A big, bold, bright change for Northeast Ohio
When I started Summit Peeks in 2016, I didn’t anticipate it taking off like it did. People signed up to host the Twitter account to share their side of Akron, and those following along loved seeing different perspectives they might not have known about. The community grew, and I had the opportunity to partner with local businesses to show just how great it is to live, work and play in Akron and Summit County.
Then life events got in the way, and I had to put Summit Peeks in the back seat. People kept asking when it would come back. They loved the takeovers and missed being introduced to a new face each week. I knew that when I brought it back, some things would have to change in regards to running it and in continuing to build an online community. The first and biggest change would be moving the takeovers to Instagram. I was hearing more and more people say that they didn’t know how to use Twitter or they deleted their account because they no longer liked the vibe on that social media platform. Plus, the number of people using Instagram was still climbing. That switch was easy to pull off.
And then something else got in the way. I found out someone in the Akron area was trying to trademark the Summit Peeks name for their blog. Long story short, I could have spent more than $1,000 fighting for the brand I created. Since I didn’t make any amount of money running Summit Peeks, I struggled going back and forth about burning money, time and energy to keep the name. I talked to a lot of friends and Akronites about the situation, and we came up with different ways to move forward. Of course, I think I bit off the most I could chew.
I decided to spend money, time and energy in a way that would hopefully help more people than myself. I didn’t want it all wrapped up in a legal battle. Instead, I wanted to make a greater impact through renaming the community, redesigning the website, expanding the blog and working with a local artist to design a new logo.
That’s how Everyday Akron was born.
You’ll still get a unique perspective of Akron every day by everyday people. The Instagram takeovers aren’t going anywhere — they’re still the focus of Everyday Akron. But I’m adding more ways for Akronites to get involved. Sometimes when I ask people to host the account, they decline, saying they’re not sure what they’d post about for a full week or that their life is “too boring”. (Trust me, it is not.) So I’m creating ways to share your love for Akron on the blog and other social media outlets that don’t involve posting seven days a week.
Also, similar to previous posts with Vitamix and Summit County Historical Society, I hope to build more partnerships with local brands and organizations in order to share more stories about Akron and everything it has to offer. In fact, if you have an idea for something we can work on, please reach out.
I won’t go into too much detail about the new look, because there’s a blog post coming next week on that. But, I will say Lindsey Jo Scott (@lindseyjoscott) hit a home run out of the universe with the new logo. I wanted something bright, fresh and energetic for the relaunch, and that’s exactly what she created. I can’t wait for you to hear more about it soon.
The mission of Everyday Akron is to highlight and amplify unique perspectives of Akron by those who live, work and play here. There is something amazing happening every day in Akron. Sure, the city has its fair share of negatives. But as more and more people share their good stories, their favorite places, the things they do for fun, the food they can’t live without, the friends they see around town, and so much more, all of these unique perspectives weave together to create an incredible community within social media and in real life.
Here is where I turn to you. If you haven’t started following @EverydayAkron on Instagram, please do. You’ll meet a new Akronite each week and get to see their side of Akron. And, if you want to be one of those Akronites, please sign up to host the Instagram account. We’d love to meet you.
I also encourage you to follow Everyday Akron on Facebook and Twitter. That’s where I announce the new hosts, let you know which weeks are open for takeovers, and more… and there will be a lot more coming now that Everyday Akron is growing.
Whether you’ve been here from the beginning or just stumbled upon Everyday Akron, thank you for being here. I appreciate all the support I’ve received over the years. I’m excited for what’s next.
Everyday Akron 