The Social Conversation

"Social media is the sunshine and water that helps grow the passion of fans ... it also provides the shortest distance between, in our case, the league and the fans." -- Michael DiLorzenzo, Director of Social Media and Business Communications for the NHL

When someone mentions interactive media or Web 2.0, more often than not, you think of social media. Arguably the most visible and widely known of the interactive media tools, social media is the likely starting point for any interactive media campaign. A high number of participants increases the odds of a successful venture into interactive media -- more people means a better chance of getting a decent ROI.

People are starving for this, ... They [fans] just love to be touched and communicated with." -- Washington Athletic Director Scott Woodward

One driver behind the use of social media is it giving organizations the ability to pull an end-around on traditional media, allowing them to present their message on their terms. In addition, it is a means to enhance brands, building and strengthening a connection with fans that is irresistable to sponsors. By helping fans connect to one another, in turn adding value to fans' online experiences, you strengthen and deepen their connection with the team.

Before we rush headlong into the social media arena, a few tips for using social media effectively:

offer behind the scenes access
directly engage fans
stay away from airing beefs/complaints on your social media
develop a comprehensive plan
get trained

"There is no better return on investment than to build your fan base utilizing social media ... individual passions for teams, players and leagues will create millions upon millions of social actions acting as megaphones to cost effectively build awareness on the back of your most passionate fans." -- Reggie Bradford, vitrue.com

We'll take a closer look at two major players when it comes to social media -- Twitter and Facebook -- as well as blogs.