WWE Superstar Zach Ryder: How Social Media Changed His Career and Why PR & Social Media Pros Should Care

It was the biggest week in World Wrestling Entertainment in the last seven years. On February 14, 2011, The Rock, "The Great One", "The Most Electrifying Man in Entertainment", stepped into a WWE ring again, after a seven year absence, and was announced the Host for Wrestlemania 27 (The WWE's equivalent to the Superbowl). The Rock's return made entertainment headlines.

Underlying the hoopla surrounding the return of the Rock, there was another WWE Superstar, who would single-handedly change the company forever.

On February 17th, 2011, WWE jobber (enhancement talent), Zack Ryder used his flip-cam to shoot a very modest YouTube video he called, Z! True Long Island Story (of course a spoof on E! True Hollywood Story).

Capitalizing on the meteoric rise of the cast of Jersey Shore, Zack Ryder adopted the fist-pumping, boy-band loving, arrogant gimmick months before he first shot his soon-to-be YouTube sensation series. Ryder was rarely given opportunities to appear on TV to ever profile his catchphrase, "Woo Woo Woo, You Know It". Because he wasn't receiving these opportunities to appear on WWE programming, he brought the programming to him. In the subsequent weeks, not only would he become a more prominent player in WWE and an Internet phenomenon but he'd become a case study for Social Media enthusiasts around the world.

The first webisode of Z! True Long Island Story was short and simple. He promoted his t-shirt, You Tube channel, Twitter account and new action figure. He introduced many of his now famous catchphrases like:

• "Are you serious bro?" 
• "Long Island Iced Z" and 
• "Zack Pack". 

He finished the first webisode with a fan engagement initiative and social media giveaway (t-shirt to those that tweeted him a picture of them in a Zack Ryder t-shirt). While this video had little production, it provided him the vehicle to cultivate his boyband-loving, spiked-hair and headband-wearing persona that would later endear himself to millions across the continent.

He would broadcast a new webisode on his Long Island Iced Z YouTube channel every week and every week the production became slicker, new characters were introduced and he gained a larger following.

As his popularity soared online, he started to attract the attention of high-profile WWE Superstars as they would request to have an appearance on his show. Superstars like Dolph Ziggler, John Morrison and Triple H all appeared or even had recurring story lines on his webisodes. His biggest and most vocal supporter is WWE's largest attraction John Cena. Cena continually goes off WWE script to ask fans to follow @ZackRyder or check out Z! True Long Island Story. 

Ryder was recently publicly recognized by main-event talent at a WWE TV taping of Monday Night Raw. After the show went off the air, Cena and other WWE main-eventers gave Ryder the ring to himself to receive a "curtain-call" from the live crowd. Ryder had some revealing marks about his risk

"I was doing it to get noticed or to get fired"

 Ryder's risk can and should be studied by PR/Social Media professionals and students. His risk had all the elements of a thorough and clever PR campaign:

• Know your audience: Zack Ryder understood the cult-like, underground 'Internet Wresting Community' (IWC) and the opportunity to develop an underground following. The IWC loves to, "peak behind the curtain" of the industry because revealing any truths of the business used to be taboo. Z! True Long Island Story took down the "4th wall" to reveal politics of the business. Knowing the influence the IWC has over WWE programming Ryder smartly formulated his content around matters the IWC craves. 
• Integrated branding: Ryder's influence spans over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and you won't have to stray far from his channels to find his branded catchphrases, "WOO WOO WOO, You Know It!", "Are you serious bro?" and "Take care, spike your hair". The more platforms you have to spread your key messages the better reach it will obtain.
• Leverage more prominent brands: John Cena's influence on Ryder has helped Ryder transition from a cult-like following (IWC) to a following from all WWE fans. Cena is the WWE's most popular character with the highest-selling merchandise, especially with children. In recent weeks, Ryder has developed more merchandise, branded with his catchphrases, which has been adorned by more and more children, in large thanks to John Cena. 
• Personalize your social media channels: In the world of professional wrestling, fans rarely get a glimpse of the man or woman behind the wrestling "Superstar" persona. Zack Ryder's weekly web series gave fans a peek into his life as he had friends and family appear on his show. He also engaged the fans and made them apart of the show by having a weekly segments that included showing Ryder signs that were at WWE TV tapings and "Broski of the Week" videos. It's important to engage your stakeholders on your social media channels as an individual and not hide behind a corporate logo and corporate-speak. 

Broski of the Week

Zack Ryder had to create his opportunity to establish his character and get noticed by WWE fans and organization. On that pivotal week for WWE in February, when the Rock returned to WWE television for the first time in seven years, Zack Ryder's online risk would end up being more influential to WWE. WWE has shifted a lot of focus to social media and even dedicates time on WWE programming to highlight WWE trending topics on Twitter. Ryder recently achieved the honour of most signatures on an online campaign ever! He has also been recognized by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 100 influential athletes on social media.

This career-altering, company-changing year for Ryder will truly come full-circle as he will have his most significant cameo on this week's show; a man he would never have imagined appear when he started Z! True Long Island Story back in February.

That man? Who else? The Rock