MXLink hits just under 1 million views to August 2020 along with attracting consistent 3K New Viewers each month even during lock-down. Top geographies are Russia, Ukraine, USA with European countries and NZ making up top 25. With 167% increase in views from 2019, the scope and breadth of content produced has proved invaluable in changing world of Motorsport.
Following founding principle to produce written and visual content on selected riders, racers and drivers, MXLink has sought creative insight on what makes Motorsport engaging over decades.
With specific focus on production of in-depth interviews on Women racing varying Motorsport disciplines, viewer engagement and geographical reach has increased ten-fold from initial launch in 2014.
Today, we cover Women racing: Dakar Rally, Women MX World Championship, GNCC-WXC, Trials GP, SBK, WSeries, AMA SX, AMA Pro Outdoors and Karting.
For certain, covering 9 Women competing in 2020 Dakar Rally in Saudia Arabia early this year opened further opportunities to gain up-close-and-personal knowledge on what it takes to race Dakar.
With contact to number of women racing Bike and SSV categories through-out the 12 Stage Rally, we were able to up-date information to viewers on stage action along with results.
Key to attracting new viewers along with retaining loyal followers has always been – articles, films, interviews, live broadcasts revolving around ‘who is this athlete?’ as opposed to ‘who stands on top of podium’. No denying results matter, just the athlete under the helmet matters more.
No more so than when covering New Zealand’s GNCC-WXC rider Rachael Archer.
Having made trip to USA for Opening of GNCC season, then to return back home to NZ, to then take up racing again in May has been ‘tell-all’ on how Rachael has coped with such disruption.
When COVID-19 broke ‘the mother of all no racing’ this was EXACTLY the opportunity to put concerted effort in touching base with riders, racers and drivers in Europe and America for production of Live broadcasts.
Not just a Live Chat on previous months training, racing, highlights and coping mechanisms for ‘no starting date to race yet’, but opportunities to invite Women from varying Motorsport disciplines to Chat Live- unhindered by time constraints. Most valuable were: Kiara Fontanesi WMX and Vicky Piria WSeries F3, Sara Garcia Dakar Rally Unassisted category and Rachael Archer GNCC-WXC, Kirsten Landman Dakar with Jordan Jarvis WMX and Sabre Cook WSeries. Along with Stefan Everts, Dirk Gruebel KTM MXGP Manager and Luca Barbetti Pirelli MXGP Manager.
The WSeries ESports League provided this year’s 18 selected Women F3 drivers an opportunity to increase their racing prowess on SIM. With the cancellation of 2020 WSeries, drivers took on board challenge to learn new skills with number of Women rising to the top of their game.
Spanish driver Marta Garcia made relentless and determined effort to improve each Round over course of 10 consecutive race weeks, making perfect combo of content for great article-interview.
If there has been one giant stride in 2020, it has been MXLink’s strategy to cover multiple Motorsport disciplines within FIM and FIA bodies. Mainly, a 1 person operation, with 2nd person for filming when needed.
The diversity of content has flow-on-effect on feature articles within broad spectrum of ‘how to sustain fans engagement with Motorsports?’
The topic is essentially loaded. If COVID-19 has re-set the button on how does racing go ahead with no fans and major safety precautions in place for Teams and racers, same goes for Media promotions on retaining viewers reading and watching content.
It was no ‘lucky-chance’ that MXLink increased readership amid a world where there was no racing. To dig deeper into topics, experiences and pose questions to athletes, Team Managers, Brand personal when schedules are less tight produces unforeseen content – and ultimately broadens dialogue outside actual racing.
If MXLink website statistics remain on the up-hill trajectory, content produced must stay original- must create value for viewers- must push boundaries on delivering information which takes Motorsport disciplines- riders, racers and drivers forward into the next x-number of decades.
Words: Sharon Cox.
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