Building a brand is a long game. It’s less about viral hits and more about consistent presence, a clear identity, and showing up with something that actually connects. I’ve seen it firsthand in the adventure of building Trail Builder Magazine from the ground up.

I vividly remember talking with a gravel race director in a small town last year who said, “We post on social media when we can, but it’s hard to keep up.” I get it. Most of these races are volunteer-run, and tourism boards in rural areas are often underfunded and juggling multiple roles. But what I’ve seen again and again, through my work with Trail Builder Magazine and now with BorderLands Gravel, is that your online presence is your brand. If your social media looks like an afterthought, people assume your event or destination is too.

It’s not that these brands are ignoring social media. It’s that they’re not doing it well. And in today’s landscape, that’s just as costly.

Over the past few months, I’ve been reflecting a lot, not just on Trail Builder Magazine, but on the broader journey of building brands, launching projects, and trying to create something meaningful.

When I first set out, everything was personal. Each post, each article, and each project felt like an extension of my own story. Whether it was telling the gritty, inspiring stories of trail builders or working with small towns to spotlight their hidden adventures through rural tourism, it was all rooted in real people, real places, and a deep sense of purpose.

But here’s the challenge that I struggle with: the bigger things get, the easier it is to lose that connection.

In the heart of rural America, where vacant storefronts line dusty main streets and the hum of industry has long gone quiet, something unexpected is stirring: the whir of tires on gravel.

Gravel racing has exploded over the past decade. It has become a bona fide movement. And for rural communities searching for a spark to reignite local economies, it might just be the answer hiding in plain sight.

A compelling social media presence can take a rural community from total obscurity to “I’ve got to go there.” For small towns and up-and-coming adventure-rich destinations, it’s about building a strategy rooted in purpose.

In my experience, the most effective content plans rest on three pillars: storytelling, engagement, and conversion. Let’s explore more ...

Interestingly, most business owners and non-profit leaders I talk with don’t like social media. While they know it is essential for their brand to grow its awareness and generate sales, interest, signups, etc., there’s a growing allergy to social media. As a result, most will post randomly without any plan or strategy.

However, they’re missing out on the best of what it means to be on social media. Here’s why a strategy is essential …

Social media growth is the magical elixir that all brands are focused on … or at least should be. However, looking at the analytics of several brands I know or follow, especially those that grew rapidly in the early days of Instagram, it seems they’ve contented themselves with either flatlining or declining slowly. When pressed, many will simply shrug and then mention something about algorithms.

Social media is constantly changing. That is nothing new, and it has been that way from the beginning. Throughout the year, there are constant tweaks to the algorithm. For example, Instagram may emphasize Reels and push that content, only to later pivot toward carousels. We're left guessing and scrambling to keep up. Oh, and then there's AI.

As we forge ahead year after year, with everything happening and changes on the horizon, what does it take to stand out on social media today?

How about authenticity ...

One of the common themes about social media that I hear constantly is that to “crack the code,” you need super-secret “insider-only” info that only a select few marketing gurus know. I regularly see videos about the SECRET TO SOCIAL MEDIA.

Is it really that secretive?