Impact Of Social Media On The Recruiting Trail, LSU Using To Advantage
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LSU has gone deep into their bag of tricks on the recruiting trail lately. With a fresh staff comes fresh tactics and it’s safe to say this recruiting department has shown just how many different tools they have to add top recruits.
It’s been a team effort. Whether it be the entire coaching staff getting in on the latest recruiting efforts or players on the roster, it’s been an all out pursuit on landing elite prospects. One recruiting tactic has certainly stood out from the rest.
Related: LSU's Plan of Attack on the Recruiting Trail, Plan of Attack Going Forward
Using clever hashtags on social media, specifically Twitter, this LSU program has gone all in on bringing home blue-chip prospects. Social media is a powerful tool in today’s age of player recruitment. From exciting official visit pictures to hype tapes, it’s certainly played a factor in recruitment.
Here are a few ways the Tigers have used social media as a recruitment tactic:
#SheltonStays - Shelton Sampson Jr.
The hashtag used to get five-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr.’s attention was the first of this tactic. LSU has been in an all out pursuit to land the Baton Rouge native, who would be the icing on the cake for this 2023 class.
Sampson Jr. has taken visits to Florida State and Alabama, with LSU heavily in the mix to land the top-five wide receiver in the country. The #SheltonStays recruiting tactic has certainly gotten his attention, with players and staff of the Tigers program taking part.
Related: A Deeper Look Into Tigers Recruiting Success
#Lance2LSU - Zalance Heard
Another week caused another hashtag, with this one used to get the attention of four-star offensive lineman Zalance Heard. Heard, a top-10 linemen in the country, is a Louisiana native who the Tigers have been pushing hard for.
This 2023 class lacks offensive linemen and to gain a commitment from one of Heard’s caliber would be crucial for this cycle. This hashtag saw a myriad of players and coaches take part in it with this program understanding the importance of landing the Monroe product.
#BringDerekBackHome - Derek Williams
The latest player this recruiting department has gone after via social media is New Iberia native Derek Williams. The four-star safety committed to Texas in late June, shutting down his recruitment, but the push from LSU is certainly something to monitor.
Williams, who attends Westgate High School, has been on LSU’s campus and has been a priority target for this program for quite some time. The #BringDerekBackHome movement has seen a number of LSU players buy in, understanding how critical of a player Williams could be down the line for this program.
Related: 2023 Offensive Line Targets for the Tigers
Final Thoughts
Social media plays a pivotal role in the recruitment of prospects in the modern era. Visiting campus and seeing the lay of the land is one thing, but there are other small pieces to the puzzle that recruits enjoy and social media is one of them.
With the LSU recruiting department understanding the impact this piece has, their tactics on Twitter are crucial. Sampson Jr., Heard and Williams could be three players that bolster this 2023 cycle from good to great in the blink of an eye and this program will certainly be doing all they can to land them, even if it means continuing their pursuit via social media.
