The Monroe Sun makes its first million (visits)

When I wrote a column in August about the dire financial outlook of The Monroe Sun, I was soon overwhelmed by the generosity of residents and businesses in the community who came forward to save Monroe’s hyperlocal news site. Many people made donations, some recurring monthly or annually, and several businesses purchased advertisements.

Late in the year EmpowerLocal, a company that connects websites with national brands, contacted The Sun about advertising on three spots on the site. This should also help with The Sun’s longterm stability.

So now The Monroe Sun enters 2024 with a bright outlook on its future, on the heels of reaching over 1 million visits in 2023, when sessions increased from 695,000 visits to 1,054,576.

This phenomenal growth not only highlights the challenges, triumphs and accomplishments of Monroe’s residents, officials, organizations, schools and sports teams, it also brings more exposure and business to The Sun’s advertisers.

One boost in traffic was thanks to the Monroe Parents, CT Facebook page, which invited The Sun to its group to expand its reach. The Monroe, CT Residents page also helps bring traffic to the site every year.

Sports freelance has been brought back, and I’m hoping to find other ways to improve the site, while covering the news of our town moving forward!

Special thanks

I want to thank everyone who made a donation and every business that bought an ad last year.

First, those who were there from the start of the year: L.A. Barnaby & Sons and Pony Parts Plus. I’m also grateful for my partnership with The Center for Family Justice.

I will always be grateful to the late Bailey Stewart for his support of local news. He was one of the first people who reached out to me when I started The Sun, signing up 574 Wines and Your CBD Store Monroe for ads. I hope both businesses thrive in the New Year!

Sippin Energy, a fixture in the Monroe community, has also been a regular supporter since The Sun rose in July of 2019.

After my column last August, Jason Edwards of J. Edwards & Associates, local Realtor Lawren Hubal,  Dave Wolfe of Wolfepromo, Jaime Zuniga of Osteria Romana, Constantin Crama of Monroe Social and Mike Putnam of Whitney Cabinet & Painting came forward to advertise.

I appreciate the first selectman campaigns of Terry Rooney and Jerry Stevens for using The Sun’s ad space to reach voters.

The Sun has also enjoyed the support of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, the Monroe Economic Development Commission, the Monroe Farmers’ Market, the Bicentennial Committee and Monroe Public Schools.

I’m eager to embark on a new year. Here’s to a great 2024 for Monroe!

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