- December 24, 2024
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In 2011, at about the same time that we launched palmcoastobserver.com, we also set up a Facebook page for the newspaper. Within hours, we had more than 200 fans, and we were ecstatic. The possibilities seemed limitless.
We monitored our Facebook page closely, posting links to most of the stories we posted on our website, and the traffic grew. We gained 1,000 fans. Then 2,000 fans. We created contests and polls, and people shared the content with their friends on Facebook. And we made a goal that by April 2014, we would break 10,000.
Thanks to Jared Mauldin, we began creating professional videos, from daily newscasts to feature packages.
Last summer, we were given a prestigious honor. The Local Media Association, which has more than 2,000 member newspapers in North America, recognized the Palm Coast Observer for the best use of social media among large weekly newspapers. The category recognized better-than-expected response rates and dramatic increases in fans.
And so, our heartfelt thanks to everyone who “likes” our page and who shares our content with their friends. A couple of weeks ago, three months ahead of our goal, we crossed the 10,000 fans mark. It was an occasion to celebrate in our office because it was a signal of approval from the community that we are creating a product people want. We hear stories of people who say they love the paper, but to see it in a number as big as 10,000 sends a loud message to us. (We think we are the only locally based Facebook page in Flagler County that has this many fans, but it’s tough to verify. If anyone knows of any that have more, email me at [email protected], so we can know what our next goal should be!)
What does 10,000 mean? It means there is a group of people who are connected to their community in one more way. It is a signal that, even in the age of 24/7 national news online and fascinating stories around the globe, people in Palm Coast still care about what’s happening in their own neighborhoods most.
And we will continue to deliver — both in print and at palmcoastobserver.com. To follow all the developments, join the community at facebook.com/palmcoastobserver.
