You Know Me, Right?

As an athlete you have spent the better part of your life on the court or field. You’ve delighted fans and filled stadiums, providing gladiator-like feats of athletic splendor. All of your hard work and dedication led you to a career at the professional level. So how is it after all these years in the spotlight that you are a virtual unknown in the city where you play?

It could be that you have missed visibility opportunities that are right in front of you! Strategically leveraging social and earned media will help you raise your overall visibility and unlock a new fan base. Below are a few tips to get your game back on track.

Consistency. In the crowded social media space of platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram even the most famous of faces need to frequently and consistently post. Click here for some additional tips on how to create effective posts.

Provide real content. Not every post can be your musings about daily life.  Just like any corporate brand, you too should be following the 80/20 rule by posting content from other sources that is interesting and useful to your audience.

Authentic Follow-up. Not every fan Tweet or post deserves a response, but many do. Take time each day to actually respond to fan correspondence rather than just clicking the “Like” or “Retweet” button. Authentic engagement goes a long, long way.

Proactively engaging media. Not everything you do or are involved in is on the media’s radar. Make sure that traditional journalists and/or bloggers are kept abreast of your activities outside sports. Following appearances or interviews, repurpose and comment on their content to expand your reach.

Often it really does take a village to obtain or maintain a person’s visibility. Just like with your performance on the field or court, practice makes perfect. But don’t hesitate to bring in reinforcements if managing your online presence takes more time than you can spare.