As we head into 2023, there is a tendency to focus on the bad that came out of 2022.
The worst year of load shedding in South Africa’s history. A president revealed in an exclusive by the Sunday Independent to have covered up a robbery of millions of rands’ worth of US dollars from his game farm. The deaths of much-beloved celebrities. A devastating fire at Parliament, the repairs to which have still not yet begun nearly a year on.
But, I would also like to focus on the good. Not just the amazing uplifting stories we have covered, but the tools and tips we have provided to help South Africans get through the hard times.
When load shedding started getting unmanageable towards the end of the first quarter of the year, we shared tips on how to go off-grid. We told you what it would mean if we went to Stage 8.
When our economy took a downward turn and the cost of living began to rocket, we gave you tips on how to stretch your rands, find and start a side hustle, and told you inspirational stories of entrepreneurs who are slowly building their empires.
IOL has been here for you.
Sure, we have made mistakes along the way. But which human doesn’t? The only time people make no mistakes is when they do no work.
I want to thank you, dear reader, for pointing out those errors by engaging with us on our social media channels and via our [email protected] email address.
In 2023, I’d like for this level of engagement to increase, and we’re going to keep finding new ways to keep you interested in our content and our platform as a companion with you throughout your day.
This year, we launched a number of exciting things for you, our readers.
We launched free registrations, which allows our platform to give you a more personalised experience.
We have implemented smarter AI to serve you recommendations you are most likely to enjoy reading.
We have launched a puzzles portal, the first of its kind in South Africa, where you can play crosswords, word search, sudoku, and more, for free.
@iolnews Another innovation from @IOL! We're excited to announce that we've launched a brand new puzzles section: https://iol.co.za/puzzles Register for FREE and play unlimited puzzles - crosswords, sudoku, word search and more! IOL - always free, always fair.
♬ original sound - IOLNEWS
We rebuilt and remade our website to optimise speed and ease of navigation.
We introduced our “Follow Me” plan, where you can follow your favourite authors and topics at a click of a button, getting notified whenever a new piece of content is published.
@iolnews Did you know you can now follow your favourite authors on IOL? Editor-in-Chief @Lance Witten450 ♬ original sound - IOLNEWS
We have spent more time building excellent content for social media, and our commitment to mobile-first, video-driven content is evident by the inclusion of an IOL TV platform.
We have given you uplifting content through our new Good News content vertical.
And in 2023, it’s only going to get better. In the first quarter, IOL will be launching a brand new mobile website to more closely resemble the excellent experience you get on our mobile app (which is free to download on Google Play, Apple App Store, Huawei AppGallery, and more).
You can also look forward to more personalised newsletters.
I look forward to building a better South Africa with you, through our content and engagements.
May your entry into the New Year be blessed, and may it hold nothing but growth for us all.
IOL - always free, always fair.
IOL