Marketing &
Engagement
Over the past year, I have worked to make Theogony more than just a student newspaper — it’s now a widely read, community-driven publication. Through strategic social media engagement, direct outreach, rebranding efforts, and expanded distribution, we have dramatically increased readership and interaction. Additionally, by using analytics features from Google, Instagram and SNO, we’ve gained deeper insights into our audience, allowing us to maximize engagement and optimize content strategy.
​
While recent production has slowed due to our focus on fighting censorship, we are preparing to ramp back up and continue the momentum we’ve built.​
Online Expansion
Social media has been one of the most powerful tools in expanding Theogony’s reach. When I became Editor-in-Chief, I made it a priority to increase the frequency and quality of our social media content, ensuring that every major article, breaking news update, and feature story was amplified. Last school year, we had 11 posts on Instagram, but this school year, we already have 67, with more to come!
Engagement has grown exponentially since last year.
The group chat reacts to a facebook post going "viral."
A post I shared to a local facebook group exposed problems residents weren't aware of.
A message I sent to a local journalist.
Most of our top-viewed articles on Instagram are hard-news pieces, we've learned.
This effort has led to an unprecedented rise in engagement, with our Instagram account now consistently surpassing 100,000 monthly views — a direct result of a more structured and engaging posting strategy.
​
To improve our social media branding, I designed a new logo for Theogony that ties back to its Greek-inspired name while giving it a modern, professional identity that stands out across platforms. This rebranding has strengthened our presence as a legitimate and credible source of news in the school and community, while retaining a recognizable look.
​
Facebook has also played a major role in expanding our readership. I proactively distribute Theogony’s stories across multiple community Facebook groups, ensuring that our coverage reaches a broader audience beyond just students and faculty. By engaging with local groups and directly sharing relevant stories, I’ve been able to push our reporting into community conversations, generating significant traffic spikes. The discussions sparked by these posts have led to increased awareness of Theogony as not just a student newspaper but a serious journalistic outlet covering issues that matter to Alexandria as a whole.
​
​Beyond just posting, I take an active role in directly sharing our articles with individuals and organizations who would find them relevant. Whether it’s sending investigative stories to local journalists, city officials, or advocacy groups, or ensuring that important coverage reaches affected communities, I have worked to make sure our reporting doesn’t just sit on a website — it reaches the people who need to see it. This hands-on distribution strategy has significantly increased engagement and visibility for Theogony.​​
​
To further refine our engagement strategies, we use Google Analytics, Instagram Insights, and SNO Analytics to track readership trends. These tools have helped us identify peak engagement times, track which stories perform best, where our readers live, and refine how we promote our content. By merging journalism with data-driven decision-making, we ensure that our work is reaching the widest possible audience in the most effective way.
It's safe to say our comment section was please with our new logo.
Google Analytics has showed us that our feature articles do quite well internationally.
The mayor shouted us out in his newsletter.
Google Analytics allows us to see how much of our traffic is organic, and how much is referred form websites like facebook. This has allowed us to understand which articles to target for social media engagement.
Theogony got a shout-out in the mayor's newsletter.
A Community Newspaper
One of my major initiatives has been expanding Theogony’s presence beyond the school and into the Alexandria community.
This year, I led efforts to partner with local businesses to distribute print editions of Theogony throughout the city, making our work accessible to residents, business owners, and policymakers. This shift has reinforced our identity as a community newspaper, not just a student publication.
​
To ensure that students and residents know where to find our print editions, we created social media posts listing the locations where Theogony is available. This has encouraged more people to pick up a physical copy and engage with our reporting in a more traditional format. Additionally, we have posters at our school that link directly to our website and social media pages. This campaign has helped increase engagement, particularly among students who might not have been aware of Theogony’s presence online.
​
I also worked to form partnerships with local newspapers, allowing us to share information about Theogony in their print and online editions. This has helped further establish Theogony as part of the larger media landscape in Alexandria. Through these collaborations, we've expanded Theogony's credibility and readership in ways that were never done before.
​
Beyond increasing our visibility, I have also led efforts to expand our coverage to include more local news that affects the broader Alexandria community. Under my leadership, we have provided in-depth reporting on regional elections, local policies, city events, and neighborhood businesses. This shift has allowed Theogony to become a trusted source of information for not just students, but also for residents looking to stay informed about key issues in the city.
Theogony is available in local businesses across the city.
Our post showed the community everywhere they could find Theogony!
The Alexandria Times shared information about my teacher-pay piece in their print edition.
ALXnow wrote about my administrative restructuring article. Their write-up received more than 10,000 views!
An Explosion in Growth
Last school year, Theogony received only 10,000 page views for the entire year. Since I became Editor in Chief, we’ve already hit 20,000 views — doubling our readership in just a few months. Our analytics show consistent growth in online engagement, reflecting the success of our increased social media presence, expanded distribution, and targeted outreach strategies.
NOTE: On the graph on the left, the y-axis goes to 800. On graph on the right, it's doubled and goes to 1,600.
Our website views last school year.
Our website views this current school year.
Fundraising
Unlike many student newspapers, Theogony does not run intrusive ads in either its print or digital editions. Instead, we now use a donation-based funding model, ensuring that our journalism remains clean and reader-friendly while still being financially sustainable.
This school year alone, we have raised $1,400 through direct online donations to our website. These donations fully cover our hosting costs, in addition to SNO Flow.
​
Additionally, earlier this year, we launched a fundraising campaign that brought in an additional $3,000. These funds were crucial to cover travel expenses when we attended the National High School Journalism Convention. We also used them to expand the size and copies of our print edition and improve our equipment.
​
By prioritizing donations over traditional advertising, we have been able to create a smoother, more enjoyable reading experience that puts the focus on our journalism rather than ads. This approach has also helped reinforce Theogony’s reputation as a publication that values quality over commercial interests.
Community members on Facebook are always happy to pitch in!
We use social media to raise funds.