The Cost is Human

One of the takeaways I hope athletic administrators get from today's presentation is that the real cost of what I'm talking about is manpower. And it only makes sense -- you can throw all the money in the world in the way of tech at social media. What connects? Human interaction.

So yes, a year-long CoverItLive contract may be around $1,200 to $1,500 -- but that's for unlimited blogging during the year. The real cost? Finding and training people who can handle the task.

Facebook is free. And it will be worth exactly what it cost you if there isn't a lot of care, planning and prep put into the work. Or, as one PR pro said: You can Ready, Aim and Fire in social media (meaning planning and strategy) or you can Fire, Fire, Fire. Which one do you think gets a return?

A GoPro camera is only $300, but the imagination to put it in unusual places and find those unique views make it's value real.

Getting into Apple TV? Same as getting into iTunes for a podcast. You can spend as much or as little as you wish. A lavish five-figure production budget, or an iPhone 4.0 and iMovie.

As I've said earlier this month, the key is taking the people who know your program best -- the sports information contacts -- and putting them on the front lines of your social MEDIA campaign. They don't call it social MARKETING or social ADVERTISING. People want info. Give them the people who know the info and enable them to carry your university to your waiting audiences.