| Fat Cyclist: Cycling, Serendipity and Substance |
 |
| Written by AG |
|
This is part of the HelpABikeShop.com continuing series about how the internet can draw true fans to your business or cause. HelpABikeShop.com is a free service to which bike shops post their available overstocks and promotions as long as the price is at least 20% below MSRP. Our mission is to help local bike shops overcome small budgets and compete with big retailers.
Serendipity Fifteen years ago, Fatty had moved from Seattle to Utah, gained weight, and wanted to keep his remote friends apprised of his weight loss progress. Instead of emailing, he started posting online updates. Like almost everyone, he harbored some hopes that his writing would make him famous, rich, or both. Fatty continued to post updates, gaining a small following, but not making numbers that were beyond the ordinary. During the Tour de France, however, he posted a single piece of fake news about how Phil Liggett was being fired because he failed to meet his contractual obligation to mention Lance Armstrong three times per minute; the article was picked up and reposted by numerous websites. He had fortunately inserted a line in the article linking back to his website so that multiple sites that were simply plagiarizing also inadvertently attributed the article to him. His readers went from a few dozen to a few thousand. Elden said, “I was checking my stats every couple of seconds…I was hooked on that. I wanted more.” Cyclingnews asked him to write more fake news for their website. One of the top cycling blogs was born.
While Elden said that he has not explicitly planned the trajectory of fatcyclist.com from a business perspective, he obviously has demonstrated an innate knack for building a brand. With his readership increasing, he thought he had enough of a following to run a contest for a fatcyclist.com jersey design. When that did not bear fruit, he engaged Twin Six cycling apparel to design a jersey for Team Fatty, his fan group that has raced thousands of dollars for the Livestrong cancer foundation. These sold out immediately, showing that he had not only true fans of his writing, but people who were willing to spend money to be associated with Fat Cyclist. Elden also made the decision to limit product quantities on every run, ensuring scarcity of supply and, hence, driving demand. The jerseys further solidify his usually disconnected fan base by allowing them to identify each other at events such as charity rides. He also has posted numerous contests using products from sponsors, providing another reason for readers to check back frequently while engaging them at level beyond writing articles.
Substance Fatty quickly developed a writing process that has attracted and maintained a large following. Quantcast.com reports that fatcyclist.com gets almost 53,000 hits with quantcast.com reporting about 17,400 unique visitors each month and by most accounts that number is well below actual figures. Fatcyclist.com ranks higher than many TV news websites (fox43.com) and higher than the careers website of General Electric which has 300,000 employees in 100 countries. With this many eyeballs every month, advertisers have flocked to the site, providing enough revenue for Fatty to earn significant revenue, but not yet enough for him to earn a living solely from the site, especially since the recession began. He still has a full time job and says fatcyclist.com “pays for his utilities.”
From our interview, HelpABikeShop.com dissects Fatty's inadvertent formula for success: 1. Keep your readers engaged. Fatty posts often, four to five times during weekdays when most of his hits occur. Content is king and readers need a reason to check the site so he strives to provide new and interesting insights. 2. Don’t ask readers for content ideas. According to Fatty, this is the sign of a dying blog. 3. Always be on the lookout for potential topics. Fatty continually carries a list onto which he is always adding writing ideas that may come at anytime. He may not immediately recognize the value of the idea but compiles potential idea topics whose development may become clearer at a later time. For example, Fatty had a glimmer notion to write about applying for a pro cyclist position as if it were any other job. He could not see how to expound the idea until one day he decided to write an open letter to Johann Bruyneel applying for a position on Team RadioShack citing traits such as “team player”, “fast learner”, and “willing to travel.” Johann Bruyneel replied, Fatty got to ride with Team RadioShack, and an obscure idea became Fat Cyclist lore.
Cycling When starting a blog or adding it to a current site, many see it as a tool to directly generate additional revenue. Or a blog might be seen as a medium that could lead to entirely new profession and, with the success of fatcyclist.com, his fans might think that is the case with Elden. Fatty, however, has a different view of the purpose of his website seeing it as a means to establish new relationships in the cycling industry. Fatcyclist.com has allowed him to build Team Fatty to support his cancer cause; he’s ridden with Lance and corresponded with Johann; cycling product manufacturers now view him as part of their marketing toolbox. While the direct financial rewards are not apparent, writing his blog has provided Elden an entrance into the cycling industry beyond that of mere enthusiast; it is his medium to connect.
Referring to himself and Bikesnobnyc, “We’re getting lots of practice at writing. We’re both getting connected within the bike industry,” says Elden. What is next for FatCyclist.com? Fatty is planning a book of the best posts and comments from FatCyclist.com! HelpABikeShop.com thanks Elden for his insights into his writing process and his blog. We look forward to reading his posts for years to come!
To listen to the full interview as a podcast, click here. (To download, right click)
Comments (818)
|
FATTY has inspired me to take to the Blog as a way to further my efforts to help "PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED SPORT" as you call it in the USA.
This is the start of my 13th season on the routes of the Major Cycle Tours. I started with the TDF in 1998 and discovered that the media had an interest in my activities then and from time to time since.
This season the plan is to take a team of "Disabled Athletes" and ride relay style the route each day involving "Hand bikes as well as tandems and normal race bikes. Over the years i have met many Physically Challenged who wished they had the opportunity to participate in riding these routes but regretably no support as individuals.
With the aid of Volunteers and Sponsors it should be possible to build a team to achieve a result.
www.parrabuddy.blogspot.com outlines the project and daily updates are possible through www.twitter.com/skippydetour .
March 12 is the start of the Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and this is...