Young female influencer using her smart phone for filming a vlog post.

Build a Brand Worth Millions

3.2x
More Opportunities
Athletes with strong brands
58%
Higher Deal Values
Compared to average
73%
Of Brand Decisions
Based on social presence
Personal Brand Social Media Content Tips Growth Strategies Engagement

Social Media Growth Strategies

Instagram

Most important for NIL

Best Practices:

  • • Post 4-7x per week (feed + stories)
  • • Use 20-30 relevant hashtags per post
  • • Go live during/after games
  • • Reels get 3x more reach than photos
  • • Reply to ALL comments within 1 hour

Growth Hacks:

  • • Tag brands you wear (they often repost)
  • • Collaborate with other athletes in your sport
  • • Use trending audio in Reels
  • • Post game-day content at peak times (7-9pm)

TikTok

Fastest organic growth

Best Practices:

  • • Post 1-3x per day for algorithm favor
  • • Hook viewers in first 3 seconds
  • • Use trending sounds ASAP (24-48hr window)
  • • Vertical video only (9:16 ratio)
  • • Engage with comments = more reach

Growth Hacks:

  • • Stitch/duet with popular sports creators
  • • Behind-the-scenes locker room content
  • • "Day in the life" vlogs perform well
  • • Use 3-5 niche hashtags (#D1Football)

Twitter / X

Best for sports commentary

Best Practices:

  • • Tweet 3-5x per day minimum
  • • Live-tweet during big sports moments
  • • Quote tweet news about your sport
  • • Keep it short and punchy
  • • Use GIFs and memes for engagement

Growth Hacks:

  • • Reply to ESPN, Bleacher Report tweets
  • • Join sports Twitter communities
  • • Hot takes (respectfully) get engagement
  • • Tag teammates to start conversations

YouTube

Long-term monetization

Best Practices:

  • • Upload 1-2x per week consistently
  • • Thumbnails matter MORE than title
  • • First 30 seconds hook viewers
  • • Ask viewers to subscribe in video
  • • Use YouTube Shorts for discovery

Growth Hacks:

  • • Collaborate with other athlete YouTubers
  • • "What's in my bag" videos perform well
  • • Game vlogs with commentary
  • • Cross-promote on Instagram/TikTok

Follower Milestones & What They Mean for NIL

1K-5K

Micro-Influencer

Local businesses, small brands

5K-25K

Rising Athlete

Regional brands, better rates

25K-100K

Established Influencer

National brands, $1K+ deals

100K+

Elite Status

Major brands, $10K+ deals