They say a picture is worth a thousand words – but what you do with a picture could generate a thousand clicks, likes or shares.
Cool, compelling graphics are a key part of any successful post. According to Twitter, tweets that include an image have an average of 35% more retweets. Facebook posts with graphics receive about 37% more engagement. And let’s be honest – any good sports story is better with a great photo.
But as you can imagine, most athletic directors and coaches posting for their teams don’t have a background in graphic design. That’s where companies like Box Out Sports come into play. Box Out Sports is a sports graphics creation platform that offers ready-made templates and infographic design, making it easy for anyone to create professional-looking graphics.
“Our goal is to make it look like graphic designers work for you when really, it takes less than a minute on your cell phone,” said Robbie Lightfoot, the director of partnerships at Box Out Sports.
Box Out Sports has over 7,600 teams and logos in their database – and they release new templates every few months to keep your options fresh. Here are some of their latest templates:
These templates make creating graphics easy – but what do you post when there’s no sports? It’s important to stay active online, even if your school’s fall sports were delayed or cancelled. With a little creativity, you can still create graphics that keep your fans engaged.
A lot of schools in our network have found unique ways to maintain their online presence without sports. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:
Feature your senior athletes: Choose a different senior on your team to showcase each week. Make sure to include how long they’ve been playing, their future plans or other fun facts about them. Not only does this recognize players in their finals season, but gives parents, aunts, uncles and more a reason to share your post.
Introduce your new staff members: Welcoming a new coach, trainer or assistant director? Create a cool graphic to introduce them to your community. To make it even better, accompany it with a short article about their background and experience – or simply post it on social media with a friendly hello.
Highlight your former athletes: Show off your past stand-out players by highlighting where they are now. If possible, interview them to find out how high school sports influenced who they are today. This could be motivating for young athletes and fun for long-time fans who remember the player in their prime.
Show what’s happening in the meantime: Give fans a sneak peak of what’s going on while practices and games are delayed. Show virtual team dinners, at-home workouts or ways you’re preparing for next season. Fans love an exclusive look at what’s happening behind the scenes.
Interested in bringing Box Out Sports graphics to your school? Schedule a demo here.