AFL Best Practices: Carlton Navy Set Ambitious Goal on Facebook

Set a goal and rally behind it.

That's what we all need to do, whether it be in sports, business, or life. It's done regularly in sports (we are going to win the league title, for example). It's done often in life (we are going to run a marathon). And, naturally, it's done in business -- grow by 20% this year.

But why haven't we seen this in the world of social media? Why not set an aggressive goal and go after it?

Carlton FC does exactly this. Let's check out how...

We begin this journey on the Carlton Football Club Facebook page, here. As you'll note below, the first thing one is greeted with is a powerful image requesting you to Like the team. But it's not this that gets me revved up.... it's the copy.

Let's zoom in. "Click the Like Button Above and Help Make CFC the Biggest Football Club on Facebook."

Yes!!!!

Why is this great? It's ambitious. It's competitive. It's public (other clubs no doubt will see this challenge). And everyone (fans, players, coaches, employees -- from the owners to the office employees) can rally behind it. They can be at dinner with friends and ask "have you checked out our Facebook page? We are trying to become the biggest one in the AFL and could use your help." This kind of ambitious goal unites everyone together. And, of course, you can track it, daily!

How could this be better? It's this tracking that could make it better. Where are we now? Are we #3 or #16? How far off #1 are we? And how will we celebrate when we get there? These are great questions that I feel should be answered. Make it easy for fans to grasp how close (or far) from the goal we are. And reward them with something when you get to the top of the mountain! (Perhaps a free celebration event -- that's when you announce the new goal!!!)

The pieces are here, most critically the ambition. Let's take this to the next level!

That's a wrap. Come back tomorrow for more AFL Best Practices! As always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

AFL Best Practices: Brisbane Lions Connect Direct to Your Calendar

Calendars. We look at them often (I must look at mine at least 10 times a day!) Plus, we look at them to plan -- whether it be the night before or the month before. And that, in itself, is the power of this for teams --- if you can be present when fans are planning, you will become a bigger part of their plans.

I've written about calendars before, but I've not seen it approached from a personal way. Until now.

Our journey begins inside the Brisbane Lions home page.

Clicking on Fan Zone brings us to the page shown below. The idea of an "eDiary" intrigued me. Especially when you read the description: "delivers your favorite Lions Fixtures, club events, and birthdays right to your calendar..." Now, we are getting personal. Birthdays and club events. This means you'll be reminded of each player's birthday (as you would a friend/family member's)... and you have access to special events. This is a level of personal connection that goes beyond the simple game schedule (not that a game schedule is a bad thing to get onto fans' calendars!) It's just an action that positions the club as your friend, not just something you watch.

Clicking on "eDiary" takes you here. We get a sample of more details -- the diary syncs automatically with your calendar program, without you having to install anything. Now that's pretty cool and it's critical. We aren't going to get a separate calendar for the Lions from our calendar we use for everything else. They recognize this and work with us, on our calendars!

Install this for yourself, here.

How could this be better? It starts with the notion of automatic calendar updates. If this syncs automatically, why not pump it full of opportunities to connect with the team. (that are only available to those who use this calendar) Perhaps its a monthly dinner (or coffee) with a player/coach/trainer? Or a pre-game pep rally with exclusive benefits? If the Lions can create extra value, they can shape behavior to make this eDiary something you have to get as a fan!

That's a wrap. Come back tomorrow for more AFL Best Practices! As always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

AFL Digital Best Practices: Adelaide Crows Deliver Incredible Photography in Facebook

If you can believe it, the new layout of Facebook makes photography even more important. How are you creating a visual differentiator for your team, immediately when a fan hits your page? By elevating the last 5 pictures to the top of the page, it is the first impression a person will get on your brand.

But it's not just about having a set of pictures there -- it's about the right pictures. To find a great example of this in practice, we're turning our attention to the AFL - Australian Rules Football.

The journey today starts on the Adelaide Crows Facebook page, here. You'll note the collection of images at the top (also shown in the image below). But to get the full effect we're going to need to dive deeper.



Hit the "Photos" button on the left hand menu, which takes you here.



Finally, select "Round 6, Ray Titus Pics." Clicking in takes you here.



Here, I'll zoom into one for you...

As you'll note, the imagery is amazing. The Crows allowed a photographer access to the locker room before and after a match and posted the results into Facebook. I like this combination (amazing photographer with access, served up to the community!)

But, how could this be better? Timing. I'd love to see the Crows use this model before each match, when their fans are getting ready. Follow a player/coach leading up to each match and post the imagery, in real time, into Facebook. Then follow up after each match with their Player of the Match. With the right photos (which they will have), a consistent message, and timing that connects with the fan base -- watch out!

That's a wrap. Come back tomorrow for more AFL Best Practices! As always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

NBA Best Practices: San Antonio Spurs and the Facebook Camera Set Up

When fans come back from a big game, there are two things that feel like they are always part of the next day: 1) tell our friends we were there and 2) post pictures of our experience on Facebook.

But how can teams help this behavior? How can they take this as inspiration and create something that a fan couldn't do on their own?

The San Antonio Spurs introduce their version of the uber-camera, the Gigapan...

The journey starts on the Spurs home page, shown below. You'll see a headline asking fans who attended Game 1 of their first-round series vs Memphis to click in. (Naturally, not the main story today)

Clicking in takes us here, to the Spurs vs Grizzlies Gigapan. (Yes, what a cool name...) This camera gives fans access to navigate to the section of the arena they sat in (or any section) and explore the stadium at a moment in time...

But, more than that, as you can see below, they ask fans to Tag Themselves on Facebook. Basically they are asking you to go in, find yourself, and then raise your hand digitally -- claiming yourself. This effect will then allow fans to share with their networks, telling all their friends they were at the game, and showing them the energy they were a part of...



And, when your friends visit this image (see below), they can hover over any of the "+" signs, and see the Facebook profiles of the fans at the game. (You can even click on to view that fan's profile, if you want!)



I'll zoom in to give you a sense for the power of the camera... Pretty cool stuff!

So what does all this mean? Fans are given a picture of the arena during the big game and the ability to share that "they were there" with their friends. Really cool, takes advantage of what fans want to do, but (like everything) it could get better!

How could this be better? This is a fantastic starting point. But there is a big question that we need to think about: Why would a fan (or their network) return to this experience a 2nd time? That first time it's cool to see what we look like and feel a part of the energy. But to get us back again, we need something that's evolving. What if fans could upload pictures of their POV -- allowing you to see the game from their perspective? Or, on a simpler level, what if fans were encouraged to have a Spurs profile picture -- since it's going to be visible on this map. Prizes go to the best profile... and these profiles are, naturally, visible to the networks of each fan.

That wraps the 30 teams in the NBA.

We're taking a week off, then we'll be back -- shifting gears to the Australian Rules Football League. Lots of learnings on how to use digital & social media from across the globe.

Watch out!

And as always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

NBA Best Practices: Chicago Bulls Give Us a Twitter Roster

Is it possible to transform a list of who to follow on Twitter into something more? Something more personal. I hadn't come across anything that really accomplished this. But then I hit the Chicago Bulls presence.

Let's go.

Hit the Bulls home page and click on the Twitter icon in the upper right-hand corner.

This takes you here, to what I'd call the Roster of the Chicago Bulls on Twitter. As you can see in this image, it feels much more personal due to the arrangement. It's a roster, but it's also a list.

You'll also note that the Media is presented in the same fashion, offering you easy access to the official ways of connecting around the squad in Twitter.

Finally, there's life -- the latest Bulls Tweet is pulled in at the top. And it's super easy to share this page via Twitter or Facebook via the share buttons in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

How could this be better? The roster layout is fantastic. But what if we finished the job. Put their number and their position into this layout. Then let us see the latest tweet from each player pop into the top frame, where we have the Bulls Tweet -- giving us a dynamic page that feels personal and authentic.

Come back tomorrow for our final round of best practices from the NBA. And as always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

NBA Best Practices: LA Lakers Use Real-Time, Authentic Photography to Power Facebook

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Makes me wonder what an amazing picture at the right time that hits your emotion is worth?

The Los Angeles Lakers recognize this and take their photography serious.

You can grasp this from one glance at the Lakers Facebook page, shown below or here. You'll note the imagery that pops within each post. The beauty of this, of course is that this imagery will also pop inside your news feed alongside those images of your favorite niece or your friends' vacation, if you are one of the roughly 8M fans to follow them.

I'll zoom in on a particular post, moments after the Lakers clinched the first round over the Hornets. It's celebratory, and timely (exactly at 0:00, right?) And, naturally, it is set up to easily share -- as thousands have done.

But click in, here, and check out the beauty that is this image. Amazing stuff!

How could this be better? I love the image, love the treatment, love the style of posting. Now the challenge is how can you encourage fans to use this for good. (for themselves) To spread Lakers visuals onto their identity inside social? I'd love to see this image quickly available for setting as your profile picture, your Twitter skin, your YouTube skin, or your mobile wallpaper. It's the same image, the same timeliness -- just let people take it with them!

Come back tomorrow for another round of best practices from the NBA. And as always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy

NBA Best Practices: Miami Heat Kill it with Twitter Emotion

Can you really convey emotion via Twitter? I mean, it's all about short, succinct conversations right. I even heard the analogy that Twitter is where you know no one and talk to everyone while Facebook is the place you know everyone and talk to no one. If you don't know anyone, can you be emotional?

Enter the Miami Heat.

Start on their Twitter page and take a peak.

Now, scroll down the page to the height of Playoff basketball. The image below says it all.

The Heat are using Hashtags to convey emotion. Repeatedly. And you can't help but want to join in, right? I mean, the difference between "lead the Sixers 77-71" and "lead the Sixers 77-71. #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT" is hard to put into words.

It's as if the team is there, with you, watching the action. And if you're a fan checking your Twitter feed in game - from the arena or the living room, that's exactly what you want to feel.

So, how could this be better? (Besides more of it) Tough. I'd love to see more personality. Take this as a starting point and add emotion to the start of the Tweet. Something in the zone of "Need a stop here. We got this. #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT #LETSGOHEAT" If we took that entire post and pumped it full of emotion, then played this out over a game (or a season), wow.

Come back tomorrow for another round of best practices from the NBA. And as always, you can follow me on Twitter (I'm @pawlow34) or on Facebook (Digital Hoops Blast).

Thanks!

Andy