What Works and What Doesn't: Student-Athlete Influencer Marketing
Insights for Student-Athletes, Brands, and Universities
Factors that Drive Success in Student-Athlete Influencer Marketing
In the 3 years of NIL, student-athletes have quickly become a powerful voice in the social media influencer marketing landscape, offering a unique blend of authenticity, relatability, and regional impact that brands are eager to harness.
As NIL continues to grow, it’s critical for student-athletes, universities, and brands to understand the dynamics of successful influencer campaigns.
For universities looking to support their athletes: My NIL Quickstart course offers a comprehensive guide to navigating the NIL landscape, covering social media strategy, branding, and monetization techniques.
Based on insights from industry trends and supported by the latest data, here are the key factors that drive success in student-athlete influencer marketing.
1. Influencer-Generated Content Outperforms Branded Posts
Consumer trust is a key driver in influencer marketing, and student-athletes naturally have a strong bond with their followers, particularly those in their college’s regional community or fanbase.
This authenticity makes influencer-generated content more effective than traditional brand posts. A recent study by Shopify found that 36% of marketers believe influencer-created content performs better than brand-generated social media content due to its relatable and engaging presentation.
Rather than simply reposting pre-designed brand content, student-athletes should integrate products or services into their daily routines. For example, a college basketball player endorsing a nutrition brand could create a video showing how they prepare a recovery smoothie after practice, making the brand part of their authentic daily life.
2. Short-Form Video Platforms Are Dominant
TikTok is the leading choice for student-athlete influencers, offering high engagement potential. TikTok’s rapid growth and unique content style make it particularly effective for driving brand awareness and engagement.
Nano-influencers (1,000-15,000 followers) on TikTok average an impressive 17.96% engagement rate—substantially higher than Instagram’s average of 3.86%. (Influencer Marketing Hub)
For student-athletes, this means that even a relatively small following can lead to significant impact if the content is aligned with audience preferences. Brands partnering with athletes should encourage them to leverage TikTok’s format to produce behind-the-scenes, day-in-the-life, or challenge videos that feel unscripted and relatable.
3. Micro-Influencers and Nano-Influencers Drive Higher Engagement
Micro and nano-influencers—those with smaller yet more engaged audiences—tend to have higher engagement rates.
On Instagram, micro-influencers (10,000-50,000 followers) consistently outperform larger accounts in terms of engagement.This means that universities should be educating and supporting their non-revenue or Olympic sports to participate in NIL!
While their audiences may be smaller, they often includes highly engaged local fans, parents, and younger athletes who see them as role models. These types of audiences are more likely to respond positively to brand partnerships and provide higher ROI.
4. Educational Content Wins
Gen Z, which makes up a substantial portion of student-athlete followings, favors educational content over traditional promotions. Studies indicate that 42% of Gen Z prefer how-to videos and tutorials. (HubSpot)
Student-athletes who can blend educational elements into their content—such as fitness routines, skill breakdowns, or mental health tips—often find higher engagement and long-term audience loyalty.
For brands targeting this demographic, partnering with student-athletes who create tutorial-style content can be highly effective. A swimwear company, for example, could work with a swimmer to create a series of swim stroke tutorials, integrating the brand naturally into the training narrative.
5. Cross-Platform Strategies Maximize Reach
Cross-platform campaigns are becoming increasingly popular, as they allow brands to engage audiences through varied content types.
For student-athlete influencers, this means combining TikTok for quick, viral content; Instagram for more polished posts and stories; and YouTube for in-depth insights.
Example for Student-Athletes: A cross-platform strategy might involve creating a quick TikTok preview of a training day, an Instagram story showing the day’s highlights, and a longer YouTube vlog breaking down the full workout routine. Brands partnering with student-athletes should encourage leveraging these platforms to tell a cohesive story rather than just repeating the same message across channels.
3 Pitfalls to Avoid in Influencer Campaigns
Understanding what not to do is just as important as knowing what works. [Subscribe to NIL/edu to unlock the rest of “What Works and What Doesn't: Student-Athlete Influencer Marketing.” NIL/edu is a reader-supported publication. Become a paying subscriber for $5 per month to get access to this edition, 4 newsletters per month, and all past subscriber-only content.]
Here are some common pitfalls that brands and student-athletes should be mindful of:
1. Over-Scripting Content
Authenticity is a major selling point for student-athletes. When brands give influencers rigid scripts or too many restrictions, it often results in content that feels forced and unauthentic, particularly for Gen Z, who value genuine interactions.
Instead, brands should provide a loose framework and trust the student-athlete to deliver the message in a way that feels natural to their personality.
Avoid This Mistake: A common error is having a student-athlete read a verbatim product description or use scripted language that doesn’t match their tone. Instead, let them adapt the talking points to their own style. A lacrosse player, for instance, might be better off sharing a personal anecdote about how the product improved their game, rather than reciting a generic benefit statement.
2. Overlooking Platform-Specific Strengths
Each social media platform has its own strengths and nuances. TikTok excels at short-form, engaging content; Instagram is more effective for visual storytelling and aspirational posts; and YouTube is ideal for long-form narratives and tutorials.
Brands and student-athletes who don’t tailor their content to each platform’s strengths will struggle to maintain engagement.
Avoid This Mistake: Simply posting the same piece of content across platforms without modification. A football player’s hype video might perform well on Instagram Reels but fall flat on YouTube, where viewers prefer longer, more detailed content. Tailor each post to the platform’s unique format and audience expectations.
3. Failing to Use Data to Guide Strategy
Successful influencer marketing relies on data—both at the campaign level and during influencer selection. Brands should look at metrics like engagement rates, audience demographics, and past content performance when choosing student-athlete partners.
Likewise, student-athletes should monitor their own analytics to understand what resonates best with their audience.
Avoid This Mistake: Partnering with a student-athlete just because they have a large following, without checking whether their audience aligns with the brand’s target market. An athlete with a predominantly international following may not be the best fit for a local restaurant chain looking to attract customers in a specific college town.
Final Thoughts
By understanding what works in influencer marketing—and what to avoid—student-athletes, universities, and brands can build campaigns that resonate with audiences, deliver strong ROI, and set the foundation for lasting partnerships.
For brands, the key takeaway is to align with student-athletes who share your values and can present your product authentically.
For universities, consider how empowering your athletes with knowledge and resources can lead to better brand partnerships, ultimately benefiting your program’s reputation and recruiting efforts.
Bill Carter is a leading NIL educator and consultant and founder of Student-Athlete Insights. He’s helped thousands of High School & College Athletes, Athletic Directors, Coaches, brands, and professional service providers to capitalize on NIL. Bill can be contact at bill@studentathleteinsights.com.