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On Five Years of Blogging

By Jessica Smith On January 2, 2018 In Uncategorized with 1 Comment

This little blog all started because I didn’t know what a QR code was. I was in one of my first jobs out of college, working for a small organization as a digital marketing & outreach coordinator. Working for a small organization early on was the best thing for me. It meant big projects, no matter your title. I managed our website and its redesign, email marketing, social and the online component of our youth program. I loved the job, learned a ton and knew digital was where I wanted to be.

But working for a small organization also meant I wasn’t part of a robust marketing team. We all wore multiple hats and had crazy workloads, which made it harder to keep up with trends (or to stop, pause and think). This became extremely evident one day I was talking to a friend in the industry and he mentioned QR codes. And, I had no idea what he was talking about. While I was learning a lot in my current role, it wasn’t a priority to keep up with the industry. It was then that I had this “ah-ha” moment that if I wanted to work in digital I had a find a way to hold myself accountable to be in the know.

I’ve always loved writing, analyzing, thinking and thought a blog would be a good vehicle to keep up with the trends. So finally, a couple years after that QR conversation, Social ‘n Sport became a thing. The end of 2017 wraps up my fifth year of writing. As we head into 2018, I wanted to reflect on a few things this blog has taught me.

 

Do it for you.

Passion projects like this have to come from a place of purpose within. When I started this blog years ago, I was writing for myself. The only intention and purpose was to myself better. There was no pressure to get readership, make money or land a job.

Fast forward to today, and this blog has opened more doors than I could ever have imagined. But, even today, there is no pressure. I write because I enjoy it. I write because it makes me better at my job. And, I happen to be lucky enough that you all enjoy some of my ramblings too. If there ever comes a time when the blog isn’t enjoyable anymore, then I’ll shut it down.

We all are busy. We all have to prioritize or we’ll burn out. If you decide you want to take on something new, do it because you enjoy it first. The opened doors will follow.

 

Putting yourself out there is scary.

Most of us have some self doubt. Yes, sharing your thoughts is scary. You open yourself up to criticism. But the worst thing that’s ever happened to me is getting trolled by @Four_Pins for a tweet. And, I present it to you for a good laugh:

https://twitter.com/Four_Pins/status/926110271034351616

In work and in life we have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Step up to the plate and take on something new. Put yourself out there and open yourself up to feedback. That’s the only way we continue to grow.

 

People value perspective.

While putting yourself out there is scary, people value perspective. And I have found the more I share perspective AND listen, the more respect is gained. Not everyone will agree with you all the time, but providing a point-of-view gets discussions, debates and dialogues going. That’s critical for teams.

Putting yourself out there grabs people attention, whether it’s in a meeting or online. Sitting back won’t get good work and thinking noticed, so don’t be afraid to push. Bring your voice to the table. Establish yourself as a thought leader.

 

There will be naysayers.

Inevitably, you are going to meet people throughout your career or in life who don’t like what you do. Plain and simple. It’s not personal, so don’t take it personally. If you put yourself out there, you’re bound to find one or two people who will try to tear you down. Brush it off and move on.

 

Build bridges.

Doors open, but it’s up to you to build the bridge to turn a contact into a relationship. Your network is only as a strong as the actual relationships you have. It’s about building relationships with people that would truly go to bat for you and vice versa. This idea of building bridges is a constant work in progress for me. It takes time and effort, but in 2018, I hope I get to know a lot more of you personally.

 
I laugh about about the QR story now, but looking back, that was a pivotal moment for me. It was pivotal because this blog and this community has made me a better employee, teammate, leader and marketer.

I want to say thank you for all your kind words, encouragement and help over the years. I’m thankful to work in this industry with so many talented and gracious people. Thanks for making this passion project 1000x more fun! If there’s anyway I can ever lend a hand to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out: [email protected].

Thanks as always, for reading.

Inspiration & Lessons From #Ko8e24

By Jessica Smith On December 27, 2017 In Uncategorized

There are moments in sports that everyone seems to rally around. Moments where inevitably people will watch and pay attention. From championship games to historic milestones, these moments are worth investing in. And, Kobe Bryant’s Jersey Retirement Ceremony is a good example of that.

The internet went crazy with content the day the Lakers retired his jersey. And, there was inspiration everywhere from the Lakers fantastic digital pieces to Bleacher Report’s array of unique content.

Below are a few highlights and takeaways from Kobe’s big jersey retirement day:

 

1 – Quantity requires diversification.

Bleacher Report pushed out a lot of content around Kobe’s jersey retirement. The difference between their push from others though is how much they vary their content. Bleacher Report has a tone of diversity in their content strategy from illustrations to tribute videos. Below are a few highlights:

The publisher mentality is detrimental to content performance unless pieces offer variety, value. Bleacher Report’s coverage of Kobe’s jersey retirement is a great example of that.

 

2- Dynamic can be simple.

The GIF below was one of the stronger pieces of content from the day. It’s simple, sure, but it’s eye-catching and evokes emotion. Good content doesn’t have to be complicated. This is the perfect example.

 

3 – Split screens are underrated.

There was something powerful about watching the split screen of the jersey’s rising and Kobe’s reaction. And while the split screen is often a broadcast play, it’s underrated as a specific social content piece.

A split screen execution can showcase different perspectives, evolution, comparison, tension. All of which work well in social. It might be time to think about incorporating them into your content arsenal.

 

4- There’s something about tension.

The Utah Jazz created a beautiful tribute video to Kobe. The Jazz did a beautiful job weaving in the story of Kobe, the Jazz and the love / hate. This wasn’t an instance of FOMO; they focused on the role their brand played in the story of Kobe. There’s a bit of tension in the piece and that’s what makes it work.

 

5- Access still wins.

The sports space is crowded now. The competition includes teams, leagues, bloggers, media and even fans. And in this crowded space, one thing most teams or leagues can offer that others can’t is access. No matter what, you always add value if you give a look behind the curtain.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc3q7y0F9yx/?taken-by=nba

 

6- Long-form has its place.

The Lakers produced several, beautiful pieces on their site that allowed fans to dig deeper. From the chapters of his career to a unique piece on jerseys, their digital content fed the fans who wanted more Kobe content. Check out the two pieces below.

Social doesn’t always allow for the full story, so during big moments, we can’t neglect long form. If you deliver on the content and the design, fans will spend time consuming.

When it mattered, a lot of brands stepped up their content game yesterday to honor Kobe. What stood out most to you?

Why It’s Time To Abandon “Digital First”

By Jessica Smith On May 16, 2018 In Uncategorized

It’s time to make “digital first” no longer a thing and “brand first” the focal point again.

It wasn’t long ago I was guilty of creating decks that had “digital first” plastered everywhere. But this industry evolves and changes. And when you think about the origin of the phrase, it caught fire because companies didn’t quite know how to tackle the space. They didn’t get how to build strategies around it. They didn’t get how to build teams for it. And, they didn’t get how to embed the thinking into their culture.

“Digital first” was a loud statement because there wasn’t enough investment in it. Something radical needed to shift within companies. Brands needed pioneers, renegades and wizards (hope you sense some sarcasm) to shape thinking that digital was the future.

Somewhere along the way, digital became this separate thing. A separate thing that often feels disconnected from a brand’s DNA. There’s this pressure to be everything to everyone or to resort to gimmicks for vanity metrics. “Digital first” became a very slippery slope.

It’s time to throw this thinking out. Digital is no longer new enough for new to be an excuse. It’s 2018. There are more than 3 billion internet users in the world. Digital should be innate to what we do as marketers.

Let’s step away from the gimmicks and get back to building our brands (through a customer-centric lens). We need to break down silos and bring marketing back to a 360 approach. Your digital channels shouldn’t feel separate from everything else.

All great marketing strategies start with a brand strategy. This means having a firm understanding of your mission, your values, your voice, your why. It’s not about gimmicks, retweets or short-lived vanity metrics.

Pivoting back to “brand first” means creating a more cohesive experience. Yes, digital will most likely be a driving force in the strategy, but the execution will reflect the brand through and through. And, that’s the business we’re in.

5 Social Media Lessons From The 2017 World Series Teams

By Jessica Smith On November 1, 2017 In Uncategorized with 1 Comment

The games during this year’s World Series have been exciting and fun to watch. And, that’s not the only thing. Both the Astros and Dodgers have hit it out of the park (sorry) with their social coverage. Below are five takeaways, strong visual identities to carefully curated feeds.

 

Your visual identity matters.

Creative is a reflection of your team, league or brand through and through. When people see content as they scroll through their feed, they should immediately know who it is coming from.

The Dodgers and Astros are both great examples of what it means to create a visual identity for your team. The creative is sharp, consistent and feels right for their brands.

Social is the front door to your brand. Make sure you’re putting your best foot forward visually.

 

Dry information is about the presentation.

Sometimes you have to plug information that’s simply not sexy. Things like game times and tune in info have to be pushed out, even if it’s not all that bright and shiny.

While the information might be dry, it’s still important to capture attention. Both teams have done a good job creating content around dry information that still catches the eye. The key is to focus on moving image and good design. A few examples below:

Remember, design plays an important role in standing out from the noise. Even with dry information, it’s all about the presentation.

 

Curate, thoughtfully & carefully.

When you work in sports, it’s not about what happens on the field or court alone. It’s also about everything that surrounds it… before, during and after. When a fan glances at your account, it should tell the full story of you team or brand. Think about it as a snapshot.

The Dodgers do a fantastic job selecting photos and videos that tell the full story, from the stadium to the fans to in action. And, they also do a good job of varying the photos in style and angles. Below are a few examples:

The Dodgers’ photography is outstanding. But on top of that, they carefully curate their feeds. They don’t share similar photos back to back to back. Instead, they focus on diversifying what they share both, both in subject and in style.

When you work in social, you play publisher. It’s important to think about the totality of all your posts and the story they tell together, not think of each one as a “one and done”. Curate thoughtfully and carefully to paint the full picture.

 

Hype is real.

Good content is about evoking an emotion or response in fans, especially when it comes to video content. And, nothing gets fans to share more than a good hype video. This below from the Dodgers is a perfect example of it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BasD2NsHNet/?taken-by=dodgers

 

Try new formats.

In the battle for attention, it’s important to try new content formats and creative executions. Mixing up content keeps things fresh and fans interested, especially in this 365 day world where there is no offseason.

If you need an example of what this looks like, the Astros do a good job mixing up their content and creative executions, from the use of stop motion to illustrations.

It’s important to push creative thinking throughout the season so content does not get stale. Take a page from the Astros and leverage all kinds of formats to get your message and story across.

 
When you are on a big stage like the World Series, it’s so important to be prepared. It’s an opportunity to rally your community, earn new fans and elevate your brand. Both the Astros and Dodgers have seized the opportunity and it shines in their work.

The examples and lessons above scratch the surface of takeaways from both of these teams though. What stood out to you in their coverage? Share your thoughts below.

Digital Is Not A Niche

By Jessica Smith On October 13, 2017 In Uncategorized

Digital is not a niche. As a role, as a strategy, as part of an organization. And, we need to stop thinking about it as such.

When I started my career early on, digital was more of a speciality. But with the shift in consumer behavior, those days of it living in a silo and hoping to be successful are long gone.

Think about it. The phone is the first thing consumers reach for in the morning, and it’s the last thing they put down at night. It’s the vehicle to reach your consumer, no matter the target.

But for all the talk about being digital first, we still have a long way to go. Brands need to stop treating it as a silo. We don’t need separate digital teams– we need digital teams embedded within the larger strategy. We need marketing leaders who are truly obsessed with consumer behavior online. And, are driving 360 marketing plans with digital top of mind.

Digital *is* the grounding force in a marketing strategy today. No, it doesn’t reflect all marketing, but everything else is now a specialty.