by Austin Hair 11-11-2008 02:00 AM
The internet has brought about a new generation of athletes that allows them to act as both an athlete and an agent. The web has brought massive amounts of information together in an organized fashion, allowing athletes to do that which only 3rd parties were able to do in the past.
Athletes are more in control of their images than ever before. One of the new tools that athletes can utilize is a social networking site. Facebook and myspace are obviously the most popular, but new, successful sites are being released everyday. A great example of this is AccessAthletes, which recently has been gaining huge momentum. An athlete doesn’t have to be on every single site, but it would definitely help. A myspace account can act as a quasi website for an athlete, but it cannot replace a personal website entirely. Websites and social networks are both unique tools that can be used in tandem to complement each other.
Websites are generally used for different purposes than a social networking account. Websites are great in the sense that there are no parameters. You can create your site to do anything that you can imagine: pictures, videos, games, blogs, applications, the list goes on. A site such as Facebook has strict guidelines that you must follow. A website is also considered more professional. When giving out my personal information to important contacts, I always tell them my website first. However, I have links on my website to almost every other area on the net where I am connected. With so many tools at our fingertips, it makes sense to utilize as many as possible.
Because there is such easy access to personal information, image branding is more important than ever for an athlete. The days of a private life are no more. Everything you do has the potential to be documented, captured, and broadcasted. Anytime that I see someone with a camera, I’m careful because I know that this picture can and will most likely end up anywhere from being tagged on my Facebook page to being placed on someone else’s website. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s usually positive because this makes it easier for more people to hear and read about me who may not have been able to before. In short, my potential fan base can grow exponentially, and the more places that I am connected will allow me to keep up with them.
All this means that I must be careful with my image. I have to make a conscious effort in my everyday actions in public. For instance, no photos of beer or making out are appropriate to be connected to me on any site. This may be difficult for some, and depending on your image, it may not be necessary, but for me it is not debatable.
Having a positive established presence on the web is extremely beneficial. Every year the wake industry has a voting period where they allow the fans to vote for their favorite riders. This year, when the 2008 Riders Choice Awards came around, I was able to create a blog about it on my website, send out messages to all of my friends on social networks, as well as email a list of contacts that I have been generating. All of this resulted in me being voted into the top 10. I am focused on being a role model as well as a rider. The ultimate step in having a kid as a fan is having their parents' approval.
There is a lot of information, and this may seem overwhelming, but the point is that athletes have all the tools they need to succeed right at their fingertips via the internet. Having talent is the first step, but how successful you want to be is entirely up to you.
Austin
www.austinhair.net
Published 11-11-2008 © 2024 Access Athletes, LLC
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