USA Track & Field Marketing & Communications Manager Amanda Brooks (@usatf) manages all of the NGB's social media accounts. Having recently returned from the World Championships in Beijing, Brooks is already planning her efforts for the '16 Games in Rio. She said, "Before the Games, we have the Olympic Trials. There is nothing like the Olympic Games and there’s nothing like the Olympic spirit. It’s getting people excited for the stories -- that’s what people root for -- the stories."
The message USATF wants to send out:
Every athlete has a story and what better way to tell that than through social media? Whether it’s going behind the scenes with the team at training camp or giving an athlete my phone to Periscope a victory lap, it’s making America feel like they're part of the experience. We want them to be on the podium with us, we want our fans to be part of every step of the journey. A lot of people think the Olympic space is once every four years, but for us and our athletes it’s every day.
Standing out beyond Olympic years:
It’s being creative. We have events year-round, so that’s helpful. It’s about visual content more than anything. I also love to have athletes take over our accounts, whether it’s Snapchat or Twitter or Instagram, because who tells the story better than the athletes themselves? I try to make it more accessible. If it’s something like Christian Taylor just broke the American record in the triple jump, if I can explain what that is in baseball terms -- it’s the distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate and he just jumped that -- that’s a recognizable stat for people. Also, trying to enter the marketplace when we’re out of season when it works for us.
How NGB social media is different from that of a team or league:
It’s really different. Working with an NGB, you have a different fan base and you also have a different constituent group. With a team, you have one sport. For USATF, we have sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers, marathoners, we’ve got race walkers, youth, juniors, elites. It’s hitting all those groups and understanding the audience for each.
Integrating different social media platforms into USATF’s efforts:
My strategy is really based on events and what constituent group I’m trying to reach. For Twitter, I use that for real-time live events, any kind of breaking news. Instagram is more behind the scenes and also merchandise does well on Instagram. Snapchat is all behind the scenes. We used it at some junior events but had some really great activation with that at the World Championships. Facebook, I use it more as the official -- here’s a press release, here’s a recap. Each platform has a purpose, and I really try not to double post. I don’t connect any of the accounts. I want each one to have its own voice that molds into one collective USATF brand voice.
Social media account that provides inspiration:
I draw a lot of inspiration outside of sports. There’s a Twitter account called Design Taxi and everything they do is visually catching. I tend to draw more inspiration from agencies and brands than sports teams. In the sports space, everything is changing and growing, so you have to fight for your voice. It’s about finding inspiration in the unexpected places.
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