As some of you have no doubt noticed, the two proprietors of this website are very active on social media. Both Michael Moats and myself have Twitter and Facebook accounts that we use frequently. As a result of being an active member on social media, I believe I have a pretty good understanding of how it works and how to get the most from its use.
And while there are a number of individuals and organizations within the dirt racing industry who use the various social media platforms quite well, some in this sport still seem to be unable or unwilling to achieve the maximum benefit from something that is both free and highly useful.
Many race fans get information from Facebook
Let it be said here that I do not consider myself an expert on anything, social media or otherwise, so I am not trying to present myself as some sort of know-it-all. That said, however, I am pretty observant and I do have the best interests of all who toil within this sport at heart. With that in mind, I would like to offer a few tips that I have picked up on over the past few years that might be of some benefit to fans, drivers, teams, tracks, series and sponsors who want to get the most from their social media accounts.
Much if what I have learned regarding social media usage came from an impromptu training session from NASCAR writer Jeff Gluck while attending a National Motorsports Press Association conference several years ago and by watching masters at the trade such as writer Bob Pockrass, NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, dirt racer Billy Moyer, Jr., the PRN At-The-Track radio show and even parody accounts such as @TheOrangeCone and @DrunkBrianF along with scores of others.
Twitter is a popular site for many race fans
I believe the reason some do not get the most out of social media is that they fear the potential of negativity. And yes, that can happen. But at the same time, social media can provide numerous benefits when used properly. The good can very much outweigh the bad for the adept user.
For those who still have their doubts, let me remind you of the greatest aspects of promoting your product on social media. First, the logical assumption is that all who follow your accounts have an interest in what you have to offer. They follow voluntarily so it only makes sense that they want to know what you have to say otherwise they wouldn’t choose to follow. No other form or promotion, whether it be advertising on television, radio, newspapers or magazines can make the claim of offering 100% interest in your product.
Second, social media is free. Let me say that again- social media is free. Just like no other form of promotion can guarantee you virtually 100% of the target audience will be interested in your product, no other form of promotion is can claim that level of cost efficiency.
And finally, the use of social media to promote yourself or your product can be as time efficient as you choose for it to be. It only takes a few seconds to make a Twitter or Facebook post. And, it takes an equally small amount of time to browse through a few posts made by others.
For as much as those involved in dirt racing like to criticize NASCAR, that form of racing, for the most part, does a much better job of using social media than does dirt racing. Their drivers, teams, tracks and sponsors do a lot of good for their sport across the board. Granted, they have a big advantage in name recognition over most dirt racers but they still do what they do pretty well.
With all of that said, I have compiled a list of things to do and not to do when using social media to promote your dirt racing product.
Here are a few of the things that those who want to use social media for the purpose of promoting themselves or their products should do:
Do tell people what you have. If you’re involved in dirt racing, you have a great product so tell people about it. Whether you are a track promoting an event, a driver letting people know how you’re doing or looking for sponsors, a series keeping fans informed, or a sponsor trying to get the most bang for your buck, social media provides you with a great opportunity to reach an audience interested in what you have to say.
Do update people as to what is going on. Not every fan of dirt racing can attend the race you are involved with so let those who aren’t there know what’s happening. And no, providing updates does not keep people from coming to your current race, it creates buzz for your next race.
And more, teams need to update their followers as well. Let the fans of your driver know how he/she is doing on that particular night at the track. Further, throw in a few photos of the work going on inside the shop during the week, and from the road trip to the track(someone besides the driver of the hauler providing these posts, of course).
The various series involved in dirt racing also need to make the most of social media. This is quite possibly the shining star of dirt racing involvement on social media as there are several sanctioning bodies who actually do this quite well. Informing fans about what is going on with your series in the way of recaps, results, stories, and standings are excellent ways to follow up after a successful event and build excitement for the next event.
Do interact with people. I have noticed a number of individuals, series, tracks, and teams who simply log in to post one quick message about an upcoming race or to say “our driver finished 5th tonight” and that’s it. Such posts are almost completely ineffective. People not only want to know the rest of the story but they also want to see that you are a real person and not just some soulless entity that behaves more like a robot than a human.
Do give stuff away when you can. Few things will help boost a Twitter or Facebook account’s following faster than a giveaway. And the great thing for tracks is that it can cost virtually nothing to hand out a couple of tickets to an upcoming race as part of a trivia contest or by simply having followers retweet an announcement.
Drivers can also benefit by giving autographed hats or photos away at very little cost to themselves. And not only do these things help add to the account’s following but they also help build a loyal fan base.
Do be honest. If you are a track, team, or driver that has had a bad night, don’t be afraid to say so and explain why it happened. Trying to fabricate reasons for poor performances or blame others for your own mistakes will almost always come back to haunt because everything that happens in today’s society is being filmed or photographed so your dishonesty will be exposed. Doing long term damage to your credibility is not worth an attempt to rescue one bad night.
Here are a few things to avoid doing on social media:
Don’t overreact to negativity. A track could run the best show possible or a driver could have a great night and there will always be someone who wants to complain. And yes, social media provides a platform for those filled with negativity to air their grievances. But remember that the poster is likely only reaching a relatively small audience with his/her rants. The negative types typically do not have large followings on social media because most people do not want to engage with the argumentative on a regular basis.
Don’t engage in needless battles. As a follow up to the previous point, no good will come from getting yourself or, worst of all, your business entangled in a mud slinging contest with a professional mud slinger on his/her home turf. You will only wind up looking overly defensive unless the post was an outright lie and can be definitively proven as such. Otherwise, it’s often best to just let it go.
Don’t depend solely on social media as a means of promotion. While it is free and can be highly effective, social media can’t reach everyone. Those things listed above such as radio and newspaper ads may reach folks who are not on any form of social media.
Don’t give up too easily. I have seen some accounts start off with a flurry for a few weeks only to give up after month or so when they don’t achieve thousands of followers after only a few posts. Stick with it and follow the advice above and other effective methods you may witness to maximize your presence.
Don’t post at low traffic times. This is particularly true for Twitter which can rollover quickly depending on the number of accounts being followed by those you intend to reach. I have seen promotional or informational posts made on Twitter in the very early hours of the morning or at the time when working people are driving home from the job. You’re not reaching your full audience at 5:00am or 6:00pm. I have found the best times to post are from 9:00am to noon and from 8:00pm to 10:00pm. Granted, if you have breaking news of some sort, it needs to be posted right away. But that information should to be repeated at higher traffic times as well.
In two recent polls I ran on social media I asked my followers to declare which form of the medium they rely on most for their racing information. Predictably, the poll conducted on Twitter showed that site as the top choice while the Facebook question produced the opposite reaction. If you have a product such as a track, a race team, or a series that needs promotion, it is best to have a presence on as many forms of social media as possible. It’s easier than many non-users think and it’s free.
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