Why Paid Advertising Still Matters for Bike Races and Rural Tourism
Last week, I made the argument that bike races and rural communities should stop paying for reach and attention through paid ads. Instead, I argued that it would be more prudent to build your own media ecosystem.
I still stand by that, especially when it comes to building your own media ecosystem.
However, today, I want to pivot. If you have built (or are building) your own media ecosystem, paid ads can actually accelerate what you’re doing.
Are You Wasting Time on the Wrong Social Media Platforms?
I’m active on eight different social media platforms.
Instagram. Facebook. LinkedIn. Threads. X. Bluesky. YouTube. TikTok.
And yet, if you’re a race director, trail org, or rural tourism leader, I’m probably not going to recommend that you do the same.
Why?
Because there’s a difference between posting content and having a social media strategy.
Over the past couple of days, I’ve been asking questions about whether you should focus on one or two platforms or try to be everywhere.
The conversations have been fascinating.
In this week’s article, I share why I’ve chosen to maintain a presence across so many platforms, the pros and cons of going deep versus going wide, and how to decide where to invest your limited time and resources.
Playing the Long Game: How Long-Form Content Builds an Audience Over Time
In social media, there’s no such thing as one algorithm.
TikTok is different from Instagram, which is different from YouTube, and so on. Even platforms like Instagram have separate systems determining what shows up in Reels, feed posts, Stories, and other parts of the app.
Not only that, but each platform is constantly changing.
While the algorithms are different, they increasingly have one thing in common: they are optimized around interest. Translation? A lot of the content served to us is based on what we’re currently interested in, consuming, engaging with, and searching for.
Visibility Starts With Attention: Why I Created the Visibility Lab
Attention. We all crave it.
But in this case, I’m talking about attention as it relates to a brand, whether that be a rural community, a bike race, a trail organization, or another organization doing meaningful work in the outdoor space.
You see, we could have the most quaint and welcoming town or host a gravel race with stunning scenery and champagne gravel, but if we can’t capture people’s attention so they know we exist, we’re in trouble.
It all starts with attention.
Visibility.
Why Social Media Engagement Matters for Bike Races
Race directors, how important is social media to your race?
Ok, that's a silly question.
Maybe a better question is this: How are you using social media to build a community around your race?
It’s easy to think about social media primarily as a promotional tool. Registration opens, so you post about it. Prices increase next week, so you remind everyone. You announce sponsors, share course maps, post countdowns, and eventually flood your feed with photos and videos from race weekend.
All of those things have their place and indeed are important.
But social media can do something much more valuable for your race. It can help you build relationships with the people you eventually want to show up.
And that starts with engagement.
Content Marketing for Bike Races: How to Drive More Registrations
Race directors, I have a question for you.
How much money are you spending on advertising your race?
Facebook and Instagram ads. Google Ads. Sponsored posts. Cycling media. Maybe a boosted post here and there when registration numbers need a little help.
Now for the harder question: Is it actually driving registrations?
How Rural Communities Can Create Better Social Media Content on a Budget
One of the biggest misconceptions about tourism marketing is that creating better social media content requires a bigger budget.
More cameras. More software. More staff. More equipment. All of the goods.
For small towns and rural tourism organizations, that can make content creation feel out of reach before it even begins. Also, we assume we need all of that to stand out online.
But there's good news. Some of the most useful tools for building visibility today are relatively inexpensive. Heck, some are even free. Others are probably already sitting in your pocket.
How Earned Media from Bike Races Can Boost Rural Tourism
One of the challenges many rural communities struggle with is exposure.
I am talking about more than attracting social media views, engagement, and followers. The larger challenge is simply letting other people on planet Earth know that your town exists.
That is where marketing comes to the forefront.
How do you get the word out?
Can Rural Communities Build a Trail-Based Economy? Why Storytelling Matters as Much as Trails
Every time we cut a new trail through the woods, not only are we changing the landscape, but we’re also changing the future of the communities that surround it.
Most of us don’t show up to a dig day thinking about hotel occupancy rates, tax revenue, or rural economic development. We’re thinking about drainage, sightlines, sustainable grades, rockwork, and building the best trail we can. And that’s exactly how it should be.
How Small Towns Can Build a Social Media Strategy From Scratch
Walk into almost any small-town tourism meeting, chamber of commerce gathering, or downtown revitalization discussion, and eventually the same question surfaces: “How do we actually get people to notice us?”
Not just once.
Not just through a lucky viral post.
But consistently.
That’s the challenge many rural communities are wrestling with right now.
