Olympic Size Social Media - Going for the Gold!

by Mary Kate Smither, Vollmer Public Relations Dallas

Last month I was lucky enough to attend the XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Not only had I never attended the Olympics before, but this was also my first adventure as a solo traveler. I can truly say that it was one of the most exciting and intense experiences of my life.

From the beauty of Vancouver to the people from around the world that I met each day and the exhilaration of seeing some of the most thrilling sporting events I will ever enjoy, it was amazing. As a huge hockey fan, there is no better moment in life than gearing yourself up with a U.S.A. T-shirt, American flag and very loud cowbell and cheering on your team to a 5-3 win over Canada in Canada!

Because I was traveling alone it was even more important to me to stay connected to the world around me as well as the world at home.  I also wanted to grab onto this once-in-a-lifetime trip and make it the richest, fullest experience possible.

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Months before I even left for my events, I began following the Olympics on Facebook and Twitter, as well as the pages of some of my favorite athletes I hoped to see like Apolo Anton Ohno and Lindsey Vonn. I signed up for text alerts that notified me about progress on Olympic construction and that helped me plan my daily transportation adventures.

Before I arrived in Vancouver I became a part of the Olympic experience. Even my local hockey team, the Dallas Stars, which I follow avidly on Facebook, provided updates about our players attending the Olympics. By the time I boarded my plane to Vancouver I was ready to jump into the Olympic fray full force.

During my stay, I kept in touch with family members, friends and my colleagues here at Vollmer primarily through social media. I made sure to post photos and details of my experiences, from the electrifying U.S.A. hockey win over Canada to watching Apolo grab the bronze and hanging with the Aussies at freestyle aerial skiing. Since I've returned home, I've run into more people who have mentioned to me how much they enjoyed my daily updates and how they enhanced their own Olympic experiences.

I loved every minute of the Olympics, including the challenges of long lines and crowds, and I will never forget the way it made me feel to cheer on my country and soak it all in every minute of each day I was there. Social media simply added another layer to those experiences and allowed me to share my enthusiasm with my family and friends.