For me personally, I’ll always remember 2021 as the year I achieved one of my greatest accomplishments – graduating from Zoom University back in May and eventually becoming a part of Great Lakes Now’s growing team in October.
I’m only about two months into my role as the new digital content coordinator for Great Lakes Now, but I’ve already learned a lot – and I’ve already gotten to see the team achieve a lot of great accomplishments in just the one-sixth of a year I’ve been on board.
After jumping on the opportunity to work on new projects and initiatives, I learned quickly that Great Lakes Now is all about serving you – our audience. I’m proud of being a part of something that puts so much value into community and is always looking for new ways to do so even more.
From expanding on our monthly show with web extras to curating playlists that correspond with trending environmental news topics, the GLN YouTube channel has been a focus that we’ve been working hard to improve as our audience grows. Examples of the playlists we’ve put together include PFAS Stories from Great Lakes Now, Great Lakes Now – Climate Change, and the initiative’s I Speak for the Fish web series.
While working on our YouTube channel in an effort to revamp the digital content we produce daily, I got to witness a pretty cool milestone in just the first few weeks of working here.
In October, we hit a million views on our YouTube channel – an accomplishment that resulted from our viewership growing steadily since our March 2019 launch and then skyrocketing at the beginning of this summer. Engagement on our YouTube platform continues to grow at a steady pace, and we prioritize engaging with our audience by keeping up with our watch parties, feedback submissions and social media posts.
Hitting a million views and watching our subscriber count nearly double in 2021 has been a great accomplishment for the team, demonstrating that we have been successful in our goal of improving audience engagement on this platform and have the potential to reach significantly more people in 2022. We plan on continuing to prioritize YouTube to ensure even more success in the future as we work to serve the community with our digital content.
It has truly been an exciting first couple of months at Great Lakes Now, and I’m looking forward to everything that is to come.
Hope you’re subscribed and following along with us as we continue to grow!
Read 2020’s staff lookbacks:
2020 in Review: Climate change, COVID-19 and Michigan’s governor
2020 Really Sucked. What’s Up Next? I don’t know.
Lake Ontario: Big catch escapes again
New Team: What’s good about 2020?
On the Pulse: I’ve Got One Word For You, 2020
2020 Vision: Great Lakes Now year in review predicts 2021
Or read some real news on Great Lakes Now:
Public Perception: When it comes to nuclear waste in the Great Lakes region, what counts as safe?
Old Business: EPA broadly designates legacy toxic sediment sites for funding priority
Featured image: A screenshot of one of Great Lakes Now’s YouTube playlists. (Photo courtesy of Mila Murray)
