Building Your Brand

Building your brand in recruiting is crucial because it helps you stand out from the competition and attract the attention of college coaches.

In today's digital age, coaches rely heavily on online resources and social media to evaluate and, perhaps even more importantly, discover potential recruits.

A strong personal brand can showcase your skills, personality, and commitment to the sport, making you a more desirable candidate.

It also tears down geographic barriers. With a good brand, it's just as easy to be seen by a recruiter in Florida when you live in California or by a coach at a higher level than you are currently getting attention from.

A well-defined brand can also help you communicate your value proposition or showcase why coaches should recruit you instead of someone else.

It allows you to present yourself consistently and compellingly, highlighting your strengths and achievements both on and off the field. A good brand can also help coaches understand who you are as a player and a person and why you would be a valuable addition to their program. Furthermore, building your brand can help you establish credibility and trust with coaches.

By consistently showcasing your skills and dedication, you demonstrate you are serious about your athletic pursuits and committed to excellence. This can make a positive impression on coaches and increase your chances of being recruited.

Heads up: A good brand can lead to NIL deals in college.

Building a personal brand for football recruiting involves several key steps:

• Identify your strengths and unique qualities: What makes you stand out as an athlete and a person off the field? Highlight your skills, accomplishments, and any unique attributes.
• Create a strong online presence: Develop a website or online profile (Twitter/X is best for football) that showcases your athletic achievements, academic record, and personal interests. Use high-quality photos and videos (Hudl is perfect) to capture the attention of coaches.
• Use social media strategically: Share highlights, training videos, and updates on your athletic progress. Engage with coaches and other athletes to build your network.
• Be authentic and genuine: Let your personality shine through in your interactions with coaches. Show them who you are as a person, not just a player.
• Maintain a positive attitude: Recruiting can be challenging, but it's important to stay positive and focused on your goals. Show coaches that you're a resilient and determined athlete.
• Build relationships with coaches: Follow, connect, and engage with coaches consistently, especially after you meet them in person. Follow up with coaches regularly to express your interest and keep them updated on your progress.

By following these steps, you can create a strong personal brand that will help you stand out in the competitive world of college football recruiting.

Develop a consistent presence: Think of your brand like an influencer does with consistent/daily/weekly "content."

You will need to put in some work, and this is where your parents can help you manage.

But again, you should be the one putting in the work to build your brand.

Here's a sample of a weekly content plan for recruits:

• Monday
  • Motivational Monday: Share an inspirational quote or story related to football or achieving your goals.
  • Highlight Reel: Post clips of your best plays from a recent game or practice.
• Tuesday
  • Training Tuesday: Share a photo or video of your training regimen, highlighting your dedication and work ethic.
  • Team Tuesday: Give a shout-out to your teammates or coaches, showcasing your team spirit and leadership qualities.
  • Academic Achievement: Share any accomplishments to demonstrate your commitment to academics.
• Wednesday
  • Game Day Hype: If you have a game, camp, event, etc., coming up, post a message expressing your excitement and inviting people (and coaches) to watch.
  • Workout Wednesday: Share a challenging workout routine or fitness tip to inspire others and demonstrate your commitment to the weight room.
  • Recruiting Updates: Provide an update on your recruiting journey, such as schools you've visited or coaches you've connected with. Thank them!
• Thursday
  • Throwback Thursday: Share a photo or video from your past football experiences, highlighting your growth and development as an athlete.
  • Community Involvement: If you participate in any community service or volunteer activities, share your experiences to showcase your character and values.
  • Skill Showcase: Post a video demonstrating a specific skill, such as throwing a perfect spiral or making a difficult catch.
• Friday
  • Game Day Friday: If you have a game, share your excitement and encourage people (and coaches) to come to watch.
  • Pregame Ritual: Share your pregame routine or any superstitions you have to give followers a glimpse into your personality.
  • Postgame Recap: Share your thoughts on the game, highlight key moments, and thank your teammates and coaches.
• Weekend
  • Weekend Vibes: Share a photo or video of your weekend activities, showing your interests and personality outside of football.
  • Family Time: Post a photo with your family or friends, highlighting your support system and the importance of relationships.
  • Recovery and Relaxation: Share how you're taking care of your body and mind after a long week of training and games.
  • Academic time: Continue to showcase that you're a student-athlete by sharing something school-related. Do you have a big test coming up? Did you study all weekend? Are you spending time preparing for the ACT/SAT? Did you just file a big story for the student newspaper?

This is just a sample content plan, and you can adjust it to fit your own schedule and preferences. The key is to be consistent with your posting and to share engaging and informative content.

Remember to use relevant hashtags and tag coaches and schools that you're interested in.

By building a strong online presence, you can increase your visibility and attract the attention of college coaches.

Marketing yourself is a big part of the recruiting game, so if you're comfortable with it, you should share recruiting milestones with social media posts.

• Celebrate moments like camp invitations, scholarship offers, unofficial visits, game day visits, and official visits with photos and videos.
• Be sure to thank the coaches in your posts.

This is just a sample content plan, and you can adjust it to fit your own schedule and preferences. The key is to be consistent with your posting and to share engaging and informative content.

Remember to use relevant hashtags and tag coaches and schools that you're interested in.

By building a strong online presence, you can increase your visibility and attract the attention of college coaches.