Recruits and social media don't always go hand-in-hand. Social Media is an important tool that can make or break an athlete's recruiting experience. Some athletes use social media to their benefit by reaching out to coaches and getting their names out there. On the other hand, many other athletes have lost out on opportunities because of things they have posted on their social media. Here are some important dos and don'ts for social media use during the recruiting process…
Do
If you are looking to get your name out there social media is a good way to do so. Many coaches look on places like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for potential recruits. Posting a short highlight video that is 3-4 minutes long is a great way for coaches to find athletes they want to recruit. There are many stories about athletes who did not have many offers and then one of their highlight tapes blew up which led to a ton of coaches being interested.
Don't
Do not post any pictures or writing that would make you unappealing to other coaches. Some athletes post pictures doing illegal things or taking in illegal substances. This is a major recruiting red flag and coaches will back away as soon as they see something like this. Be careful with what you post on social media and think twice before you do it. If it feels like something you should not post, it's best that you don't.
Do
You can reach out to other coaches through direct messages. Coaches are checking their social media messages just as much as their text messages and emails. You should not flood their direct messages with a ton of notifications, but a simple one to introduce yourself would be fine. You should add your stats and test scores to this message along with the short highlight tape. You may not get a response right away, but it does not hurt to reach out. You must however, remember to follow the rules for contacting coaches within certain divisions. If you are contacting a DI or DII school, the coach will not be able to answer until a certain date depending on your sport.
Don't
Do not repost material with offensive language or graphic content. Even though it was posted on your story and disappears after 24 hours, does not mean a coach won't see it. You also should not tweet or write anything with offensive language yourself. There is no coach who wants a player who curses and writes offensive things online. Be mindful of what you write and remember that things on social do not automatically disappear.
