Within the last decade social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the new phenom, Tiktok, have become a part of the average person’s daily routine. As technology has advanced and become an essential part of the way we interact, companies and corporations have adapted new marketing ways that utilizes the online following of collegiate athletes as a vessel to the “outside” world.
The different ways to utilize social media
As technology has evolved, we as a society have found new and interesting ways to use this new powerful tool. While most use these platforms as an outlet for their opinions, thoughts, and expressions, others have found a way to monetize it. Organizations, brands, celebrities, and influencers have created this new way of promoting not only products, but lifestyles. By grabbing their target audience’s attention, they make them crave more of what is being promoted.
So too have collegiate athletes been able to develop and grow large followings to their social media accounts, especially as athletic program’s social team’s tag these athletes in their own regular game-day content.
What is NIL and how do you comply with NCAA guidelines?
With more people joining social media platforms everyday, celebrities, such as collegiate athletes, are gaining more followers and influence. This is where NIL or the “Name, Image, and Likeness” Policy comes into play. On July 1, 2021 the NCAA passed this policy allowing college players to capitalize on their namesake and cash it in.
Historically, the NCAA has been against any notion of this but with recent controversy, they finally gave in. In allowing players to do this they gave them a list of rules to abide by:
- Service Providers are permitted but only for NIL activities
- Must report all NIL activities to their institution
- Must comply with state NIL laws (only 28/50 states have laws)
- If state does not have NIL laws they must abide by their institution’s NIL laws
- Must comply with institution’s law
Do all social media platforms have the same guidelines?
In allowing people to share their opinions and act “freely”, platforms have struggled to keep derogatory influences away from their communities. In an attempt to combat the problem head on, each platform has set their own guidelines or social media policies that each user must abide by. For example in the past before reels and IG tv, Instagram’s guidelines differed from TikTok’s guidelines simply because of the type of content that was produced on the platform. These policies state the type of behavior that they will and will not accept, along with the consequences if the guidelines are broken.
Why should I follow social media guidelines?
Social media policies are essential to the performance of each platform, where they make clear what can and cannot be posted for the betterment of the community. These policies benefit NIL for the same reason: ensuring that the organizations, brands, and athletes are getting the most out of their deal.
Teaching Social Media 