As we all know, social media has become an extremely powerful tool for many reasons, particularly in the recruiting process. But, with great power comes great responsibility and for college recruits, social media can place a magnifying glass on your life, making every action an important one if you're looking to secure a move to your #1 choice school. So before you hit “post” on your next Tweet, TikTok, or carefully-curated Instagram photo, here are 9 important tips to help you use social media to your advantage when looking to get recruited.

1)   Don't Be Shy! 

Showcasing your personality and showing who you are is an important way of revealing your character, what you're like outside of sports, what you can bring to the table, and how you handle yourself as a person to coaches on social media. Everyone is different and has distinctive personalities, so don't be afraid to be yourself and show who you are online!

2) Be Smart About Interactions

It's important to keep in mind the types of posts you interact with and accounts you follow. Avoid commenting and liking on inappropriate posts or posts that will display you in a negative light and always be positive online–it will only damage your reputation if you don't! The accounts you follow can also be easily traced by coaches and they might make judgements on your character based around them. So be careful what you “like.”

Related: Tweet it or Delete it? How to Leverage Your Twitter Account for Recruiting

3) Leave The Hate at The Door

To reiterate an earlier point, try to be positive as much as possible online! Showing hate towards other teams and athletes is a no-go, shows coaches that you're not mature enough for the collegiate level, and raises major red flags. You want to demonstrate that you're a positive person and can uplift others. So, focus on yourself and your team! If you are going to share or comment around other athletes and teams, share supportive messages and be encouraging towards them.

4) Remember: There's No “I” in Team

Coaches love to see that recruits are responsible and show that they are team players so you can't go wrong if you handle yourself well online and positively engage with teammates, other athletes, and your team. Showing some leadership qualities online is also welcomed as it will show that you're a mature athlete, which coaches love.

5) Promote Yourself

Social media is a great place to highlight your athletic successes, so whether you've won a game or tournament, scored a goal, or have some great footage of your performances–share these moments! Coaches also love to see that you show interest in the sport you wish to pursue and take pride in improving yourself. So, sharing news about the sport and things that inspire you to be a better athlete and student is also a great tip.

Related: Social Media Don'ts: Examples from Athletes Who Risked Their Scholarships

6) Don't Post Anything You'll Regret

Once something is posted on social media, even if it's been deleted, it can always come back to haunt you. Try not to post anything you'll regret in the future as it could eventually circulate back to coaches who want to recruit you. I always like to imagine that my parents see everything I post, which ensures that I don't post anything embarrassing or something I'll regret.

7) Make Yourself Easy to Find

It's important that you're easy to find on social media and there are a few ways to make yourself more available online. First, college coaches won't be able to see your content if you have a private account, which also makes you slightly suspicious…as if you're trying to hide something. So make sure your profile is set to public. Secondly, make sure that your usernames are related to your actual name. If you have random words, letters, and numbers in your username, it can be quite difficult for college coaches to find you. Keep things simple with name handles and avoid crazy usernames.

Related: Social Media and The Recruiting Process

8) Engage with Athletic Programs

Just like you would follow and interact with family, friends, and your favorite accounts on social media, do the same with athletic programs–especially ones you are interested in! You'll be able to stay updated on key information, the program's season, and their achievements. Knowing what's going on at the program can also be a great conversation starter if you're ever approached by a coach.

9) Have an Eagle Eye on All Accounts

Closely monitoring all your social media accounts is important because even though you may not be posting, commenting, or liking inappropriate/negative content, you could be tagged or featured in a post that is. Staying dedicated to maintaining positive profiles also includes keeping tabs on how your friends and other accounts interact with you–you're able to choose what appears on your accounts, so I suggest monitoring this regularly!

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* Originally published on April 6, 2023, by Rhys Davies