GRYPHON
SPORTS MANAGEMENT
September 18th, 2020
Navigating Social Media to your Advantage
Written by: Fiona Birch 4 Minute Read
Social Media Apps have dominated the communication market; largest being Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
FOUNDATION STRENGTHENING:
Start by looking at your previous posts, messages, etc. You want to make sure what you have posted or previously sent does not negatively impact tomorrow. Deleting posts was previously frowned upon because nothing is truly deleted, and it comes across as you are hiding something.
But today keeping questionable posts suggests maintain the same view. Delete, archive, and be ready for a response if it materializes again. Players are accountable for all messages, regardless of when they are posted.
In May 2020, a Washington Capitals player had images leaked detailing inappropriate and offensive comments. Although the conversation was intended to be private, the leak resulted in his contract being terminated (via Global News).
Globally, social media is used by brands of all sizes to build awareness. At some point, the team you play for will rely heavily on social media to promote the team brand, sell merchandise and tickets to the game.
These same teams will caution you on using social media. It seems unfair, but the reality is that a team can bounce back from negative or controversial attacks or missteps. They survive daily criticism from sports reporters, opposing teams’ fans, and even their own fans. Teams or leagues don’t fold because of controversy or even outright scandal. The same can’t be said for a player.
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The difference is resilience.
Most of us use social media to communicate with friends. We share ideas and opinions, forward videos, and memes. It’s a way to connect and entertain ourselves – and each other. In contrast, brands create content only after hours of planning and market research that is targeted and purposeful. The intent to promote a positive reputation that drives sales.
So how can you (or should you try to) use social media to your advantage – and not your disadvantage?
The majority of the calls I receive are to help athletes navigate some sort of media or reputation crisis, rather than what they posted on social media. It’s either something they did in real life or something they sent through a private message. But every time it ends up being shared, debated, and criticized across social media.
I’ve also had calls where the athlete did nothing wrong but their words to the media were taken out of context. In this case, a prior misstep compounded the damage to their reputation.
In reality, no athlete can guarantee that they won’t misstep online or offline. So, the best approach is to use social media to build a resilient reputation. We call our proprietary approach “The Reputation Protection Formula”.
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Diagram provided by Pro Athlete Online
RESILIENT CONTENT
What stage of your career are you at? Every athlete experiences the four stages – Rookie, Rehab, Relocation and Retirement. And content should be crafted specifically to the stage you are in and to each individual athlete. One exercise is “to be competitive without being negative.” For example, call out the other team’s strength (not weakness) and ask them to bring it to the game. If you’re injured, how do you show you are relevant without calling attention to being on the bench?
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Resilient content isn’t content that’s squeaky clean. You can still be you – and you should be. You want to show the real you so they will accept all of you. If something comes out about you, the best policy is to get professional guidance and be authentic and honest. There is no hiding from the truth when everyone has a smart phone capable of filming a major motion picture.
CONTENT AGENT
Throughout your career you will have opportunities and partnerships (paid and unpaid) that will require you to develop content alongside these brands. The type of brand you develop for yourself will attract or repel what can be very lucrative deals. A content agent works with your sports agent and/or sponsorship agent to ensure published marketing content is in your best interest.
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT
You may release the best content, but the way you engage with others could undermine your reputation and your ability to come back from a situation. All communication – public or private (because nothing is private) – should support not degrade your reputation. Engaging with your audience can grow your brand and show a side of your not seen by typical player or charity-based content.
Statement via NHL on Twitter
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your advantage. This is always a fine line and should be done with professional guidance. Never attempt to manage a situation on your own. Never delete messages or posts without archiving and guidance. Your agent will direct you to a professional experienced in this type of situation.
Before you post anything – ask yourself this question:
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Will this post or comment help you withstand a media crisis or cause it?
We have seen that content is built to promote an authentic reputation, it drives more engagement and growth than when the goal is purely engagement. Your brand is everything as an athlete; it may determine where you are drafted or recruited, and it can affect which teams are willing to acquire your services.
For more information on how to use social media effectively, do not hesitate to connect
RISK MANAGEMENT
From time to time situations arise that require monitoring to assess risk and manage that risk. In some cases, a situation can be leveraged to
THE REPUTATION PROTECTION FORMULA
About the Author
Fiona Birch works with prospect and pro athletes, coaches and teams across the NHL, USHL, GTHL MLB, NBA, Motorsport and Olympic level snowboarders and pro triathletes. She has spoken at the NHL Draft / USA Hockey clinics, MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference and Social Media Marketing World. She founded Pro Athlete Online out of a drive to provide ALL athletes with tools to help them “get in, stay in and excel at their sport."