Chris McCormack, aka Macca, is one of the best-known triathletes in the world. He won the 2007 Ironman World Championship after six attempts, gaining notoriety as perhaps the hardest working and most singularly-focused athlete in triathlon.

In addition to his Ironman glories, Macca is well-known on the social media scene. He’s an active Twitter user and will soon be launching MaccaX, a Web-based community and training initiative. In this interview, the Aussie talks about his use of social media and how it helps him professionally.

Macca finishing 4th at the 2009 Hawaii Ironman World Championship. "I have probably not ever raced a better Ironman in my life."

b.0: What social media channels do you currently use?
CM: I use a Web site, blog, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

b.0: Is there any one platform that you prefer over the others?
CM: Web site and Twitter and Facebook are great mediums. I probably enjoy or spend the most time on Facebook catching up with friends, but i think I get the most hits and responses from my blog through my Web site.

b.0: When did you start using each of these platforms?
CM: I’ve had a Web site since 1999 and kept a blog. I started Facebook about 18 months ago and Twitter now for about 6 months.

b.0:What are your objectives with your online marketing campaign?
CM: Really to keep people up to date of my movements and what I am doing and also to pass my message across to a broad range or audience. These online platforms are a great way to not only advertise yourself and what you do, but also to create communities who have like-minded opinions or interests as you do. My objective is to give people an insight and a feel into who I really am outside my sporting persona. This is a positive thing within my sport and good for the brand Macca. It gives people a perspective that they might not otherwise have of myself because they have never met or spoken to me. These platforms allow people to get a feel for you, which if you did not have them they would not otherwise been able to. We really try to focus on this and keep it real.

b.0: What strategies have you implemented to work towards these objectives? Are the strategies the same for each platform (blog, Twitter, Facebook) or do they differ based on the platform?
CM: We use video extensively and have really ensured to keep things as up to date as possible and our friends and followers and members. The strategies are very similar across all these platforms except that some of these platforms demand differing things. We use Twitter as an up-to-date reference point for people. We use our website as a more advanced and informative platform. Facebook is really used as a family platform that allows people to really interact if need be.

b.0: Have you noticed results thus far? If so, what are they?
CM: It is hard to measure results but to be honest I think these platforms have really added some strength to my brand and more so to my personality within the sport. Without question it has given us a bigger voice and more notoriety.

b.0: Do you do your own blogging/tweeting/etc. or do you have someone else do it — or a combination of both?
CM: I do everything myself. It is totally run by me.

b.0: How often would you say you blog/tweet/etc?
CM: Daily i try to update or change something on one of these three platforms. There is no use having these platforms if they are not used correctly. People demand this attention and I try to make sure to deliver this.

b.0: What have you found to be most effective in your use of blogs/social media?
CM: The most effective thing has been the ability to use these platforms as political tools within your sport. I can really push my objectives and my opinions on things and have an open audience to push this across to. This has been very powerful for my sponsors and for media who are trying to get information and opinions from me.

b.0: Why would other elite athletes find these platforms useful? Or, why might they NOT find them useful?
CM: For the very same reasosn I do. I think people are interested in what we do. As athletes we really live a dream lifestyle and this is appealing to people. I think these platforms are a great way to connect with people and are very powerful tools.

b.0: How savvy with blogging/social media sites would you consider yourself?
CM: Average

b.0: Do you use any Content Management System such as Wordpress, Joomla or Drupal?
CM: No i use my own developed content management system that my brother made when he made the Web site. It is great because you dont have to be a computer genius to get your information uploaded and up to date.

b.0: How do you plan to use your sites over the next year?
CM: Just continually use it to keep people up to date with what I do. We are launching a new site called MaccaX which will be a training platform built around our community. I will use my current platforms to really push the launch of this.

b.0: Do you have any favorite blogs or Twitter users that you follow?
CM: I follow Lance Armstrong on Twitter.

b.0: Is there anything else you’d like to add with respect to your use of online media?
CM: I hope this has made some sense. Cheers

Macca can be found on Twitter at @chrisjmacca. His Web site is here.

Chris Bowcutt is the founder of blue.0, an award-winning Web marketing and social media firm based in upstate New York. He can be found on Twitter at @cbowcutt or on his blog.

Related posts:

1. blue.0 and Partner Rueckert Advertising Win PRSA Social Media Award
2. blue.0 in the News: Getting social in women’s racing
3. Thierry Henry and the Social Media Tsunami of Hate
4. YourMembership.com Provides Forum for Connection

Categories: Interviews