For most athletes, there's nothing quite like the roar of the crowd. For Olympic athletes training for the 2012 games, that roar comes from around the world. Twitter is the place to share your journey, cheer on your fellow athletes, and see the rallying cries of your fans. Below are a few surefire tactics to help you tap into (and inspire) the global conversation around the London 2012 games.
Share Your Stories
Twitter is the fastest and best real-time source of information. That's why Twitter is consistently the first place that news breaks. You can take advantage of this. If you've got big news, share it with your followers first.
Exciting announcement! I'm so happy to bepartnering with Ralph Lauren on this push towards the Olympic Games. #fb twitter.com/rebsoni/status…
— Rebecca Soni (@rebsoni) December 9, 2011
Info about buying tickets for the Olympic diving test event will be posted soon...I am only doing synchro...but all events worth watching!
— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) November 16, 2011
Sometimes, a Twitter conversation can be the news itself! Andy Roddick and Serena Williams announced that they were teaming up for the mixed doubles competition in the 2012 Olympics:
@serenawilliamsi wouldnt do such a thing :)u know saying yes on twitter is a legally binding contract right?court of public opinion
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) November 4, 2010
Share a glimpse of your everyday life.
But you don't have to have big news to tweet. Your followers are your fans, they're interested in what you're doing at practice, on your off-days, etc. The more natural and authentic you are on Twitter, the more your followers will share your content.
Nice pool session followed by a quick but intense core workout. I love Mondays.
— Kirsty Coventry (@KirstyCoventry) January 23, 2012
Visited a Rwandan school today where we played my kind of soccer with 20 girls: no holding back! :) #smartgirls #BIAAG
— Jennifer Heil (@JennHeil) August 5, 2011
I hurt my neck this morning before practice... Ended up with a twisted vertebra. Cause of the injury: a sneeze. No joke. #lame #ouch #:(
— Rebecca Soni (@rebsoni) November 5, 2011
Live-tweet events and bring your fans behind-the-scenes
One of the reasons your fans follow you on Twitter is to see your perspective. When you're watching something interesting unfold, share it with your fans.
I'm just arriving at the @ESPYs. It's going to be a fun night! I'll post some pics later xo LV
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) July 13, 2011
I finally got my Justin Bieber pic! :) LV #bieberfever #espys http://fb.me/14uBaJw8e
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) July 14, 2011
You can give your followers access—through you—to events they normally don't get to see.
Spotted: Hugh jackman at the swimmer of the year awards!! #wolverine @MatthewTargett @MattAbood @MichaelKlimAusyfrog.com/g0wtmaqj
— Eamon Sullivan (@Eamon_Sullivan) December 3, 2011
For more tips about how to live-tweet, check out our Live-tweeting Best Practices
Share pictures
Don't just tell your followers about what you're seeing, show them. Take and upload photos to add richness and personality to your Tweets:
The guys hanging out after an 8,100 meter practice! @conorjdwyer @michaeljoyce2 twitter.com/ryanlochte/sta…
— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) February 6, 2012
When i put on the New Arena Suit for London 2012, I know I am no longer alone in the water. #powerskin2012 twitter.com/KirstyCoventry…
— Kirsty Coventry (@KirstyCoventry) January 25, 2012
Remember that you have an insider's perspective of the Games. Photos are a powerful way to share that perspective with fans.
Had our first practice at the Olympic pool today! It's awesome! #fb #London2012 twitter.com/christinalouka…
— Christina Loukas (@christinaloukas) February 17, 2012
@ianmue @robmarrow #TeamGB my new shell suit has arrived #London2012 twitter.com/chandpatel/sta…
— Chand Patel (@chandpatel) February 7, 2012
Make sure to check out our Photos on Twitter post for some tips on how to shoot and post the best pictures.
Use hashtags
Hashtags are Twitter's way of grouping Tweets together around a topic or conversation. You can click on a hashtag to see search results for recent Tweets that have been tagged with that topic. Using a hashtag in your Tweets makes sure you're a part of that conversation. It helps you reach more Twitter users than just your followers.
Gold medal team!! I couldn't be prouder of these girls... We made mistakes but we pulled thru. True team spirit. We never gave up. #goUSA
— Shawn Johnson (@ShawnJohnson) October 25, 2011
It's important to use the right hashtags though. For this year's Games the hashtag is #London2012./p>
Feels so good to be back running again! #London2012
— Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix) November 7, 2011
For more detailed information about how best to use hashtags, check out our Best Practices for Hashtags.
Engage your followers
Twitter is a great way to interact with your fans when you have some downtime. One easy way to do this is announce that you're going to do a quick Q&A.; Once you post that you're listening, the questions will roll in from all over the world:
Sitting with #USMNT striker @chriswondo as he waits for treatment. Got any questions for him?
— U.S. SOCCER (@ussoccer) January 11, 2012
Hearing the national anthem when I started for the #USMNT v. ChileRT @Joebags300 Favorite moment as a pro? #AskWondo
— U.S. SOCCER (@ussoccer) January 11, 2012
Gerard Pique RT @MKDovellos who is the toughest player you've ever played against? #AskWondo
— U.S. SOCCER (@ussoccer) January 11, 2012
Alternatively, you can just look through your @mentions and pick one to respond to:
@sidtank you never know, hang in there!
— Venus Williams (@Venuseswilliams) December 8, 2011
For some more great examples of these kinds of interactions, check out #OnlyOnTwitter for latest in Twitter moments.
Mention other teams and athletes
Fans love it when their favorite players talk to each other on Twitter. Congratulate other athletes on their achievements. Remember to use their @-handle:
@MichaelPhelps thanks bro!
— Apolo Anton Ohno (@ApoloOhno) November 7, 2011
@serenawilliams @brooklynddeckeryou know you are always welcome.... We love having you
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) November 19, 2011
Me, @khoff09, @MichaelPhelps & @RyanLochte on "Today" this morning with @MattLauer. Fun interview.twitpic.com/7m3r80
— Natalie Coughlin (@NatalieCoughlin) November 30, 2011
Great seeing @AlexBKrieger today. She's in high spirits and on the road to recovery. @beckysauerbrunn #believe #london2012
— Lori Lindsey (@LoriLindsey6) February 4, 2012
Retweet
Share the news you're seeing on Twitter with your followers. Retweet interesting Tweets to them.
Remember
Twitter is the place where you can break news you care about and live-tweet the events that matter to you. You can interact with your friends, followers and teammates all in one place. Here are just a few more details to keep in mind:
Your @username is your URL:
@NickSymmonds = twitter.com/NickSymmonds
Put a follow button on your official website to ensure people follow your Tweets. And promote your profile in other creative ways too. Look at the way Hanson Dodge promotes their account on Olympic athlete Nick Symmond's arm!
YEAHHH, new partner for 2012! Seriously could not have asked for a better winner of the eBay auction. @hansondodge twitter.com/NickSymmonds/s…
— NickSymmonds (@NickSymmonds) January 19, 2012
Don't forget to have fun and try new ideas. Follow other athletes who inspire you on Twitter and watch what they do. Ultimately, the best way to practice is by tweeting. Share your life and your experiences on Twitter. Your followers are on your team, and they all want to see your journey to a gold medal, 140 characters at a time.