10 Ways to Leverage Social Media to Get Recruited

AthleteReach

It’s no secret that college coaches utilize social media to recruit. In today’s digital world, being able to market yourself online is critical. As a former player, it amazed me how limited coaches were in the recruiting process. Between analyzing opponents, breaking down game-tape and actually coaching, their recruiting efforts required extreme efficiency. The mountains of highlight videos and friendly references didn’t always get the attention (if any) they deserved. Coaches relied heavily on trusted networks, news sources and social media. Inherently, these networks and sources were biased or lacked legitimacy and left players falling through the cracks. This left social media…

The team at AthleteReach is creating a recruiting platform focused on player-generated content and teaching athletes how to effectively leverage the power of the internet. It’s cliché, but…Content is King.

The goals to being recruited are 1) be seen by coaches and 2) make a positive and lasting impression. Below are just a few examples of how athletes can accomplish these goals using social media…

1. Highlight Tape -

This is a given, but not the only way to get noticed.

2) Single Highlight -

A player may not have the most exciting highlight tape, but it only requires one play to get the traction needed. Releasing one play can be enough for coaches to initiate the recruiting process.

3) Drills and Workouts -

Drills: If game tape doesn’t do justice to a player’s ability, they can set up drills to demonstrate their talent. A QB in an option heavy offense isn’t going to have the same tape as a QB in a Run ‘N Gun offense. Players should set up game situation drills and show coaches they have the skills to play at the next level.

Workouts: High school athletes don’t always have access to quality coaches. Posting a workout video can show a coach a player’s upside. If they think a player has the physical assets needed to play at the next level, coaches are known to take a chance. Posting workout videos from the field/track/gym can also give coaches insight into a player’s dedication and work ethic.

4) Versatility (Multi-Sport/Multi-Position) -

Coaches are looking for well-rounded athletes. If players can show the discipline to excel at multiple sports, coaches get excited at the prospect of coaching them full-time. For examples, if a TE is a center on the court, a QB is a pitcher on the mound, or an OL is a wrestler on the mat, they should post highlight videos from both sports to exemplify their versatility and athleticism.

Julius Thomas (TE, Denver) never played HS football and only played one year in college. Now he’s one of Peyton Manning’s favorite targets on Sundays. NFL scouts had to rely on limited game tape and instead focused on his athleticism during his college basketball career. Jimmy Graham (All-Pro NFL TE/WR, New Orleans) only played one year of college football as well.

“I would have all of my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could.” -John Madden, NFL Hall of Fame Coach.

5) Athleticism -

More than anything, coaches are looking for the best athletes. The most athletic players have the most upside and give coaches more opportunities to be flexible and creative. Players should release content highlighting their athleticism.

It’s legitimacy may be in question, but this was definitely viewed by college coaches…

Recent tweet from Penn State defensive coordinator:

6) Pictures -

Pictures really can be worth a thousand words. A player’s upside is one of the most valued aspects of college recruiting.

If a player’s body frame still allows for room to grow physically, coaches put value in that. If their whole family is huge/athletic (ie, Gronkowskis), coaches also value genetics. Players should look to post pictures exemplifying their athleticism and physical upside. Below are pictures of current NFL players when they were in high school and then when they were in college/NFL.

In order: Nate Solder (NFL OL, New England); Von Miller (NFL LB, Denver); JJ Watt (NFL DL, Houston); Nick Fairley (NFL DL, Detroit)

7) Practice -

While it’s not from a live game, releasing content from practice can be the next best option. Coaches can get a feel for how a player will compete when the actual lights come on.

8) Feed Posts -

Social media is most valuable when you can keep your audience engaged. Social media posts give players the opportunity to update their followers on a consistent basis. They also give coaches insight into a player’s personality.

Examples of content to post about: Practice, workout, game stats, friends, aspirations, motivations, recruiting trips, awards, news articles, links to other social media platforms, etc.

Important: Players should keep their messages appropriate. Even the background music in highlight videos can leave a negative impression.

Recent tweet from Penn State coach:

9) References -

The first goal is to be noticed by coaches. A great way to do this is by getting referenced from someone with a larger social media audience. A re-tweet or shout-out from a high school alum who plays in the NFL can go a long way in getting seen by coaches. It’s important players leverage their network to expand their reach.

10) Fun -

At the end of the day, football is a game. It’s important for players to have fun and not hesitate to show their personal side. Posts can speak volumes to a player’s character and showing that they’re competitive when it’s time to grind and lighthearted off the field. Having a fun and optimistic personality is contagious in the locker room.

One of the best ways to gain traction from college coaches is by release entertaining videos highlighting specific skill sets. The more views a video can obtain, the greater the chance a college coach will find it.

Below are two examples of the power of content going viral. Both of these players received NFL contracts and their online videos deserve a lot of the credit. This can happen at any level…

Crucial to the success of social media is a player’s audience. The more fans, friends, family, likes, high fives, viewers, followers, etc, the greater the chance of college coaches finding them. Consistently and frequently releasing quality content like the examples noted above can keep an audience engaged and grow a player’s audience exponentially. By doing so, the odds of college coaches finding them (trust me, they’re looking) also increases exponentially.

This is only scratching the surface on how players can gain the attention of college coaches using social media. By joining AthleteReach (100% Free), our team will work with every athlete to ensure they’re effectively utilizing social media and the internet to achieve their recruiting goals.

www.AthleteReach.com

-AthleteReach Team