An experiment using social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook to attract new users to the Plymouth Herald's own website has been a great success, according to web editor Neil Shaw.

Over the past two months Neil has set up pages to represent thisisplymouth on Myspace, Facebook, Bebo and Friendster, and these have so far generated more than 600 visits - potentially 4,200 page views based on average viewing figures.

The pages are also being used to raise awareness of The Herald and thisisplymouth among an audience which may not traditionally read the paper or the website.

Neil said: "We have not promoted the sites through our paper or through our own website, relying solely on the sites themselves to generate their own interest - so the users we have found there are likely to be brand new to us.

"Each site carries the front page of the day's Herald, the latest headlines and where possible an rss feed bringing people directly into thisisplymouth."

So far around 300 people have signed up to The Herald's Myspace page, with almost 100 on Bebo and 50 group members on Facebook, and some these have also used the pages to tell The Herald about their own news.

Neil said: "We've had a few people come forward with details about bands and other entertainment news, and a couple of requests from younger users about content they would like to see, so it's also been intersting from that point of view."