As the year of the snake yields to the year of the horse (according to the Chinese zodiac), our minds turn from holiday celebrations to new year’s resolutions. But before abandoning the slithering past to the galloping future, I would like to update you on the past, present and future of the Essex on Lake Champlain community blog.

Here’s a quick preview of what I’ll cover in the post below (and three follow-up posts this week):

• Year in Review: Behold the Booming Blog!
• Readers, Writers & Blog Boosters: Thanks, Blog Community!
• How to Get Involved: We need your help!
• New Year’s Resolutions: Our plans for 2014!

Thanks in advance for taking the time to learn what we have been up to, and for finding out how you can get involved.

Essex Blog is Booming

It’s been a banner year for Essex on Lake Champlain. In a new media world littered with flops and flizzle-outs the Essex blog is one of the few enduring, independent, “hyperlocal” (micro-niche) websites publishing timely, relevant content for a growing audience.

There’s no better place to start our 2013 year in review than our blog metrics.

• The blog was visited 76,000 times in 2013 and 112,031 since its June 2011 launch.
• There were 706 new posts in 2013, almost doubling the 1,341 post archive.
• The busiest day was July 4th with 646 views: Essex, NY: Fourth of July 2013 (Update).
• Top posts (in addition to ferry/July 4th updates) were Essex Inn and Chez Lin & Rays announcements.
• 180 new posts are in development (or ready) to publish in weeks/months ahead.
• The blog crossed a new traffic threshold in July with 10,242 monthly visits.
• Post-Labor Day traffic tapers, but we doubled 2012 traffic with 6,591/month in Sept-Dec.

For a small, rural community with a predominantly seasonal economy these figures are astounding. And super exciting!

Essex Social Media

What started as a short-term initiative to showcase Essex perseverance and morale during the 2011 flood has matured into a thriving online community serving residents and visitors alike. Today the blog anchors a robust local information platform that includes a daily and weekly Essex newsletter, Facebook page and group (1,069 likes), Twitter stream (568 followers), and a growing Pinterest presence.

And that’s not all. In August we launched the Essex Events Calendar to promote local events easily, quickly, and for free. You can post directly to the calendar (contact us for username/password or help) or you can share events via Facebook. Just let us know to monitor your Facebook page, and when you post an event on Facebook we’ll automagically import it onto the Essex Events Calendar. Shazam!

Doodling Essex

The Doodler’s Guide to Essex, NY is the newest addition, a still evolving project that includes:

• collecting and curating doodles created by Essex residents, visitors and fans;
• a staged performance last summer at The Depot Theatre;
• a public Essex Google map (available online now);
• a print “doodle map” of Essex heritage sites, businesses, etc. (available in June);
• Essex architecture greeting cards (available at AAA and Ice Cream Cafe);
• and a Doodler’s Guide to Essex Architecture (booklet available in June).

The last of these is the one that excites us the most. We’ve been working on it for a year, and we’re nearly ready to wrap up revisions and move onto the next booklet in the Doodle Essex series. Doodle Essex History? Doodle Essex Adventures? Doodle Essex Food? Doodle Essex Arts? Help us decide!

Blogging the Essex Renaissance

Back in the summer of 2011 when Essex was underwater (literally and metaphorically), I proposed a “hyperlocal”, niche blog as an antidote to the dismal story that was emerging in the mainstream media and social media. We all understood and welcomed concern that protracted, history-breaking floods would jeopardize local business prospects. But we also wanted to share another more positive side of the story.

We wanted the world to know that Essex is a resilient community, and that we would recover from the flood damage. We wanted to broadcast an optimistic vision for the future: soon Essex would be better than ever!

And indeed it soon was.

Today our community continues to grow better and better, blossoming into a veritable Essex renaissance. The Essex blog has been exploring and sharing this exciting story for two and a half years, and we hope to continue with your support and participation.

Over the next few days I’ll publish three follow-up posts directly related to this year in review. Please read them and pass them along to your Essex friends.

• Readers, Writers & Blog Boosters: Thanks, Blog Community!
• How to Get Involved: We need your help!
• New Year’s Resolutions: Our plans for 2014!

Thank you in advance for taking the time to learn what we have been up to, and for finding out how you can get involved. Happy new year!

Related articles

• Essex, NY Not Just A Summer Town (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Essex Aerial View (rosslynredux.com)
• Vintage Postcard: The Old Dock Coffee House, Essex, NY (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Vintage Postcard: Essex Bay (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Vintage Photo: St. Joseph’s Church (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)