THIS ARTICLE IS COMMENTARY AND PUBLISHED IN OUR EDITORIAL SECTION.
PVN discontinues ad service after numerous complaints
By Randy Arrington, publisher
We heard you — and we acted.
After numerous complaints about the “pop up” ads appearing on PageValleyNews.com, we reconsidered an earlier business decision and went with the wishes of our readers: “Please remove this annoyance.”
The outside advertising vendor represented national brands, such as large auto manufacturers. It did not feature local businesses (although Luray Caverns did appear on a few spots). A large grocery chain appeared often that has no store in the county. The videos, pop ups and in-story ads have been removed, allowing easier access to text and features on the website.
While this is no magnificent feat, we simply wanted to take this moment to let our readers know that we heard you, and we responded. Now, there are other complaints we have heard that may not receive the same level of attention, but we still hear you. The growing complaints on this issue contrasted with the minimal revenue stream this feature created, made the decision fairly easy. We listened to our readers, despite a slightly negative economic impact.
We hope this also illustrates our overall mission in operating this community website. We’re not doing this to get rich (far from the economic reality). Below are areas where we could be charging for services (like local traditional media), but instead we offer these services for FREE:
- FREE Obituaries — We feel obituaries should be published free of charge, and with full life stories – not condensed versions aimed at keeping costs down.
- FREE Job listings — Any business can post a Job Listing on our site free of charge. We have a user-friendly system that allows you to post openings on your own, and as many as you want. This should also serve as the No.1 local venue for those seeking a job as well.
- FREE Yard Sale listings — Send your Yard Sale information (when, where, what) to publisher@pagevalleynews.com and we will publish your listing on our website and our Facebook page to help draw a crowd looking for a deal.
- NO Subscription — Instead of paying nearly $50 a year to get very little news a week or two late, you can click on PageValleyNews.com 24/7 for FREE, as many times as you want, and get the latest news available about the Page Valley.
While it’s not a free service, our flat rate of $95 per Public Notice has already saved local government agencies money. A Northern Virginia attorney recently spent more than $1,000 this past week in traditional media to publish the notice of a Foreclosure Sale. The same ad on PVN would have cost $95.
Instead of out-of-state ownership squeezing every dollar it can out of the community, we represent local ownership who wants to provide an information service for the community we actually live in. It’s far from perfect… in fact, PVN is still far from the level of quality and quantity of information that we want to achieve in providing a comprehensive news agency devoted to Page County. However, we feel we have made a great deal of progress since Feb. 3, 2020.
As PVN approaches its 5th anniversary in early 2025, we still maintain about 1,000 readers each day. Traditional media in the county is down to 600 weekly subscribers in the county, according to the Statement of Ownership published last Thursday, Oct. 3. Each month, we bring in around 30,000 users who then lay eyes on more than 100,000 pages every 30 days.
It is our hope, that as we continue to find better ways to serve the community — that the community, particularly the business community, begins to find out what a bargain we represent. PVN is the best marketing tool available in terms of reaching the people of the Page Valley.
Please come and grow with us — offer ideas, send us tips… and practice some patience. Over the past year, the number of requests for coverage of events, teams, or happenings has grown exponentially. We are searching for ways to be more accountable to the many wonderful (and not so wonderful) things happening in Page County. And while this is a good “growing pain” to have, we once again ask for your patience as we work our way through the many meetings, the many teams, and the many events that make up life in the Page Valley.
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