You don't have a traffic problem. You have a distribution problem.

The Expositor has something most media organizations would kill for: 146 years of trust, zero print competition, and a community that depends on you. That's not a weakness—it's an unfair advantage.

The challenge is straightforward. When Meta banned Canadian news, you lost your primary digital distribution channel overnight—25,000 followers, gone. Traffic dropped. Your digital revenue infrastructure wasn't built to stand on its own. And your small team is stretched thin trying to figure out what to do next.

Here's the good news: the foundation is solid. You dominate Google search for anything Manitoulin. Your organic search engagement rate is 70%+. Your Friday newsletter has nearly 3,000 loyal subscribers. And your print product is still the heartbeat of the island.

This roadmap is built around your three priorities, with one guiding principle: low effort, high impact. Every recommendation is designed for a small team with limited hours. Nothing here requires enterprise tools or full-time digital staff.

Honest Assessment

Before we talk strategy, let's be clear about what's working, what's broken, and what's missing. No sugarcoating.

What's Working

• Organic search dominance — You own Google for anything Manitoulin-related. 1,702 sessions/month from search alone with 70% engagement. That's exceptional.
• Direct traffic loyalty — 2,057 people/month type your URL directly. These are your die-hards. They don't need a reminder to find you.
• Newsletter base — 2,777 subscribers is a real asset. For an island of ~14,000, that's meaningful penetration.
• Print trust — You're the newspaper of record. 146 years. Michener Award. No competitor. This trust transfers to digital if positioned right.
• Content engine already running — You produce weekly stories. That's content gold for digital—you just need better distribution.
• TikTok presence — Mike's front-page reads are a smart move. Short-form video is the growth channel right now.

What's Broken

• Social media links return 404 errors — Google penalizes broken links. Visitors who try to find you on social hit a dead end. Fix today.
• Newsletter signup is buried — Your most valuable conversion action is hidden below the fold in a tiny text box. This is costing you subscribers every single day.
• No Facebook presence — The Meta news ban wiped out 25K followers. You have no workaround in place. (We'll fix this.)
• Analytics gap — Bots were accidentally blocked. Only ~5-6 months of clean data. Hard to sell advertisers without numbers.
• Paywall removed, no replacement — Free content is great for traffic but you gave up subscription revenue with no alternative monetization.
• Only one reliable digital advertiser — Kevin has no digital product to sell because there's no rate card, no packages, and limited traffic proof.

What's Missing

• A clear digital ad offering with pricing Kevin can put in front of clients
• Print + digital bundle packages
• A content calendar and posting schedule the team can follow without guessing
• A strategy to reach younger residents and island newcomers
• A way back onto Facebook (there is one—more on this below)
• Defined staff roles for digital tasks

Grow & Engage Digital Audience

Target: +25–40% website traffic, +500–1,000 newsletter subscribers in 12 months

1A. Fix the Foundation First (Week 1–2)

Before any growth strategy, stop the bleeding. These are quick wins that cost nothing but time.

1B. Email List Growth — Your New Facebook

Your email list is the single most important digital asset you have. Unlike social media, you own it. No algorithm can take it away. Here's how to grow from 2,777 to 3,800+ in 12 months:

Newsletter Signup Everywhere

• Website: Header bar, article footers, sidebar widget, exit-intent popup
• Print paper: Add a small box in every issue: "Get the Friday Newsletter free—scan this QR code" (generate a QR code linking to signup)
• Events: Bring a tablet or signup sheet to every island event you cover
• ExploreManitoulin.com: "Planning a trip? Get the island newsletter" on the tourism site
• TikTok bio: Link to newsletter signup, not just the homepage

Give People a Reason to Subscribe

The Friday newsletter shouldn't just be a summary of what's in the paper. Add exclusive value:

• "Island Insider" section — one thing only newsletter readers get (event preview, behind-the-scenes, community tip)
• Seasonal content: "5 things happening this weekend" — useful, scannable, worth opening
• Reader polls/questions: "Should the paywall come back? Tell us." Engagement builds loyalty.

1C. The Facebook Workaround

Zoe raised a smart question: Can you create a Facebook page under "Manitoulin Publishing Co." instead of The Expositor? Yes—and you should.

Here's the play:

• Create a Facebook page as "Manitoulin Publishing Co." — this is a publishing/printing company, not a news outlet. It falls outside the Meta news ban.
• Don't post news articles or link to manitoulin.com news stories. That will get flagged.
• Do post: Community event photos, behind-the-scenes at the office, print services/commercial printing promos, "This Day in Manitoulin History" throwbacks, staff profiles, island photos, advertising opportunities
• Use it to drive newsletter signups and sell ad space. "Want your business in front of 12,000 island readers? DM us."
• Run targeted Facebook ads to Manitoulin Island postal codes promoting the newsletter. You CAN run ads even if organic news sharing is banned.

1D. Double Down on What's Working: Search & TikTok

SEO (Organic Search)

You already dominate Manitoulin-related searches. Protect and extend this:

• Publish every print story online the same week (even a condensed version). More content = more search traffic.
• Optimize headlines for search — instead of clever newspaper headlines, write web headlines people would actually Google. "Gore Bay council votes on police costs" beats a witty pun every time online.
• Create evergreen content pages: "Things to Do on Manitoulin Island," "Manitoulin Events Calendar," "Moving to Manitoulin — What to Know." These pages rank forever and attract newcomers + tourists year-round.
• Internal linking: Link related stories to each other. Keeps readers on-site longer and boosts SEO.

TikTok & Short-Form Video

Mike's front-page reads are great. Expand this:

• 3–4 posts/week is the sweet spot. Don't overdo it.
• Types of content that work: Front page reads, event coverage clips, "Did you know?" island facts, time-lapses of the island (sunrise, Chi-Cheemaun, seasons changing), "Meet a local" 30-second features
• Cross-post to YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. Same video, three platforms, zero extra work.
• Always include a CTA: "Link in bio to get the Friday Newsletter" or "Full story at manitoulin.com"

1E. Reaching Younger Readers & Newcomers

The island's median age is 51.6, but COVID brought newcomers who don't know The Expositor. Here's how to reach them:

• TikTok/Reels naturally skew younger. Keep posting.
• "New to Manitoulin?" welcome page on the website with essential info, links to subscribe, and a "what the Expositor covers" explainer
• Partner with local businesses to include a newsletter signup card with purchases (coffee shops, grocery stores, gas stations)
• First Nations outreach: You cover 7 First Nations. Consider a dedicated column or newsletter segment highlighting Indigenous community news. Promote it specifically within those communities.

Strengthen Digital Revenue

Target: Clear digital ad rate structure, 3–5 new digital ad clients, print+digital bundles that Kevin can sell tomorrow

2A. Build Kevin a Digital Product He Can Sell

Right now, Kevin's focused on print because there's no defined digital offering. Let's fix that with simple, clear packages local businesses can say yes to.

Proposed Digital Ad Packages

Print + Digital Bundles ("Bundle & Save")

This is where the real money is. Local businesses already buy print ads. Give them a reason to add digital:

2B. Newsletter Sponsorship

You have one newsletter advertiser. You should have one per issue, minimum. The Friday Newsletter is premium real estate.

Newsletter Ad Options:

With 2,777+ subscribers and strong open rates, newsletter sponsorship is one of the easiest revenue wins. If you fill just one $150 top sponsor per week, that's $7,800/year in new revenue from something you're already producing.

2C. Island Business Directory

Alicia mentioned this idea on our call, and it's a strong one. Here's how to do it simply:

• Free basic listing for every island business (name, address, phone, category). This gives you traffic and community goodwill.
• Paid "Featured" listing: $25–50/month for enhanced listing with logo, description, link, and photos. Easy upsell for Kevin.
• Host it on manitoulin.com as a permanent section. It becomes an SEO magnet for searches like "plumber Manitoulin Island" or "restaurants Little Current."
• Phase 1: Build a simple directory page with 50–100 businesses. No fancy plugin needed initially—a categorized page with listings works fine.

2D. Paywall Strategy

You removed the paywall during the postal strike. Should it come back? My recommendation: a soft paywall, not a hard one.

• Allow 3–5 free articles per month. After that, require a free email signup OR a paid digital subscription.
• This approach grows your email list (the free tier) while still creating a path to paid subscriptions.
• Breaking news should always be free—it drives traffic and shares.
• Feature stories, columns, and opinion pieces go behind the soft paywall.
• Digital subscription: $5–8/month or $50–75/year. Position it as "supporting local journalism."

Build a Realistic, Sustainable Workflow

Target: Staff feel confident, consistent digital presence, no burnout, no guessing

3A. Who Does What

Clear ownership prevents things from falling through the cracks. Based on your team structure:

3B. Weekly Digital Schedule

Here's a realistic weekly rhythm your team can follow without burning out:

3C. AI Tools to Save Time

You're already using ChatGPT and AI for design. Here are specific ways to save more time:

Pro tip: Create a shared "prompt library" in Slack with pre-written ChatGPT prompts for each recurring task. Then anyone on the team can use them. Example: "Rewrite this newspaper headline for web SEO. Make it clear and searchable, not clever: [headline]"

3D. What to Track (Keep It Simple)

You don't need a dashboard with 50 metrics. Track these 6 numbers monthly:

Sean or Zoe should pull these numbers on the first Monday of each month. Takes 20 minutes. Share in Slack so the whole team sees progress.

First 90 Days: Quick Wins That Build Momentum

Here's the phased rollout. Start with the easiest, highest-impact items.

Months 4–12: Scaling What Works

12-Month Revenue Projection (Conservative)

Based on the strategies above, here's a realistic projection of new digital revenue (not counting existing print or M32 programmatic):

Where to Go From Here

This roadmap is designed so your team can execute it independently. Every recommendation fits your staff capacity and budget. That said, there are areas where outside support can accelerate results.

What Your Team Can Handle In-House

• Fix broken links, improve newsletter signup placement
• Weekly content publishing rhythm
• TikTok/Reels creation (Mike's already doing this)
• Newsletter production and sponsor sales
• Basic monthly metrics tracking

Where a Consultant Can Add Value

• Digital ad package setup & sales training — Help Kevin build the pitch deck, practice the conversation, and close first 3–5 digital clients
• Website optimization — Newsletter signup implementation, SEO fixes, evergreen page creation, directory setup
• Facebook page strategy — Setting up the Manitoulin Publishing Co. page correctly, content planning, ad campaign to grow newsletter subscribers
• Analytics & reporting — Proper GA4 setup, monthly dashboard, advertiser-ready reports
• AI workflow setup — Building the prompt library, training staff on AI tools for content production
• Soft paywall implementation — Technical setup and pricing strategy

I'd suggest we schedule a follow-up call to walk through this document together, answer questions, and decide which pieces make sense to tackle first. From there, we can scope out what ongoing support looks like if you want a hand with implementation.

Final Thought

You have 146 years of trust. You have zero print competition. You have a community that literally depends on you to know what's happening on their island. That's not a dying business—that's an unfair advantage that most digital-first publishers would trade anything for.

The digital side isn't about replacing what you've built. It's about making sure the next 146 years are just as strong.

Let's get to work.