The Social Media Clinic: Serena Williams: The Transformer

Quickly!

Name a world-famous sportswoman of our time.

And?

Who did they think of?

Untestable hypothesis: Apart from a few experts, one name in particular should have appeared in most people's minds: Serena Williams.

The tennis player.

Or better:

tennis player.

For many years she has been the most prominent athlete in the world.

The richest too.

And arguably the most influential.

Pirmin Clossé

sports editor.

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And how much influence someone has is known to be determined by the number of followers in social networks these days.

Williams brings together more than 38 million subscribers across major platforms - more than any other female athlete.

This is also because Williams has always used different ingredients to mix her cocktail of success on social media.

The basis: sporting success

First of all, of course, there was the outstanding sporting success: she won 23 titles at the famous Grand Slam tournaments in New York, Melbourne, Paris and Wimbledon;

She was at the top of the world rankings for 319 weeks.

At 14, Williams played her first match on the professional tour;

at the US Open in New York she is playing her last at almost 41 these days.

No athlete in the past two decades has shaped her sport as much as she has.

She has become a leader in her sport.

But the American never stood out just for her performances: With bright outfits she stirred up the sometimes very traditional tennis world.

They were just as much a part of it on the tennis court as rock-hard serves.

Added to this was a growing political commitment in the course of her career;

and in addition she became active as an entrepreneur.

Serena became a brand.

To the brand with a message.

More than "just tennis"

On her social media profiles, she shows what that means.

advertising for their sponsors.

advertising their own brands.

Advertising for their company holdings.

In addition, evidence of her socio-political commitment, for example as a guest speaker at “Black Tech Week”, the technology fair for black entrepreneurs.

Williams acts as a role model, as a projection surface, as an inspiration.

This makes them attractive to followers.

And of course for advertising partners.

The messages she formulates are not surprising: "Believe in yourself!" "Live your dream!" "You can do it if you work hard enough!" And of course: Black Power.

girl power.

Serena power.

Williams, who worked her way up from a humble background with her sister Venus, is an icon of the American motto "You can do it!".

Your life story should motivate millions of people, that cannot go unnoticed.

"Living, loving, and working to help you," it says logically in their Twitter description.

fashion as an extension

What's more: clothes apart from sports.

With so much elegant evening wear, as Williams wears, especially on her Instagram profile, many a fashion influencer will probably turn green with envy.

On the beach, in the car, on the beach with a car or in villas with lots of marble - Williams is invariably staged professionally.

She flaunts her luxury - after all, everyone should see what all the hard work has led to.

Williams as a living American dream.

Not retirement – ​​but “a transformation”

There have hardly been any posts with a direct connection to sport in the past few months.

why?

Williams has rarely played professional tennis lately.

Once again the US Open, their home game in New York, and then it's over.

"Nothing has ever been as difficult for me as saying goodbye," she says.

"But I'm ready for what's coming." For a role as a businesswoman, influencer, public figure and generally as a living legend, that should mean.

In any case, Williams has an allergic reaction to the term “retirement”.

She prefers to see herself in the midst of a transformation.

And because Williams has mastered the game with the followers almost as well as the game with the yellow felt ball, there are always posts in the midst of all this purring marketing machine that suggest fans an unfiltered insight into the life of the great Serena.

And some of which are even aimed at interacting with the followers.

"Can't sleep, anyone suggestions?

At day six," she tweeted in April.

"Any book recommendations?" she asked in June.

Did she comb through all 2400 answers in search of new reading material?

The many pictures and impressions of daughter Olympia also belong in this category.

Since she was born in 2017, she has been omnipresent on Mama's channels.

Holiday photos, fashion photos, family photos.

Or on a rather candid snapshot with the Duchess of Sussex's friend.

Williams is a proud mother.

And of course now also “Momfluencerin”.

That's why we can't do without marketing here either.

And so, just in time for the big farewell performance in New York: Serena's first children's book.

The adventures of Qai Qai, inspired by Olympia's favorite doll of the same name.

"Pre-order now!!!".