Under Armour Content & Community Manager Jessica Smith (@WarJessEagle) also is the creator of the popular website Social N Sport, which looks at the sports industry's use of social media. It has become a go-to site for a glimpse at social media's ever-evolving landscape. Smith said of starting the blog, "One day I was having a conversation with a friend who worked in the industry and he mentioned QR codes. I had no idea what he was talking about. It was then that I had this 'ah-ha' moment. If I wanted to work in the social/digital then I had to find a way to keep up with it."
Aspect of the blog and its role in social media you are most proud of:
Hands down how the blog has connected me to some of the smartest and most passionate people in the industry. One thing I’ve learned through blogging is that people appreciate perspective and insight -- when you are willing to share and give, it opens the door to fantastic relationships. People might not always agree with the point of view shared on the blog, but it starts conversations. And through healthy conversation and debate, we all learn. If I never started blogging, I wouldn’t have the relationships with the people that I do. It’s all about the people I’ve met along the way.
Concern in the social media space:
The social media industry suffers from a serious case of "Fear of Missing Out." Every day is a holiday on Twitter and every day brands are inserting themselves into the conversation, whether it has anything to do with the brand, product or story. FOMO cheapens the story for brands. Your job as a marketer is to tell a story that is unique and authentic to the brand you work for. Jumping on a pseudo-holiday or trending topic might generate a lot of retweets, but it doesn’t necessarily tell the strongest brand story. I’m not saying to never jump on a trend, but make sure that it’s aligned with your brand voice and story. It's easy to get caught up in "everything" when you work in social media, but the brands that win in the long run define a POV/voice and own it.
Getting started in social media:
My first job out of school happened to be a digital marketing role. I always knew I wanted to work in marketing or a creative field, but didn’t know exactly what that looked like. Needless to say, it was love at first tweet.
UA's social media philosophy:
At the highest level, it’s about connecting one-on-one with our consumer and telling our brand story in a way that motivates, engages and pulls people in. We focus on producing content that is real, raw and gritty. The voice of the brand is aggressive, young and fearless. Whether we’re telling an athlete story or speaking directly to our consumer, it’s critical that voice comes through in an authentic way.
Favorite social media campaign:
The Chicago Blackhawks’ #WhatsYourGoal campaign. The Blackhawks have embraced both emotional content and community in winning fashion through it. The campaign asks fans to share their goals every Wednesday that the team can help them achieve. The result is an inspiring, humorous and heart-warming collection of user-generated content. From there, the team picks some of the best submissions to actually surprise and delight fans. And for the bigger asks/rewards, they create fantastic documentary-style videos around the fan’s story.
Sources for social/digital news:
The collection is large, ranging from Digiday to smaller, industry blogs. My secret to keeping up with everything is Feedly. An RSS reader might seem old school, but it’s been a lifesaver.
If you know anyone who should be featured for their use of social media, send their name to us at
jperez@sportsbusinessdaily.com
