Sean Benesh

07/20/2026

Not too long ago, I visited several rural communities in the Oregon Outback.

As usual, before visiting a place, I always do a social media and internet search.

Not much.

There was some content from other media outlets, but it was pretty sparse.

This is definitely not a dig. It just pains me because I know these are spectacular places to visit with amazing people and businesses.

I keep saying it; I believe you can build and grow a community's reach and reputation on social media and even have a positive impact on its future.

07/15/2026

Promoting one race should still be a year-round endeavor.

You can’t disappear for ten months, return to social media eight weeks before race day, and expect people to suddenly care.

Visibility is built over time.

Consistent social media, long-form stories, course previews, community highlights, and behind-the-scenes content keep your race in front of potential participants throughout the year.

Great race marketing doesn’t begin two months before race day.

It happens all year.

07/14/2026

Social media is the front porch of your brand.

The question is: What do you want people to experience when they arrive?

Is it welcoming?
Appealing?
Inspiring?
Intriguing?
Captivating?

Your front porch gives people a glimpse of what’s inside ... and a reason to step closer.

That’s true whether you’re building the identity of a small town, growing a local brand, promoting a bike race, or creating something entirely different.

What kind of place are you inviting people into?

07/14/2026

Over the past year, I've written quite a bit about the potential of outdoor recreation to strengthen rural economies.

I still believe it.

But after spending a weekend photographing a cycling race in eastern Oregon, I found myself thinking less about economic impact and more about something we don't talk about nearly enough.

Trust.

How do communities welcome new economic opportunities without feeling like they're losing the place they've always called home?

In my latest article, I explore why I believe the future of adventure tourism depends on so much more than trails, races, and visitors. It's about earning the trust of the people who already call these places home.

I was standing in the ditch with a camera in my hand as it offered a better angle for photographing the peloton as it raced toward me. While I waited, I clicked through my camera settings one last time. Then I heard it before I saw it. A lifted diesel pickup came barreling down the road, drifting

07/13/2026

As I start prepping for my fall undergrad courses, I am reminded that it doesn’t cost much to create content for social media.

Smartphones work great, especially for vertical video content.

I continue to enjoy shooting in C-Log3 on the $500 Canon R50v. Drop on a LUT in CapCut, and we’re good to go.

I think of all of the people tasked with creating social media content for small towns. You can create amazing content with what you have. It’s more about the story and how you shoot than all of the latest gear.

07/10/2026

For years, we’ve treated trail development and social media marketing as separate conversations.

I don’t think they are.

A trail is infrastructure. Storytelling is the infrastructure that helps people discover it.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4pdKj8Q

07/09/2026

A race lasts a weekend.

I believe that a well-written story keeps working for years.

Most event marketing disappears after 24 hours. Social posts fade. Reels lose momentum. Algorithms move on.

But a thoughtful, SEO-friendly article becomes something different.

It helps people discover your race through search. It gives sponsors something meaningful to share. It introduces future participants to your community. It tells the story behind the roads, trails, volunteers, and local businesses that make an event worth traveling for.

The same is true for rural communities.

Long-form storytelling isn’t just content for the sake of content. It’s part of your digital infrastructure ... attracting visitors, building trust, and shaping how people see your community or race.

That’s why I believe every race and every trail town should invest in stories that outlast the event itself.

07/08/2026

I’ve shot photos for more races than I can keep track of, but I’d never done what I call “race media coverage” until recently.

Recording, editing, and uploading 3-5 videos throughout the day, with photos sprinkled in, has a powerful effect on reach and visibility.

It’s a multiplier.

The shares, likes, saves, and comments that these posts generate put your race in front of more eyeballs than your strategy of randomly boosting posts.

It’s about capturing the moment.

07/07/2026

Hey crew,

Sean here from Trail Builder Magazine.

Lately I’ve been looking at our subscription numbers, and honestly ... you’ve continued to blow me away.

Thank you ... seriously.

Every new subscriber/member is helping prove something I’ve believed from the beginning: this magazine can be supported by the trail building community itself.

That means I’m not chasing to fill every issue with ads. When you read an article on our website, you’re not boxed in by encroaching ads. Listen, I know ads have their place too ...

Your support gives me the freedom to invest in what matters most: telling the stories of the people building, maintaining, and advocating for trails around the world.

As a thank you, I’m rolling out something new for members.

More content.

More articles. More stories. More gear reviews. More behind-the-scenes coverage. More of the kind of reporting that doesn’t always fit into the magazine itself.

If you’re already a member, this is my way of saying thank you for believing in what we’re building.

If you’re not a member yet, I’d love to have you join us.

This platform exists because of this community, and I’m grateful to be building it alongside you.

Learn more and sign up: https://bit.ly/44fVkOt

07/07/2026

I have a theory.

A strategic, consistent social media presence could put almost any rural community on the map.

Over the past several years, I’ve documented trail organizations, gravel, road, and mountain bike races, and rural communities across the American West. One thing has become increasingly clear: Great trails don’t really market themselves.

And many small towns struggle to do the same ...

That’s why I believe storytelling on social media is no longer simply marketing. I think it’s actually part of economic development.

In this new article, I explore what the Oregon Timber Trail taught me about rural communities, why trails alone rarely transform local economies, and why storytelling may be one of the most overlooked investments a community can make.

Drawing on experiences with the Oregon Timber Trail, Sean Benesh explores how trails, storytelling, and social media work together to help rural communities attract visitors, strengthen local economies, and build lasting destinations.