episode 21 of the dsmsports podcast w/ kelly mosier of nebraska athletics: snippets

Snippets from Episode 21 of the Digital Snippets from Episode 21 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcastand Social Media Sports Podcast

Kelly MosierKelly MosierUniversity of Nebraska AthleticsUniversity of Nebraska Athletics

@njh287 DSMSports.net


Episode 21 featured Director of Digital Media for the University of Nebraska Huskers, Kelly Mosier

Mosier discussed the importance of storytelling, deep engagement, proper platform, facilitating department and team objectives, and more.

What follows is a collection of snippets from the podcast. For the full episode, visit DSMSports.net



Kelly’s career path:

Graduated in a high school class of 28 in a small town in Nebraska after growing up in a Husker-crazed family Started doing broadcasting in college as a student intern for Husker Vision where he picked up a lot of skills and became a bigger sports fan

Pursued documentary film after college, but then went back to sports and got an opportunity with Nebraska Athletics as production manager with Husker Vision while also earning his master’s degree



Social media was new at the time and Kelly studied it while pursuing his master’s degree and was front and center when Nebraska athletics wanted to modernize with digital and social initiatives and Kelly jumped at that opportunity

Has since grown into his role as Director of Digital Media over the last 3 years

“The athletic department wanted to revamp our structure with how we were coordinating our digital media initiatives (across the department and with partners)…

Every year is a learning experience, but that’s how it is…you attack new things every year and try to get stuff done.”



Kelly’s career advice:

“Get in the business. Get experience somehow, especially taking advantage of your college athletics department and helping out there and build relationships. Get your foot in the door!”

“Colleges love having part-time student assistants…it’s great for us and it’s great for them and it’s just a really good relationship.”

“It’s about being in the right place at the right time, but you also have to make sure you’re (where you need to be) at that right time.”



“Day-by-day, I’m kind of an internal consultant…I help different departments when they’re trying to do stuff digitally (providing expertise and understanding).”

- Also works on a daily basis with their website multimedia provider: streams of video and audio

- Works with marketing department on new initiatives- Works with PR department on news releases day-to-day - Coordinates social media accounts, assisting teams and managing

primary accounts



“I’m here to help teams and other departments succeed digitally in what they’re trying to do…to accomplish their objectives…To help them have all the tools (and knowledge) they need in what they’re trying to do.”

“The great thing about communications nowadays is that there is so much of it and so much of it that can be done at the personal level, it’s awesome. We’re just here to facilitate that and make it work as good as it possibly could.”



“Not every platform is the same…

It’s really everything – media relations, sports information, marketing; it totally depends on the platforms. Certain platforms work better for (certain objectives) than others.”

[cites email for ticket sales, social media for branding, etc.]



“We try to make sure we’re available for all of our sports. We interface a lot with the individual SID’s for each sport…it’s an as-needed basis for most. But it’s not necessarily whether it’s a high-profile sport (or not), it’s more about what’s right for the job.

I’m a big proponent of making sure you have the best people doing their best work…I don’t want to get in (anyone’s) way…It’s more based on ‘How can we best achieve the goals set forth’?”



“Different communities of people have different personalities…You have to know and understand our audience; knowing what works best with each community. It’s not just sports (it’s communities)…it’s more about listening than anything else and being aware...to best address (their) wants and desires.”



“Digital communications is just a subset of all communications…it’s just that digital communication has become so ingrained in society, it has allowed us to tell our stories (in a new way) and reach that fan base directly.”



This episode's Helpful Tool: Twitonomy

- A quick snapshot of one’s followers and Twitter profile- When you and your followers are active, who is engaging with tweets,

whose tweets you engage with- Tracking mentions and followers/followings over time, and more- A freemium service- Kelly also recommends Twitter Analytics and Topsy, previously

mentioned on the podcast



“Our internal digital media vision is we want to make sure we’re here to connect fans digitally with the Huskers…We want to make sure we’re not in the way of teams, coaches, and the department as a whole…we want (our communication) to be authentic and genuine through digital means…(reflecting team personalities and interaction and department goals).”

“It’s all about making sure everything is working together…it’s all about teamwork to get to that end goal (of having communication channels with fans open).”



“A lot of day-to-day is small wins, small accomplishments here and there (across digital)…

There are metrics that help you seeing markers along the journey...but with (the speed of) social media, it’s about making sure we keep track of the bigger picture – connecting fans with teams and coaches through digital communication…not getting caught in details, while at the same time keeping stock of those mile markers.”



“It’s what you live for, that change. That constant push to do something new and be on the forefront. It’s exciting.”

(tells a great anecdote about first starting Facebook up with sports)



“Expectations don’t change, they just evolve, based on what we’re providing…But the core storytelling aspect hasn’t changed that much…Fans want close and personal access to the programs they love and they follow. And that really hasn’t changed much.”

“At the end of the day, if it’s a good story, then the medium doesn’t matter. How you tell it may (matter), but a good story is a good story.”



“There is a glut of information now and that’s a great thing for the consumers, for the fans…What has changed is the speed and timing of things…It has all sped up so incredibly fast…But the idea that fans want insightful stories hasn’t changed in hundreds of years.”



“Social media has to be authentic. If it’s not, it doesn’t work. People see through it right away…Coaches are now empowered to tell their own stories, set their own agenda…and talk to the fans and media at the same time.”



“There is some traffic cop you have to play to ensure we’re meeting the desires of the fans’ storytelling while, at the same time, give them the stories we want to tell them (marketing-wise)…

It’s a balancing act…But it’s about empowering those other (team-specific accounts)…and being able to push those fans to their platforms and being able to scale that content when it’s appropriate for the platforms (and objectives).”

“There are times when we’ll turn up (the volume of other sports) to help maximize your reach (cites Monday morning recaps covering all sports on the main Huskers Facebook page).”



“Some of the higher profile sports can help elevate the reach push to help (bring up awareness of) other sports…from a global vision standpoint, we’re all about providing that ‘gatekeeper’ voice and (directing) fans where they need to get to for the information they need.”

“Husker fans love success and watching our team succeed…and being able to help share the stories of that success and the excitement of the fans and student athletes is awesome…It’s a team effort making sure everyone is able to present themselves (the way they deserve and want).”



This episode's Shareable Stat – 85% of all tweets sent during “primetime” are about TV programs (Sports Business Journal Activation Summit)



“How do you measure success in social media? There are hundreds of metrics…I try to take a 10,000 foot view, as well as get into the weeds a little bit…Followers are not the be-all, end-all, but it is absolutely something we track.



“Of course I love when we have a Twitter post that gets a couple thousand retweets…that’s the kind of stuff you live because it maximizes your reach (beyond)…But again, that’s not the end-all, be-all. I still make sure we’re always moving forward, extending our reach and extending the number of people talking about Nebraska Athletics…but at the micro level it’s about the one-on-one connections with fans.

“The deep connections can be just as rewarding…those small wins, those deep wins -- deep engagement. It’s about deep engagement and expanding the reach of your engagement.”



Kelly describes FanMaker

“[It’s about] our ability to identify and reward those fans that were heavy social media followers commenting and (spreading) our content a lot…

We’re able to reward fans for activity on social media, as well as offline activity (cites all the various ways fans can earn points using the FanMaker App, social media networks, etc.)…We can incentivize those (positive) behaviors with points that are redeemable for rewards (experience packages, tickets, etc.; Kelly shares some great examples!)”



Kelly describes FanMaker [2]

“Being able to meet face-to-face with (these huge fans) has been phenomenal…being able to reward the fans that are so invested in Nebraska athletics, brand ambassadors for us, and helping carry our message.”

“It provides great insight (too). This is just another way of listening to your fan base. Being able to see the fans that are actively (consuming) your content and being able to actually connect. It’s a great program.”



Kelly’s quick story of @FauxPelini @BoPelini and the cat story –

A parody Twitter account, Coach Pelini telling the faux account he wants his cat back, blows up Twitter Listen to the podcast (about 45 minutes in) for this one!

“It was one of those great authentic moments with our coach…if we’re having fun, we feel like the fans are having fun too, and it really comes through.”



The “non-mainstream” Huskers sport with the most engaged fan base on social media:

“We have a very active volleyball fan base…sells out every game. It’s a very active fan base.”

Also cites softball and women’s bowling as teams with engaged, fun fan bases



The coolest and/or most unusual Huskers Tradition:

The “Runza sandwich” – (insanely good, Kelly says): A cabbage and loose beef meat pocket; a sandwich rolled up in dough and baked with beef, onions, and all sorts of goodness. A “Nebraska” thing.



The best Huskers coach on social media:

“Coach Tim Miles (men’s basketball) is in a league of his own on social media, not just (at the school), but nationally. He totally gets social media, has fun with it, and just knows how to talk to fans on it.”



Kelly’s favorite/least favorite digital platform:

“For work purposes, Twitter…It’s such a nice, easy one to use to get information out in real-time.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of Reddit and I’m on it a lot. We play around with it a little a bit in the athletics department, but we (mostly) stay out of it.”

No least favorite platform, but identifies with some of the ill will that abounds with Facebook’s diminishing organic reach



The most memorable game Kelly has seen at Nebraska and best athlete he has seen there:

Game: Football game vs. Northwestern last year (last second Hail Mary win), game vs. Colorado with 54-yard FG from Alex Henery & pick-six from Ndamukong Suh

Best athlete he’s seen: Suh; also cities Sarah Pavan (women’s volleyball player currently playing with Canadian Olympic team)



The best food in Nebraska:

“Lincoln has some really good food choices…We have a burger joint called Honest Abe’s where you can get really good gourmet burgers. There is a really good scene here where you can get amazing gourmet burgers.”

(cites a Cinnamon Bun burger!)



The Huskers women’s and men’s team with the best chance to win a national title:

Listen to the podcast for this “politically correct” response!



Kelly’s Social Media All-Star To Follow:

@KevinDeShazo and @FieldhouseMedia:

“I think the work those guys do as far as keeping people aware of what’s going on in the sports and social media world is second-to-none.”

“I’m also a big fan of all the @NASA social media accounts…the content they put out on those accounts is just amazing.”

[also cites them integrating themselves with the Cosmos: A Space Odyssey television show on Fox]



Where to find Kelly and the Huskers on social media:

@Huskers on Twitter

www.facebook.com/huskers

www.huskers.com/social for a directory

@kmosier42 for Kelly



Thanks so much to Kelly Mosier for sharing his time and knowledge onthe Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast!

Listen to the podcast and get more info and content at DSMSports.net (And subscribe in iTunes). You can also follow me on Twitter @njh287
