When we launched My Buckhannon in 2018, one of the first things we recognized was that there is no single way people use the internet. Some readers are on social media all day. Others won’t touch it. Some people type a web address directly into their browser; others use Google to get everywhere they go online.
We set out to be in all of those places — a strong social media presence, a website that ranks well when people search for Buckhannon or Upshur County, and a site that works just as well on a phone as it does on a computer.
In a world where algorithms change and search rankings shift, one of the most consistent connections we have with our readers is our Daily Digest email. Every morning, subscribers wake up to the previous day’s stories in their inbox. We publish six days a week, and on Sunday, we send a weekly recap — the top stories from the entire week, for readers who want to catch up all at once.
People love it.
But there was one issue. Many email apps have a built-in ‘mini’ web browser, and that browser would all too often send users to a login screen instead of the story.
I’m happy to say, we think we have solved that problem for good.
Readers may have noticed over the past few weeks that the email looks a little bit different, but the most meaningful change is one you will feel rather than see: when you click a story link in the email, you should never have to log in to read it.
Each link now contains a unique code tied to your account that grants temporary access to that story. It does not log you into your account — so if someone else gets ahold of one of your unique links, they will not gain access to your full account — but it does allow you to open and read any story with a single click.
The cold winter months are my favorite time of year for this kind of work. When the weather is bad and things slow down a bit, it is a good time to sit down and tackle technical improvements. The login-free email links are one of several upgrades we have been rolling out — more to come in the weeks ahead.
If you already subscribe, we hope you are enjoying the new daily digest. If you are not yet a subscriber, we would love to have you. My Buckhannon is a 100% local business — everyone on our team lives and works right here in Upshur County — and we publish stories every day that you will not find anywhere else.
Join us today by clicking here: www.mybuckhannon.com/memberships.
Brian Bergstrom is the owner and publisher of My Buckhannon.
