Web Content Opportunities For the Mountain Bike Audience in Q1 2023

Key Takeaways

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Top web content opportunities in Q1 2023 for the Mountain Bike Audience include:

Opportunities

Dropper Post: This web content topic generated 7.5K in organic traffic through service pdfs educating readers.

Wheels: This web content topic generated 6.6K in organic traffic with collection breakdowns featuring images and text.

Pedals: This web content topic generated 5.5K in organic traffic with content-rich pages featuring media reviews & images.

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Over–Saturated

Forks: This web content topic generated 24K in organic traffic with content-rich pages and suspension theory resources.

Chainline: This web content topic generated 11K in organic traffic with keywords ranking from questions about the product.

Derailleur: This web content topic generated 10.4K in organic traffic with the content ranking from media-focused collection pages.

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Avoid

Brakes: This web content topic generated 3.2K in organic traffic with dedicated media pages.

Everyday Carry: This web content topic generated 3K in organic traffic ranking for people looking for EDC tools and kits.

Damper: This web content topic generated 2.6K in organic traffic with content pages directing to service hubs to answer questions.

Chain Guide: This web content topic generated 2K in organic traffic with keywords ranking for competitor products and search queries.

Handlebars: This web content topic generated 1.9K in organic traffic with a focus on mixed-media pages demonstrating the benefits of a product.

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Ignore

Components: This web content topic generated 3.5K in organic traffic with service hubs and pdfs that answer questions.

Chain Ring: This web content topic generated 3K in organic traffic ranking from “this vs that” and competitor queries.

Rear Suspension: This web content topic generated 2.5K in organic traffic with content such as service pdfs.

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Pedals, Dropper Post, and Wheels are web content topic opportunities, generating high organic traffic with the lowest keyword difficulty.

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Over-saturated web content topics in the Mountain Bike Audience in Q1 2023 include:

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Web content topics to avoid in the Mountain Bike Audience in Q1 2023 include:

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Web content topics to ignore in the Mountain Bike Audience in Q1 2023 include:

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Fork 

This web content topic generated 25K in organic traffic with an average keyword difficulty of 24.

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‍H2 & H3 Section Headings‍

Of content across the internet ranking for mtb wheel content, the following headings are used.

• “What makes a great suspension fork?”
• “How to choose the right suspension fork for your bike”
• "Which is the best enduro fork of 2021?”
• “Designed for:”
• “Compression damping”
• “Positive and negative springs”

‍Keywords‍

• “zeb”
• “sid fork”
• “zeb ultimate”
• “boxxer fork”
• “judy silver tk psi”
• “recon silver rl 130 kg”
• “pike fork”
• “lyrik fork”
• “rs zeb”
• “xplr fork”

‍Common SERP Features

• reviews
• image
• video
• knowledge panel
• image packs
• people also ask

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Fork Questions 

This topic is dominated by searchers looking to maintain and understand the full purpose of their fork.

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How...

• 💎how to cut mtb fork steerer tube?
• 💎 how to install new mtb fork?
• 💎 how to lubricate mtb forks?
• 💎 how to maintain mtb forks?
• how does a mtb fork work?
• how much sag on front fork mtb?

‍What...

• 💎 what is fork offset on mtb?
• 💎 what are the best forks for mtb?
• what is preload on mtb forks?
• what is boost fork mtb?

‍Why...

• 💎 why are mtb forks so expensive?

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Fork Question Trends:
‍Quality is an overarching theme for Fork questions in the mtb community. They want to learn how to keep forks for long-term use as well as understand how to get the best experience with their purchase.

‍Installation & Maintenance:
“How to” questions dominate this topic as searchers aim to understand ways to install, update and maintain forks to their standards for long-term use. 

‍What is…:
Searchers are looking to get technical by asking a variety of questions about specific fork varieties and aspects in an effort to improve their riding experience. 

‍Deeper Understanding:
The question “why are mtb forks so expensive?” has a deeper meaning for first-time buyers hoping to understand the full spectrum of the product, how it’s made and ultimately the value it provides to the buyer. 

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Fork Tactics

Content leaders for forks are image, video and information series pages for the Zeb and Sid fork models.

‍Search Volume‍

This topic sees a max search volume of 136K.

Search Trends

From November 2021 to October 2022, “boxxer fork” (+56%) and “zeb ultimate” (+45%) are seeing search interest increases from the first half to the second half of the period. 

Search Attributes 

Specifications (i.e. “recon silver rl 130 kg”) are seen in searches for forks, suggesting seasoned bikers are doing pre-purchase research.

Industry Topic Trends

In an industry analysis featuring content outside of chosen competitors, content with <1K words was the most frequent type made on this topic. Written content in the industry tends to focus on advantages of fork functionality and press releases. 

Content Tactics

Whitespace, bright colours and interactive segments of these pages help bring together a unique experience for the buyer. The page clearly tells a story about the product, its purpose and technology. Rockshox’s series pages for forks easily allow the viewer to see different versions of the product within the line with pin-points to unique identifiers.

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Dropper Post 

This web content topic generated 7.5K in organic traffic with an average keyword difficulty of 12.

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‍H2 & H3 Section Headings‍

‍Of content across the internet ranking for mtb wheel content, the following headings are used.\

• ‍“Smoothness and Functionality”
• Ease of Setup”
• “Dropper Post Travel”
• “How to Choose a Dropper Seatpost”
• “Frequently Asked Questions About Dropper Posts”
• “Dropper post buyer’s guide: what to look for”

‍Keywords‍

• “v2 dropper post”
• “axs dropper post stack height”
• “dropper post parts”
• “we are one dropper”
• “dropper post mtb”
• “low profile dropper post”
• “dropper post shim” 
• “bluetooth dropper post”
• “attach dropper remote”

‍Common SERP Features

• reviews
• site links
• image
• image packs
• people also ask
• faq
• video

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Dropper Post Questions

This topic is dominated by searchers looking to understand the purpose and use of a dropper post. 

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How...

• 💎how to bleed a rockshox reverb stealth dropper post?
• 💎how to install pnw loam dropper post?
• 💎how to install a dropper post without internal routing?
• how to adjust dropper post height?
• how to measure dropper post?
• how to install a dropper post?
• how do dropper posts work?
• how to remove dropper post?

What…

• what is a dropper seat post?
• what is a dropper post on mountain bike?
• what is a dropper post on a bike?
• what is a dropper post mountain bike?
• what is a dropper post on a bicycle?

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Dropper Post Question Trends‍

Competitor products are present in hidden gem queries - note the benefits of your product in comparison. Other questions indicate a need for resources addressing product adjustments & education. 

Competitors

It’s important to develop content that addresses the root question while including your brand and noting gaps in competitor products to organically rank for their names.

Adjustment & Installation

People want to know the easiest and best way to install or identify the best product for them. Build a unique piece of content like a worksheet that takes them through the steps.

Education

There is an opportunity to educate prospective mountain bikers about the different elements of a strong bike. People are trying to understand what role specific elements play in the overall setup of the bike which can be great in a visual medium such as a YouTube video.

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Dropper Post Tactics

Content leaders for dropper posts are PDF manuals for measuring and a collection information page.

‍Search Volume‍

This topic sees a max search volume of 2K.

Search Trends

From November 2021 to October 2022, “dropper post mountain bike” (+13%) is seeing search interest increases from the first half to the second half of the period. Find a way to connect the functionality of your technology with the product in your content.

Search Attributes 

89% of searches included queries focusing on simple “dropper post” keywords with 11% searching for manuals or guides.

Industry Topic Trends

In an industry analysis featuring content outside of chosen competitors, content with 1K-2K words saw +30% more average engagement. Profiles on how a road biker used a Fox Dropper Post in a UCI competition generated over 14K shares across 6 articles.

Content Tactics

Rockshox generated organic traffic through a PDF guide whose content ranks organically, acting as a worksheet to identify how to “find the seatpost length that fits your bike frame”.

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Wheels 

This web content topic generated 6.6K in organic traffic with an average keyword difficulty of 10.

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‍H2 & H3 Section Headings‍

‍Of content across the internet ranking for mtb wheel content, the following headings are used.

• ‍“Free Shipping over $50”
• “[Brand] Proven Carbon Race Enduro 29 Wheelset”
• “Best trail, all-mountain and enduro mountain bike wheelsets, as rated by our expert testers”

‍Keywords‍

• “custom built mullet wheels”
• “zipp moto wheels”
• “carbon mtb wheel”
• “zipp 3zero moto 29” ”
• “zipp 3zero moto 29 rim”
• “zipp 3zero wheelset”
• “mtb wheels”
• “moto wheel”
• “zipp 3zero specific”
• “zipp 3zero colours”

‍Common SERP Features

• reviews
• site links
• image packs
• knowledge panel
• video carousel

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Wheels Questions

This topic is dominated by SRAM’s zipp 3zero moto wheel queries & questions about customizations. 

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Are...

• 💎are carbon mtb wheels worth it?
• 💎are carbon wheels worth it mtb?

Can…

• can any mtb wheel be made tubeless?

How…

• 💎how to fix a buckled mtb wheel?
• 💎how to straighten mtb wheel?
• how to align mtb wheels?
• how to choose mtb wheels?
• how to lace a mtb wheel?

What…

• what are boost mtb wheels?
• what is a boost mtb wheel?

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Wheel Question Trends‍

Think about ways you can answer questions by creating content around the customization, functionality and maintenance of your products & their place in people’s lives.

Customization

People are interested in how they can update their mountain bikes to be more suited to them through questions like “can any mtb wheel be made tubeless?”.

Fitting Needs

People want to know if the products they’re searching for can be applied to their ideal usage of their bike, i.e. “are carbon mtb wheels worth it?”

Guidance

People need guidance towards the maintenance and upgrades surrounding their bikes and wheels, such as “how to fix a buckled mtb wheel?”. 

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Wheels Tactics

The content leader for wheels is a collection page diving into imagery & information about the product.

‍Search Volume‍

This topic sees a max search volume of 1.9K.

Search Trends

From November 2021 to October 2022, “carbon mtb wheels” (+113) and “zipp 3zero” (+17) are seeing search interest increases from the first half to the second half of the period. Build content that pairs products with carbon elements or other complementary products.

Search Attributes 

38% of searches driving traffic to this topic included queries focusing on specs like wheel size “29 rim” or colour.

Industry Topic Trends

In an industry analysis featuring content outside of the chosen competitors, content with 1K-2K words saw +310% more average engagement. Articles such as a review on 36” wheels and carbon trail mtb wheels have seen 747 and 539 engagements respectively.

Content Tactics

Top organic traffic in this topic is generated by a “series”, or collection breakdown page, from SRAM about the 3zero moto wheel. The page features imagery, technology explanations & warranty guarantees. 

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Pedal 

This web content topic generated 5.5K in organic traffic with an average keyword difficulty of 15.

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‍H2 & H3 Section Headings‍

Of content across the internet ranking for mtb wheel content, the following headings are used.

• “Flat or clipless pedals?”
• “Platform size”
• “Mud Shedding Ability”
• “Release angle”
• “Pedals for clipless trail, enduro, or downhill”
• “So… Are Bike Pedals Universal?”     
• “Identifying your pedal axle type”
• “Identifying your pedal axle type
• “Ease of Entry”      “Ease of Exit”

‍Keywords‍

• “deftrap pedal”
• “tmac pedals”
• “t mag pedals”
• “crank with many pedal threads at various lengths”
• “black cat denttonic pedal”
• “aluminum pedal bearing rebuild kit”
• “race face atlas pedals”
• “tmax pedal”

‍Common SERP Features

• reviews
• image
• video
• knowledge panel
• image packs

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Pedal Questions

This topic is dominated by searchers looking to find the right pedals for their desired usage.

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Are...

• 💎are all mtb pedals universal?

How...

• how to change pedals on mtb?
• how to choose mtb pedals?
• how to clip in and out of mtb pedals?
• how to install mtb pedals?
• how to loosen mtb pedals?
• how to pedal efficiently mtb?

What…

• 💎what are the best mtb flat pedals?
• 💎what are the best mtb pedals?
• 💎what mtb shoes for flat pedals?

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‍Pedal Question Trends‍

One page for it all. When it comes to gear, searchers want to know the general usage, application and reviews of the product. Build a page similar to Deity’s discussed here to check off all the questions being asked in one place.

Universality

Reach customers who may not be ready to take the full plunge into the mtb world but are looking for alternatives that can work across biking disciplines in the meantime.

How to…

Down to the detail, people want to treat their gear correctly and are asking very specific ‘how to’ questions about installing, loosening, clipping in & out and choosing pedals.

Purpose

People want to know what product will fill the gap they’re looking for. Whether looking for shoes to fit a specific pedal or what the best pedals are in general— use reviews and suggestions to guide searchers in the right direction.

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Pedal Tactics

Content leaders for pedals are content-rich information pages with a variety of images, text and reviews.

‍Search Volume‍

This topic sees a max search volume of 1.6K.

Search Trends

From November 2021 to October 2022, “pedal threads” (+32%) and Deity’s “deftrap pedals” (+25%) are seeing search interest increases from the first half to the second half of the period. Incorporate information about pedal thread usage in your content.

Search Attributes 

81% of searches included queries focusing on specific pedal product keywords with 19% searching for questions like “best cheap pedals”.

Industry Topic Trends

In an industry analysis featuring content outside of chosen competitors, content with 1K-2K words saw +371% more average engagement. The written content about the mtb community seems to strike a chord with viewers, seeing shares of up to 950 and 926. 

Content Tactics

Deity is seeing success in content-rich pages that feature a combination of images, products, reviews and text about a product line. These pages take viewers through colorways, specs and visuals to make all options & information accessible. A “scroll to top” arrow is placed in the bottom right to improve user experience.

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Rear Suspension 

This web content topic generated 2.5K in organic traffic with an average keyword difficulty of 5.

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‍H2 & H3 Section Headings‍

Of content across the internet ranking for mtb wheel content, the following headings are used.

• “High-end suspension for trail, enduro and downhill”
• “Find the best shocks for your mountain bike”
• “How we test mountain bike rear shocks”
• “What to look for in the best mountain bike rear shocks”

‍Keywords‍

• “super deluxe manual”
• “demonter monarch 3.3”
• “tête d'étanchéité à piston monarch”
• “wartung monarch rt3”
• “how to change damper roch shox”
• “monarch rc3 service manual”

‍Common SERP Features

• people also ask
• reviews
• image
• video
• image packs
• site links
• image packs

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Rear Suspension Questions

This topic is dominated by prospective searchers looking to do research before investing in gear.

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Are...

• are full suspension bikes worth it?
• are hardtail mountain bikes good?

How…

• how does a 4 link suspension work?
• how much suspension travel do i need?

What…

• what is a full suspension bike?
• what is a hardtail bike?
• what is a trunnion mount?
• what is preload on a bike?
• what is suspension in bike?

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Rear Suspension Question Trends‍

Rear suspension questions are focused more on the prospective buyer trying to understand the options of what they can buy and what it means to invest in specific products.

Synergy

Searchers are looking not only to understand rear shocks but also what new elements affect them and how they can be used together (ie. “what is a trunnion mount?”).

How does it work?

Most questions for rear suspensions focus on knowing what this terminology in mountain biking means. Searchers are looking into their options and how to use it. 

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Rear Suspension Tactics

Content leaders for forks are service manual pdfs in German and French. 

‍Search Volume‍

This topic sees a max search volume of 800.

Search Trends

From November 2021 to October 2022, “rear shock” (+2%) saw a search interest increase from the first half to the second half of the period. 

Search Attributes 

Service guides and manuals are the leader of search term intents with searchers looking for resources in their native languages.

Industry Topic Trends

In an industry analysis featuring content outside of chosen competitors, content with 2K-3K words saw +97% more shares across the internet. Reviews like this (412 shares) and “what” posts like this (936 shares) are leading content creation for the industry.

Content Tactics

Ensure your pdf manuals, guides and resources are properly indexed and ranking on Google. SRAM uses a “document-hierarchy” page to organize their PDFs which are all housed on the “.com” site regardless of the language being used. For example, the German guide does not rank under their “de” page.