Blog

How to Make or Break Your Recruiting: The Power of Social Media

In this blog, we will go over everything you need to know about the power of social media and how it can make or break your recruiting.

How to Make or Break Your Recruiting: The Power of Social Media

Social Media is an amazing tool that allows us to share our lives. As student-athletes, your social media can be your greatest tool to further enhance your college recruitment process. In this blog, we will go over everything you need to know about the power of social media and how it can make or break your recruiting.

 

First off, let’s start by establishing some social media recruiting rules that all NCAA college coaches must follow. Coaches cannot begin communication with potential recruits of different sports based on their high school grades. Those timelines are as follows:

  • Sep 1st. Junior Year: D1 Football, Baseball, Softball, and Lacrosse
  • Jan 1st. Sophomore Year: Ice Hockey
  • Jun 1st. Sophomore Year: Rest of D1 / D2 Sports

 

These time restrictions are for all general communication, including social media. Additionally, coaches aren’t allowed to publicly comment or communicate on any potential recruit’s social media profiles. Coaches can like a recruit’s post and even connect with them privately through direct message, but they cannot make any publicly viewable comments. The common phrase used amongst coaches for this rule is “Click, Don’t Type”.

 

Key Facts on Social Media & College Recruiting

  • 90% of college coaches check potential recruits social media profiles
  • Coaches have access to more information in the “social media age” than they’ve ever had in the past
  • Many coaches OUTSOURCE their social media research to consulting firms, agencies or student volunteers
  • Virtually all Student-Athletes are screened on Social Media throughout their recruiting process

 

Become a Professional

  • It’s never too early to start building your professional brand
  • Use your social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to project yourself as a professional. College athletics often is the stepping stone to professional athletics.
  • Find your voice! Be true to who you are. Coaches are recruiting you, not the “idea” of you. Let your athletic talent shine through and be true to yourself.

 

Tips & Recommendations

  • Become a Fan
    • Learn, engage, share, like, comment, use what you see to your advantage
  • Be Humble When Bragging
    • Showcase your academic and athletic success but be smart and humble about it.
  • Team Mentality
    • College coaches are looking for someone that aligns with the team’s values.
  • Be Proactive
    • Use every social media channel available to reach out to coaches
    • Including Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

 

CLICK HERE to watch the webinar we hosted covering this same topic

Categories