PARTICIPATION

Something that is not so possible in a two-dimensional print publication is involving the reader interactively. In E-Ridge, though, readers can be invited to participate in the reading experience. Here are some of the ways:

Set up a chatroom and discussion forum
These are the most direct ways of having the student population connect with each other and the university. In a chatroom, students can interact in real-time. There can even be live chats/interviews with featured guests, instead of just having transcriptions or summaries. A live audio/video recording of the chat can be made too (See Aesthetics, under Content). A discussion forum would be an ideal location for students to make their views known and to have a voice. In this way, they will feel connected to the issues within the university.

Have an online feedback form
In the print version, readers are encouraged to give feedback via letter or email. But in E-Ridge, they can connect their ideas with the editorial board instantly and with less hassle. 

Provide email addresses of the editorial board
Instead of just giving the names of the writers and their designations, this lets readers have the option of emailing them individually by clicking on their names. It allows interaction not only with the text, but with the authors too.

Have freebies, contests and voting
A very effective way to entice readers is to offer them freebies. Students can be invited to guess the ending of a story, predict the score of the next inter-varsity soccer match, vote for their favourite sportsperson, enter a quiz, etc. When E-Ridge is more established, there can even be a points system, where each student is given points for logging in and participating in such online events. The points can then be exchanged for freebies. All of the above, though, will depend on the availability of advertisers and sponsors (See Advertising).