Dubbed the “Twitter Olympics” or the “Social Media Games”, the London 2012 games welcomed a new era in the Olympic experience.

One of the first things I do in the morning is check my social accounts for the news of the day. Learning that Michael Phelps won his 18^th gold medal meant I would definitely tune in when NBC aired his victory later that night. For some, knowing the results before they aired was a big complaint, but for others social media opened a way for Olympic athletes and fans to connect like never before.

The Olympic Socialites
Millions of Summer Olympic fans from all over the world became active participants in the London games via Facebook and Twitter – providing the opportunity for them to interact with their favorite athletes and engage with other fans. Here’s a few of the social highlights:

• Within the first few days of the Olympic games, Twitter announced that there had already been 10 million tweets, which is 100 times greater than the 2008 games altogether.

• Fans could control what athletes or events they wanted to follow more closely. Even President Obama personally tweeted to Michael Phelps, congratulating him as the most decorated Olympian ever. (noted by his personal signature “– bo”)

• We witnessed communication and photos between athletes and gained an inside perspective on their personal relationships which, for me, added an exciting new element of competitiveness to the games.

• “Social Media is just this unique way of bringing people together,” said winter Olympic star Lindsey Vonn. “I’m able to connect with other Olympians and offer encouragement even though I’ve never met them. It’s so amazing.”

• Olympic-related brands benefitted through cross-promotion partnerships, like NBC Olympics and Twitter, which enabled marketers to get their content in front of massive new audiences.

• Social media also enabled brands to better understand and connect with their audiences. Complaints about NBC’s viewing experiences spread quickly through hashtag #NBCFail But the immediacy of Twitter enabled NBC to take quick action and respond by addressing issues.

• As fans we were able to experience how simple technology connects us with people across the world we might not, otherwise, ever meet.

• Social media offered instant access without the filters or commercials of network TV. Unfortunately there was a downside to that for Swiss men’s soccer player Michel Morganella and Greek women’s triple jumper Voula Papachristou who both were eliminated from the games for racial tweets. Another reminder that social media is a powerful tool.

• Some fans expressed their dismay at finding out results on Facebook and Twitter before the games air on television. For others, it was an early opportunity to research what they wanted to watch, be the first to know, and views what other fans or athletes were saying in real time, as opposed to waiting for TV programming.

• During the games, users worldwide sent an average of 2,000 tweets per minute. Overall, the Olympics generated 150 million tweets and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt ran away with the most tweets of any athletes. Check out these stats from Mashable.

Sure, there are upsides and downsides to having instant access to information but social media is an experience that users can control. The freedom of opinions and potential interactivity offers a degree of transparency and connectivity that no other media can provide. Most athletes and fans agree that social media enables us to experience the events in an entirely different way. By interacting and sharing personal Olympic experiences with the world, people can feel more connected and part of the adventure.

Did Social Media change your 2012 Summer Olympic Experience? We’d love to hear how.