Your athletic talent gets you in the door. Your personal brand is what lands the NIL deals.
Learn from the athletes earning 6-figures in NIL deals
Your brand is HOW people see you. Make it intentional, not accidental.
Your authentic self
Your Values
What matters most to you?
Your Personality
Funny? Serious? Motivational?
Your Story
Where you came from
Your unique position
Your Niche
What makes you different?
Your Causes
What do you advocate for?
Your Message
What do you want known for?
Your visual identity
Content Style
Polished? Raw? Behind-scenes?
Visual Theme
Colors, fonts, filters
Tone of Voice
How you communicate
You don't have to fit into a box, but these proven archetypes can help guide your brand direction
All about hard work, discipline, dedication
Best For:
Fitness, supplements, training gear
Aspirational lifestyle, fashion, luxury
Best For:
Fashion, beauty, premium brands
Funny, relatable, behind-the-scenes
Best For:
Food, entertainment, casual brands
Social causes, community, giving back
Best For:
Non-profits, ethical brands, causes
Great content isn't about expensive equipmentâit's about storytelling and authenticity.
Locker room, warmups, team busâfans love the "real" side
Why it works: Makes fans feel like insiders
"Day in the life" on game day from morning to night
Why it works: Shows your routine and rituals
Weightroom grind, drills, practice footage set to music
Why it works: Motivational + showcases dedication
Answer fan questions via Stories or dedicated posts
Why it works: High engagement, builds connection
Best plays, big moments, season highlights
Why it works: Showcases skills to brands
Show gear, equipment, game-day essentials
Why it works: Natural product placement opportunities
Participate in viral TikTok/IG trends with sports twist
Why it works: Algorithm loves trending content
Before/after, freshman vs now, off-season gains
Why it works: Shows growth and dedication
Spotlighting teammates, funny moments, team culture
Why it works: Cross-promotion, shows personality
Your journey, overcoming obstacles, why you play
Why it works: Emotional connection with audience
Natural Lighting is Everything
Film near windows or outdoorsâway better than expensive lights
Hook in 3 Seconds
Start with action, not slow introsâpeople scroll fast
Captions Are Mandatory
80% watch without soundâadd text overlays or captions
Keep It Short
15-60 seconds for TikTok/Reels, under 3 min for YouTube Shorts
Vertical > Horizontal
9:16 ratio for mobileâthat's where your audience is
Action Shots > Posed
Mid-motion photos feel more authentic than standing still
Rule of Thirds
Turn on grid in cameraâplace subject on intersecting lines
Consistent Filters
Pick 2-3 presets and stick with themâmakes your grid cohesive
Golden Hour Magic
Shoot 1 hour after sunrise or before sunset for best lighting
Variety in Grid
Mix close-ups, wide shots, action, candidâavoid repetitive angles
Grab attention immediatelyâmake them want to click "more"
"This moment changed everything for me..."
Share context, emotion, or a lessonâgive them a reason to care
"Three years ago I couldn't make varsity. Today I signed my first deal..."
Tell them what to do nextâcomment, share, follow, DM
"Drop a đĽ if this motivated you!"
Pro tip: Emojis increase engagement by 15-20% on average
Followers are vanity. Engagement is sanity. Brands pay for engagement, not just numbers.
(Likes + Comments + Shares) á Followers à 100
Example: 500 engagements á 10,000 followers = 5% rate
A 5K follower account with 10% engagement is MORE valuable than a 50K account with 1% engagement
End captions with "What's your...?" or "Drop your..." to invite comments
"Hot take: [sport opinion]" sparks debateâjust keep it respectful
Use IG Stories polls, "This or That," sliding scalesâpeople love voting
"Tag 3 friends + follow to enter" (check NIL compliance first!)
Check analyticsâusually 7-9pm weekdays, 11am-1pm weekends
Within first hour if possibleâshows you care + boosts algorithm
Instagram notifies followers when you're liveâimmediate engagement spike
Tag teammates, brands, venuesâthey often repost, expanding your reach
Drive traffic to Linktree/websiteâshows brands you can convert followers
IG Stories countdown to game dayâpeople subscribe for reminders
Instagram Collabs show on both profilesâdouble the reach instantly
People engage with humans, not robotsâbe funny, vulnerable, real
#D1Football (50K posts) > #Football (10M posts)âeasier to rank
Share fan art, photos of you, supporter postsâbuilds community
React to big sports news FASTâfirst-mover advantage in algorithms
Athletes who engage 2x more than they post see 3x faster follower growth
Brands can tell (engagement rate tanks). Plus it violates platform ToS.
Mass-following then unfollowing looks desperate and hurts your credibility.
Artificial engagement groups are against ToSâalgorithms detect them now.
More than 3x/day on main feed = follower fatigue. Space it out or use Stories.
"Great game today đŻ" gets no engagement. Tell a story or ask a question.
Brand inquiries often come via DM. Check daily and respond within 24 hours.
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Social Media Growth Strategies
Followers = opportunities. Here's how to grow strategically on every platform.
Instagram
Most important for NIL
Best Practices:
Growth Hacks:
TikTok
Fastest organic growth
Best Practices:
Growth Hacks:
Twitter / X
Best for sports commentary
Best Practices:
Growth Hacks:
YouTube
Long-term monetization
Best Practices:
Growth Hacks:
Universal Growth Principles (All Platforms)
Consistency > Perfection
Posting regularly beats perfect posts posted randomly
Engage Back 2x
For every comment you get, comment on 2 other posts in your niche
Track What Works
Check analytics weeklyâdouble down on what performs best
Follower Milestones & What They Mean for NIL
Micro-Influencer
Local businesses, small brands
Rising Athlete
Regional brands, better rates
Established Influencer
National brands, $1K+ deals
Elite Status
Major brands, $10K+ deals