We have a rather long break before Newcastle United's next match (March 15 v. Everton), so it seems like a good time to provide some ways that the community at Coming Home Newcastle can keep ourselves entertained in the interim. Let us then do that.
I know that many of you are involved in other SBN Communities and probably know the ins and outs of the sites, but I would like to take a moment to (re?)introduce the FanPost and FanShot sections of the site. If you scroll down the right side of the main page of CHN, you will see the sections I am talking about.
FAN POST
We all have things to say about the club. Opinions, thoughts and ideas can all be shared through the Fan Post feature. All you need is a couple of minutes and 150 words, which is far, far easier than it sounds. What is the benefit of using the fan shot? Not only do you get to have your say in a more expanded format, but Fan Posts will can and often will be promoted to the front page layout. The more prominent position in the layout will allow for a greater likelihood for feedback and conversation. In addition, many staff contributors (and even editors) of sites in the SBN network started in Fan Posts. Feel free to use them often!
FAN SHOT
Maybe you've found a web page, a tweet, a video or an image that you feel should be brought to the attention of the community. It's super easy! All you need is the hyperlink. Copy it, paste it into the dialogue box that you can see in the above image and then click the +FanShot button. It will automatically determine which version is appropriate (or you can select the appropriate type of Fan Shot manually. You will then have a chance to share a brief version of your thoughts. These can also be promoted to the front page layout. Simple!
Cool, but I don't want to sign up for an account with SBN
Good news! You don't need to sign up for a SBN specific account to get involved. You can use your existing Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Yahoo!, or Open ID login to gain access to these features!
The Take-away
If you've been looking for ways to be active in the community here, hopefully this helps. If you've been lurking around reading and thinking about getting involved, there is no time like the present! In fact, why not pop down into the comments, say hello and introduce yourself?