PLEASE NOTE: COMMUNICATING TO US DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR WEBSITE IS A FEATURE ONLY OFFERED TO PAID MEMBERS. WE WILL NOT RESPOND TO EMAILS FROM ACCOUNTS THAT DO NOT HAVE A PAID MEMBERSHIP WITH US. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A STORY FOR FREE, PLEASE SUBMIT A POST TO OUR FACEBOOK GROUP.

THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING TO HAVE A POST/COMMENT REMOVED ARE EXEMPT, BUT YOU MUST HAVE REASONABLE GROUNDS TO DO SO.

How to Submit a Story to The Gold Coast Torch Website

1. Choose Your Topic:

  • Focus on community news, events, or crime alerts relevant to the Gold Coast suburbs.
  • Ensure your story is timely and informative.

2. Gather Information:

  • Collect facts, quotes, and any relevant details.
  • The following are compulsory whether submitting in an email, (not compulsory for social media, but attaching the below will have the best results):
    • Time and date.
    • Exact location (street, followed by suburb).
    • Description of what occurred.
    • Images and/or videos
    • Any necessary background information.

3. Write Your Story:

  • Start with a strong headline.
  • Keep it concise and structured.
  • Ensure it is full of facts, not emotions.

4. Include Visuals:

  • Attach any relevant images or videos that help get your story across.
  • Ensure you have permission to use any visuals.
  • Ensure it is decent quality, not blurry.

5. Submit Your Story:

  • Email your story and visuals to us (only paid members can submit stories directly to our online platform).
  • Include a short title summary and suburb you’re writing about in the title of the email.

6. Follow Up:

  • Feel free to check in after a week if you haven’t heard back.

How to Make a Post on Social Media

1. Choose Your Topic:

  • Focus on community news, events, or crime alerts relevant to the Gold Coast suburbs. Ensure it is relevant. No promotion or spam allowed.
  • Ensure your story is timely and informative.

2. Gather Information:

  • Collect facts, quotes, and any relevant details.
  • The following are highly recommended (but not compulsory)
    • Time and date.
    • Exact location (street, followed by suburb).
    • Description of what occurred.
    • Images and/or videos are essential.
    • Any necessary background information.

3. Write Your Story:

  • Start with a strong headline.
  • Keep it concise and structured.
  • Ensure it is full of facts, not emotions.

4. Include Visuals:

  • Attach any relevant images or videos that help get your story across.
  • Ensure you have permission to use any visuals.
  • this is by far the most important step. A post without visual evidence is virtually useless – not to mention Facebook will not consider it favourable.

5. Submit Your Story for Approval:

  • Submit your story to us (submissions via social media is free).

6. Follow Up:

  • Feel free to check in after a few days if you haven’t heard back. Posts are either approved or rejected via manual and automated checks.

Best Practices for Effective Results

  • Timing Matters: Create a social media post or reach out to us as soon as the crime has just occurred.
  • Details Matter: Please ensure you include all the necessary details when creating a post. Refrain from posting poor quality images, vague descriptions and missing key information, such as time, date and location of the crime.
  • Stay Positive: Whilst it is incredibly frustrating to be impacted by criminals, getting emotional in the posts will not serve you or the community any good. Even when discussing crime, focus on community safety and solutions.
  • Be Respectful: Always consider the sensitivities surrounding topics and the privacy of individuals.
  • Engage Your Audience: Encourage comments, shares, and discussions to build community involvement.

By following these steps, residents can contribute valuable content and effectively engage with the Gold Coast community through The Gold Coast Torch.