3 minute read
TO OUR READERS:
Typically, I use this opportunity to talk about our current issue and all the great people we are featuring. This month, I’m taking this opportunity to address our readers about a question that continues to arise. Are your print magazines going away? The answer is no, absolutely not!
JASON FUGATE creative director jason@akersmediagroup.com
VOLKAN ULGEN art director volkan@akersmediagroup.com
JOSH CLARK senior designer josh@akersmediagroup.com
MICHAEL GAULIN production director michael@akersmediagroup.com
FRED LOPEZ chief photographer // fred@akersmediagroup.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
FRED HILTON, RICHARD T. BOSSHARDT M.D., JAIME ALONSO, DAVE RAMSEY AND ANGELA BALLARD
SALES // MARKETING
TIM MCRAE / vice president of sales tim@akersmediagroup.com
MIKE STEGALL advertising executive mike@akersmediagroup.com
TATIANNA GELIGA advertising executive tatianna@akersmediagroup.com
We have seen an extremely high increase of visitors to our website this year since we introduced “Healthy Happenings,” which are daily stories posted on our site. In January, my team and I were reviewing web traffic, trends, and statistics, and we realized visitors were coming to the site in strong numbers at the beginning of each month, most likely to view the new magazine and read the newest stories. What we discovered was after the first week, those numbers declined, and then ramped up again when the next month’s issue was published.
We decided to increase the number of stories we wrote each month and post daily stories on our website to entice readers to stay engaged longer and to keep them coming back to us all month. In the past, there were so many stories presented to us that were time sensitive, and we were unable to share them because of our print deadlines. Now, we can post them on our website and share them with you through our social media pages.
The results of this decision have been astounding and extremely exciting to us. So much so that we have been telling everyone, and shouting about it from our rooftop. I believe this excitement and continued talk about our website and digital magazines placed a bit of fear in our print magazine lovers. We were asked on multiple occasions, “What does this mean for your print editions?”
JACQUELYN SINGER advertising executive jacquelyn@akersmediagroup.com
CREE HOWARD sales executive assistant cree@akersmediagroup.com
ADMINISTRATION
DEB MATLOCK / office manager deb@akersmediagroup.com
AUBREY AKERS / advertising coordinator aubrey@akersmediagroup.com
DISTRIBUTION
SCOTT HEGG / distribution manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com
DIGITAL SOCIAL MEDIA
GARRETT REARDON / digital specialist garrett@akersmediagroup.com
The answer is, we will continue to provide content to our readers in whatever format they prefer. “Everywhere the reader is” has been our philosophy since the inception of the magazine. The good news is, our print magazine readership is stronger than ever. A large majority of our readers still prefer to read the printed edition. We know this because we continue to run out of the printed copies every month.
The only difference now is you can get more of the great stories you love to read in Healthy Living on our website. More content has delivered more readers.
Additionally, I am happy to share with you that in August, for the ninth consecutive year, Healthy Living magazine was voted one of the Best Overall Magazines in the state by the Florida Magazine Association.
I thank you for continuing to read Healthy Living, and now for coming back to us all month long.
Until next month,
34749 akersmediagroup.com
Kendra Akers
Naturally Nourishing
Plants…they’re what’s for dinner. The Yum Yum Cooking School offers purely plant-based options for meals that taste great and are fun to prepare. Classes are scheduled from 6-8pm Nov. 7 for Luscious Lunches, and Nov. 21 for Superb Suppers, presented by Florida Hospital Waterman at Conry Creation Health Center, 1000 Waterman Way, Tavares. Each class includes cooking demonstrations and instructions by an executive chef and registered dietitian, followed by sample tastings. Each class costs $30, which includes food, notebook, and materials. Purchase tickets at eventbrite.com or call the hospital at 352.253.3965 for more information.
Open Wide
This has been a banner year for alligator bites in Florida with 16 “bite incidents” being reported so far, after seven gator bites were reported in 2016 by the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Alligators are more active when the weather is very hot, according to officials at the commission, so if you live near water or golf a lot, be aware you share the land with these awesome creatures. Due to an increase in incidents, the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) was established by the conservation commission. In 2016, SNAP reported 12,772 nuisance alligator complaints that resulted in the removal of 8,118 nuisance alligators, the FWC states. If you have concerns, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866.FWC.GATOR (866.392.4286).
