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.
Last week, I argued that when it comes to conversions (e.g., race registrations), paid ads can perform woefully. You’re better suited to building your own media ecosystem. However, ads are not simply about getting people to buy something or sign up. There’s another reason why ads are important and make sense.
They build recall.
Or, put differently, they build awareness.
The Challenge of Building Awareness From Scratch
If you’re creating a new race from scratch, no one knows about you. Sure, some race directors are already out there on social media and have built their own brand. Then, when they start a race, they already have an interested audience they can tell about it.
For everyone else, you’re literally creating everything from scratch. It’s one thing to pick a location, create a route with RideWithGPS, and secure the permits and insurance, but how does anyone even know your race exists? It’s even harder if you’re creating a race in a community or area not previously known for cycling.
That is the big rock you begin pushing uphill.
Yes, by all means, you need to start creating your own media ecosystem through your website and social media. However, if you’ve recently created new social media accounts, you know it’s one thing to have an account and something completely different to gain traction in the form of new followers and engagement.
That takes A LOT of work. And I mean a lot. Again, especially for those with no previous social media platform or presence. Those who do? While it still takes strategy and work, it’s not as difficult of a push.
This is where paid ads can be essential.
They get your race or small town in front of others.
You’re building awareness that, first, you even exist. Second, you’re building recall so that at some point someone will think, “Hey, there’s that gravel race down in Douglas (AZ). I’ve never been to Douglas, but I think I might want to check it out.”
Ads create that awareness and recall. This is a great reason to use them.
Awareness vs. Conversions: Understanding the Difference
Where ads can fall short is if you expect them to convert at a high rate.
Remember the numbers I threw out last week? One media outlet charges $3,000 for 150,000 impressions, which translates to an estimated 50–100 website clicks. For conversions, that sounds horrible.
HOWEVER, 150,000 impressions means that your race was placed in a strategic location on their website 150,000 times. That’s a lot of potential awareness.
While we can debate cost-effectiveness, how much is too much to spend and how little is too little, buying ad space still makes sense. As long as you’re clear about the outcome.
Don’t think of ads as simply “SELL, SELL, SELL!” Think of them as letting people know your race or town even exists. How can anyone sign up for your race if they don’t even know it exists?
When I’m perusing Velo, PinkBike, or Cycling West online, I constantly see race ads. Often, I’ve never heard of a lot of these races. Then, all of a sudden, that mountain bike race in Utah I’d never heard of is on my radar.
Oh, it’s in Virgin? I’ve always wanted to ride there. Also, it’s hitting the rainy season in Portland, so it would sure be nice to get into the sun for some riding.
See? That’s what ads do, and it was the first thing I saw and thought of when I visited the Cycling West website this morning.
I wasn’t looking for another race to sign up for. I wasn’t even thinking about traveling to Utah. But now? That race is on my radar. And if I keep seeing it, there’s a good chance I’ll remember it the next time I’m thinking about where I want to ride or race.
That’s the power of awareness and recall.
Building Your Own Media Ecosystem and Using Paid Ads Together
As a race director or small-town tourism director, you’re wearing a lot of hats. It’s about maximizing your time and effectiveness. If you haven’t started yet, begin building your own media ecosystem through your website, social media, podcasts, articles, email newsletters, and more. Then build on that with paid ads by pointing people to your website and socials.
Done well, this is a great one-two punch.
Also, many of these media outlets are great fans of what you’re doing, and they want to see you succeed. It ends up being a win-win for everyone involved. Depending on your niche, find the media outlet where your target audience most likely hangs out.
If you’re promoting a gravel race, for example, it makes sense to advertise where gravel cyclists are already spending their time. The same applies to mountain biking, road cycling, and outdoor recreation tourism. You’re not simply trying to reach as many people as possible. You’re trying to get in front of the right people.
And when those people see your ad and decide to learn more, where do they go?
Hopefully, to the media ecosystem you’ve already been building.
That’s where they discover your stories, learn about your race or community, explore your website, follow you on social media, and perhaps sign up for your email newsletter. They may not register for your race or book a weekend getaway today, but you’ve created another opportunity to build familiarity and trust.
Paid Advertising Should Accelerate Your Marketing, Not Replace It
Here’s where I want to land this conversation.
I’m still convinced that race directors and rural tourism leaders should prioritize building their own media ecosystem. That hasn’t changed. Your website, articles, social media, and email newsletters are assets you control. They’re not dependent on continually paying someone else for attention.
However, that doesn’t mean paid advertising is a waste of money. Far from it. When used strategically, paid ads can introduce your race or community to people who otherwise might never discover you.
The mistake is expecting every advertising dollar to immediately translate into a registration, hotel booking, or sale. Sometimes the value is simply that someone now knows you exist. You’ve planted a seed. And the next time they see your race, read one of your articles, or come across a social media post, there’s already a sense of familiarity.
That’s how awareness begins to turn into consideration and, eventually, action.
So, should you spend money on advertising? Perhaps. But first, ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish. Are you trying to drive immediate registrations, or are you introducing your race or destination to a new audience? Those are two different objectives, and they require different expectations.
My advice? Build your own media ecosystem first. Invest your time and energy into creating content that tells the story of your race, your community, and the experience you’re offering. Then, when the opportunity makes sense and your budget allows, use paid advertising to get that story in front of more people.
Don’t rely on paid ads to build your brand. Use paid ads to introduce more people to the brand you’re already building.
That’s the one-two punch.
