When we first started working together as Irnwurks, servicing the print and broadcast media, it was only of time, with the ongoing development in technology, we would evolve in to various digital programmes, either over the airwaves or online.
Our first major online project came through our initial plans to expand our coverage of American Football in the UK, which was reaching various newspapers and magazines around the UK. Hot Iron Scottish American Football Webzine started off as an online version on our printed gridiron magazine, “Branndair” which covered all aspects of American Football in Scotland, from the Junior, Non-Contact leagues, right through to the professional set up in NFL Europe.
Intially starting with 250 visits per month, our audience grew to an average of 9,000 during the month, earning a place in the UK Good Web Guide. And the site then reached new levels followin the introduction of on NFL Football at Wembley, where for the final three months of the site, our audience broke the 20,000 mark.
After 10 years, due to the increase of Gridiron, sites, Hot Iron ceased in 2007, but our online activities continued with a new general news and features webzine, Pic’s n Pieces, which was rebranded as Planet Ecosse.
Planet Ecosse is now being developed as our main online portal, focussing mainly on international and national news and home produced products. The site will connect us to our other website operations, www.frankmcgroarty.com, our publishing arm, www.ecosse-publishing.org along with other planned websites including a local news webzine.
We will also continue to develop our social media activities on Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube, which will include an online video channel, which will be launched in due course.