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The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, and even if you don't know your Mucho Macho Man from your Pants On Fire, the thundering two-minute race is an American tradition. The Utica Observer-Dispatch in New York may not be close to the track, but it's asking its readers if they plan to watch. What's interesting to me is how much fun they have with the answers. Check it out.
WHAT THEY DID: Utica offers readers an amusing selection of answers, from "Nay" to "pony up some money."
TAKEAWAY: When you're considering answers to polls, if the subject is right, have some fun with them. Also, remember to promote your poll in print (direct people to your website). Polls are a perfect example of Web only content. You can also promote your poll on Facebook and Twitter, but you need to take one step before you do. Because polls are posted to the "homepage" category in Zope, you'll want to create a story in Zope that says: "Vote in our poll on xxx." Summarize the poll in the short story and story forms, and attach the poll as related content. You can then put that poll anywhere you want on the homepage: Top stories, highlight or even the carousel if you have art with it. Once you publish the poll, you have a URL for your Facebook and Twitter posts.
GateHouse Media news organizations are finding ways to work corporate strategies for best practices into their websites and newspapers every day. National content development managers Jean Hodges and Sarah Corbitt are on the lookout for your best work, and we'll share it here.
