Elevating Social Media Engagement: A Case Study
By Ethan Moengchaisong. Last updated 8/3/2023 - 12:30pm.
I recently had the privilege of collaborating with the Singletrack Podcast team, an emerging news & media company known for their in-depth coverage of the professional ultra-trail running scene. My mission was to elevate their social media presence by creating and distributing engaging video content during two high-profile trail races: the Broken Arrow Skyrace (June 17-18) and the Western States 100 the subsequent weekend.
I (bottom-right) was working with a team of talented photographers and videographers during the Broken Arrow Skyrace and Western States 100 coverage.
The Challenge
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, standing out amongst the growing number of media creators can be a daunting task. For the Singletrack Podcast team, the primary challenge was to differentiate their content from the multitude of photography-based coverage that dominated the social media feeds during these races.
The Strategy:
While the SingleTrack Podcast team had some of the most talented photographers in the field, to distinguish our content, the team also decided to leverage the power of high-quality video, an underutilized medium in the context of these events. This approach aimed to provide a more immersive and dynamic viewer experience, capturing the high-energy atmosphere and intense competition of these races. I had the privilege to be in charge of the video side of things.
The Execution:
During the Broken Arrow Skyrace, I filmed and edited four Instagram Reels that featured the leading men and women and showcased the adrenaline-filled moments of the race. Even though this race was only a warm-up to a much bigger race the week after, the initial response was incredible, with each video garnering hundreds of likes and enthusiastic comments like, "I can’t stop watching this. So dope!!” and “These cuts are 🔥.”
Here are some examples:
As the Broken Arrow Skyrace concluded, we swiftly transitioned to our media coverage of the Western States 100, an event often hailed as “the Super Bowl of trail running.” Our team was stationed in the picturesque alpine setting of Palisades Tahoe, midway between Truckee and Lake Tahoe, where we engaged in a week-long media build-up. During this period, I was heavily involved in setting up cameras for professional athlete interviews, photography, and creating Instagram Reels for our open-to-the-community group runs. The fruits of our labor can be seen in these final products:
Here are some examples:
The Results:
When the highly anticipated Western States 100 finally kicked off, we were prepared to capture every moment. The first Instagram Reel of the weekend went live at 6 am, an hour after the race began. The response was remarkable, with the video amassing over 20,000 views and 1,000 likes within a few days.
Over the next 12 hours, I edited and published five more Instagram Reels, leveraging footage our team’s videographers had captured throughout the day. These mid-race reels were a tremendous success, marking the first time high-quality video content had been created during the race:
Here are some examples:
One of my proudest moments came the next day when I was able to capture the raw emotion and triumph of racers crossing the finish line at Auburn, CA. This footage formed the basis of one of our most successful reels.
Once the race had concluded, I edited two short documentaries of the weekend, which was published on both Instagram and YouTube, generating further engagement and buzz.
Conclusion:
This project reinforced the potential of high-quality video content in capturing audience attention and differentiating our brand in a crowded social media landscape. The success of this initiative has set a new precedent for future coverage, and I look forward to elevating the Singletrack Podcast's social media presence even further in the future.
Client Testimonial
I worked with Ethan on an Ultrarunning media coverage project for the 2023 Western States 100 and Broken Arrow Skyrace series. Ethan was in charge of publishing our video content on race day - including highlight reels for YouTube and Instagram. Not only was the content high quality and timely, but it was also innovative. As a result, much of our content regularly went viral in the trail running community, helping us reach new audiences and gaining followers. I was not only impressed by Ethan’s craftsmanship but also by his dedication to the project. We worked non stop for 8 days and Ethan was down for the cause and ready to grind with us the whole time. I can’t wait to work with this guy again. Any project is lucky to have him.
Finn Melanson
Host & Founder
@Singletrack Podcast