Five Ways @MarchMadness Is Hitting a Slam Dunk Socially

By Jessica Smith On March 23, 2015 In College Athletics, Social Media

Turner has already shared some promising statistics on the social media chatter of the tournament. Since Saturday, March 21 the NCAA Tournament has earned 82 million total impressions across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. That’s up 35 percent from last year. This comes as no surprise; with a bracket busting year, everywhere you look on Twitter another tournament-related topic is trending.

Aside from the excitement of the tournament, it’s clear the March Madness team has worked hard to provide top-notch digital and social coverage. They aren’t just providing play-by-play. They are enhancing the viewing experience for fans no matter their allegiance.

While we still have a ways to go before a champion is crowned, the March Madness platforms are winning on social. Here’s a look at what is standing out so far:

 

Platform agnostic.

With March Madness, it’s not a digital versus broadcast game. They are taking the coverage where the fans are. From the traditional TV coverage to the live streams on NCAA.com and highlights on social media, fans can consume the games anyway they want.

In this day and age, mobility is key. Don’t fight trying to push fans to a platform; go where they are. When you look at the totality of numbers, you will have more success.

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Meaningful sponsor integraton.

All too often sponsors are slapped on social content without looking for a way to make a meaningful connection between the story and the sponsor. If you can integrate a sponsor into compelling content gracefully, it’s a win for both the fans and the sponsor. And, March Madness has had several sponsorship wins:

Dove Real Strength
This is a slam-dunk sponsor integration for March Madness. Dove is leveraging their sponsorship to showcase how the men of the tournament demonstrate real strength through uplighting, heartwarming and emotional stories. Stories include everything from Ron Hunter and his son to Mike Brey dealing with the loss of his mom. The content couldn’t be more on brand for Dove, and it’s also extremely compelling for fans (just look at the engagement below). Wins all the way around!

Axe Step-Up Performance
March Madness has integrated Axe into their video content in a series focused on step-up performances. The content aligns nicely with the Axe brand and is something that fans enjoy seeing. An easy and smart integration.

ATT&T Courtside
ATT&T and March Madness are giving fans a court-side view of the action through compelling photo galleries. It’s compelling content and a sponsor integration that isn’t too intrusive:

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On-brand GIFs.

GIFS have become a popular content choice on Twitter. And while GIFS are wonderful, all too often they focus on the world of pop culture and away from the brand. Here’s the thing though: If you take a look around, you’ll realize there are golden, GIFable moments happening within the venue. March Madness is doing a really good job of splicing and dicing these golden moments from the tournament into GIFS. This content is humorous, surprising and fun (and on brand, #winning):

 

Inside access.

It’s easy to focus on the scores, stats and on-the-field action, but the gold is in the players and the emotional journey. Fans crave behind-the-scenes content because it’s something they never get to see it during the game. It makes the team more human, helps to foster a deeper connection and tends to pull at people’s emotions (and people share content that evokes emotion).

March Madness is doing a great job of capitalizing on their access to tell the behind-the-scenes story and emotional moments in conjunction with the games. And, even better, the stories are behind told through video:

 

Stellar graphics.

Good graphics are all the rage right now in sports, and my guess is this trend is here to stay. Design can help content to stand out from the noise, tell the story and emphasize a point. And, the March Madness accounts have done a good job creating compelling visuals to engage their audience. From channel changer notifications to quote graphics, matchups and more, design has played a key role in their content approach. Here’s just a small preview:

 

As the tournament continues to unfold, be sure to give March Madness a follow on Twitter and Facebook. They are producing stellar content and doing a great job of telling the story online.

 

 

 

What do you think about the coverage from March Madness? What stands out to you?

Thanks for reading! 

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