Staff Report
It’s been coming for more than a year now.
And later this week the Hays Free Press will premiere its new and improved website, with searchable archives, stories from the past and from other publications, videos, photos and much more.
Current subscribers will soon be sent their new login for full access to all items – if they sent in their email addresses to[email protected] in the past.
New subscribers can now pay for their subscriptions online and immediately have access to all premium stories, photos and more that will now be exclusively for subscribers.
In addition, subscribers will be allowed to comment on stories directly to the editor and the comments will be displayed on the website.
But advertisers don’t have to worry. There will still be content in front of the paywall that will attract readers, and the ads will be available and searchable for anyone wishing to contact advertisers.
The new website will also continue with its e-edition, for those readers who wish to look at the searchable image of the newspaper’s printed edition.
If a reader saw an ad in the print edition and wants to get in touch with a particular advertiser, the e-edition also allows each ad with a website address to immediately connect to the advertiser’s website.
“This is real added value for our advertisers,” Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton said. “These immediate connections mean we are able to drive more customers directly to their website. With tens of thousands of unique visitors to our website each and every month, we are the source for everything in Buda and Kyle, and this can only help our advertisers.”
Subscribers have several options when it comes to paying for news. “Anyone who wants to continue getting their sports stories or their business or community stories need to make sure and get their subscriptions up to date,” Slovak-Barton said. “We are keeping our prices at $28 per year right now.”
However, for those subscribers who wish to have an automatic monthly payment charged to their credit card, that option will also be available through the new website. The charge for a monthly subscription is $3.99/month.
The new website is expected to premiere before October 1.
