Social Media Athlete: Is Marketing the New 40?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Tyler

Today it seems the only lifting athletes are doing is on the couch with a bag of gluten-free soy chips and a smart phone. With the craze of social networking and the rise of the social media celebrity, are athletes spending too much time on Twitter than training to be the next great?”

In the days of Deion Sanders football players rarely were seen or noticed unless they perform exceptionally well on the field. Sanders a loud personality, in his prime but he still produced on the field. Sanders would talk trash while high stepping to the end zone all to gain a reputation and simultaneously projecting himself as a separate brand from the NFL. Television shows, reporters, and writers alike would all tune in to The Deion Show just to see what he would do or say next. Today he is one of the most highly respected athletes of the NFL.

Today there are receivers like Chad Johnson who are “high personality” but do not produce much on the field. Johnson placed his personal life into the window of Twitter and social media. As great of an athlete he is, his numbers have not been great. In his previous season with the New England Patriots he amassed 15 receptions for 276 yards and 1 touchdown. In April 2011, CNBC listed the then-Ochocinco as No. 1 on its list of “Most Influential Athletes in Social Media.” Johnson is a six-time NFL Pro Bowler and was named to three All-Pro teams. He is considered to be a premier receiver by many critics but the question of his character still remains. Bad publicity is good publicity but with the type of status Johnson holds today is not because of his skills on the field but his pursuits off the field.

Johnson was always very active on Twitter, posting photos of riding bulls, trying out for major league soccer teams, and a few pro-animal rights ads in PETA “Ink-Not Mink” campaign. He has marketed himself to a very broad fan base because of his multiple pursuits but he is a highly remarked football player for reasons beyond football. Is this something that should be endorsed to other NFL players and prospects? That has yet to be determined but overall social media has changed the game of how far and fast an athlete can reach their fan base.

Jed Hughes the Vice Chair of Korn/Ferry and the leader of the executive search firm’s Global Sports Practice says “Now more than ever, athletes must be careful about the messages they communicate on social media. In an age of celebrity obsession and 24/7 media, controversial comments can go viral in just seconds.” Hughes later advises that “It would be wise for athletes to engage in posting cautiously. Athletes are considered role models — whether they like it or not. They should set a positive example.”

Chad Johnson is an influential icon who reaches beyond football. He is a highly marketable individual because of his personality and how he interacts with social media. A team that signs him will definitely see an increase in stadium sales because of Chad Johnson’s presence. Sanders played baseball and football in the same year, all the while played in a super bowl and World Series. To play in both is an accomplishment to win both was his milestone. Is Johnson on track of doing the same but through different means? Though Johnson’s fame is unconventional to football he nonetheless is making a name for himself.

If Johnson can learn to focus his energy on football as much as he should towards his training he may be the pioneer of a new kind of athlete; an athlete who is marketing savvy as well. Is this the evolution of the football athlete? Will the NFL see an increase of its athlete’s involvement in social media? Are we as fans inviting this evolution because of our interest in their personalities rather than their skills on the field?

Is Text Message Marketing EVER a Good Idea?

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Michael G.

Today I came across a press release that suggested that a doctor trying to reach their patients should avoid all other forms of marketing and should instead embrace text message marketing. The release rightly lists the failures of direct mail and newspaper advertisements. But text messages, really?

At first, I was flabbergasted. For months now I have, for reasons unknown, received text message updates telling me that I have won a free cruise. I, of course, have never bothered to claim this free cruise. Therefore, I imagine a doctor seeking patients would have the same level of response: zero.

In fact, not only is it ineffective, but illegal to send unsolicited text messages. The FCC frowns very heavily on it indeed. So, if you’re trying to get new clients, text message marketing is already right out.

But, what if you’re trying to market to an existing client base. The hurdles there are immense. Legally, you would have to get them to opt into your text messaging marketing scheme, not an appealing prospect for most people. Then, even when they’ve agreed to it, you’ll have to get them to absorb the information once it’s sent to them.

So, can it work? Well, conceivably, but only for certain products. If you’re a doctor, for example, I don’t think it’s a good idea; I can’t imagine anyone getting a weekly text message and then thinking that they should go in and get penicillin. While it could be used in order to remind people of their appointments, I don’t think that’s really the type of marketing we’re talking about.

If you have some sort of impulse item, like frozen yoghurt or coffee, then I saw it could be worth a try. You could text a discount code in the middle of the day and people could decide to go out for a lark and get your product. If it’s anything more expensive, I wouldn’t bother; nobody is suddenly going to decide they want a new car because they got a text message saying they should come down to Bob’s Ultracheap Car Supershow.

But, ultimately, I think it wouldn’t be worth it. Text messages interrupt you, so your potential client is probably going to find it pretty annoying. With the prevalence of smart phones, I would consider social media advertising a better option. Even if you have to shell out for a promoted post, it will convert better because people will be seeing the message on their own terms, not interrupting them while driving.

So, my verdict is: Don’t bother with text message marketing. You can do so much better.

The Death of PPC? Why Google and PPC Shouldn’t Go Together

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Michael G.

Right now, Google is in a bit of a tight spot now that their earnings have been leaked and their stocks are down almost 10%. The major cause of the slowdown was a decrease in their core business, pay per click, which has decreased in profitability compared to the same quarter from the previous year. Specifically, while the number of people clicking on ads has increased, the cost per click has decreased. The article goes on to state that PPC revenue has been down the last four quarters and that some are already questioning just how strong PPC is as a business model.

While I do think it’s a bit premature to question a whole way of doing business based on a single report, it does raise a few questions. After all, it’s a well-known fact that Facebook’s PPC is not the money-maker online marketing firms would like it to be, but this is Google, one of the mainstays of the Internet that looked as though it could make money any way it wanted to (Google+ notwithstanding).

So, why is PPC doing poorly for Google? I think PPC is doing poorly for Google because having ads goes against everything that Google is supposed to be, and people are wising up to the fact.

Google managed to claw its way to the top of the search engine pyramid because it wasn’t loaded with all the spam that other search engines at the time had. With each successive Google algorithm update, Google is supposed to weed out more and more companies that are getting there by SEO (that is, paying somebody else to make them appear first unnaturally). The irony, of course, is that PPC ads do exactly that.

In other words, when people are doing Google searches, they’re seeing a lot of pages that really shouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for people paying for it. And, what do they do when they click on these pages? The average Google user has become so sophisticated that they immediately leave, making that a wasted click from an advertiser’s point of view. And the advertisers, being smart, are pulling away from PPC, since it isn’t making them the money they want it to.

The numbers demonstrate this clearly; a decrease in CPC means that there are fewer people bidding on ads. Therefore, companies are starting to question whether PPC is an effective way to advertise.

Is this a trend that will continue? Only time will tell. But, for the time being, it looks like Google is going to have to think of something new.