1.Promotion of a trail (network)
1.1 Inform / appeal strategy
Informing is the most important and easiest tool to reach mountain bikers. This includes promotion and good signage of the trails as well as pointing out a respectful treatment of people and nature. In the best case, this can reduce the use of unauthorised trails and maintenance costs
Trail projects are very different in terms of scale and target group. On the one hand, the planned user groups can be tourists. On the other hand, the trail may be built mainly for the local community. The scale of marketing activities should also depend on these factors. As this subject doesn’t relate directly to trail building only the basics will be mentioned here.
1.2 How to promote a trail
Tools / media
- Promote your trail and trail system! Make people aware that you are building something great.
- The absolute minimum is that signposts and maps are always available and up to date
- Clear signposting and marking on maps is key to successful promoting
- Create a webpage or even easier accounts on social media and keep the feed updated with new stories/photos and short-term information such as closure or trailwork days. Animate your followers to share content of and with you. Qr codes can be an easy way to lead people to your social media accounts.
- Create online content with detailed data about your trails, their riding styles and gps tracks.
- A booklet to display (e.g. Promotional brochure, guide or map).
- Place your promotional material with the appropriate range at touchpoints of the target group, which may include retail outlets and tourism organisations (e.g. Hotels).
- Draw the attention of magazines and local newspapers to the trail
- Regular events draw attention to the trail
- Provide some possible tours with different lengths and climbs for the different target groups.
- Update your online platform on a regular basis with important information about conditions, trail workdays, trail rules, what you plan to do and so on
- Keep the data of official trails updated on trail platforms like strava or trailforks. This includes temporary closures, communicate legal alternatives, wherever possible
- Make sure that the local bike community and tourism sector can also share important information