Manie Robinson

mrobinso@greenvillenews.com

Nik Conklin received the call of every former college soccer player’s dreams. It was from Manchester United. However, the Premier League club did not call in search of a new defender.

It sought to enhance its Twitter feed.

Conklin serves as lead videographer and coordinator of digital content on the social media team in the Clemson University athletic communications department. In 2013, Clemson director of athletics Dan Radakovich and associate athletic director of external affairs Tim Match began compiling a team of imaginative and competitive content creators.

The university dedicated approximately $250,000 annually toward the new department. Assistant athletic director of communications Joe Galbraith and director of new media Jonathan Gantt were hired to lead the team. Jeff Kallin shifted from his role as an associate sports information director to coordinate graphic design. Conklin, who started for the soccer team at Long Island University-Brooklyn while double majoring in media arts and English, completed the lineup in 2014.

The social media team has tweeted instant statistical breakdowns that add depth to routine figures. It has posted sharp six-second videos with the production quality of full-length films. It has become a tour guide in territory that is still being charted. It has advanced Clemson’s brand to smartphones across the country.

And across the pond.

“Did I expect that Manchester United would reach out and say, ‘Hey, I love what you're doing?’” Conklin said. “Absolutely not, but it tells us obviously that we're doing something right.”

Two years ago, Clemson reached approximately 350,000 fans and followers across its social media platforms. That has swelled to 1.4 million, the third-highest total among college programs.

Next week, Galbraith and Gantt will represent Clemson at the Sports Business Journal awards. Clemson is one of five finalists for Best in Social Media, standing alongside the National Basketball Association, the Chicago Blackhawks, the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr.

From nationally prominent college brands like Notre Dame and Ohio State to professional teams like Manchester United and the Golden State Warriors, Gantt’s phone and inbox have been bombarded with requests for insight on Clemson’s social media strategy.

“When I interviewed with Dan and Tim, I asked them what success looks like,” Gantt said. “One of the things they mentioned was when people talk about this space, social media and digital, they wanted Clemson to be one of the names that they talk about. That's certainly happened.”

According to Gantt, Clemson is the first sports organization, college or professional, to publish to Twitter Moments, establish a featured Vine channel and appear on Instagram’s Spotlight Channel. Clemson is the first college to broadcast via Facebook Live.

Clemson has recorded more than 115 million video loops on Vine, most notably the snapshots of football coach Dabo Swinney dancing in the locker room after one of the 14 victories the team enjoyed last season. The social media team capitalized on the attention generated through the Tigers’ run to the College Football Playoff. It developed design standards and consistent messaging that have captured and condensed memorable moments for all 19 of Clemson’s teams.

“We had the right people in place to take the most advantage of our increased visibility of the football team,” Radakovich said. “Building that infrastructure to allow people to really understand the value of social media really coincided with success that our football program's had. I don't know if we're able to quantify that it means we made an additional 'X' dollars, but it’s extended our brand in a space that previously we had no visibility.”

The figures of followers are staggering. The inquiries and awards are flattering. Yet Gantt asserted that the social media team does not measure its success through stats and studies.

“The biggest thing we focus on is the empirical evidence, the anecdotal stuff from our coaching staff, hearing that it's helping them in recruiting,” Gantt said. “Hearing from recruits specifically and hearing something stood out to them and really showed them something about Clemson that either they didn't know or really made them feel a connection to this place. Hearing stories from individuals and how it's impacted them is more important than the general publicity.”

In addition to its impact on enticing recruits and entertaining fans, Gantt said the department also focuses intently on providing opportunities for the graduate assistants and student workers who contribute immensely to the operation.

“If it was totally just me deciding everything we're doing, a lot of stuff you see would not be happening,” Gantt said with a laugh. “Their perspective and their contributions in a lot of different ways is vital to what we do. If recruits are our primary target audience, then who better to ask than people in that age group? They're not just in here making copies and answering phones. They do really meaningful work that's making a serious impact.”

One of Clemson’s most popular videos, an insightful reveal of the football team’s new uniforms, was spearheaded by student Kevin Collins.

“I tell my students all the time, when you come and you work for us and this department, you are just as valuable as anybody else,” Conklin said. “I'm not going to dictate that I'm going to be the lead videographer and editor and, ‘You guys are just going to hold the boom mic.’ You need to bring ideas to the table, and I tell them, too, that I hope they learn a lot from me, because I learn just as much from them.”

The climate of collaborative creative freedom already has impressed Justin Pondexter, a senior graphic communications major who joined the social media team this week.

“I have certain standards I have to meet branding-wise, but at the same time, they give you enough space where you can express your creativity,” said Pondexter, who also was surprised by the team’s efficient workflow.

“I didn't realize how quickly things went out,” Pondexter said with a smile.

Clemson’s social media strategy is high quality, high volume and high velocity. Their combination of speed and shine is the product of clear direction, thoughtful preparation and timely execution.

“It's really important for us to be present, especially on gameday,” Kallin said. “We have lists and specific deliverables that we want to hit. We've done a good job of defining roles, so everybody knows exactly what they're supposed to be doing. We have that accountability, and we have a great list of what we need to get done.”

According to Conklin, seamless cooperation allows the social media team to maintain its momentum while exploring new creative options.

“Complacency's dangerous,” Conklin said. “We're always reflecting on the processes that have made us successful but also trying to capitalize on new opportunities and creating content in different ways.

“It can be scary sometimes, because you can completely fall on your face with missed opportunities. But at the same time, there's a lot of value in taking risks. That risk is birthed through collaboration.”

Gantt never worries about his teammates resting contently. They never need a pep talk.

“Everyone involved is thinking, ‘How can we be the best?’ ” Gantt said. “When you have everybody thinking that way, complacency will never set in. You're never going to have people who are happy with where you are. They'll always strive to continue to be great and widen the gap.”

The people, on his team, on his campus and in the programs he promotes, embolden Gantt to welcome all calls and inquiries from around the globe. He can open up his playbook to Manchester United and Golden State. He can share trade secrets with Notre Dame and Ohio State without trepidation.

“We could give them the full blueprint, and I'm confident that it's just a really hard thing to replicate because the thing that's so special about Clemson is the people,” Gantt said. “They're talented and really hard working and really loyal to Clemson, so it’s just going to be hard for anybody to do it exactly the way we do it.

“That's not to say they can't be successful, but really the secret sauce in the recipe is our people. We have great leadership from the top down that empowers and gives us the freedom and the opportunity to do these things. We have a great staff and students who do quality work every day. That combination is hard to find, and it's hard to manufacture.”