Ballywho News

Meet America’s newest social media giant, though that may be a bit of an understatement. At 6’8”, 250 pounds, and as reluctant as could be to venture into this far-reaching virtual universe, NBA superstar LeBron James was allegedly persuaded by buddy and fellow NBA player Chris Paul to join Twitter earlier this month and immediately captured the attention of just about the entire planet. The buzz and speculation started instantaneously: would this be where James would tell the world his latest and greatest news, the court king’s announcement of his signing decision?

James launched KingJames on July 6, and nearly 400,000 followers latched on for dear life. And when James spoke that Thursday evening under the hot, bright ESPN network lights, EVERYBODY came running to listen: at their televisions, at their computers and on their cell phones. (For those living under a rock, he signed with the Miami Heat.)The occasion marked yet another example of how celebrities are integrating social media into their marketing and communications with fans, employing the game plan to get the message quickly and directly to the source they are targeting: in this case, the NBA ticket-buying public who loves James oh so much…except in Cleveland perhaps (just guessing).

Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson, better known on the field as Ocho Cinco, notoriously tweeted away one season to the delight of his fans but when he found himself on the dance floor participating on Dancing with the Stars, he watched those follower numbers multiply, garnering even greater attention and attracting a broader following (just shy of a million).

So perhaps most of us don’t have quite the steady following as a court king or star football player but that doesn’t mean we can’t use social media in a similar fashion: make major announcements about our business or product lines and connect with our patrons in such a way that builds trust, loyalty and support for all that we do.

Look at your own business right now. How could you use social media in your own game plan to propel your brand?