Social Media Lessons From the NY Giants

Social media is so important to companies and the job market today and there are many lessons to be learned about the topic. PR Daily made a very timely connection about the New York Giants to lessons to be learned about social media. Here’s a synopsis of PR Daily’s article 10 Social Media Lessons from the New York Giants written by Andrew Worob.

  1. Don’t get complacent. During this past season, the Giants had a record of 6-2 and were in first place in the NFC East, yet the team didn’t know until the last week of the season whether they’d make the playoffs. You cannot relax after your social media efforts even if they have started off strong.
  2. Monitor for new brand ambassadors. New players, such as Jason Pierre-Paul can quickly turn into stars. Continually monitor what is being said about your company and who is saying it. This may lead to the discovery of a great brand ambassador who can help influence others and support your brand.
  3. Look to the future. When Ahmad Bradshaw and Osi Umenyiora were missing due to injury, the Giants were not playing as well, yet were great when they came back. After a crisis-communication situation, your company may not be the favorite but if you rehab properly, you can get back to where you were before the crisis struck.
  4. Stand your ground. The Giants were once in the middle of a four game losing streak with a 6-6 record, but they did not lose sight of their goal: the super bowl. The Giants had a plan and stuck to it. If you believe you have the right strategy in place, stand your ground and don’t change it.
  5. Experimentation is okay. The Giants were criticized during the off season for not re-signing players and giving unknown players a chance, which clearly worked out for the team. This doesn’t mean every risk you take or every new social media channel will produce great results, but it’s worth trying and taking a chance every once in awhile.
  6. Keep improving. The Giants won five games in a row leading to the super bowl, with the team improving and learning more each week. Pay attention to your social media performance and evaluate it. Get rid of what’s not working and keep what is.
  7. Have the right people. The media was calling for coach Tom Coughlin to be fired yet the Giants stuck with him. In social media, work with a smart social media team and have confidence which will likely lead to the program being successful.
  8. Quality over quantity. Eli Manning is no Peyton Manning. Peyton has thrown for more touchdowns and has been on fewer TV commercials, yet Eli now has more super bowl rings than his big brother. Just because your competition may have bigger social media numbers, doesn’t mean you are destined to fail.
  9. Stay focused. The Patriots boarded a plane for the game after a huge rally; the Giants held a normal Saturday practice. Were the Giants more focused? Maybe. Make your social media program similarly focused to reach the goals of your efforts.
  10. Patience is key. Football season is long and success doesn’t happen overnight. Stay committed to your social media efforts and wait for the long-term results.