We recently held our inaugural RunSignup University. The two day event gave attendees an opportunity to deepen their product knowledge and get the most out of RunSignup. Being there in person was certainly the best way to learn the most, but seats were limited and not everyone who wanted to attend was able to.
With that in mind, we’re sharing some of the best bits from RunSignup University in weekly installments and giving access to full presentations for those interested in doing a little self-guided learning.
Think of it like an independent study course, minus the quizzes and mandatory advisor meetings.
Updating you marketing
It’s no secret that the ways people find and interact with races has changed quite a bit over the years. That’s especially true for younger runners – who are becoming a larger part of the participant pool each year.
Relying on marketing methods of years past may not garner the results wanted for many races. Now is the time to try new things, make some changes, and put your race out there in new ways. If you’re willing to give it a shot, you might be surprised at the results.
In this week’s independent study we’re covering the wonderful presentation “Updating Your Marketing” done by our very own head of marketing Johanna Goode. You can access the full presentation through the button below.
If you’re just looking for the highlights, scroll down.
What groups are we trying to reach?
In this presentation there was a primary focus on three key groups:
- Younger runners (18-29)
- Newcomers (aka, people who haven’t competed in an event previously)
- Past participants
Each of these audiences provide a potential pool of runners for your event. Without reaching them, it’s very difficult to grow a race and could even become a struggle to keep current participant rates steady.
Younger Runners
Starting in COVID we saw a bit of a drop off in participation numbers for runners in the 18-29 age range. In the years since, those numbers have rebounded some. In 2023 that age range made up about 15% of total registrants, which is still about 2% lower than pre pandemic numbers. Social media (more on this below) seems to be a strong way to get in front of this audience. So, if you’re not on social sites like Instagram and Tik Tok, you need to be.
Newcomers
It seems the most effective way to bring newcomers into the fold is through referral programs. Having a personal connection to the event may make them feel a bit more comfortable participating.with RunSignup you can offer referral discounts. This provides a natural way for current participants to reach out to their networks and bring new people to your event.
Past participants
We found that only around 16% of people come back to the same race and event year over year. Since that’s focused on repeating the same event, the overall number is likely higher, but still lower than many would like. Things like loyalty discounts can help entice this group to come back to your event. It shows you appreciate their participation and offers an additional incentive.
Utilizing social media
A decent few race directors may feel a bit hesitant to jump into the world of social media. It’s understandable. There’s a lot to learn and it can seem overwhelming. The main thing to know is that no matter the social media site, the main form of content to focus on is video. And even more so, short form videos.
There are two options for posting videos on Instagram: reels and stories. Reels are permanent posts that live on your profile page and are accessible at any point. Story posts are more ephemeral in nature and only display on your profile for 24 hours. That said, you can keep Story posts accessible by adding them to highlight reels.
Reels are generally better for more produced videos you think of as evergreen content. These could be event recaps, or course previews. Story posts generally are a bit more informal and off the cuff. These are great for sharing things happening in real time. For example, you might do story posts throughout the day on actual race day. You could do short interviews with runners, or spectators. These should also err on the shorter side. 15-45 seconds seems to be the sweet spot.
Tik Tok
Tik Tok is arguably the primary driver of short form video becoming the leader on all social sites. 34% of their user base falls in the 18-24 age range, so it’s an important site for engaging with younger runners.
There are a few things to keep in mind when creating content for Tik Tok:
- Consistency is key – Posting regularly is important for all social media, but is particularly important on Tik Tok. Commit to a certain posting cadence and keep up with it.
- Following trends is in your interest – Tik Tok is big on different video trends. On some platforms jumping on trends can seem unoriginal, but on Ti Tok that’s not the case.
- Videos shouldn’t exceed one minute – When videos exceed one minute, people often lose interest. So, keep things concise and brief. The most liked video on all of Tik Tok is only 10 seconds long.
- DIY-looking videos tend to perform better – Heavily produced videos can feel disingenuous. People on the platform tend to like videos that are less polished and more organic.
YouTube
Where Tik Tok and Instagram are heavily focused on short form content, YouTube gives you the option to do things longer in length. Longer-form content, such as course walk-throughs and in-depth training recaps, can cater to your dedicated fanbase. These videos offer more value and encourage deeper engagement.
Though you can do longer videos on the platform, short form video still matters in the form of YouTube Shorts. YouTube Shorts (15-60 second videos) are perfect for reaching new viewers. By sharing quick training tips, race recaps, or humorous moments from your team, you can capture attention, increase visibility, and potentially convert viewers into loyal followers.
Influencer marketing
The last thing to consider in the world of social media marketing are influencer campaigns. Influencer marketing can be a game-changer for promoting your race. Enlisting an influencer or ambassador to share your event on their platform can often be more impactful than your own posts.
These individuals are content creation experts and can produce engaging materials that resonate with their audience. Consider partnering with smaller, local influencers who may have a more personal connection to your community. Their authenticity can create a stronger bond with potential participants.
When determining your influencer budget, consider their follower count. Micro-influencers with 500 to 10,000 followers can offer a high return on investment with potential fees around $100 per post.
For a broader reach, mid-tier influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers might be suitable, with costs typically ranging up to $500 per post. Remember, the value lies not just in follower numbers but in engagement and audience demographics.
Moving forward
We hope you found this week’s independent study course worthwhile. If you have any questions, or want to dive deeper into any topic mentioned in this post feel free to contact us at info@runsignup.com. And if you want to make sure you don’t miss a class, feel free to subscribe to our blog below.