreads quicker in the social age. This means naked photos, mug shots, un-kosher tweets, and stupid comment sin post game press conferences. Make sure your athletes know what to say and what not to say in these mediums, because they don’t want to end up on Deadspin.

Dennis Allen – Management sees what the fans are saying about teams and players. Agents need to be aware of this to properly position and market their assets before, during and after contract negotiations.

Anthony De Rosa – Agents should care because they have less control over their clients. Agents want to control the message and the story around their client, but it’s harder to do that when they have so many outlets they can speak through at a moment’s notice.

Ash Read - It’s essential that agents understand social media and they need to make sure their clients have adequate social media training to avoid the potential pitfalls. We all talk about the endless opportunities social media provides but someone needs to make sure athletes understand what they’re doing. Agents also need to understand the commercial benefits of social media and how they can make it pay off for their clients. Once an athlete has built up a following on social media there are endless ways they can utilise it and make it a part of endorsement details.

Brian Reich – Agents are in the business of selling athletes — they negotiate large contracts, put together endorsement deals, and manage public relations on behalf of their clients, with the goal of enhancing their value in the eyes of owners and sponsors. For an agent to demonstrate that an athlete is valuable, they need to show the passion of fans, and the prospect of converting interest into revenue. As social media becomes a more embedded part of all aspects of life, it redefines consumer culture — so agents must understand that community and accountability and transparency (values that you see on display across all types of social interaction online) contribute to the ways people get/share information, and what motivates someone to buy a product, and thus should be applied to their work with athletes as well.

Russell Scibetti - Agents should care for the same reason that athletes need to care. If an agent is going to best represent their client’s interests, they need to be just as aware, if not more aware of the impact that social media has on their client’s brand. How their clients interact with fans on social media can affect everything from player contract negotiations to maximizing the athlete’s endorsement and marketing opportunities.

Trevor Turnbull – Athletes turn to their agents for advice on all kinds of topics including contract negotiation, financial planning, legal advice, investments, marketing and promotions. Agents that choose to ignore the power of social media are taking a huge risk. After all, their clients have the ability to positively influence the profitability of an agency. If the agent does not assume the role of guiding their clients with regards to social media best practices, the athletes can say and do whatever they want. Therefore, it is in the best interest of a sports agent to provide guidance to their athletes on how to represent themselves via social media in a manner that is best for their career.

Brendan Wilhide – Social media is a great way to build awareness about your clients and “tell their side of the story.” Agents can use social media to break news about their clients, too, and even scoop the media sometimes.

Joseph Yi - For agents, social media is a great tool for networking. As social media creates a free flow of information, social networks like Twitter act as a business card into some athletes who may be looking for representation. Similarly, professional social networks like LinkedIn give agents a professional presence/resume online.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think agents should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will examine why coaches should care about social media/sports.

• why should fans care?
• why should teams care?

Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

Today’s topic is athletes. Athletes are in a great position to benefit from social media tools and platforms. Social media gives athletes a direct line to fans, and fans a direct line to athletes. Instead of having to tell their stories through media outlets, athletes can now tell fans directly. This gives athletes an opportunity to show their human sides (for bad or for good) and shed light on their favorite brands/sponsors, products and charities. Even after athletes’ careers are over, they’re still able to interact with fans and extend their influence via social media.

See below for a variety of thoughts from other smart folks about why athletes should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins – In the past, your game was just about all you had to separate yourself from other athletes and capture the hearts of sports fans. That is still important, but social media can both help you win over new fans and make your existing fans even more. This means you are more attractive to sponsors, get more love from the media, and get more cheers during the game.

Dennis Allen – Athletes are needing to become much more brand conscious in this new world of constantly streaming information. Social media is a way for them to engage the fan and their other constituencies directly. To create and broaden their own brand/personality.

Steve Cobb – Social media is a match made in heaven for athletes who want to connect with as many fans as possible, build their brand, attract and activate sponsors, and set themselves up for a career after sport. Sports fans are spending less time watching TV and listening to the radio and more time watching YouTube videos and chatting on Twitter, so what better place to establish a presence and distribution network than the media channels of the future? There is no denying the rising expectation levels of both fans and sponsors for athletes to utilize social media.

Brian Gainor - Social media allows athletes to no longer live at the mercy of the media – they now control their own message. By investing adequate time and resources into developing their own personal social media channels, athletes can manage their brand in an effective, yet cost-efficient manner. Athletes can utilize social media channels to build a loyal fan base, leverage their endorsements, promote national ad campaigns, control messaging around major decisions (free agency, off-the-field deals), communicate directly with fans and fellow celebrities, and promote charitable initiatives.

Anthony De Rosa – Athletes can bypass the middleman of needing a publicist. They can connect directly to fans if and when they want to.

Lewis Howes - Athletes should care about social media because of the opportunities for personal branding. Many athletes’ careers end the day they retire from the court or field. If they are planning ahead for that next career stage they can capitalize on their popularity as an athlete and turn that into a new business venture. Social media builds a network that can be carried from a life as an athlete to the next stage of their career.

Ash Read - Superstar athletes like Lebron James, Payton Manning and Lionel Messi will get the big endorsement deals, sponsorships and publicity without social media because they are the best at what they do. For athletes who aren’t ‘superstars’ getting visibility and building your own fan base can be difficult and this is where social media can help. Social media gives everyone the opportunity to be different and stand out from the crowd. Social media also allows athletes to show fans their real personalities, something which doesn’t always show through on the court/field.

Brian Reich – Social media isn’t a thing, a set of tools or tactics that anyone can use to advance their work. Social media is how people, looking to connect with others who have shared interests or who are hoping to develop a relationship with an organization that is doing something they care deeply about, engage and develop relationships. Though modern-day athletes have become, in essence, brands, the motivation for fans is to connect with them as human beings. Social media makes athletes more accessible and provides an opportunity for athletes, who are willing, to engage in a deeper, more direct, more genuine conversation, build trust, and develop true relationships

Russell Scibetti - In the age of free agency and big contracts, the most important thing that a player has outside of their contract is their brand. They need to care about social media because it gives them a direct-to-consumer communication channel that has more influence over their brand image than any jersey or team logo does. Because of the power that this medium has, players need to have a great balance of being genuine and being self-aware. They should let that fun personality shine through while remembering that once they click “Submit”, there’s no going back. They need to better understand the pros and cons of the instantaneous nature of social media.

Trevor Turnbull – Social media allows athletes to control their own personal brand and messaging. For superstar athletes, this means being able to paint their own picture on how they are perceived by their fan base, rather than giving up that control to the mainstream media. And, of course, for those athletes that are not of “superstar” status, social media can help build a loyal following that can prove to be extremely valuable in contract negotiations. It also allows opportunities for new revenue streams in the form of sponsorship agreements that can present themselves as a result of the direct influence athletes have with their unique fan base.

Brendan Wilhide – Athletes on social media control their own message. They can talk to fans and increase their fanbases and exposure with a strong social media presence. Athletes are joining Twitter and other social media sites at a very fast pace because they recognize the unique opportunity to interact directly with their fans via social media.

Joseph Yi - Social media has been an especially valuable tool to athletes because of its usefulness as a branding tool. Not only is it valuable for well known athletes like Shaquille O’Neal, but also for the lesser known individuals who are trying to make a name for themselves. More and more, we are seeing teams utilizing rookies and unknown athletes as part of their social media campaigns because these individuals are seizing the new opportunities to get their name out there through social media engagement.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think athletes should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will examine why agents should care about social media/sports.

Today’s topic is teams. Teams have a ton of opportunities utilize social media and new platforms to increase fan loyalty, sell more tickets and merchandise, create new revenue streams for themselves and their sponsors, reach fans beyond the stadium and get a deeper understanding of what is important to fans. As traditional media often lack the resources to give many teams proper coverage, teams need to think like publishers to get their content in front of as many people as possible–in formats that fans want.

See below for a variety of thoughts from other smart folks about why teams should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins – Your fans are talking about you in social media regardless of whether you’re active there or not, so you might as well listen to what is being said. Then, if you want to take it to the next level, you can give your fans a deeper into look and more access to your team than ever before, which will strengthen their emotional attachment to the team. Finally, you have the chance to build relationships with very influential supporters of your team in the form of bloggers, who have large and very faithful readerships.

Dennis Allen – Social media gives them an open forum to listen to the fans. To learn what is important to them. An opportunity to find out what is working and what is not. A way to factor real time input into their decision making process.

Steve Cobb – Different teams have different priorities. While the Wizards may be focused on selling tickets to fans in DC and attracting new sponsors, the Capitals may be focused on reaching fans outside of DC and activating existing sponsors. But no matter the goal, social media is a flexible tool that teams can leverage to achieve it. Beyond the obvious benefits of providing a voice for fans and distributing the latest news and highlights via Facebook and Twitter, teams now have the power to offer integrated real-world fan experiences through promotions using Foursquare and SCVNGR that creatively make use of assets and offer unique value to partners. In today’s sports world, just having a social presence is not enough and not having a social presence is inexcusable.

Anthony De Rosa – Because now they have real time feedback system to tap into what their fans are saying about their team. Much cheaper than focus groups and much quicker.

Lewis Howes - Teams should care for several reasons. Chance to brand the team, grow a fanbase or just increase fan loyalty. Teams can increase ticket sales for certain games or matches. They can use social media to create a buzz online that translates to press coverage. The list of benefits goes on.

Ash Read - Social media holds amazing opportunities for sports teams of all sizes. In my opinion one of the biggest benefits for sports teams is the ability to have constant communication with their fan base. In the past, many teams have faced club/fan disconnect, meaning fans would often visit un-official or fan run sites and not get their information from official sources but, social media has countered that in many cases. Social media also gives teams the opportunity to bring their fans closer and really make them feel a part of the team; this can be done through behind the scenes content, videos, images and conversation. Conversation is a key to social media, hence the word “social.” However, this has often been overlooked, especially over here in the UK.

Brian Reich – Teams are competing for attention, and dollars, along with every other brand, organization and distraction that exists in people’s lives. Thanks to social media, organizations are now receiving far more direct, focused, and constructive feedback from their most important customers. Those who listen and embrace that feedback, develop deeper, more meaningful relationships with their audience — and that results in more attention, energy, and yes, money.

Russell Scibetti - Teams should care because fans care. Their most active, passionate and vocal advocates are participating in the social media landscape, regardless of whether the teams are there or not. So really, teams have two options: ignore the conversation and stick to old-fashioned, one-way marketing, or join the conversation and engage with their fans. I think the answer here is obvious.

Trevor Turnbull – In the world of professional sports, teams are focused on winning (of course). But, they are also driven by profitability. The lifeline of a sports franchise is their fan base. Social media provides opportunities for teams to enrich the fan experience while building loyalty and trust through the highs and the lows. The connection that can be built between teams and their fans through social media can have a significant impact on the financial success of the team via ticket and merchandise sales.

Brendan Wilhide -Your fans are already passionate about your team. Tap into that passion by engaging them via social media and share in the fan experience with them.

Joseph Yi - From a team perspective, social media is great because it’s cost effective in regards to marketing dollars and also it allows teams to have a more “intimate” relationship with their fans. Teams are able to have a better understanding of what their fan base is saying about them and social media also provides teams with a chance to update fans instantly. When used effectively, social media can be a powerful tool that can bring fans together.

—

Now it’s your turn – why do you think teams should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will examine why athletes should care about social media/sports.

Social media–the tools, content and platforms that enable better and more efficient communication and collaboration–is changing the way businesses operate and communicate. It’s having a profound impact in the world of sports, and I’ve especially enjoyed following how this is playing out.

I thought it’d be fun to ask some of my friends and colleagues who are also very interested in the intersection of sports and social media to share their thoughts on why the following groups should care:

• Fans
• Teams
• Athletes
• Agents
• Coaches
• Colleges
• Agencies
• Properties
• Sponsors

Starting today (why fans should care), I’ll be publishing a series of posts (a new post each day) with thoughts from some pretty smart folks to try to answer the question of why people should care about the intersection of sports and social media. Even if you already know why this is important, I hope you enjoy getting a variety of perspectives on this subject. If you have bosses, colleagues or friends that still don’t get it, maybe they’ll find some value in this series if you share it with them.

See below for a variety of thoughts about why fans should care about sports and social media.

Jackie Adkins - It’s never been easier to follow your teams, get live updates, and be a fan. For the first time, you have a voice and can actually be heard by teams and players. Plus, using social media, you have a leg up on your non social media friends and can be the first to break the news when something big happens.

Dennis Allen - Social media gives the fans a new format to express their opinions about the sports and teams that they follow. This format allows for for more open and active debate on the most compelling issues of the day.  It is instantaneous and without barriers for the most part.

Anthony De Rosa - Fans should care because they’re more part of the conversation. I tend to get some of my favorite content from fellow fans, rather than mainstream media. Social media revolutionized how I watch the game and share the experience with fellow fans.

Brian Gainor - Social media is simply changing the way that fans consume sports. Fans are now exposed to more insights, promotional offers, behind-the-scenes access, real-time scores, and moments of personal engagement with their favorite teams and stars than ever experienced before. With social media delivering 24/7 content and live discussions (via fan pages, Twitter), fan avidity will continue to rise to new heights.

Lewis Howes - Fans should care because hopefully companies are starting to care more too. I would encourage fans to speak up and meet them halfway, building that human connection. If your favorite team or athletes aren’t there yet, give them a reason to dive into social media.

Ash Read - Social media has opened up the opportunity for us to get closer to our favourite teams and athletes than ever before. Social media allows us to get to know athletes on a more personal level and get to know their real personalities. Social media also gives fans a voice; at no time in the past have fans been able to interact with teams and athletes at the click of a button! In the past only a few select writers and journalists had the opportunity to share their thoughts, now everyone can share their thoughts and feelings through, blogs, tweets and many other mediums. It’s amazing how fast things are moving forwards; even over the past year social media has grown at an unbelievable rate, and as a sports fan I can’t wait to see what the future brings.

Brian Reich - Social media provides a platform through which fans can demonstrate their passion and create a shared experience with other fans, even when you aren’t in the same place. More importantly, however, social media opens up the conversation, creates a two-way dialogue between fans and the leagues, teams, athletes, and media that put on the show. And this gives fans an opportunity to share ideas, propose solutions, and provide feedback that will — if heard — serve to improve everything about the fan experience in sports.

Russell Scibetti - Fans are always looking for ways to interact with their team and feel a deeper connection to the teams and players that they live and die for. Social media can give the fans a new level personal interaction that they are looking for. In addition, as most teams increase their own social media presence, these tools can be used to share opinions and feedback that can eventually lead to a better fan experience.

Trevor Turnbull - Social media allows fans to connect directly with their favorite team and players. The days of armchair coaching and yelling at the TV are no longer the only ways to express one’s passion for their favourite team or player. Social media also allows fans to connect with other fans all around the world that share their same passion for a team, athlete or sporting event.

Brendan Wilhide - Social Media is an opportunity to connect with your favorite teams and athletes and hear news “directly from the source.”

Joseph Yi - One of the best things about using social media is that it allows the average fan to have a closer relationship with their favorite players and teams. Social media takes down the corporate wall and lets us interact with personalities we never thought possible.

Thanks to all who are participating in this series. If I didn’t ask you to participate, it’s not because I didn’t want to; I just couldn’t ask everyone.

Now it’s your turn – why do you think fans should care?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, which will examine why teams should care about social media/sports.

As I’ve been saying for the past few years, sports and social media are a perfect match. Why? People are passionate about sports, and social media enables them to express their passion for sports and connect with others who share their passion.

Over the next month, I’m going to do a series on social media, sports and why we should care. While it may be obvious to many of you why people in sports should care, it’s still not obvious to everyone.

The “Why Should We Care” Series will look at social media and sports from a variety of perspectives and stakeholders. I’d like to cover:

• why fans should care
• why teams should care
• why athletes should care
• why agents should care
• why coaches should care
• why colleges should care
• why agencies should care
• why properties should care
• why sponsors should care
• and any other suggestions/ideas you have on who should care

I’d really like to involve anyone who wants to be a part of this series. Drop me a line here or send me a message (jpeck at hwy24 dot com) if you’d like to offer your perspective or would like to contribute your thoughts to any part of this series. Or, if you have any ideas on what you’d like to learn or see covered in this series, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Social Media is not magic.

You can’t assume it will work wonders for you. Being on Twitter will not automatically increase your sales. Starting a Facebook page is not a strategy. Just being involved is not enough; it’s about what you do with it and why you’re doing it.

It takes commitment, creativity,  and strategery. And, as Cody Swann pointed out, it takes patience.

But some brands and people will still get it wrong. Avoid the tactics below or else you’ll also see how it feels to strike out with social media.

Not setting goals – Brands and people need to figure out what they’re trying to achieve by being involved with social media. Not setting or having goals is a sure fire way to strike out.

Not listening – Not listening to what people are saying about you before/during participating in conversations and creating new programs will land you a seat at the end of the bench. Not reading/listening to bloggers before pitching them stories is another great way to fail. Please remember that different communities and websites each have their own culture and jargon. Pay attention to details.

Trying to exert too much control – People will think/say/blog/tweet what they want. Brands can influence the conversation and direct it, but trying to exert too much control will earn you a one-way ticket to the minor leagues. Nestle, unfortunately, gives us a good example of what not to do (trying to cover-up/delete negative comments).

Being Fake – Authenticity is a key fundamental of social media. Pretending to be someone you’re not or hiring someone to act as you is a great way to fail. Dishonesty=disaster. Remember the Walmart FAIL from 2006?

Not balancing participation and promotion – When you’re engaging people, you need to focus on being helpful and participating the right way more than promoting your own products and services. If you’re only there to promote yourself, people will notice right away and you’ll be destined to strikeout in social media until you change your ways.

Not committing adequate resources - Depending on your goals, you’ll need to invest time, employees, education and money into being successful. Not dedicating proper resources will hurt any chance you may have at success.

What other tactics for social media strikeouts would you add to this list?

Next time, I’ll share some tactics for social media home runs. If you want to share a few sentences/tips for this next post, send me an email (jpeck at hwy24 dot com) and I’ll make sure to include your ideas. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

*image credit – artolog on Flickr

You can see some of my notes here and here. Also, you should check out a series of video interviews I did with 10 really smart people talking about their visions of a killer mobile+social app. If you still can’t get enough of my face, you can watch a short video of me being interviewed by Lewis Howes, a star speaker, entrepreneur and author.

I learned a ton and met some awesome people at BlogWorld. It was hard to narrow down my thoughts to just three main takeaways but here’s my attempt:

1) Go To More Good Events

I’ve always enjoyed going to some of the local events in Raleigh but lately have started going to other events outside NC. I’ve been fortunate to meet some awesome people at these events. No matter how much things are moving online, there is no substitute for meeting people face-to-face. It was great to be able to put faces to names and hang out with some people who I’ve “known” for awhile online, but hadn’t ever met in real life. As many have said before, one goal of online interactions is to create real-world relationships, and going to good events is one way to move things along. It was great to be able to meet people like Beth Harte (community manager for MarketingProfs-even if it was just for 2 minutes), Suhkjit Ghag (social media evangelist at Sony) and David Spinks (community manager for Scribnia).

Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue going to amazing events and meeting great people. I should have done this more in the past.

2) Focus More

Amber Naslund said in her panel on time management strategies for social media, “sometimes you have to kill your babies.”

She was referring to projects that have stalled or that you’re not passionate about.

I’ve had a variety of websites and projects since I started blogging in 2006. If success is defined as them making money, then yes, some have been and are successful. But I realized there are some projects I have that I’m not that passionate about. They’re taking time away from things I am passionate about, such as sports and social media and online communities. I need to focus on things I’m passionate about and phase out of the other stuff.

3) Give Back More

If you look at some of the most successful people in life and online, the common denominator is that they give. A lot.

They give their time and ideas. They give others a platform to speak and be heard. And they give opportunities for other people to shine.

I’ll be honest. I’ve done a crappy job at this lately. I could make excuses and say I’ve been busy with work, but ultimately, excuses suck. I really need to step up my game.

This has kind of been in the back of my mind for a while. Meeting Lewis Howes in person turned this into something I can’t ignore.

If you don’t know who Lewis Howes is, you should get to know him. In the last year, he’s developed one of the best resources on sports and new media (SportsNetworker.com), co-written a book on how to master LinkedIn, and become an awesome speaker.

While I’ve been too “busy” to blog or collaborate or shine the spotlight on others, Lewis has been doing just that and has become a force in the sports industry.

I feel lucky to have the privilege to know you, Lewis, and hopefully collaborate on some things in the future. Thanks for being so awesome and making me realize that I need to do a better job at giving back more-my time, attention, thanks and ideas.

Thanks to everyone for reading, and have a good night.

• Market research
• Product development
• Customer service
• Sales and marketing
• Employee hiring

A few businesses and teams get this, but overall we’re still not there yet. Many teams are getting involved, but not always with a purpose or clear strategy. A Facebook page that has 100k people on it is worthless, without the proper strategy behind it. If you’re a team, you don’t really want Facebook fans, you want ticket buyers.

The video below describes some ideas for ways that teams can use social media the right way and what benefits they (and their fans) can get from this.

The last idea in the video is one I look forward to exploring more, and would love your thoughts on. It’s one thing to do some basic videos occasionally and make them exclusive to Twitter or YouTube to drive awareness and engagement. But hardcore fans are always willing to consume more, in my opinion. Why aren’t teams capitalizing on this?

More and more fans now want to participate, be involved in the creation of ticket packages, get exclusive, behind-the-scenes videos, articles and real-time updates, get personalized merchandise, vote on ideas for sponsor promotions, etc.  Clearly people want content in new forms as indicated by the explosion of sites like Twitter. Why aren’t more teams taking some of these concepts, creating new content areas and fan clubs and charging fans for access to drive revenue?

If you’re a die-hard Lakers fan, wouldn’t you pay for the right to see Kobe’s real-time updates right after the game, before the press get a crack at him? Wouldn’t you pay to have access to short, 30 second videos from Phil Jackson before and after practice? Wouldn’t you pay for a chance to ask a member of the Lakers staff or ownership any question you wanted once a month? I know I would.

I think teams may need to rethink a lot of the things they’re doing online. There should be a balance between using these free social media tools to expand an audience and keep a pulse on what fans want/think vs. charging people for access to really cool content and opportunities. Some of the things teams and players are doing on outside sites could be moved in-house (and on team communities, so they have a better value proposition) so they can be better monetized and packaged for hardcore fans. I think this is the only way teams will see a good ROI from their efforts and will be able to justify spending money on new opportunities that serve to engage fans in more ways.

I’m always interested in hearing what you think. Thanks for watching/reading and I look forward to your thoughts on this.

Here’s an interesting picture taken from Compete.com:

According to Compete.com (probably not 100% accurate, but usually pretty close), both sites attracted roughly the same amount of unique visitors last month as they did in July of 2008. Here are the numbers:

• Planet Orange – 1,767 unique visitors in July (1,413 uniques in July 2008)
• MyColts.net – 8,290 unique visitors in July (8,137 uniques in July 2008)

Unique visitors is only one indicator of growth, and I didn’t look at other important metrics such as number of active members, time spent on site, revenue generated from community members, etc. But according to Compete.com, the communities haven’t grown much in terms of unique visitors over the past year. Why haven’t these sites grown more?

I can’t say for sure, but my guess is that it’s a combination of things:

• Lack of promotion
• Lack of integration with existing marketing efforts
• No clear value proposition stated on the home page
• Not enough unique/exclusive content and access
• More focus on fans on existing social media sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc)

But those are just a few guesses. I really have no idea why these two communities appear to have stagnated in growth. I wonder if other team communities have also stagnated. What do you think?

Are official online team communities a good idea? I still say yes (when executed properly), but would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks to Tim for having me on the call yesterday and thanks to everyone else for taking time out of your day to listen. I hope it was beneficial and please feel free to contact me with any more questions you may have. If you’re from one of the organizations from the call, thanks for checking out my blog. For everyone else. here are some points I shared today about social media marketing and six main principles.

What Is Social Media Marketing?

Social Media marketing is a huge buzz word these days, but what does it really mean? I think it really boils down to this (and I’m definitely not the only one who has said this before): Social media marketing is when companies take a human approach to marketing by participating in conversations with their audiences. It’s about engaging audiences in an authentic way to provide helpful information, solve problems and build relationships to achieve business goals and gain a leg up on the competition. In the past this was difficult (and it’s still not easy), but the tools and platforms that are available now have made this a more viable option…and a necessity in many cases, depending on your audience and goals.

6 Principles

Here are 6 principles of social media marketing that I shared with the group. These weren’t meant to be how-tos or steps to take to create a strategy, so measurement and setting goals weren’t included (though I did include those pieces in another part of the presentation). These principles are more about the actions that an organization’s audience will notice and appreciate.

1) Listen

It’s been said before but I will say it again. Research your audience first.  Figure out where they are and what they’re saying about you, your category and your competitors before attempting to insert yourself in conversations online. Spend a month and make notes of the types of conversations about you and what percentage are positive and negative. Listen. Learn the various unspoken rules, guideines and dos and don’ts of the communities you’re thinking about joining. When you do start participating, listen to your audience and figure out what they like. Involve them in idea generation and product creation. Use social media platforms and tools to provide customer service on steroids. It’s about them, not you.

2) Engage

This has a dual-meaning. Part of social media marketing is engaging your audience on their own turf. Your goal may be to get people to come to your website, but what really should matter is engaging people (they way they want to be reached) to build relationships. The other part of this is providing and creating content that is engaging. If it’s not interesting or helpful or entertaining, people aren’t going to care or pay attention to your efforts. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Is whatever content you’re producing something that is interesting and good enough to share? If not, then you should re-evaluate your efforts.

3) Enable

Based on your research and listening, you can probably identify some people who are already talking about your organization. These people are great to involve in your efforts, so you should empower them and give them the tools and content to become an even bigger advocate for you. This also includes enabling people to share your content with their friends on various websites, and maybe letting people take your content and create new content from it in the form of remixes, mashups, and videos. Give people ways to feel ownership of your brand and they’ll get closer to it. Lastly, empower and enable your employees to get involved in your efforts.

4) Share

Share interesting articles, pictures, videos, links about you and your industry. Give to get. Give some more. Give and share your time, attention, expertise, questions and insight with your audience. The more you do this, the more relationships and trust you will build. Your audience will appreciate this, and that’s good for business.

5) Reward

If people are taking the time to interact with you online, why not reward them (and in some cases, you may have to reward them). Reward your loyal and passionate fans and followers with exclusive content, access, discounts and promotions. There’s also an opportunity to involve sponsors in this piece to give your fans something of value.

6) Participate

Participate, don’t promote. If all you do is say, “Look how great I am, look how awesome my product is” people will get tired of it really quickly and stop listening. The whole point of social media marketing is to participate in conversations with your audience, not just talk at them. You don’t have to start with a huge splash; this invites a lot more scrutiny and criticism from people who might not like what you’re doing. If you start slow, there are still a lot of things you can do and learn from. Participation is the key.

Thoughts?

Photo credits:

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/niclindh/1389750548/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/wooandy/220929743/

Check out the video below for some of my thoughts about participation marketing-what it is, why it matters and how teams can utilize social media to follow some of these principles. Some of these ideas are things that a lot pro teams are already doing, though I think there are some ways they can improve things.

Thanks for watching. I’d love to hear what your thoughts are for ways teams can get to know fans better, involve them in creating ticket packages/promotions  and make them feel like they have a stake in their success.

Legacy Direct

1 – How did you become the guy to lead Legacy Direct into social media?

I was brought onto the Legacy Direct team as an intern in July of 2008, doing mostly research and administrative work. Within the first few months, I realized how significant the social media marketplace was becoming and wanted to create a blog to reflect the messaging of our company.

2 – Can you give an example of one of your your clients who has utilized social media to enhance his/her brand and connect with fans?

Sure. A great example is Natalie Gulbis, a LPGA Tour golfer, who has just recently began using Twitter to engage with fans and show them what she is all about.

**Take A Note: In less than two months, Natalie has over 2,000 followers–people who are interested in seeing updates from her about golf/life/whatever. Using Twitter is a GREAT way for athletes to show their human/personal side and connect directly with their fans.**

3 -We connected on Twitter. What about it made you want to bring Legacy into the community there?

I wanted to bring Legacy into the twitter community to strengthen the reach of our social media initiatives. I soon realized how valuable Twitter can be in the way of networking and building a brand.

4 – What is your favorite professional sports team and how do you currently get your news/updates about them?

My favorite professional sports team is the New York Mets. I currently get my news/updates about them by going directly to the team’s website or by reading blogs written by Mets’ fans.

5 -Have they ever tried to connect with you personally on social media sites (that you’re aware of)?

No, the Mets organization has not tried to do that. However, there are lots of Mets’ fans who operate blogs and are more than happy to connect if it means increased readership for their site.

6 – How would you like them to connect with you online and what kind of information would you want to receive from them?

I think it would be nice if the Mets had an “official” twitter account, where I could receive daily updates. A good example of a successful fan integration and public relations movement by a professional sports team is the Phoenix Suns, who have done a great job connecting with fans on twitter.

7 – Let’s say they wanted to connect with you and other fans but were unsure about the consequences/potential drawbacks. What advice would you have for them?

I would say, “Look at what the Phoenix Suns are doing with all of their social media initiatives and how they are staying on top of the latest technology. If you (the team) don’t start to embrace some of these new technologies, you will fall behind in terms of fan engagement and interaction.

——

Thanks, Andy. I think we’ll see more and more teams and athletes taking note of these new technologies to increase engagement with fans.

Are you or your team interested in learning more about how to use Twitter to connect with your fans? Contact me and let’s talk.

1 -Let’s briefly talk about your experiences with marketing your company online. You’re active on sites such as Twitter, Facebook and StumbleUpon. How did you decide to jump into social media and start participating?

I first got started with SM (social media) through a friend of mine who was trying to convince me that blogging would help my business to grow. For the first few months, it became an addiction and I had to learn to pick the SM sites that I most enjoyed, and that I felt would most benefit me on a business aspect. Being in the construction industry, it was hard to find people to connect with (within the construction industries) so I went for locals (triangle and NC in general). I am noticing more people in my industry blogging and micro-blogging now, and hope that continues to grow. Oddly enough, the main reason was to promote my business, but I now rarely do that on twitter, plurk or Facebook. It is more about connecting and networking with people.

2 – How has your involvement with social media affected your business and sales?

I would have to say that social media has given me great satisfaction in growing my business. My blog and the SM I participate in is the ONLY advertising I do. I have had articles written about me, been recognized as someone bringing high tech ideas to a low tech industry by people such as Darren Rowse, Wayne Sutton, and others who have noticed me on twitter and found my blog. The internet is how people find the products they need, there is no need to avoid that, instead we should embrace it.

3 – What is the #1 thing you’ve gotten out of your involvement in social media?

Probably the invaluable plethora of information I have discovered through the people I have met, both online and in person at tweet-ups and events like BloggerBash. The information I am talking about (what I was looking for) has to do with wordpress, blogging, SEO and other things which have helped me bring my website to the front page on most of the searches I wanted to be on. I also have become involved in a community that I didn’t even know existed a year ago.

4 – We are both big fans of the Tar Heels. Where do you currently get your news and information about UNC sports?

Currently, I get my info from ACC.com, espn.com, and only recently did I discover InsideCarolina.com.

5 – To your knowledge, has anyone from the athletics department at UNC ever tried to connect with you via social media online?

No not that I am aware of, but if they did, I would certainly enjoy it.

6 – How would you like to be connected with them online (if at all)? What kind of information would you be interested in receiving from them?

Any of the sites I use (twitter, plurk, facebook, friendfeed, etc…) would be great. I like updates mainly on anything basketball ie: scouting reports, injury reports, scores (I do miss the games sometimes) stats, upcoming game schedules etc..

7 – Do you think an athletics department like UNC should have a single presence on social media sites for all sports, or should it be broken down by sport?

I would prefer it to be broken down. But if that isn’t possible, having them all together may get me more interested in all things Carolina Blue!

8 – As it stands, TarHeelBlue.com is a very informative site, but InsideCarolina is where most of the conversations about UNC Sports take place. Would you be interested if UNC turned tarheelblue.com into more of a community site, with features such as forums, comments, ability to connect with other fans etc?

Wouldn’t that be great! I would certainly participate in anything like that.

9 – Many sports brands (and brands in general) are hesitant about getting involved with social media. I’m sure you also probably had some uncertainties when you brought your business into this space. What would you tell UNC if they were wavering or unsure about whether they should start using social media to connect with their fans?

All I can say is, no matter what the uncertainties are… it is viral! Next thing you know there would be Carolina Blue TweetUps and other fan get-togethers based on the communities created around social media. I think people are scared to hear what others may not like about the brands that turn to social media, but what they don’t understand is that these people are the ones that USE those brands! You should be listening!

———–

Thanks, Keith! I’m very interested in how people would like their favorite teams to connect with them online. I know how I feel about this, but am always curious about what other people think. How would YOU like your favorite team to engage you online?

Please Take A Peck at this survey and let me know what you think.