Five Smart & Savvy Social Media Plays from US Soccer

If you’ve been following US Soccer on their social media / digital channels during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it’s clear they took a look of time to prepare for the event. Not only are they cranking out stellar content on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, but they are tapping into brand ambassadors and celebrities left and right (I’m sure this didn’t happen by chance, but by outreach). And while I could probably list 20 or more things that US Soccer is doing right, below are five winning tactics we can all take away from their smart and savvy social media play:

No. 1- Create fan-first initiatives.

While US Soccer is not engaging with fans directly on Twitter (one of the few things I wish they were doing), they’ve had some very fan-friendly activations for their faithful following including personalized jerseys, good luck wishes in the locker room and a doctor’s note:

During a live and major event, it’s easy (unfortunately) to ignore the fan piece—there’s a story to tell, content to produce and game updates to give. I know it’s exhausting, but teams and leagues have to take the time for the fans when emotions are high. This is the time to leave a lasting impression.

No. 2- Use access to tell a story.

Social media should give fans a backstage pass. Forget on-the-field action, game recaps, etc. The behind-the-scenes story is where social media really has leverage. Why? Because the on-the-field story is already being told on TV. Instead of competing with the coverage, it’s better focus on the story that isn’t being told… the one YOU have access to.

Scroll through US Soccer’s Twitter timeline and it’s easy to piece together a story. Fans know when the team is practicing, when the locker room is ready, when they’re driving to the stadium, etc. and all in chronological order. The @USSoccer account is like the team’s own personal narrator. And, that’s how it should be:

No. 3- Mobilize your tribe.

US Soccer has worked both online and offline (viewing parties) to mobilize a tribe of people. From the “One Team One Nation” theme to the way they’ve crafted content, US Soccer has managed to mobilize fans, teams, celebrities, etc. online in a way I have never seen before. I think there are a few reasons why this has been successful:

They’ve tapped into emotion, like USA pride.
They’ve made it easy for other organizations, teams, people, etc. to rally by creating graphics / content for them to share (see gallery below). It’s clear they focused on a strategic effort to mobilize third-party ambassadors and it’s working.
They’re smart with their copy, making fans feel like they’re a part of the team.
They’ve created content people WANT to share.

No. 4- Tell the off-the-field story.

Fans want to know about the person behind the jersey. Thankfully, US Soccer is taking the time to tell the 23 stories behind the players through their video series One Nation. One Team. 23 Stories. Together, the video series has garnered more than 720,000 views:

We need more storytelling from teams and leagues. Fans care about who the players are off the field because the personal struggles, gains, tragedies and triumphs make them relatable. I’m glad US Soccer is taking the time to tap into human-interest pieces.

No. 5- Play it cool when things don’t go as planned.

When you work in social media and sports, you know things don’t always go as planned. Plan for the unexpected, no matter how big or how small:

We didn't even have time to put up our "the game has kicked off" graphic!! But hey: #OneNationOneTeam pic.twitter.com/xoESmnoH9T

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 16, 2014