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Baylor Athletics Leverages Real Time Photography in Facebook & Twitter

December 16, 2011 Leave a Comment

Photography brings people together.

For the same reasons that people take and share pictures via mobiles and Facebook or Twitter, athletics programs should ask themselves how a few timely pictures can bring fans (and recruits) closer to their program.

Baylor Athletics does this across multiple sports inside both Facebook and Twitter. Let’s take a peak.

First, Facebook. As you’ll see on a visit to the Baylor Athletics Facebook page (here), the team does a great job of giving fans updates on their programs. But it was one post that got my mind revving. Football star Robert Griffin III was at ESPN for the announcement of this year’s Heisman Trophy candidates. It’s not too long ago that fans would learn via press releases that schools would post to their websites or you’d see in the local paper. Now, fans learn via social media.

But it isn’t the fact that Baylor posted about RGIII’s status as a finalist. It was how they did it. Check this:

It’s a picture, in a moment, packed with emotion. It’s a picture that none of us can get. And it dropped into Facebook in realtime!
Now, check out the Baylor Men’s Basketball Twitter account, here. As you’ll note, the team finished a big victory over Northwestern and then was heading home. The post below appeared on Twitter…

Again, it was a picture in a moment, and a picture that fans can’t get themselves. This isn’t something you’ll find on ESPN or in the local paper. Thus, Baylor is giving their fans value — and that value is through access.
I love both of these examples because they remind us all that the power of what we see has potential to unite a fan base. It has potential to spread, it gives fans a reason to follow you, and it brings more people closer to the program.

Tune back in Monday for more NCAA digital best practices. Until then, follow me here, or on Facebook (here) or Twitter (I’m @andypawlowski)
As always, thanks for reading!

Andy

Filed Under: Baylor, Big 12 Conference, Facebook, Photography, Twitter

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