A fun chance to meet readers and get feedback
This morning we held our first iLoveKent reader meetup to meet some of our most engaged readers, learn why they love Kent, share a bit of our history, talk about our plans for 2017, discover what readers feel our role in the community is and learn what kind of content they most want to see. Sixteen readers attended the event, including Brandy Dollarhide and Frankie June of Down Home Catering who hosted the event for us.
Here’s a brief recap of the meeting:
Why readers love Kent
- Sense of community
- Kent people – the heart of Kent
- Kent parks
- Friends and family
- “This is home”
- The opportunity to enjoy a lot of different kinds of activities
- How easy it is to get involved
What readers like about iLoveKent
- Showcasing the positive side of Kent
- Sharing cultural and community activities
- Being a one-stop resource for community news and events
Our role in the community
- A central hub for information not available elsewhere
- Regular listings and info. about upcoming events and activities
- Helping Kent tell its story beyond the news – who we are and what we’re about
Our plans for 2017
- We’re celebrating our 10th year in 2017!
- Quarterly reader meetups (Jan., Apr., Jul., Oct.)
- 10th anniversary celebration this summer
- Political debates on Sept. 14 (Kent mayor) and Sept. 28 (Kent City Council)
- Forming an advisory board
- A new look that better reflects who we are
- ‘Faces of Kent’ social media campaign to showcase the people of Kent
- A spring surprise
Suggestions for improvement
- Do a better job of marketing iLoveKent so more people know about it.
- Include more information about family and kid-friendly activities and events.
- Highlight Kent high school alumni.
- Share more community volunteer opportunities.
- Differentiate between Kent Downtown Partnership and Kent Chamber.
- Explain how to start a neighborhood watch program.
- Keep them informed of new businesses coming to town.
- Feature different Kent neighborhoods.
[Photos by Satwinder Kaur and Dana Neuts]
Thank you to everyone who attended today as well as Down Home Catering for hosting the event, and a special thank you to Lynn Cheng and Michelle Teeter for their assistance in making iLoveKent successful.
Our next reader meetup will be in April. Watch our Facebook page for details soon!
