Mike Cotty: Global Brand Ambassador

​What we did

• Bespoke UI/UX design focused on high-impact sports photography
• Full-stack web development using ExpressionEngine CMS
• Technical information architecture for diverse content types
• Mobile-responsive front-end engineering
• Integrated social media and content syndication strategy
• Technical SEO and metadata optimisation

About the project

Mike Cotty is a prominent figure in the professional cycling world, serving as a high-profile brand ambassador for industry leaders such as Mavic and Cannondale. Specialising in ultra-endurance cycling, his career is defined by pushing the limits of human performance across the world's most challenging mountain ranges. Beyond the saddle, Mike is a respected technical writer and marketing consultant, providing deep industry insights and authentic storytelling for global sports brands.

In 2018, Mike required a digital headquarters that could house these multifaceted professional identities. The project was not merely a personal blog; it was the creation of a sophisticated professional hub that needed to balance the raw, epic nature of endurance cycling with the refined, technical precision of his marketing and writing services. Tinderhouse was commissioned to build a platform that could act as a definitive portfolio for his expeditions, media appearances, and corporate collaborations.

We approached this as a specialised web development project, ensuring that the site could handle the high-resolution imagery and video content synonymous with Mike's brand. To ensure we captured the right balance of features, we adopted a minimum viable product strategy during the initial build phase. This allowed us to launch the core portfolio and expedition logs quickly, giving Mike an immediate professional presence while we refined the more complex technical writing archives and media galleries. This MVP approach ensured the site was built on a solid foundation, ready to scale as his global influence continued to grow.

The Challenge

Representing an athlete and consultant of Mike Cotty's calibre required overcoming several technical and design hurdles. The project faced several specific pain points:

Diverse Content Requirements: The site needed to seamlessly integrate high-definition video, long-form technical writing, and epic photography without compromising performance.

Brand Alignment: The digital presence had to reflect the premium status of his sponsors, Mavic and Cannondale, while maintaining Mike’s unique personal brand identity.

Mobile-First Engagement: A significant portion of the cycling community engages with content on the move, requiring a flawless mobile experience that didn't lose the impact of large-scale mountain imagery.

Content Management Complexity: Mike needed an intuitive way to update his own site with new ride data, blog posts, and media mentions without needing constant technical support.

International Reach: As a global ambassador, the site required rapid loading times across different continents to serve a worldwide fan base and professional network.

SEO for Niche Authority: The platform needed to rank for specific terms across endurance cycling, product testing, and sports marketing to attract brand partners.

Our Solution

Bespoke ExpressionEngine CMS Build

We selected ExpressionEngine as the core platform because of its unparalleled flexibility in handling custom data structures. As specialist Expression Engine developers, we built a tailored backend that allowed Mike to manage different content "channels" with ease. Whether he was uploading a new technical gear review or a gallery from an alpine expedition, the CMS ensured that the content was automatically formatted to remain brand-consistent and SEO-friendly. This structured approach provided the professional stability required for an enterprise-level personal brand.

Visual Storytelling Architecture

The design prioritised high-impact visuals to reflect the epic nature of Mike's endurance feats. We developed a custom front-end that uses modern HTML5 and CSS techniques to serve large-scale images efficiently. By integrating a "mobile-first" philosophy, which we often apply in our app development projects, we ensured that the breathtaking mountain vistas looked just as impressive on a smartphone as they did on a desktop. This immersive design strategy helps to immediately establish Mike’s authority in the endurance cycling space.

Integrated Portfolio and Media Hub

To showcase Mike’s professional services, we created distinct sections for his technical writing and marketing consultancy. These were designed as structured portfolios, making it easy for potential brand partners to see his previous work with Mavic and Cannondale. We also integrated real-time social feeds and video embeds, turning the site into a dynamic media hub. This business app development mindset ensures the site serves as a functional tool for lead generation and professional networking, rather than just a static gallery.

Performance and Technical SEO

Given the heavy use of media assets, performance optimisation was critical. We implemented advanced caching, image compression, and minified code to ensure the site achieved high scores on core web vitals. Furthermore, we built a comprehensive technical SEO framework, allowing for granular control over metadata and social sharing tags. This ensures that every piece of content Mike publishes is ready to perform in search engine rankings and across social platforms, cementing his position as a thought leader in the sports app development and cycling industries.

The Results

The 2018 launch of the Mike Cotty platform provided a powerful new digital home for one of cycling's most authentic voices.

Unified Brand Identity: The site successfully merged Mike's roles as an athlete, writer, and marketer into one cohesive, premium professional brand.

Improved Engagement: Users spent more time on the site, engaging deeply with the long-form expedition content and technical reviews.

Operational Independence: The intuitive CMS allowed Mike to maintain his site independently, ensuring his digital presence stayed as current as his latest ride.

Global Visibility: The site saw an immediate increase in organic traffic from international markets, including Europe and North America.

Enhanced Partner Confidence: The professional nature of the site provided a high-quality platform for Mike’s sponsors to showcase their products through his unique perspective.

Technical Highlights

Core Framework: Custom ExpressionEngine implementation for flexible data management.

Frontend: Responsive HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript logic for cross-device consistency.

Backend: PHP and MySQL architecture designed for scalability and high uptime.

Media Handling: Custom image processing and video integration for high-definition content.

SEO: Integrated metadata management system and semantic markup.

Speed: Advanced server-side caching and asset minification for rapid global delivery.

Need to Build Your Professional Brand?

Whether you are a high-profile ambassador or looking for an MVP development plan to launch a new service, our Kent and London based developers are ready to help. We specialise in building premium digital platforms that tell your story and drive growth. 

Let's talk about your project today