2012 Olympics touted as first 'social Games'

The London Olympics are being touted as the first 'social Games' due to the new role that social media looks set to play during the event.

In the four years since the last Summer Olympics much has changed online and social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, are playing an increasingly significant role in people's daily lives.

There has also been a boom in the number of people making use of the internet, with over two billion people regularly heading online. With a significant buzz already generated around the London Games, it is expected that these people will be sharing online more and more as the events get going.

While on the surface it looks like it will be predominantly practical information and chatter that is passed around Facebook and other networks, businesses are also preparing to take advantage of the excitement.

Many firms will be taking part as suppliers or supporters of the Games, giving them a great premise from which to connect with their audience. Some will find that they are able to grow the number of visitors to their website through careful use of social media, while others will be using it to break into this source of potential customers.

What your company chooses to share will depend on your business. Iconic Olympic moments uploaded to YouTube are likely to be very popular, as is a commentary piece on sporting events as they happen – something which Twitter could almost have been designed for.

But delivering some original content, in the form of an online news feed or blog roll, is really going to help make sure your company stands out from its competition. Who knows, it could end up being a link to an article on your website that goes 'viral' if it strikes just the right angle.