5 Smart Ways Social Media Can Help You Get Recruited
Social media is not everything, but it may seem like it is, especially when your algorithm keeps showing you college soccer commits at top schools receiving thousands of likes.
TikTok, Instagram, VSCO, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and we could probably name ten more platforms, can feel like they are taking over our real lives at times.
We cannot have this conversation about what your social media says to college coaches without talking about something even more obvious: how comparison affects us day to day. We compare ourselves to others and want what someone else seems like they have or did. This is especially true with commitments and the recruiting process. Remember, this is your own process and your own timeline. How your teammates, friends, and peers appear on social media, even with the most grateful and glamorous commitment posts, is not always what real life looks like.
Let’s make this clear. We want you to be YOU and stay true to yourself and how you express yourself on social media. But here are some guidelines you can use to double check your pages and make sure they come across appropriately while still showing a little bit of you.
I get this question all the time, "Do you need an Instagram account dedicated to your soccer highlights?" No, you do not need a soccer Instagram. Could it help? Maybe. Most coaches are not finding you through Instagram. What they will do is show interest by liking or following your account. This can be a way to receive feedback from a coach who may not be able to email or contact you yet, before June 15th of your junior year.
1.Photos
This probably goes without saying, but posting photos where you are clearly at a party or partying has to go. You can read between the lines. Archive it and move on. Even if this is more privately shared between friends, anything can be screenshotted.
Body language matters. You are all smart enough to know how your poses, hand gestures, and body language come across in photos. If you do not want your parents or grandparents seeing a photo, and I am not talking about the cool parents, leave it off the grid.
2. Reels and Videos
Music choice matters. Choose the clean versions. Yes, some coaches may care and some may not, but why risk it? Use clean versions of songs and you will not have to worry.
3. Comments and Friend Comments
You never know what a coach may come across. What you comment can say a lot about you. Avoid cursing or saying anything negative about people or posts. There is no need. If you have nothing nice to say, do not say it at all.
The comments on your photos and posts should also be clean. Archive or delete the ones that are not, or that indicate negativity. I hope there are none, but even a friend commenting and making a joke can potentially be misread as malicious or negative by someone who is not in on that joke.
4. Captions
The same goes for captions. You can be funny, but be kind and keep it clean. Why risk a college coach reading a caption and taking it the wrong way?
5. Be Yourself
If college coaches come across your social media or find you online, they want to see that you are unique, have personality, and can bring something to the table. Do not be shy about posting your talents, interests, and hobbies outside of soccer and friends. Remember, you are so much more than just a soccer player and student. You are YOU.
If you are looking for more information or would like to work together, please visit kvbsoccer.com and fill out the contact form. Also check out the Soccer Girl Podcast for this episode dedicated to the recruiting process.
Dream big. Inspire others.
Kim
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