30.06.11: Your own community website, Roseland Online, is expanding to help businesses on both the Roseland and surrounding areas benefit from the popular website’s growth. The website will now expand its coverage to encapsulate the parishes of Cuby, Gerrans, Grampound with Creed, Ladock, Mevagissey, Philleigh, Probus, Ruan Lanihorne, St. Ewe, St. Goran, St. Just-in-Roseland, St. Michael Caerhays & St. Michael Penkevil, Tregony and Veryan.
Editor, Mark David Hatwood, said, “I am astounded by the steady growth of Roseland Online. It started in June 2009 to help businesses on the Roseland get exposure outside of the Roseland. Having worked in the Harbour Club, Portscatho, I was confused when tradesmen from other areas of the UK came in as they were working on second homes here. Why don’t the owners use the local tradesmen? I thought. Then it occurred to me that when off the Roseland, second home owners don’t get the excellent Parish magazine and so I decided to create a database of services for free to help right that wrong.”
It was very clear before launch that just a database would hardly be used, so, with then co-creator Martin, they decide to add news, views and reviews to make sure it was used and therefore helped the local businesses get noticed.
The growth has been steady, but amazing to watch. Starting at just 828 visits in the first month, then 1125 the second, it just went on growing and now recieves over 160,000 hits a month and over 6000 visits from all over the world.
“I had a phone call just the other day,” Mark added, “from a local builder who said, ‘Hey, Mark, I owe you a thank-you. I just had a big job through Roseland Online and I didn’t even know I was on there!’ which was very satisfying, knowing that my dream of creating a database that’s used often by people, both near and far, had been achieved.”
Roseland Online is now expanding to support both the possibility of a local radio station in the area (of which Mark is the Chairman) and to help even more businesses benefit from Roseland Online’s sucess. They are now looking for sub-editors in all those parishes, too, to help Mark (who is now running the website alone) keep an ear on the ground and send back news and events for us to publish.
“Sub editors will be a great help as I can’t be everywhere and also administer the site,” Mark said, “so I really want to hear from anyone who thinks they’d like to contribute. It’s great for the advertisers who already have block ads with us as they get an even greater reach without any price increase. As a community enterprise, we’ve been able to keep our block ads at just £60 per year since launch and that will stay at least for another year, despite our huge expansion since our conception, and I look forward to hearing from more businesses in both the new and old area, who want to recieve greater exposure through us. I would also like to send a big thanks out to all the businesses who’ve supported us these past years,” he added.
Roseland Online has been proud to support local sports since year one by sponsoring both Gerans Cricket Club and St. Mawes and Gerrans football team through its surplus profits and looks forward to keeping up that trend in the future. If you think you can help in Roseland Online’s expansion, just email Mark on: Mark@Roseland-Online.co.uk to arrange an informal chat. And if you wish to donate towards Mark’s fundraising skydive to help raise funds for the expansion, please click on the donate button on the homepage. Many thanks for your support!