As colleges nationwide face increasing enrollment challenges, many institutions are searching for innovative ways to attract prospective students. College athletics have long been a rallying point for school spirit and engagement, but their influence extends far beyond the field. With social media, athletic programs have a powerful tool to not only showcase their teams but also create a sense of community that appeals to both student-athletes and non-athletes.
Social media’s role in recruitment
Social media is a powerful tool for every institution in building brand awareness. Promoting athletic programs isn’t just about school pride or celebrating current students’ success—it’s also a key opportunity to attract prospective students. For some schools, the primary audience is the athletes themselves. In the past, student-athletes relied on summer camps to gain exposure with coaches, but now platforms like X have transformed the recruiting landscape. High school students leverage these platforms to connect with coaches at schools of interest and share their game films with anyone who might offer them a spot in their program. Coaches and support staff at many institutions now serve as admissions ambassadors, as they actively engage with recruits on social media. This shift has also required athletic programs to establish a strong brand identity—one that prospective student-athletes want to be a part of. Coaches and athletic programs that are armed with an overall content strategy and quality content can help increase their success rate in landing quality recruits.
For other schools, the emphasis may be on utilizing their successful athletic programs to attract a broader audience of prospective students. Some students are passionate about sports, and the ability to follow and connect with their future school’s teams can be a key factor in their college decision. Others may not share the same enthusiasm for sports but still see athletic events as a way to embrace school spirit, engage with peers and connect with the broader community.
Utilizing social media can be essential for showcasing the fan experience. Engaging crowd imagery, dynamic video content and a strong social media presence that encourages fan interaction can have a significant impact on building a community on campus that students want to be a part of.
This can be established by drafting plans to cover “themed” games like a color-out or homecoming or engaging with influencers to show the fan experience.
Using social media to capitalize on the moment
For larger institutions, athletic success can create opportunities to reach broader audiences. However, every year in March Madness, smaller Division I schools get to share the stage with some of the largest institutions in the country. Simply qualifying for the tournament brings significant brand exposure, while those lucky enough to make a deep run can reap long-term benefits that have the power to transform an institution.
Schools that saw success in the tournament such as Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Loyola Chicago, UMBC and Davidson all saw dramatic increases in enrollment (in-state and out-of-state) the following year.
Given the unpredictability of sports, it’s always important for central Marketing & Communication offices and smaller athletic departments to have a strategy in place to capitalize on the moment if their team gains national attention.
Tips to get started today
- Audit the social media presence of your institution’s athletic department
Auditing your institution’s athletic accounts is a strong first step. Start with the main athletics page and individual team accounts, evaluating followers, engagement, reach and diversity of content.
When looking at whether your content resonates, keep in mind that graphic design is one of the most effective ways to make your program stand out from the competition. Whether it’s customized graphics for recruits or eye-catching graphics posted into the feed, strong design has become a key component of content strategy in college athletics.
Outside of graphic design, video content can be another great way to tell the story of the athletic teams on your campus.
- Provide coaches with brand strategy and toolkits to ensure cohesive and effective outreach
Some coaches are very tech-savvy, understand the importance of social media and are committed to using the platform as a tool to market their program. Others might need some encouragement, guidance, or, in some cases, for someone else to do it for them.
Providing brand toolkits, content ideas, strategy and workshops to help coaches be a resource for your university’s recruitment efforts can be helpful.
- Think beyond the prospective student audience.
When crafting a social media strategy for college athletics, it’s essential to remember that the decision-making process extends far beyond just the student. High school coaches, parents, family members and guidance counselors play a pivotal role in influencing where a student chooses to attend college.
By engaging these key influencers, you can create a broader awareness of your institution and establish an emotional connection that may sway a student’s final decision. Consider tailoring content that speaks directly to these audiences, such as academic resources, student success stories, content that emphasizes the coaching staff’s commitment to player growth, scholarship opportunities and more.
- Ensure you have a plan to capitalize on your athletic program’s success on an institutional level
Celebrating the achievements of your athletic programs is always important. However, unexpected big moments may also require strategic media outreach, enhanced social media efforts and additional promotional tactics to maximize exposure and reach new audiences.
Interested in discussing marketing and content strategy for your institution’s athletic department? Connect with Ben Borus, who brings experience in college athletics recruitment and social media strategy for major sports brands like the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Pirates.
