episode 36 of the dsmsports podcast w/ dan palla of nbc sports & olympics

Best Of...Dan Palla of NBC SportsEpisode 36 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast

On episode 36 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast, Dan Palla, Manager of Social Media Marketing for NBC Sports & Olympics, discussed how social helps reinforce NBC Sports's brand, working across mediums and departments for effective, consistent messaging, content creation, and more.

What follows are some snippets from the episode. Listen to the full podcast on iTunes or www.DSMSports.net

@njh287; DSMSports.net

http://www.DSMSports.net/


Dan's career path [1/2]:

“When I started overall, social media didn't exist at a professional level by any means.”

Majored in Film and Television Production at Hofstra University → Interned at Black Canyon Productions (sports documentaries) in NYC (Dan: “It got me great exposure to sports documentaries and sports media...some of the connections they had and the doors they opened led me to ESPN”)

“It didn't feel like work...As hard-working as you have to be to stay in this business...I was lucky that it didn't always feel like a job.”


Best Of...Dan Palla of NBC SportsEpisode 36 of the Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastDan's career path [2/2]:

→ Black Canyon Productions (where Dan interned) facilitated an interview with ESPN that got him a gig as “Post-graduate production intern” working on the Stephen A. Smith Show “Quite Frankly.”

“Don't worry about your title, just get in the door and learn about it...be the first one there and last one to leave (and keep learning).”

→ After Quite Frankly got canceled, Dan got moved to Cold Pizza (morning show) and worked in production → Instead of moving to Bristol when the show moved, Dan worked at the YES Network before getting his gig at NBC Sports in 2008



On his role at NBC Sports

“When I got in, I was producing on-air in promotions and advertising. It was a great straddling of what I knew in TV production and promos...but you had to get into the marketing side more. Why are people interested in these events...how do we make these events bigger (to fans)?

I really gravitated towards the marketing side and loved hearing about the mindset of that side of the business we were trying to develop.”



“I enjoyed the creativity with the promos of editing and producing...but the mindset of the marketing side was what really groomed...(and) as social media became a bigger animal...and I learned more about marketing, I became an advocate (for NBC Sports) to do more (in social media)...”

→ Dan took on a second role of helping NBC Sports' social media and grew from there



Dan explained how two others in NBC Sports departments began spearheading social media activity

→ When (Sunday Night Football Producer) Fred Gaudelli came into the social media fold...”He gave us the opportunity (particularly after being told Sunday Night Football on Facebook was just a Wikipedia page)...

He bought it and said we should run with this....Sunday Night Football went great and...then it snowballed. That was where we got our start.”



Very early on, (our use of social media) wasn't the same mindset it was today. So much has evolved (since then)...It was a mixture of 'We were used to the user experience and only consuming (these platforms,' but brands establishing themselves were newer at this time. We were looking at as a consumer and thinking (what interests us?)...

Early on, it was 'this got a lot of engagement, let's do more of that.' We were trying to do what we always wanted to see (as fans). It was an awesome sandbox to play in.”



On where NBC Sports Social Media fits into the infrastructure of the organization

“No one tried to pigeonhole us...There was no social media department (at first)...We were sort of gray area...As it grew (social media) became more of a division and today we sit more in the marketing side.

But what's fantastic is we touch so many different parts...making sure (everyone) understands the platforms and how to use them...that we understand the messaging (from PR)...and obviously, digital (driving traffic) and mobile...We get to figure out how we can best support them (all).”



“From day one, I'm proud executives understood the (branding) part of (social media)...Right away, we understood the anxiety that, in social media, you're one tweet away from a (promotion)...or (getting in trouble)...That's what is fun. You really have to respect it...and really think through what you're putting out...That responsibility is something we grabbed from day one...

We really understood what NBC Sports' brand was...(Supervisors) respected that and knew that we got it and it wasn't something to be taken lightly.”



On the NBC Sports brand

“First and foremost, accuracy is very important to us. Our voice is being smart. You're not going to see us being overly sarcastic. We enjoy having fun on these platforms. We see that as very important. We want to embrace it for what it is...But, at the same time, we don't ever want to be something we're not as a brand...We want to be accurate. We want to be smart. And we want to be fun.”



On content for social media

“We have (a lot of) ammunition...We have amazing writers and bloggers that work for NBCSports.com. We have amazing graphic artists that do such amazing work for our production value...In certain cases, we have to realize what this medium is for and, while we need those other things to bolster (NBC Sports' properties), we also have to think through the original content that works well on digital and social.”

(Cites GREAT, FUNNY example of 'Ted Lasso' sketch to promote Premier League soccer on NBC Sports) → “There was a lot of strategy to figure out the launch of that and how we could springboard that...We knew how important Premier League would be for our brand as a property and we were just starting (out on social with Premier League).”



On social media content standards for social vs. broadcast

“It varies from idea to idea. There are certainly some things we've done that have all been recorded on cell phones. It's not always the same formula...It's different (cites example of shooting Olympic athletes with puppies)...All of these ideas are so apples and oranges sometimes that, sometimes it's fine to have low light and have it be cell phone video and (other times) to make the idea work the right way, you need a full shoot and a star. What's amazing about social media is you're really able to make any idea at any level work, because, at the end of the day, you have to make something out of nothing.”



Discussing the Ted Lasso campaign:

“We had only launched (social media pages for Premier League) just a few months before we launched it...It was important for us to use that piece to help get that follower count up on out social platforms...Right away we were able to see skyrocket in those numbers as it got passed around, the shares...Not only did web traffic do well, but we were seeing our (social media) numbers and follower counts skyrocket through the roof at a rate you'd normally have to get paid media behind...What we were able was to really invest in the content and let the content do the work for us.”



“At the end of the day, we're a television media company and to draw attention to (that) and our digital platforms...It's important for those not to be in silos...What we've really tried to push is social as a bridge between the broadcast and the website and the app...that experience where one is taking you from one to the other to the other.”



“We really try to use (our site's bloggers) as a tool to (cover all sports)...We want them to know that we share their passion and know their sport...We keep our brand in perspective when thinking about those things, but we think about those properties and the purity of the sport (first) and the brand comes secondary...We want to give people what they're looking for as a viewer or in social media.”

The NBC Sports and NBCSN accounts are more general...and that's where you're going to get that general fan to (keep you informed) of all the properties and all the world of sports...Even though we are actively thinking which handle should play which role, we're not thinking every user follows us on every platform, so it's important to make sure information gets to them.”



On Different Strategies For Different Sports

“There's different passions and different types...The way they celebrate is different. Just trying to make that experience authentic to them is most important...We want to tap into that and take that user-generated content. That might be more common in certain sports than others...Each fan is celebrating in their own way. To us, it's making sure we acknowledge (them) and giving them what they want when they need it.”



“Whatever we see the most engagement around, we're going to tailor some of our content toward. We certainly find more people are coming to us for the properties they know us (for)...But we (also) have a lot of amazing content outside of those realms.

You'll always find the biggest news of the day on (all platforms)...You'll see a little more of our content (geared) toward our own properties, but we rely on writers to (cover) all of the properties and all of the sports.”



“The great part about social media is so much of it is spontaneous. We don't do anything without trying to plan and be prepared...Every morning, we sit down as a group and we go through what we think is important that day and what we think would be fun to try...We'll also go through the properties and big games coming up and look at an editorial plan and go back and go through (content).

We can be as prepared going in, but what I love is everyone knows you can be as prepared as you want, but you may not end up using all that stuff...Nothing makes us happy that the game is so exciting that they don't use all of that stuff...

That's part of the excitement around it. And that's what makes it must-see television because you never know what is going to happen...So, a lot of times, we'll come in prepared, but end up reacting to what's happening on the field.”



“Whatever we see the most engagement around, we're going to tailor some of our content toward. We certainly find more people are coming to us for the properties they know us (for)...But we (also) have a lot of amazing content outside of those realms.

You'll always find the biggest news of the day on (all platforms)...You'll see a little more of our content (geared) toward our own properties, but we rely on writers to (cover) all of the properties and all of the sports.”



On posting in-game

“It varies from property to property and event to event...We don't every try to be a play-by-play. We'll give score updates and a big understanding...We'll also give links to all the Live Extra streams...We also look it as a second screen companion (too).

We want to give you a little of that chatter and we want to tap into the chatter of what people are talking about. Oftentimes in social, it's the little things everyone is talking about...There is an entertainment factor...I wouldn't say it's only second screen or only information. We want to give (fans) a little bit of it all.”



This episode's Helpful Tool: Pic Deck

- Free tool that is basically like TweetDeck for Instagram



On use of analytics

“As all these platforms are evolving, the analytics are evolving, as well...We don't handle all the research ourselves, but e know the importance of monitoring the engagement and the reporting...all these (data) are a big part of what we're doing and we have to look at what we're doing because it's a big part of our strategy and our business.”



The sport that NBC carries that has the most active fans on social media

“It's tough to differentiate. Within an Olympic Games, the Olympic fan...Then, to have seen the growth and the passion behind the NBC Sports soccer brand and to see how much the audience us growing is trying to take in as much as we can put out has really been impressive. Those two have gone beyond expectations in terms of what we expected in numbers and passion.”



What sports moment on NBC Sports in 2014 generated the most real-time social buzz

“The Sochi Olympics for sure...It as amazing to see, for example, the TJ Oshie shootout goal.. Those are the type of things that mom sees and you can talk about (with her)...Also, our involvement and engagement around the World Cup (even though we were not broadcasting it) were way above what we could have ever thought.”



The best type of content to share to supplement a live TV sports viewing experience

“For us, one of the things we've teed into is tapping into the fact that there are so many elements of our broadcast that are so special that often either don't make air or are only on the screen for four seconds when people may not be paying attention...What we've been able to do is see that these things should have as second life in the social sphere.

For example, the graphics. These things tell a story a we bring these into a social experience and it (ties in) with the broadcast...You're getting to see a second life on these things.”



The best pro sports team[s] on social media and why

“I've always been impressed with the LA Kings social accounts...A couple of years ago in the playoffs, some of the stuff they put out around the Vancouver Canucks series...What you want to see a team is take a stand and have some fun. And to see your team say we want to win and we want (the other) team to lose. And that's something kings fans rally around...

They're smart and they really know their voice. It's not necessarily what you'd expect. They get a little edgy and they have some fun...They really know their voice and they're willing to be different and they reap the benefits from it.”



This episode's Share-able Stat: 42%

→ 42% of all app time on smart phones occurs with an individual's single most used app



Dan's brief thoughts on Snapchat

“I'm excited anytime there's a new platform in the social sphere...I noticed, specifically, what MLB is doing with it...I'm waiting to see how we're going to tackle is going to be unique. That's what I enjoy about a new platform. It's a new perspective, a new ways to tell stories and give a new scene of sports. That's what I think is great about Snapchat. It's a new platform that's giving you a new perspective and giving you a new way to reach sports fans.”



The most underrated way social media adds value for NBC Sports

“I would key into influencers...What has been really valuable for us is our day-to-day work has been acknowledged by influencers in our space...What we enjoy seeing is that when we do something well, it's not only acknowledged by influencers ,but it's being shared and helping us get our content out there...When someone of influence is sharing what we're doing, it goes that much further.”



In three words or less, what is the personality of NBC Sports on social media

“Accuracy is number one for us. Being smart and making sure things we're saying are not only true, but making you think in a different way. The third is fun and I think that's really important on these mediums. We don't always want to be what you expect from NBC Sports. We really want to think through what is reactive, what's witty, what's interesting...it has to be fun because that's really what these mediums are meant to be used for.”



(With EPL games in mind) The best thing to snack on while watching soccer at 7am

“Beer – The best part of Premier League is going to the bars at 7am and seeing them packed in New York City and to see that atmosphere that makes Premier League soccer so amazing. The passion, the chanting, and people having a beer or two. Every game is like a playoff game and that type of atmosphere...That's how I fell in love with it.”



As a championship is nearing conclusion on NBC Sports, does Dan have a post ready or is he winging it?

“What we do is try to come in as prepared as possible, but if the game is on the line, we can never guess (what will happen)...So, so much of it has to be reactive, too...If we don't capture (the moment)...we're not doing out job right. We're definitely coming in prepared, but nothing makes us happier than throwing it all out and coming up with something great on the spot because that timeliness and that moment has got to be better than something we already have planned before.”



Dan's Social Media All-Star to Follow

Our team is so good, so I have to be a homer and shout out the NBC Sports social media team:

Lyndsay Signor – @Lyndsay SignorRyan Irwin – @rirwin1Matt Ziance – @MattZiance

“We all work as a team and put the team above all else so it's only fitting.”



Where to find Dan on social/digital

@thedanpalla on Twitter for Dan

@NBC, @NBCOlympics @NBCSports, @NBCSN, @NHLonNBCSports, @NBCSoccer

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

“Each one is a unique perspective and we put a ton of thought and work into it. We love hearing feedback. We try to do our best and I can't say enough about our team and the amount of effort we put into it.”



Thanks again to Dan for sharing his time, knowledge, experience, and expertise with the Digital & Social Media Sports podcast!

Listen to the podcast and find more episodes and content on iTunes and at www.DSMSports.net.

You can also follow me on Twitter @njh287


episode 36 of the dsmsports podcast w/ dan palla of nbc sports & olympics

Sports

sports media

nbc sports social media

social media sports

social media didnt

social media activity

social media fold

nbc sports departments

nbc sports olympics