How the PDGA should use Social Media

As an weekend disc golfer, I never thought I was "good enough" to play with the pros. Last year was the first year I though I should join the PDGA and maximize my membership and try to "grow the game" in the Charlotte region. I started a Disc Golf Blog and in my first year playing I ended up with one win and multiple placements in local disc golf tournaments. So how does the PDGA embrace social media sites to build the community?

Use Social Media to Build a Disc Golf Community

What the PDGA needs to do is embrace social media to the max and secure social media profiles that seem to have been brand jacked by local disc golfers. Currently the PDGA has a Facebook fan page that has just over 1,000 members and a Twitter account with under 600 followers. I have more followers then the PDGA combined accounts. This needs to change as Disc Golf is a global sport.

There is a great opportunity here for the PDGA to take advantage of technology that is really made for the fans and followers. Disc Golf is a sport that has a dedicated fan base and needs to tap into that core audience and deliver. Here are a couple ideas:

• Engage the fans on Facebook, Twitter, and Ustream. The PDGA needs to talk with the fans who are posting on their wall. They need to interact with people talking about disc golf on Twitter, and even have pro disc golfers give live lessons on Ustream! It’s time for the PDGA to build a culture where disc golfers and disc golf fans come to the PDGA’s social media accounts when they want to talk or find out more about the sport.
  
  
• Create content and promotions that allow the fans to reach out to the pros. For example, have players create personalized videos about various topics (the best shot I ever hit, my favorite disc golf course to play, etc.). Even better, set up disc golf clinics around the U.S. where social media fans who play the game can get a chance to meet and interact with professional disc golfers.

Love to hear everyone's thoughts.

[Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun]

Thanks for your comments, Terry. Even though my full-time professional job now includes responsibility for social media for my employer-organization, I too have trouble keeping up with it all. (Check out HootSuite, BTW.)

I signed up at the $100 support level for the Memorial webcasting and look forward to your commentary. Break a leg!

Note the support banner at the bottom of this and every page in DGRUS!

[Terry Miller]

Thanks Terry!

Sorry but I did edit my post about 4 times so you may want to re-read it:)

Also, your undying love and support for the game has been huge not just to Michigan golfers or players here on DGRUS but to everyone! Your insight and knowledge about social media networks has really been an essential part of the sport moving forward.

I guess this thread is basically realizing that in a perfect world we would have enough money to pay about 5 Terry Calhouns to do our social media work for us.

Thanks for the ad and support of www.DiscGolfPlanet.tv!

[Roy Morejon]

Thanks for commenting Terry and giving your input on the subject. We are all terribly busy these days and when you come home from the course, one of the last things you want to do is "pound the keyboard" as you put it. I think what's missing is the community is so strong offline that we are missing an opportunity to embrace the online community and bring it together on the course. Hopefully the PDGA is listening and can embrace the online community and leverage the strong ties like this forum have created.

[Addie]

Hi everyone! This is right up my alley, by the way!! : ) We do have 2 FB pages that I manage weekly. I just started them less than a year ago and we do see more and more page views and fans joining. I agree it could offer more. I wish my sole job was to keep adding to these pages, but my other tasks get most of my time. This is going to be my new focus though.

As Terry Miller stated, I, too, am on this site very little and I do apologize to Terry C for that. I will be focusing on getting a page on this site as well.

There are conference opportunities coming up that I hope to attend. All about Social Networking.

Here are the pages I currently update:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/PDGA-Members-Get-the-latest-updates-h...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Professional-Disc-Golf-Association/59...

Please don't hesitate to send me thoughts and ideas: [e-mail]

I am all ears!! Thank you all for your interest.

[Roy Morejon]

Hey Addie, thanks for adding to the conversation! There is a great Internet marketing / social media conference coming to Charlotte, NC in May which I am working on: Search Exchange, you can get discounted tickets for (One Day Tickets) or attend the full conference Search Exchange tickets Please contact me ([e-mail]) if you have any questions. Looking forward to seeing some disc golfers there.

[Addie]

I just answered your email asking if any conferences were closer to us then Washington, DC. : ) Guess I should have read this first. I am very interested in attending. I will bring this to Brian's attention. Thank you so much!

[skinner]

Thanks Addie for those FB links...

[Addie]

No problem! Thank you all for following along. We are very excited about becoming stronger in the social media networks. I just wish I had 12 hands to do all my other tasks. : ) Thanks again and please invite your friends to those pages!