Being able to solicit views from a news audience was a great way to get past apathy and convince people to think about local issues—and pay attention to the news coverage in Franklin Observer.
About Franklin Observer
Started in June of 2021, Franklin Observer is a daily local online newspaper that aims to deliver up-to-date, reliable news to a small but growing city in Massachusetts. Alan R. Earls, its founder, believes that strong, local journalism supports democracy in crucial ways. With a local news source contributing to the development of a common culture, strengthening community ties is easier.
Discovering Zoho Survey
Franklin Observer provides a venue for expressing opinions, discussing issues, getting to know the neighborhood, celebrating significant occasions, and defining a community’s identity. At first, it was difficult for Earls to make an impact in the crowded field of journalism. He was on the lookout for a platform to help people get more involved with local social issues, and hoped to elicit a sense of ownership by soliciting opinions from the community. He considered other survey tools to gather data but found them to be complex and expensive. Then, he found Zoho Survey. Its ease of use and affordability made it the optimal choice.
Walking with Zoho Survey
Earls uses Zoho Survey to collect readers’ views on various issues and uncover deep insights. The intuitive, no-code nature of the platform helps him manage all functionalities seamlessly and bolsters his brand’s interaction with readers. He is happy to see his response rate, and his publication, growing with the help of Zoho Survey. Often, Earls turns survey results into news stories, holding a mirror up to the audience and giving them a detailed look into community sentiments. Earls is well aware that stories can sway people, and that they hold the power to change the course of history.