I recently wrote about UNC’s awesome Social Media Night. When done right, these events can help to bridge the gap between the online and offline world, empower your biggest advocates and attract new fans. And, the opportunities for events like this are endless as long as you unleash your creativity.
This week the Warriors host a Social Media Night that proved, like UNC, how fun these events can be. And while the theme was the same, the initiatives from both teams were different. It’s a great example of how wide open the opportunities are.
I’ve compiled some of the Warriors great ideas from Social Media Night to give you more inspiration. Between this one and UNC’s, you should be ready to roll with a fabulous social night anytime. Here they are:
Social Media Shooting Shirts
The players wore shooting shirts that featured their Twitter handles. The shirts are also available for fans to purchase.
Snapchat Geofilter
The Warriors uploaded a social media night themed geofilter to Snapchat that fans could use in-venue for the game. This is a great way to promote the initiative and empower your audience to spread the word.
Social Insider
Fans dream of tweeting for their favorite team! So, the Warriors picked a fan to cover the game socially for them as the “Dubs Social Insider”. This is certainly a great way to reward a brand ambassador, under guidance and supervision of course.
Contest for Viewers at Home
When you host a social media night, getting your fans engaged at home can be tough. In addition to great content, the Warriors also hosted a contest for fans at home to win free swag. For the contest, they asked fans to snap a picture of #FitzandJB during the broadcast. A simple, easy and fun way to get fans engaged at home and reward them for tuning in.
In-Venue Integration
To encourage social sharing, Instagram photos and tweets were featured on the scoreboard. The Warriors also had section giveaways determined by the volume of fan tweets; a fun and creative way to get people to rally.
Social Media-Themed GIFS / Graphics
The Warriors created GIFS and graphics that included social media elements like emojis and hashtags. This is a great way to incorporate the theme of the night into social content.
#GSWSocial #LetsGoWarriors pic.twitter.com/lzMY89ZM2Y
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 19, 2015
#SPLASH party on #WarriorsGround pic.twitter.com/NL3znSGhJ1
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 19, 2015
Photo Opportunity
To encourage fans photos, the Warriors had an Instagram frame prop that fans could pose and take pictures with. If a fan used the appropriate hashtag, their photo was then featured on the Instagram Wall. The Instagram frame is a fun and easy way to give fans a photo opportunity. The mobility of the prop is great for in-venue activations too.
Selfie stick! Tonight's #DubsSocialInsider testing it out at the Instagram Wall. #GSWSocial #WarriorsGround pic.twitter.com/tN9PM1vlbS
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 19, 2015
While the Warriors had a few other initiatives during the night, this gives you a great overall idea of their fun and successful Social Media Night. And as you can see, the opportunities are endless. These themed nights are a great way to rally the troops and reward your biggest ambassadors. Just remember, if you are hosting a social media night, it’s important to promote the event across all your channels.
What do you think would work well for a social media night? I would love to hear your ideas below!
Thanks for reading!
