Social Media Strategy: NBA on Twitter

When it comes to running the court on social media, the NBA knows how to play the game. With 47.2 million followers on Twitter, they have clearly built a solid fan base. But like any great team, there is always room to improve strategy. This audit takes a deep dive into the NBA's Twitter channel to evaluate how their game plan stacks up against social media best practices.

Starting Lineup: Profile Optimization

The NBA has a strong starting five when it comes to profile optimization. Their Twitter handle, @NBA, is as clean and recognizable as a well-executed fast break. The profile image is the iconic NBA logo. The header image is a highlight collage, featuring top players like Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, and Steph Curry. It's a visual slam dunk that immediately grabs attention.

The bio is straightforward and on-point, promoting the #NBAPreseason and the #KiaTipOff24—letting fans know exactly when the first games of the season is. They also include a link to the NBA app, encouraging fans to stay connected beyond Twitter.

Game Strategy: Content Breakdown

Content is where the NBA truly shines on Twitter. Like a well-timed three-pointer, their posts are consistently hitting the mark in terms of frequency and variety. On average, the NBA tweets around 10-15 times per day, mixing up highlight videos, player stats, and game day teasers.

They know how to run the floor, hitting key times like early morning for international fans and late-night after the final buzzer. Their content ranges from quick clips of jaw-dropping dunks to more behind-the-scenes looks into player interviews and training camps. The objective here is clear: keep the fans hyped and engaged, just like a coach would keep players fired up from the sidelines.

Engagement: The Assist

Every great team needs its fans, and the NBA knows how to keep them in the game. Their engagement levels average around 200k views, 400 retweets, and 2k likes per post during offseason and 5 million views, 2k retweets, and 10k likes midseason. Comments tend to lean positive, with fans throwing out support for their favorite teams and players. The occasional negative comment appears after a tough loss or a controversial call, but overall, the NBA’s Twitter community plays well together.

That said, there’s room for improvement in the response game. Unlike a point guard dishing out assists, the NBA doesn’t typically reply to fan comments or engage in conversations. Jumping into those threads could give them a boost in community-building.

Highlight Videos: Most and Least Successful Posts

In the last 30 days, one of the most successful posts was a highlight clip of a buzzer-beater shot from the playoffs, which clocked in at 75k likes and 10k retweets. It’s no surprise that this post was a hit—game-winning moments always bring fans to their feet.

On the flip side, the least successful post was a tweet about the WNBA, which received only 421 likes and 48 retweets. Despite the NBA's push to promote the women's league, this post didn’t resonate with their core audience. It’s clear that while the NBA's fan base loves highlights and game-winning moments, cross-promotional content like this one struggles to gain traction. There’s an opportunity here to rethink how they present WNBA content, perhaps by integrating more engaging visuals or leveraging key players to draw more attention.

Final Buzzer: Strengths and Weaknesses

The NBA runs a strong offense on Twitter, with consistent and engaging content that keeps fans glued to their feed. Their highlight videos, player stats, and game-day updates are a win with the crowd. However, if they want to elevate their game, they need to focus more on engaging directly with fans, responding to comments like a point guard setting up plays.

Overall, the NBA's Twitter channel is playing at an All-Star level, but with a few adjustments, they could become even more dominant in the social media arena.