There was a lot of speculation amongst social networking nerds like myself about which would prosper during the Olympics- Facebook or Twitter? Prior to the Winter Games many assumed that Twitter was the more likely winner, allowing audiences to follow each athlete through training, opening ceremonies and several competitions.
Even with 160 Winter Olympic athletes actively using their Twitter accounts during the games, currently Facebook is the frontrunner for the gold.
Alex Huot, the director of social media for the International Olympics Committee created an “Olympic Games Page” on Facebook that in only a month reached nearly one million fans. This page collects Facebook updates of popular athletes like Lindsey Vonn, Rachael Flatt and Shaun White. Through this page, fans can also stay updated on activities at the Games, share stories about what the Olympics mean to them, and upload their own photos with a chance to win tickets to different events.
In addition to the Olympics Game Page, there is also an application you can add to your Facebook account called “Vancouver 2010 Official Minigame,” which allows users to compete virtually in any of the Winter Olympic events.
In Huot’s blog, he writes “it is clear that without fans the Olympic Games would not be the same. By bringing together the more than 2,000 athletes and millions of spectators in Vancouver with 400 million people on Facebook, we think the 2010 Winter Games could be the most magical yet.”
While following the tweets of Olympic Athletes is fun and exciting, Facebook is winning the battle of which platform can better engage its fans.
Abby Draper is an Associate Account Executive. Contact her at abby@maroonpr.com.
