The Little Online News Portal That Could! (How Puslinch Made Friends With Google)
The idea of Puslinch Today was born in a restaurant over dinner with my husband and our new friends, Kevin and Charlene Johnson. It began innocently enough with talk of a podcast and a website to house it. From that moment the conversation exploded with enthusiasm and ideas.
During the ice storm of two years ago – has it been two years, feels like yesterday – there was nowhere to go to get information about what was happening in Puslinch. It was like a black hole of news. We literally were all in the dark experiencing brain freeze.
We heartily agreed that it would be amazing to get information as it happens here in Puslinch Township and even have a go to when emergencies happen. And an event calendar. The calendar has been a dream of Kevin’s for years. Somewhere to go and easily find out what’s happening in Puslinch on any given day.
By the end of that evening the talk of a podcast became an online news portal and event calendar. Kevin then threw out a suggestion for a name and the first one stuck right out of the gate because it was so perfect. Puslinch Today.
This week Kevin and I met at a local restaurant in Aberfoyle (I recommend the Greek Salad!) for a bite and a catch-up. We like to brainstorm frequently about how we can make Puslinch Today an even better experience for you and increase our reach. Well, that just happened.
Unbeknownst to me, Kevin has been working diligently in the last couple of months on an application to Google News to become an approved news source for the online giant. No small feat, you can imagine. Google is like a private club with high initiation fees and stringent criteria to become a member. Oh, and you have to promise them your first born.
On Tuesday I got an email with a screen shot of Google News with a Puslinch Today post at the top, above the Toronto Star and the CBC (see image at bottom of post). He revealed that we have been accepted as a legitimate news source for Google News. All I can say is Holy Journalist Batman.
I’d like to thank the people of Puslinch for participating in what has turned out to be an amazing journey and for being a part of where it is today, just five short months after we launched. But most importantly my biggest shout out today goes to Kevin. Without him and his amazing ideas and technical prowess there would be no Puslinch Today. And thank you Kevin for bringing Google to town 🙂
Oh and that podcast? Stay tuned………
This is exciting indeed! Boy, we sure could have used an information site like this when we moved here 13 years ago. We knew nobody in the area, and having never lived in a rural setting before, it took time to get “the lay of the land”. I really like finding out what’s going on, both the good and the bad, shortly after it happens, the way the rest of the world does. Makes us feel connected with the rest of the community in a new and positive way. Thank you so much, Wayne and Daina!