The Social Media Seven: 9/4–9/10

B:y Parth Shah, @shah_parth_

Welcome to a new edition of the Social Media Seven, a weekly rundown of the best in social media sports! This week, we look back at and pay respect to the past while keeping an eye to the future. Buckle your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen, the Social Media Seven is ready to takeoff!

1. New York Jets

Sept. 11, 2001.

The story of the #Jets and their city.

→ https://t.co/neILDKAevE pic.twitter.com/KsgWHXzavi

— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 8, 2016

Remembering all those lost 15 years ago today. #NeverForget 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/lAh8GDX9ee

— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 11, 2016

September 11, 2001 is a date that rests in infamy in New York and across our nation. In a time of tragedy and tumult, sports are just a mere afterthought amidst the destruction and suffering. 15 years after 9/11, the day’s events (and the ones to follow) still reverberate amongst fans, players, and communities. The New York Jets put together a really insightful and emotional video remembering the event as part of the organization. It’s great to see the franchise pay its respects to the tragedy and recognize its importance over football itself. The video also offers a unique perspective on how the events of 9/11 shook up the sport, as well as the city and the franchise. Casual and diehard fans alike can appreciate the sentiment behind a touching remembrance tribute that makes them proud to be a fan of the Jets. Well done. RIP, and Never Forget.

2. Los Angeles Galaxy

He's back. pic.twitter.com/tOEduyVv7u

— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) September 8, 2016

After spending over a year and a half in retirement, MLS and USMNT legend Landon Donovan has decided to come back to soccer, rejoining the Los Angeles Galaxy. This is a huge move that many did not see coming, so it came as a shock to fans all across the nation. The Galaxy put together a sharp, witty little video to reveal to their fans the return of Donovan to the organization. A role model athlete and a legend of the game, there is noticeable buzz regarding his return. The team’s video was able to get fans excited to see Donovan put on a jersey once again in the locker room, but the key to this was not overdoing the announcement. The simplicity of the video story and caption is a passive touch, not often seen on social media, where teams overutilize emojis, caps lock, and other bold strategies. The casual nature of both the caption and video aim to convey that the decision to return is a normal one, and makes fans feel as if Donovan had never truly left.

3. Rutgers

It's Game Day!! pic.twitter.com/D24DjIuTJ0

— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) September 10, 2016

Great day for some Rutgers football! #RFootball pic.twitter.com/kDhSeTE1G6

— Rutgers Football (@RFootball) September 10, 2016

Rutgers football has caught the eyes of many on social media, including our very own Russ Wilde. The graphic design team for the Scarlet Knights put together yet another spectacular visual prior to Saturday’s game. In a period where graphic design has become a crucial component of social media content, many teams are in an arms race to produce the best pieces. With this, graphics have started to become overdone, with too many intricate details overpowering the message or theme of the graphic. Rutgers did really well to create an image that is not only sharp to look at, but also stays true to its purpose. It’s difficult at times to find this balance, but kudos to them for making it work. The video, while not a excited, uptempo hype mix with EDM music, did well to create a fun vibe surrounding gameday and tailgating. It was nice to see such an ambient video stick out on a timeline where other programs are putting together more boisterous video content. Now to see if the Scarlet Knights can bring the same success onto the gridiron…

4. Von Miller

Thanks @KanyeWest and @adidasfballus for the cleats!! Can't wait to test them out tonight!!! pic.twitter.com/OmcB7jUWDo

— Von Miller (@VonMiller) September 8, 2016

Prior to kickoff on Thursday, Adidas and Kanye West were able to steal the spotlight, as they paired up to launch uniquely branded cleats called Yeezy’s. They rolled them out with the help of some of football’s biggest stars, including Super Bowl champion Von Miller. Although he only wore them in warmups, it was still a huge step in the launch of Adidas’ branding of Yeezys, as pictures of them went viral. The Adidas team did a great job capturing the buzz surrounding opening weekend and focusing it on their product launch, especially as it was a collaboration that was kept under wraps. Allowing a Pro Bowl athlete to reveal the cleats, instead of a standard rollout, is also a smart move, as it increases visibility and exposure of the product to a wider audience range on social media. A+ job on the release.

5. NFL Twitter Hashflags

https://twitter.com/MichaelEhrlich/status/773508182186528768

With the NFL season kicking off this week, Twitter and the league launched hashflag emojis for each team. Not only do they look great in tweets and on your timeline, but they also increase excitement for the upcoming season. Fans, to display their pride and loyalty, use these hashflags more freely, which significantly grows engagement between followers and the team and league. They allow fans to interact more and promote their team’s brand. It’s a smart move on the league’s part to build on conversation and give fans another tool to brand, while not making the hashflags overly complicated or busy.

6. Must-Read Article

With the explosion of online sports news publications and content, as well as competing sports networks, many have forecasted the decline of ESPN. While there are legitimate concerns for the company, as it aims to modernize itself and become more attractive to younger fans, it still remains a dominant player in the sports industry. The Business Insider article goes into further detail about how ESPN is still humming along, and how the company strives to continue growing. Extremely telling is ESPN’s ability to reach such a large audience through Snapchat. Check out the article here for more details.

7. Did You Know?

ATTN: AD's

Want to know the best time to post on Facebook? @BuzzSumo has your answer. #smsports #sportsbiz pic.twitter.com/hWEXw1ooW5

— Jeremy Darlow (@JeremyDarlow) September 7, 2016

According to Jeremy Darlow and Buzz Sumo, the best time to post on Facebook is between 10pm and midnight local time. This is something to keep in mind for social media and brand managers, as it may be worth trying out when posting their most important content. It is interesting to wonder how this time range translates to different markets, programs, and product categories, as each fan base has its own unique inherent qualities. Have an opinion on this? Please drop us a comment on Twitter!

Until next week, thanks for reading. Safe travels!