In addition to being the premier weekly newspaper in southern New Jersey, The Gazette has always been in the forefront of online news delivery.
We launched our website in 1998. Since then, there have been several upgrades, but none of them have added as much to the website as the quantum leap forward that is our 2021 version of the website, created through the hard work of Gazette Staff Writer Kristin Guglietti. She put in many hours and brought her talent for web design and online journalism to the project. The result is nothing short of outstanding, something we know our online readers are going to enjoy.
When you visit the website at www.hammontongazette.com, you’ll see right away that the look is something fresh and new, easy to navigate and featuring prominently-displayed articles, pictures and videos. Guglietti used her creativity to bring readers a website that makes it easier than ever to consume the information we produce each week.
On that point: It will now be easier than ever to share articles through social media, texts and emails. The new website provides readers with the ability to take an article off the website and quickly post it onto their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any social media. Sending an article via text or email is just as easy.
Another new feature is the ability to view articles by staff members when clicking articles on the website’s staff page. If you are looking for articles by a particular writer, it’s easier than ever before to find them.
We know people are sharing information via social media more than ever, and we have made it possible to do it simply by accessing our website. In addition, articles will remain up on the website now (the previous website only kept articles up for a week)—but as always, we will not be putting all the articles from the print edition on the website.
Since 1998, it’s been our plan to use the website to complement, advertise and augment the print edition of the newspaper, not replace it. That plan has worked well for 22 years, as we have seen increases in our print circulation and our online readership. From what we’ve seen, the new website is drawing more readers than ever to the articles, photos, cartoons, columns, editorials and videos (“Gazette Sports Week” with Sports Editor Dan Russoman, “Gazette News Briefs” hosted by me and “Gazette In Fashion” with Franki Rudnesky) that appear online.
The website is more graphically pleasing than ever. The use of new fonts, photos, graphics and video all provide a colorful and attractive way of accessing each week’s information. The website will be updated on Friday afternoons and is free—again, only a portion of the print edition will be available online.
Another aspect of The Gazette website that has increased are the web banner ads on the site. As excitement grew for the new website, dozens of new advertisers signed up for online ads that are connected to their business’ social media page or website. People can click on the ads on our website and will be directed right to each business’ online presence. We’re going to continue to sell these web banner ads in the coming months.
I want to congratulate Kristin Guglietti, who did nearly all the work on the new website. The rest of the team, including myself, Gazette Editor-in-Chief Gina Rullo, Russoman, Gazette Lead Graphic Designer MarySusan Hoffman and Gazette Staff Writer Joseph F. Berenato all took the time to review the website as it was being created and provided their valuable input.
We hope you enjoy the new Gazette website, which works together with our weekly print edition of the newspaper (75 cents on newsstands; $25 for a local one-year subscription, $30 for an out-of-state one-year subscription), our Digital Edition (an online, color version of the print edition with six additional sections; $30 for a one-year subscription) The Gazette’s social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, our YouTube videos, our email newsletters, Gazette Print Shop and everything we produce at the offices of The Gazette. We provide our readers and viewers with the most comprehensive coverage and outlets for information regarding Hammonton and the surrounding area. We look forward to hearing from you as you experience the new website—contact Rullo at grullo@hammontongazette.com with your feedback, questions, ideas, suggestions, input and concerns.
Welcome to 2021—The Gazette’s new website is ready to take you into the future.
Gabe Donio is the publisher of The Hammonton Gazette.