Sean Benesh

Over the past few weeks in my Writing Across Media course, we’ve been talking about attention.

How fast do you decide whether to stop or scroll on social media? Seconds. Maybe less.

Your bike race, rural destination, nonprofit, or small brand isn’t only competing with others in your niche.

You’re competing for attention with Nike, ESPN, Netflix, MrBeast, Taylor Swift, The New York Times, a friend’s wedding, and AI cat videos.

Everyone occupies the same screen. That changes how we need to think about content and how we capture attention.

I’ve spent a lot of time working with bike races, trail orgs, rural communities, nonprofits, and outdoor recreation orgs.

One thing I’ve noticed is that a lack of good stories usually isn’t the problem.

There are stories everywhere.

The problem, though, is getting those stories in front of people.

That’s why I created the Visibility Lab: https://bit.ly/4gI1Z8F

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 ch*****ne gravel, but if we can’t capture people’s attention so they know we exist, we’re in trouble.

It all starts with attention. Every brand wants it and needs it.

We either have to pay for it or earn it. And even when we pay for it, we still have to earn it.

That’s why I created the Visibility Lab.

Visibility Starts With Attention: Why I Created the Visibility Lab — Sean Benesh Why visibility starts with attention and how bike races, trail organizations, and rural communities can earn more of it through better content and storytelling.

You can have the best bike race in the country.

Heck, you can even have the most welcoming small town, spectacular gravel roads, an incredible trail system, or an inspiring story worth telling.

But there’s a problem if nobody knows you exist.

Before registrations, something else comes ... attention. We’ve been exploring this all semester in one of my undergrad courses.

And attention leads to visibility.

So here’s the question I’ve been thinking about lately: Is your race getting the attention it deserves?

Race directors, there’s a big difference between building an audience and building a community.

Followers are great.

But people who participate, engage, share, advocate, and keep coming back?

That’s where the real value is.
Build the community.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4hqTgcq

Here's a fun interview I did with Gravel Events ... "Beyond the Big Races: Where Gravel Gets Interesting."

Having shot photos for a growing number of gravel races, I've enjoyed reflecting on what I see through the lens.

Read interview: https://bit.ly/4Aj9cET

You built the trails (yay!).

Maybe it took years of planning, meetings with land managers, grant applications, fundraising, volunteer work parties, professional construction, and more volunteer hours than anyone cares to count.

Eventually, the trail system opens.

Ok … then what?

Build great trails (check). Maintain them well (yep). Upload them to Trailforks (done). And riders will eventually discover them.

Right?

Maybe.

But if the goal is bigger than simply having great trails, especially if you want to attract visitors, support local businesses, and create economic impact, building the trail system isn’t enough.

Someone still has to tell people it exists.

And at least initially, that someone is probably YOU.

You Built the Trails. Now You Have to Tell People About Them — Trail Builder Magazine Learn how nonprofit trail organizations can use branding, storytelling, partnerships, and destination marketing to increase trail tourism and local economic impact.

There’s a difference between building an audience for your bike race and building a community around it.

An audience watches. A community participates.

They comment. Tag their riding buddies. Share your course videos. Post photos from previous years. Recommend your race. And hopefully, come back year after year.

That’s why I think social media growth for bike races needs to be about more than increasing follower counts.

The better question is whether those followers actually feel connected to your race.

Why Social Media Engagement Matters for Bike Races — Sean Benesh Learn how bike race promoters can use social media engagement to build community, grow their audience, strengthen rider loyalty, and drive registrations.

How important is social media to your race?

And maybe the better question ... how are you using it to build a community around your race?

I'm not talking about simply announcing registration is open or posting course maps, sponsor shoutouts, or countdowns to race day.

What I mean is giving people a reason to feel connected to your race long before it even starts.

I think this is where the real value of social media begins.

Could someone recognize your race without seeing your logo?

Think about the photos you share throughout the year.

The landscapes. The course. The racers. The volunteers. The community. The start line. The finish. The overall vibe ...

Over time, those images can create a recognizable visual identity for your event.

That’s why race photography shouldn’t only be about documenting what happened on race day.

The photos you capture and consistently share can help people understand what your race feels like before they ever show up.

Eventually, you want someone scrolling through their feed to see a photo and think: That looks like [your race].

That’s when photography becomes brand building.