The NFL & Social Media: For the Fans, By the Fans

I absolutely love football. Everything about it. The jerseys, the stadium, the weather and the game itself – everything. You can catch me every Sunday with a game on and a plate of hot wings in front of me.

I also really love how the NFL taps into its audience through the use of social media. I follow the NFL and multiple football players on Twitter. I am a fan of the NFL Facebook page. But I was most delighted to hear about another way the league is reaching out to its audience and integrating them into the game itself.

If you’re a big NFL fan like me, you have probably noticed on Thursday night games there is a lot of fan footage. Being the PR investigator I am, I turned to the internet to find out if this was a new marketing campaign. Turns out I was right! The videos of fans used during the games are actually crowdsourced.

The NFL is now encouraging fans to record their favorite team’s “fight song” for a chance to be featured during the opening video montage during a Thursday Night Football game. Through the NFL’s Fanchise site, viewers can upload their fan video from their house, a bar, the stadium or even at the tailgate! All you have to do is pick your team, record your video, upload it and voila – you’re on your way to 15 minutes of fame.

From a public relations perspective, this is a really smart move. Not only is this marketing the NFL in new and different ways on the web, it is also increasing the league’s social media presence.

So, if you have a favorite team and are ready to sing loud and proud, upload your video today! I know I will be for my favorite team (The Eagles if you haven’t already guessed it, I’m a Philly girl!).

The Social Celeb

When it comes to social media, how celebrities use their accounts is really no different than the rest of the world. However, their communities, reach and relevance is much more prevalent and on a much larger scale.

When a celebrity tweets or makes a status update it is literally “heard” around the world. Celebrities can use this personal PR tool to provide their fans and followers with a more intimate look into their lives. When used correctly, social media can be powerful and instrumental in taking relationships, engagement and establishing connections to a higher level. The growing use of social media among people in the public-eye is bringing them closer to their fans.

Celebrities utilizing social media can be dangerous though. Since it is an instant form of PR placed directly in the hands of the individual, the reality is that celebs have a lot to lose if they don’t use discretion with their social media accounts.

Here are some positive ways celebrities have used social media to their advantage:

-          Connect on a personal level with fans and followers

-          Rally community support for a good cause

-          Increase awareness on a certain public issue

-          Drive sales

-          Promote contests and giveaways

-          Announce private news before it goes public

Can you think of other ways that celebs can get the most out of their social media profiles? Let us know!