I receive a number of comments and emails about a lack of coverage of certain athletes, organisations or events on Hoopsfix. It always appears people seem to think I have some sort of hidden agenda and do it deliberately. I don’t! I set up Hoopsfix to cover British basketball, so of course I want the site to be as information-rich as possible.
Though the majority of what I cover is done through trawling the web, and using various networks I have built up over the time I have been running the site-there is still a ton of Hoopsfix-worthy stories that go under the radar simply because I don’t know about them.
This here post is hopefully going to put a stop to all that and ensure that Hoopsfix is really covering all the stories that matter, so without further ado, here are 5 ways to get featured on Hoopsfix (and increase the likelihood of being picked up by other websites as well);
Email me, use the contact form, tweet me, write on the Hoopsfix Facebook wall. Let me know about it! There is so much stuff that isn’t available online, I have to rely on word of mouth or people getting in touch with me. Don’t be shy-if you drop 40 in a game, let me know!
I use social media. A lot. I follow a number of people on Twitter I get news stories from (Exhibit A-see this morning’s post about Ryan Martin). Do you/your team/organisation have a twitter account that you not only have, but use effectively? If not get one. Do you have a Facebook page? I’ve clicked ‘Like’ on every team page, and British basketball organisation I know of-but so few update with any worthwhile statuses that I gain nothing from them. Do you have a Youtube channel? Are you uploading nice video highlights? I run regular searches on Youtube for British basketball prospects/teams.
One of the biggest problems I have is finding information on team websites. How many teams have rosters with player info on them? How many have stats and game reports? I can’t emphasise how important is it for your team/organisation to have a regularly updated professional website. Want to know why Brits in the US get so much more coverage on here in comparison to Brits in the UK? Because there is SO much information available online for me to use.
I have a special email account set up for press releases (news [@] hoopsfix.com) which is currently used by very few teams/organisations. How easy are you making it for news outlets to pick up your stories? Write press releases, and send them out (to those who have given you permission to) as well as publishing them on your website.
The forums relaunched today, with a custom skin that fits in with the new look website. Use the to your advantage. I will be extremely active in there, as will my team of moderators, stoking conversation and scouring for news. Join the forums today, and start posting!
It’s all good doing the 5 things above, but if the stories aren’t newsworthy then they won’t get a look in. You scored two points in a local league game? Nobody cares. The standard generic quotes we hear from players day in and day out? Not good enough. Contact me with real news, and I have no doubt you or your organisation will be featured.
There It Is….
There you have it, 5 methods that should not only increase your chances of being featured on Hoopsfix but also being picked up by other news and media outlets. Go get Hoopsfixed!
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