4 Ways to Close Out a Season Socially

By Jessica Smith On April 19, 2015 In Lessons Learned, Social Media

For some NBA teams, the clock ran out on their season this week. But as the clock struck zero, the social media work didn’t end. Many of the teams took to social media to close out the season the right way.

This approach, to close out the season on social media, is important. Whether a team wins or loses the last game of the season, it’s important that the social media manager thinks through how to approach the season finale. Fans have been a part of the journey all along; they want some emotional closure beyond the scores. Plan to get it right.

But how do you plan to close out the season socially, especially when it has been a losing one? It starts with asking the right questions:

  • What about this season stood out that can be highlighted?
  • What is fan sentiment like?
  • What will you do if you win your last game? 
What will you do if you lose?
  • What can you prepare content-wise ahead of time (for both outcomes) to ensure you are ready to go?

Take the time to work through these questions and come up with a plan, win or lose, on the content that is important to share. With an understanding of season highlights and fan sentiment, it’s much easier to plan content that will resonate.

To help serve as inspiration on how to close out the season socially, here’s a look at how some of the NBA teams handled their season coming to an end:

 

Thank Fans

Whether a team wins or loses, thanking fans is a must these days. Social media is not just a broadcast platform; it’s a way to build a community. Don’t take your community for granted. Show your fans how thankful the entire organization is for their support.

Trends that stood out when thanking fans include strong copy, good graphics and personal messages from the players themselves. Below is a look at some of the content:

https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/588760517851930624

 

Put a Positive Spin

If the season has been a tough one, don’t focus on the negative. Find a way to reflect positively on a lesson, record, milestone, team perseverance, etc. Focusing on the positive will help redirect negative sentiment (at least some).

The two examples below showcase how teams can focus on the positives attributes of the team or season. For the Pistons, they ended their season on a good note. For OKC, they never gave up. It’s all about the positives:

 

Highlight Team Reflection

It’s natural for everyone– fans, players, coaches, etc.– to reflect on the season. And, bringing that aspect of reflection into social content is a great way to close out the season. It taps into an emotional element that fans gravitate towards. And of course, emotional content resonates.

When a season closes out, it’s important to gather quotes from players and coaches whether it is through press conferences or one-on-one interviews. Capture those moments of personal reflection. The quotes can be shared as text alone or turned into graphics:

https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/588572432920772609

 

Move Forward

When a door closes on a season, a new one awaits. This anticipation is exciting for fans, and honestly, it’s rarely too early to start drumming up excitement for it. As the season closes out, don’t be afraid to look towards the future. Tap into the team’s focus for the next year, workouts planned and the emotion of waiting in general:

 

So as a season ends, remember to focus on closing the door the right way socially: Thank your fans, put a positive spin on it, reflect and move forward.

 

 

How else can teams close out a season socially? I would love to hear your thoughts below!

 

Thanks for reading. 

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