Trying to coordinate all the information in the digital space is akin to playing “Wack A Mole” many times. Assisting reputable bloggers, vetting newsfeeds, sending out promotional information, coordinating effective Facebook posts, finding new promotions, organizing fan groups and making sure all that information is correct, timely and up-to-date with a limited budget is a daunting task. In the college world, doing all that across multiple sports and seasons can be even more difficult, factoring in alumni groups, hundreds of athletes and other supporters from around the country that are all vital to one’s success. That doesn’t count league affiliations and also satisfying all the needs of sponsors, donors, and a casual fan base which, especially at the BCS level, is essential to fill the stands and keep programs afloat across the board, all on a very limited budget.
One University trying to take a leadership position in coordinating their digital assets, presenting a unified front, and driving dollars way in advance of the fall is the University of South Florida. The Big East Bulls, playing in the Tampa market with Raymond James Stadium to fill, have enlisted a multi-faceted online system designed to pull all information into one place, create promotional opportunities and give the University a one stop shop to assess and address all their digital assets, both owned and independent of their system. The system and the study is called Horns Up, and it creates a multi-layered information program for all things South Florida, from affinity groups to tickets sales, and builds in an expanded set of rewards for fans, alumni and students with an interest in South Florida, especially tied to football. The program ties in USF’s advertising campaigns across South Florida and unites all information in one place, with a string call to action. It also provides all levels of USF athletics the ability to reach thousands of fans at one time no matter where they are engaging in the brand, and gives the school the ability to track and promote new events at a moments notice. The case study can be viewed here.
It is a great example of unifying all news, information and promotion in one place, saving time, effort and dollars for a school that needs to grow its brand in a difficult marketplace and give all its supporters on every level, from the casual to the passionate, compelling content, added value and tailored information that is serachable and very coordinated. Nice job by USF, very proactive in a marketplace where reactionary sometimes rules the day.
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