The London 2012 Olympic games are upon us. Today, Facebook and NBC announced a partnership to help bolster interest in both the games and the social network. The deal will help NBC spread the message about the Olympics though Facebook placements and, in turn, NBC will encourage users to follow along and participate on Facebook.
All of the details on the partnership haven’t surfaced, but it was made clear that no cash was changing hands — this is purely a mutually beneficial partnership. Some things in the works but Facebook will be running “exclusive content” for Olympic fans. In turn, Facebook users will be able to share what they are watching with their friends, hopefully bringing a younger demographic to the TV. Additionally, “Facebook Talk Meter” will be displayed on NBC sporadically throughout the Olympics that will display what is being talked about online. This data will help NBC gauge user sentiment and real-time reactions to give the traditional broadcast a more modern, custom touch. A Facebook daily poll will also be displayed on NBC in primetime.
This is prime placement for Facebook as typically Tweets are pulled into live events. Twitter’s upgraded events have been the norm for instant search/collaboration, but this will help solidify Facebook as a viable real-time option. Thanks to its 900 million active users, Facebook does have a significant advantage over other social networks like Google+.
So look for this year’s Olympic experience to be much more of a communal experience with Facebook helping to ignite the conversation. For more information, see the New York Times.
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