The term “social media” is thrown about so regularly these days, that it’s easy to forget that it’s a huge industry all on its own. Facebook and Twitter have become such major outlets for major organizations and corporations that while a tweet or post might seem obvious or simple, there’s likely a lot of strategy that went into it prior to pressing the send button. From the content of the post to the timing, there’s a lot to consider, which is why the University of Kentucky has a team dedicated to doing just that.
As the NCAA Final Four approached, the spotlight turned to the University of Kentucky Wildcats, who took on the Wisconsin Badgers and lost 71-64 this past weekend. As it turns out, in order to properly cheer on a basketball team, you need a whole team of social media pros! At least that’s the case for the Wildcats. Before the dream of winning the 2015 NCAA basketball championship came to an end, Amy Gesenhues of Marketing Land had the opportunity to sit down with Guy Ramsey, Director of Strategic Communications at the UK and get the inside scoop regarding preparing for March Madness.
According to Ramsey, the preparation never ends! Starting in late January, the social media team sits down to brainstorm how to best tackle the social realm that season. The goal is to engage their already dedicated fans and create an entire social experience. The “Big Blue Nation” has attracted many fans including 144,000 followers on Twitter, 970,000 likes on Facebook, 24,000 subscribers on YouTube, and 27,000 followers on Instagram. With all those fans counting on fun, relevant, and timely updates, the social media team can’t fall short!
One important takeaway from the way that the Big Blue Nation handles their social accounts, is that it’s not always about the score of the game. Recently one of the most popular posts from the University of Kentucky was a lighthearted video showing how much their men’s basketball team enjoyed playing Nintendo 64’s Super Smash Brothers. And social interaction didn’t stop when their run for the championship came to an end this past Saturday. Throughout the game and following defeat, Wildcat fans took to social media to show their continued support for the Big Blue Nation.
Next time you see a team or business tweet or post, consider how much thought and time an entire team put into making it something you would want to like or share. Keep an eye on your Twitter feed tonight during the final matchup between Wisconsin’s Badgers and the Duke’s Blue Devils. If you’re interested in how a team can enhance your social media optimization strategy and overall online presence, don’t hesitate to contact our dedicated team at Black Tie Digital Marketing!