SPOKANE, Wash. — Having several thousand followers on social media is no small feat, but turning that following into a growing media company is an even larger one.
Just ask Erin Peterson and Melissa Berry, the creators behind Trending Northwest and Everyday Spokane.
"I actually just ran into somebody last night when I was out shopping, who came up to me out of the blue and said, oh my gosh, I love your account," Erin said. "We have so much fun following you!"
The content creators showcase what's new and noteworthy regarding food, travel and experiences in the Inland Northwest.
Berry said she started her Instagram account as a way to share her move to Spokane in 2018. She wanted to share what was like to travel with a dog, find an apartment and start to house hunt in the area.
"As we were exploring Spokane, and I was re-exploring Spokane, my husband and I kept following this one Instagram influencer, who had these amazing food recommendations. And every time she suggested something, we'd go, and we had an amazing experience," Berry said.
That influencer was Erin Peterson. The two met up for coffee and quickly became friends and eventually business partners.
"I actually started being a food and travel writer," Peterson said. "And I love getting to share about all the delicious foods that were available here in Spokane and throughout the region."
The media mavens turned their following into a podcast and now a magazine called 'Trending Northwest.'
"We went from the podcast and we were able to transcribe that and put some of those interviews on the web," Berry said. "And then from the web, we were able to get photographers, local photographers to help us kind of illustrate what we were covering on the web, and then put that in the magazine. And so really what we did was take all the content we already had with social media, and just make it more robust for the web."
Peterson said the response from the community has been overwhelming.
"Every day, we have new orders coming in, and we have 1000s of subscribers, it has been such an incredible experience to see the community respond in this way to this project," Peterson said.
The magazine features similar content to Peterson and Berry's social media pages, like where to go for a great meal or for a bottle of wine. It also includes changemakers in the community and highlights guest contributors from diverse backgrounds.
"We saw something missing in the media landscape in our region," Peterson said. "And we really wanted to showcase diverse voices and make sure that we had an inclusive publication that everyone could see themselves in. So no matter what walk of life they come from, we wanted them to feel empowered and uplifted and encouraged by the content that they read."
You can find Trending Northwest magazine in several local stores, restaurants and coffee shops.
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