Student-Athletes & Social Media: Fall 2021 Update
I don’t think coaches and administrators can have too much information about the social media use of high school and college student-athletes. To be clear, I have no interest (and I hope you don’t either) in learning about social media so that you can “act like a college student.” Rather, for coaches and administrators, understanding the social media behavior of SA’s can impact everything from the marketing of your program to recruiting to engaging your current student-athletes.
I frequently survey student-athletes on the topic of social media and I did it again this past month. My surveys results below are from an August 2021 study of 1,050 current-student athletes in NCAA DI, II, III, and NAIA and an additional 350 high school prospects.
There are three key findings.
#1 Social Media “Favorites” of Student-Athletes Are Changing Rapidly
After holding steady at #1 for the last few years, Snapchat finally tumbled from the top spot, overtaken by TikTok. And while this changing of the guard might not be permanent, it could in fact represent a more significant shift. At its core, Snapchat is an instant messaging app that uses pictures and messages available for a short time before they become inaccessible. As a video-sharing / social networking app, TikTok is about discovery and trends. While I’m not suggesting that every program in the country should make TikTok their social media priority, I am saying that the social media many programs have relied upon for the last 5+ years are slipping further in their popularity and it may be time for Athletic Departments to develop a new strategy for 2022 and beyond.
Click to watch this lesson and access all content from the NIL On-Demand 2021 Course for Student-Athletes FOR FREE until September 30 (You will need to create and account, but there is no charge.)
#2 Most Student-Athletes Don’t Know Enough About Social Media Regulations
98% of student-athletes are on social media multiple times per day. So unsurprisingly, of the 74% of all student-athletes who have an interest in the new Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities, nearly 70% think that acting as a “social media influencer” has the most appeal and is the most relevant to them.
While I don’t completely agree in their assessment (more on that another time), the important point is that student-athletes have a passion for social media and will be on it not only for their personal use, but now as paid influencers too. The challenge to Athletic Departments and compliance officers across the country is that 72% of student-athletes don’t know what the Federal Trade Commission (or “FTC”) does relative to NIL. 84% of student-athletes say they have never heard of the FTC’s Endorsement Guides.
To understand the basic social media laws and guidelines, click here to watch lesson #3 (2:00 minutes) and access all content from the NIL On-Demand 2021 Course for Student-Athletes FOR FREE until September 30. (You will need to create and account, but there is no charge.)
#3 Why Student-Athletes Are On Social
Today’s student-athletes are more likely than student-athletes five years ago to say that “to be entertained” is their main reason to be on social media. While this seems pretty straightforward, it’s also an insight as to why TikTok (trending videos) is gaining momentum, while Snapchat (messaging app) is falling off. And maybe an indicator as to why Instagram - with its constant scroll of images of friends and family - is holding relatively steady.