Social media - from Instagram to TikTok to you name it - creates enormous opportunities for young athletes ...
... when done right.
We all know there are a lot of potential negative impacts social media can have on teenagers, and as a parent of a teenage athlete, I certainly encourage you to remain vigilant for things like bullying, negative self-image, and so on.
And yet an abundance of upsides await too.
Your son or daughter can network with other players, coaches, clubs, and so on. He or shee can build a personal brand that projects what you can bring to a team at the next level. She or he can build a fan base who follows and cheers on their every move, and they might even be inspired by him or her.
When I scroll through social as an athlete portrait artist, however, I see a lot of mistakes young athletes make on their platforms. Mistakes that might undermine their reputation or potential for attracting that invitation from a coveted school or club team.
Let's go over a few of those mistakes to avoid and how to correct them.
No. 1: Using a personal social media account for their athlete posts
This is probably the most common problem I see.
A lot of young athletes post too much of their personal, off-the-field lives while sprinkling in a little bit of their athlete journey.
They might have a great pic of them scoring a goal followed by 10 posts of them at the beach or snorting soda out of their noses in the caf because a friend said something freakin' hilarious.
They might even be over-sharing personal stuff.
You'll read a lot in this post about how consistency is a key to social media success.
In this case, create a separate account for their athlete endeavors.
The overwhelming majority of posts should be about them playing, training, and so on with a few personal posts in between (so their audience can get to know a little bit about them and they can show how well-rounded they are; that last part is key because it's something coaches and recruiters are looking for).
No. 2: Not posting enough
Remember consistency?
I often see a young athlete or their parents start a social account on Instagram or TikTok dedicated to their athletic endeavors.
It's really exciting when you begin. You post three to five photos or videos, get a few likes, a bunch of followers.
And then? Nothing.
I see it all the time, nearly empty social media accounts tied to high school athletes.
Posting consistent content on social is super hard. Wicked hard.
It's bad enough they have practice and games and school work and a personal life. Throw in there social media too?
The solution is to have a predictable, consistent content calendar. You don't have to post every day. You don't have to post spontaneously.
You can post regularly on certain days or at certain times. You can schedule posts ahead of time. You can reserve certain days for specific content (Motivation Mondays or Training Tuesdays).
Just stay consistent and predictable. It might relieve a lot of stress.
No. 3: Not being social on social media
All of us, me included, can from time to time forget about that all-important word in social media.
Social.
We sometimes get so wrapped up posting content that we neglect being social on Instagram, TikTok, and so on.
I'm talking about more than liking someone else's posts. I'm talking about commenting with authenticity and intention.
Instead of just writing "That's awesome" say why you think someone else's post is "awesome."
Ask a question to prompt engagement from the other person.
Think about it this way - What you say to a person who shared something with you while you had lunch together?
That's what you should put in the comments.
No. 4: Neglecting the importance of personal branding
It's time we parents just face reality.
In the age of social media, NIL, recruiting websites, and so on, our teenage athletes have a personal brand (even if they don't try).
Now, maybe you or your family's athlete doesn't prioritize personal branding, and there's nothing wrong with that.
But if your son or daughter wants a scholarship or an NIL deal, if they want to effectively build a following on social or to network extensively, then being intentional with the their personal branding is key.
Here comes that word again - consistency.
I would say to a young athlete: Consider who you are and what you want to be known for to your followers? What are your values? Whom do you want to be your audience? What are you trying to say to that audience and the world with a social media account?
Then be those things and say those things consistently.
More than anything else, a consistent personal brand is the single most important stone in the foundation of generating a following. I guarantee you that.
No. 5: Not hiring a professional photographer or videographer
Here's why this is important.
I've spoken to coaches and college recruiters, and naturally as a professional portrait photographer for young athletes, I want to know:
Does hiring a professional photographer and videographer help a possible recruit on social media?
The answer is almost always - Yes!
Why? It's simple.
The overwhelming amount of content shared by young athletes today is done with cellphone cameras. Selfies, videos taken by a parent from the stands, and so on.
That doesn't make you stand out on platforms over-saturated with such content.
But when a young athlete invests in hiring a professional image maker, it's a signal to that coach or recruiter how serious they are about playing and building an athletic career.
You aren't likely to flame out. You are likely to stay committed.
The young athlete who hires a pro image maker wants to stand out. Their content stands out. It makes a coach or recruiter stop scrolling to check out the post.
It's a clear sign of your athlete's dedication.
Social media can make a difference
None of these mistakes are necessarily fatal.
But avoiding them can boost your family's athlete to another level when it comes to building their personal brand, a fan base, and networking in a way to advance their athletic career.
They expect the best of themselves, their teammates, coaches, and so on. They put in their best during skills camps, training sessions, grueling practices, and games.
Their online presence, especially on social, can and should reflect that.
I hope this helps.
Dave Pidgeon is the owner of and chief image maker at Creative Sports Photography, a second-to-none athlete portrait service based in Lancaster, Pa., and available anywhere. You can contact him at dave@creativesportsphotography.com.
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