3. Best Practices - Marketing

Whether you're planning a single-camera on demand production or an elaborate multi-camera and multi-announcer live broadcast, a little structure and planning will go a long way to ensure a successful event.  Learn how to prepare an exciting broadcast and grow your viewership to create an outstanding program at your school.

Take a look at the downloadable Quick Start Guide below or Production Guides here to learn how to prepare for your broadcast and achieve the best quality production possible.  

    Before Every Event





    During and After Your Event

    Let us know of any cool highlights of your game by emailing highlights@playonsports.com.  Just include the team names, the players' name, and a rough timeline (i.e., the quarter) when the highlight occurred. 
    Cut your own highlights.  Click here for a quick instructional video on how to cut highlights.
    Post the highlight on your social media outlets with a link to your highlight or event.
    Have you seen the latest post on the NFHS Network blog?  See what's going on across the country in the world of high school sports.




    Take a picture of your broadcasting team and tweet it with the hashtag #WeAreHighSchool for a chance to be featured on the NFHS Network homepage!



    Keep up with your social media outlets and let your fans know what you will be producing next.



    Look at the upcoming sports seasons at your school and start to customize an mass email to send out to your community.  

    Let us know if there is an interesting story about an upcoming broadcast or an important event that you will be broadcasting at your school.  We'd love to share it with our media partners and get your school and broadcasting team some publicity!  Email the details to us at accounts@playonsports.com.  


    Social Media Basics

    Getting Started

    With so much content flowing through social media, it’s important that you make your message stand out.  Here are some tips:

    1. Write short, punchy messages. 
      • The longer your post, the less likely people are to read it.
    2. Use pictures and videos! 
      • Post some screenshots of your broadcasts or just pictures of the team.  These are a great way to catch peoples’ eyes and pique their interests.
    3. Use all social networks. 
      • Don’t limit yourself to just Facebook and Twitter – try others like Google+, Instagram, Vine, and Tumblr.
    4. Be responsive.
      • If students, parents, or alumni post things on your Facebook page or tweet at you, respond to them!  Interaction with your audience will keep them engaged with your content and even get them to help you spread your message!
    5. Be sensible.
      • Don’t post negative things about other schools or teams, even when you’re playing your biggest rivals.  Instead, post positive about your own team – mudslinging only leads to trouble!

    Have a Schedule

    • Post highlights of the game from the night before on Facebook and Twitter the next morning.  Include an exciting description and some facts about the play.
    • Get your fans fired up about an upcoming game at least 6 days before you are scheduled to broadcast

    Get to Know Your Followers and Audience

    What messages get the most response?  Which day of the week are followers most active?  See what is working best with your Social Media campaigns and create a formula to follow.  

    Twitter

    Twitter is a great way to get a quick message out to your fans.  Here's a few tips to keep your fans excited about your school's broadcasts:


    Let your fans know that you'll be broadcasting events live and include a link to your school's channel:


    Increase the exposure of your tweet and include the Twitter handle of your opponent:


    Tweet out a direct link to an upcoming game:


    The NFHS Network loves re-tweeting your messages; tag your tweet with @NFHSnetwork.  Add #WeAreHighSchool for a chance to be the featured national School of the Week


    Score updates are a great way to get fans engaged - don't forget to include the link to you live game:


    Share your behind-the-scenes photos
    Add #WeAreHighSchool for a chance to be the featured national School of the Week




    Facebook

    Since Facebook is growing in popularity with parents, most schools use it as a social media "newsletter."  Post frequently to keep followers engaged:

    When posting pictures of your athletics, include a direct link to an upcoming broadcast:

    Don't forget to add #WeAreHighSchool to your posts and pictures for a chance to be the featured national School of the Week!

    Remind followers that you'll be broadcasting events live and include a link to your school's channel:


    Diversify your content and posts to keep followers entertained:


    "Like" the NFHS Network page.  We love posting about what schools are broadcasting:


    If you don't manage your school's Facebook page, considerstarting one for your broadcast team.  It's great for branding!:


     

    You can even add an image and link to social media outlets on your features carousel (the rotating set of main images) on your video portal web site.  Click here for easy instructions.  You can use the generic feature graphic that we have in the Resources and Documents section.