• Loading stock data...
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

Why a Good Strategy Goes Beyond Just Great Content

Imagine, if you will, it’s 15 minutes before the Super Bowl, the television cameras are on and Bill Belichick and his hoodie walk into the New England Patriots locker room. He looks around at Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the rest of the team and says, “So, do you want to just wing it today? Tom, you can just draw some plays on your hand in the huddle and the guys can run them, right? You’re all talented so it all should work out. Alright.”

It’s the Patriots so they might still be able to win that way but the ensuing deluge of tweets, hot takes and non-stop talking head debates for the next few hours, days and weeks about how unprofessional, ridiculous and downright irresponsible he was would be maddening.

Heck, it’d be the kind of thing your grandmother, who knows so little about football that she scolds you for commenting about the “tight end”, would know about and likely have an opinion on.A great coach going full Costanza is the kind of thing that only happens if you want to lose your job or results in you losing it anyways.

Sure, it’s an absurd example and there is a greater chance of Blake Bortles going down as the greatest quarterback of all-time or Twitter giving us an edit button than that happening, but why then are you treating your social media strategy the same way?

To those of you who have a full-fledged content strategy around social, I apologize. For the rest of you, let’s have an honest talk.

Despite what many people assume when you tell them you work in social media, it’s a difficult endeavor that actually requires intense dedication, focus, attention to detail and strategy to do well. It’s not just some intern sitting in a broom closet playing on Facebook. It’s a team of people from writers and graphic designers to videographers executing a well laid out plan.

With resources dedicated to the medium, why have some brands and teams still not realized there is a difference between posting on social media and having a true strategy?

Simply posting a cool photo or a witty tweet may get a reaction, but what’s the greater purpose it’s serving for your brand? It’s a trap that I fell into early in my career with the Phoenix Suns. We were great at posting interesting and unique pieces of content but there wasn’t a larger guiding force tying it all together.

After my first season and a half, and as social media began to mature, I realized that it took a few key things to develop an all-encompassing plan.

Quo Vadimus

For those of you who didn’t get forced into four years of Catholic high school and Latin class or didn’t watch the Aaron Sorkin series Sports Night, it simply translates to “Where are we going?”

That’s a question you should not only ask yourself at the start of every season or major project but every day when it comes to your social accounts. What is the bigger picture, how does each piece of content tie together and fit our overarching story and how does it all align with the team or company’s overall goals?

“Content and social strategy go hand and hand. Digital departments basically work with everyone in the organization to get the word out, create engagement and be creative. Having a good system to keep the team on task and not get surprised when you have to react to something. Having a good strategy in place can also let other department knows what the focus is on and how they can work to be part of that plan.”

~ TJ Ansley, Director of Digital Media for the Columbus Blue Jackets

Having that simple mindset will keep you centered and away from chasing things that don’t fit what you’re trying to accomplish.

Consistent Look, Feel and Tonality

It’s cliché and a little cheesy, but your social accounts are like people. They have their own distinct looks and personalities. Just like in real life, some of them look disheveled and out of control while others look well kempt, polished and unique. It’s key to take the time to define your look, feel and tone.

A consistent look and feel doesn’t mean that every template and tweet has to be identical. It simply means that there is a logical and obvious theme carried through the way images are created. When it comes to tonality, an account should never rely solely on the personality of the person running it. It should be a defined persona that any individual can step into at any time without fans and customers ever realizing there was a changing of the guard.

The best part of having a well defined “brand persona” is that it will help determine when and if to hop in on potentially touchy subjects and how to handle unruly followers. Some brands like Moon Pie, Wendy’s and the LA Kings will handle things in a particular way where brands like Coke, the New York Yankees, and Real Madrid would handle them in a very different way. Knowing who you are will always make those decisions easy.

“A content strategy is about bringing your brand to life. For teams, it’s about more than the scores. It’s about showcasing the DNA of the organization and what it stands for.

A visual identity is an essential component of your content strategy. When color and design is led from a strategic standpoint, it evokes emotion and shapes perception. Think about some of the most beloved global brands, from Coca-Cola to Apple. They all have a design aesthetic. Color, shape, and space are essential in bringing the essence of a brand to life.

At the end of the day, a consistent look and feel makes your team identifiable. It helps your team stand out when consumers scroll quickly through their feed. Create a look and feel that no one else can own and you’ll have one of the key ingredients of a strong content strategy.”

~ Jess Smith, Senior Manager Digital & Social Strategy for New York Yankees

Communication and Trust

Whether it’s with those on your digital team or with the higher-ups in the organization, clear communication of your strategies and building trust so you know everyone buys into the plan is key. If you don’t properly explain and get people to believe in your vision it complicates the entire process. That’s when people start second-guessing what they should and can do and, in an immediate medium like social, a minute is the difference between being relevant and just looking out of touch. It’s also how people undermining a plan happens as well.

“On the team side, we’re rarely going to be in a position to break news first, so we have to approach content in a more unique and creative way. That requires trust, patience and cultivating an environment of strong, open communication – not only between your entire team, but senior executives and team operations.

Every department can benefit from a strong digital content strategy, but without that perspective, zero progress will be made.

That’s why strong communicators succeed in the sports industry. It can be a difficult landscape to navigate to foster a positive creative environment, but if you invest properly, the payoff will be tremendous.”

~ Dan LaTorraca, Sr. Director, Digital & Social Media Brooklyn Nets

While you won’t have an impact on the playing surface, having a game plan on social can still have a major impact on the perception of the brand, the loyalty of the fans and multiple other facets of the business. And who knows, if you do it well enough and prepare, you still may wind up on SportsCenter even though you never wound up in the box score of the game.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.

Greg Norman Leaves LIV As Golf World Continues to Shift

Norman relinquished the league’s CEO role in January.
People congregate at Turning Point Headquarters in Phoenix after news that the founder, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed at a rally in Utah on Sept. 10, 2025.

Panthers Staffer, Suns Reporter Fired for Charlie Kirk Posts

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot in Utah on Wednesday.

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.

Featured Today

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.
opinion
September 9, 2025

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from NFL’s Week 1 Broadcasts

Many viewers decried the addition of ads to “NFL RedZone.”
Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) leads the team onto the field for warm ups before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
September 7, 2025

Slow Burn: The NFL’s Private-Equity Era So Far

Three deals have been struck to date. But the league is bullish.
Tennis
September 5, 2025

The US Open Is Groaning Under the Weight of Its Own Success

New York’s tennis major is more popular than ever.

Ohio State–Texas Showdown Was Most-Watched Week 1 CFB Game Ever

Fox drew 16.62 million viewers on Saturday afternoon.
August 11, 2025

NBA Christmas Schedule Leans on LeBron, Steph While Betting on Flagg

The Lakers, Warriors, and Rockets are all in action.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Woodi Washington (5) runs after a reception during the Armed Forces Bowl football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
August 19, 2025

Oklahoma Selling Fans Tickets to Press Conferences

Press conference tickets for the Sooners’ season opener are already sold out.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
August 10, 2025

Bears CEO: Arlington Heights Only Local Location for New Stadium

The Bears currently play in Soldier Field in downtown Chicago.
August 8, 2025

Three Schools Sue Mountain West, Commish Over Withheld Funds

Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State intensified the court battle.
Courtesy: Harlem Globetrotters
July 25, 2025

The Harlem Globetrotters Have Changed Hands Repeatedly, but Keep Making Money

The team is gearing up for its 100th season.
July 16, 2025

Judge Rules for NFL, Fanatics Against Small Apparel Seller

The lawsuit argued the NFL “aids and abets” Fanatics with its strategy.