#ShareTheLove is a weekly feature dedicated to growing the awareness and brand recognition of professional female cyclists. The goal is to provide fans greater accessibility to incredibly talented women while encouraging mutual support amongst the peloton. Each week an inspirational athlete is highlighted with a short thoughtful statement summarizing their character and accomplishments. New posts are hosted by my personal Twitter and Facebook accounts each Monday. Join me in propping up and unifying the women’s cycling community, a unique space where even the smallest effort has potential for a big impact.
Inspiration struck while casually visiting Facebook Athlete Pages of various cyclists. An appalling trend unveiled itself. I began noticing the magnitude by which top male pro cyclists were celebrated on social media versus their female counterparts. Despite being aware of the struggle women have historically faced garnering admiration and respect; the issue had never been so opaque. Disparity quantified by page likes.
Click for an interactive graph
Emotions of anger and disappointment quickly transformed into inspiration. As a firm believer in never complaining about that which we have the power to change, I devised a plan aimed at narrowing the gender gap. I felt slighted yet empowered, tapping into experience as a Social Media Manager representing myself and teams. Confident that with a little effort, I could make a measurable albeit small difference. Knowledge surrounding the influence of women in social media further supported my self-assurance.
‘Why Women Are The Real Power Behind Social Media’ – featured on Entrepreneur.com
I resolved to make a difference using the most powerful tool in my possession, a voice. Taking a conscious step outside of the social norm that encourages women to harshly scrutinize one another. Turning my focus towards being supportive. Sharing networks and amplifying my voice through the tools of social media. The message was simple, share the love.
Starting small so as to manage limited time wisely, I strictly narrowed scope to promoting Facebook Athlete Pages of current professional female cyclists. Utilizing analytics tools to quantitate reach and engagement, so that I could learn and improve upon each sequential post. To understand growth, I noted the increase in page likes acquired by each Athlete Page within the first 24hrs following publication.
Committed to continuing the effort and measuring its impact, I aim to bring greater awareness to the incredible feats women accomplish while fostering a community of mutual support. Accomplishments of female athletes are no less amazing, yet fewer people are aware of their triumphs. It is vital that we acknowledge our ability to drive awareness. #ShareTheLove is a movement of inclusive involvement. My dedication alone will highlight 52 athletes annually. Yet with the involvement of others, we can provide every professional female cyclist the acknowledgement they deserve. Join me and #ShareTheLove.
Click for an interactive graph
alynncutler 