Each month, we release the ASK BOSCO® Index league table for a specific retail category. This involves evaluating the “credit score” or digital presence of leading retailers in the category and comparing their performance using our competitive benchmarking tool. This month, we turned our focus to cycling retailers – amidst concerns around supply chains and regulations, some retailers still came out on top.
The Competitive Benchmarking feature within the ASK BOSCO® platform allows you to see how your website’s online presence measures up against your closest competitors.
What does the cycling industry look like?
The cycling industry has been expanding due to increasing awareness of health, fitness, and sustainability. The global bicycle market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 7-9% over the next few years. However, challenges like supply chain disruptions, regulatory issues, and competition from e-scooters persist. Discussions about removing tariffs on Chinese bicycles have raised concerns among domestic manufacturers. Brompton’s CEO, Will Butler-Adams, warned that eliminating these tariffs could lead to an influx of cheaper imports, potentially harming local businesses.
What is the ASK BOSCO® Index?
The ASK BOSCO® Index is a robust benchmarking tool designed to assess your overall digital performance. It analyses crucial elements like SEO, paid search, website health, and other marketing activities, providing a clear understanding of your online effectiveness.
Unlike conventional metrics that primarily track marketing spend, the ASK BOSCO® Index delivers a more in-depth evaluation. By integrating insights from both paid and organic channels and leveraging trusted third-party data, it offers a well-rounded and accurate view of your digital presence.
How to understand the ASK BOSCO® Index scores
The ASK BOSCO® Index assigns a score between 0 and 1000, with most brands and retailers averaging around 500. A higher score reflects stronger digital performance, making it a useful benchmark for measuring growth. Consider it your digital marketing “credit score”—the closer you get to 1000, the more refined and effective your online strategy becomes.
Who topped the league table?
Specialized
Leading the race in our cycling league table is Specialized. One of their strategies to attract more customers and to make cycling more inclusive is through their Outride mission. This program focuses on providing access to bikes for young people, promoting the benefits of cycling for mental and physical health. This reflects their dedication to social responsibility and expanding the cycling community.
Specialized also maintain a strong social presence across multiple social media platforms, interacting with cycling enthusiasts and providing timely support.
They also collaborate with professional cyclists and racing teams to test and develop new technologies. This partnership ensures that innovations are integrated into their product lines, appealing to both professional and amateur riders.
Trek Bikes
Trek Bikes were hot on Specialized’s heels on our league table. Trek recently launched the #GoByBike initiative to encourage individuals to replace car trips with bicycle rides, promoting environmental sustainability and personal health. This user-generated content campaign invited participants to share their biking experiences on social media.
Recognizing the shift towards e-bikes and the use of platforms to track performance, Trek introduced Trek Central app, a companion application for their e-bikes that allows users to customize motor behaviour, track activities, get real-time range calculations, use navigation features and service reminders. This information enables riders to customize their e-bike’s performance to suit their needs and requirements.
Trek supports its specialty retailers by providing funds for targeted Facebook advertising through Promoboxx Local Ads. This collaboration drives awareness of promotions like the annual ‘Trek Fest’ and directs highly qualified customers to local stores.
Trek also sponsors professional cycling teams, such as Trek-Segafredo, to showcase their commitment to the sport and demonstrate the performance of their products at the highest levels of competition.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to know more about the ASK BOSCO® competitor benchmarking feature and find out where your brand sits on our league table rankings, simply get in touch with us at team@askbosco.com – we’d love to hear from you.
