G Social Media

Pinterest for Men? Meet Gentlemint

2012-02-06T10:39:00.001-05:00

I guess some men were feeling a little left out on Pinterest. With a demographic of 80% women and 20% men, it is definitely female dominated. Now there is a boys club social photo sharing platform on the scene called Gentlemint, created by Glen Stansberry & Brian McKinney. Their slogan... "Gentlemint is a mint of manly things" and I already feel more manly just from going to their website lol, just kidding :)

But I have just signed up for an invite and will have an updated story when they approve me. Also, see my post on Pinterest & Social Media.

Pinterest & Social Media

2012-02-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

As many of you have heard, Pinterest is moving fast on the social media scene. It is a simple, photo social sharing website. Companies such as Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket are most likely grinding their teeth, wondering how this creative picture platform appeared out of nowhere and zoomed right by them in popularity and web traffic.

I remember the first time I heard of Pinterest from Betsy of Frock Boutique. She told me face to face (in-person social media) how much she was hooked on it and how much fun it was. I told her I am going to check into it and put in on my schedule. Now, I find myself scheduling time on it daily, and I am currently building it into several social media strategies for companies I am working with.

The curating factor is big in the social world! I jump on Pinterest and have a bunch of my personally chosen topics to view, with hundreds and thousands of photos and info from all around the world. I can also type in any topic I wish to view in the search box and BAM - all of the posts from a worldwide community show up in seconds. Scoop.it, another one of my favorite curation and social sharing sites, does something similar with press releases, articles and blog posts.

My main business, information and education topics that I am building on Pinterest are Social Media & Technology; but you can also see my collection of Sayings, For the Home, Art, Fashion and several more. The social part of this is allowing others to see the great compilations that you have pinned, put together and shared. Then they can Pin what you posted or repinned, and like & comment on your pin. They can also repost/repin and share it on Twitter or Facebook at the same time if they choose to. One of the great features I am using is the "Pin It" button that I have added to my Chrome browser. I can be on any web page anywhere, click it, and Pin up the photo that is on that page. So I am not just allowed to Pin and Share my own content; but anyone else's as well.

The Infographic world has definitely gotten a boost with Pinterest! My social media board is FULL of great information using educational graphics/infographics.

After you have some fun, using it for business is the next step. Maybe making a photo board of the folks at the office making crazy faces and adding it to your Humor board. Travel photos can also be great. For example: a photo of me at The Bund in Shanghai China can be tagged "Gary from G Social Media goes to China," link to my site, and add it to my Travel board. How about using a baby and taking a photo of them with your company hat on, and adding it to your Cute board? What about coupon sites taking their coupons, making them a little more interesting with Photoshop, and posting for others to see, share and save money? How about a picture of an incredible dish your restaurant makes, adding a recipe with it, and posting it to your Foodie board? Photography creativity and sharing has definitely taken a BIG step up!

I have a reciprocal habit of going to the profile page of anyone who follows me on Pinterest, checking out what boards they have, and following the ones that I am interested in. You should too. Check me out and follow my boards if they interest you at all: G Social Media on Pinterest.com. Thanks!

Good, quick tips: The Small Business Social Media Cheat Sheet

2012-01-26T21:51:00.007-05:00

Having an infographic of tips such as this is great. I love how people turn graphics, info and design into a quick educational tool for all of us to use.

See the full version on Flowtown

Ignite is coming to Asheville - Feb 21, 2012

2012-01-22T18:55:00.002-05:00

Ignite is coming to Asheville on February 21, 2012 and I am getting really excited about this event. Ignite is a global event that is organized by volunteers, and speakers are given five minutes to deliver a presentation about their ideas and passions whether personal or professional using 20 slides in those 5 minutes.

You can find Ignite in New York City, Phoenix Arizona, Asheville North Carolina, Seattle Washington (where it was 1st started in 2006) and all around the World.

Can you volunteer for IgniteAsheville? Would you like to speak at IgniteAsheville? Do you need tickets to IgniteAsheville?

The official Twitter hashtag for the event is #IgniteAVL

See some Videos of Ignite.

Please don't censor the web - Stop SOPA

2012-01-18T08:22:00.001-05:00

Google has a new screen today asking us to tell Congress "Please don't censor the web"

SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act is a bill that will censor the Internet. Read more about it on Mashable... "Why is SOPA Dangerous"

Exploring Scoop.it - publishing an online curation magazine

2012-01-01T16:23:00.016-05:00

I have really enjoyed using Scoop.it. Their tagline is "Easily Publish Gorgeous Magazines. Leverage Curation to increase your visibility. Give persistence to your social media presence." Using this platform is a great step in social media and education. I made an account and magazine page called "Social Media & Networking" and it has so many important articles to me, and many more, in one spot. Articles that were delivered to me on my Curate page, I click on them to read them, get informed, learn more, then share them with others. The evolution of the RSS feed, but made sociable.

Here are some screenshots of the Scoop.it platform:

The Dashboard Page:

On my dashboard, I am able to see What's new? I also have my Curated Topics, My Stats, My Connected Profiles etc.

Next up... The Curate Page:

This is where Scoop.it delivers articles, videos, blogs and information about the pre-selected keywords and topics I choose. I can click on the "Manage" button to change or edit my articles of interest at any time. I can also click on "Clear Page" and it will remove the suggested articles and replace them with others. The red "Discard" button removes that individual post. If I see an article of interest, I click on the article headline, open up the page and read the post. I am getting ever evolving, up to the minute, social media information daily. So much to learn; but made so much easier here. I could then Scoop.it from my Chrome browser add-on if I wish as well. The most important button is the green "Scoop.it" button above each of the articles. Click this to add the article onto your online magazine. Then there is the blue button on the upper right that says "View Topic"

Then... The Topic Page:

The Topic Page is where all of the articles you have Scooped on Scoop.it appear. You can set it up to go out over your social networks and share the stories as you find them. An online magazine that updates as you curate. The best of the best, of your topic of choice, all in one place. I also share direct links to the page I have created: http://www.scoop.it/t/social-media-networking

5 reasons to attend the 140 Conference 2012 in NYC

2011-11-26T17:41:00.103-05:00

So Jeff Pulver set the dates for the 140 Conference 2012 in New York City, and they are June 19th and 20th. I have always wanted to attend this conference but for one reason or another, I always ended up enjoying it by watching the #140 and #140Conf Twitter hashtag. But I need to get closer! So next June... I am going to NYC, my hometown, for this great event.

You should come too. Here are 5 reasons to attend the 140 Conference:

1. It is expected to be the largest gathering of people in the world of social media and those into the "State of Now" when it comes to business & personal social influence. This is the Worldwide tweetup of the year! Meet people from all over the World that are interested in humanizing the web, increasing their reach, and making the most out of every moment with Twitter and other online platforms.

2. It will allow you to experience the true effects of real time information, and how it can be used to do something meaningful and powerful in your life and for your business. This is a "boot camp" for social media soldiers - folks who want to learn more and gain a deeper grasp on the whole setting.

3. You will hear from featured key speakers that are pros in the new media field. You will learn from the best, and gain a wealth of knowledge and experience. You have met many of these folks and heard bits of info on Twitter; but now is your chance to hear them live and gain an invaluable education.

4. You will get to meet people who are all about Twitter and building relationships. Some will be there to teach, others to learn more, and many beginners in the industry. New introductions, relationships built and business possibilities planted. As sociable business people, we want this!

5. I want to get educated, make memories and have fun! And New York City is the perfect place to make this happen. I will be traveling with a social media marketing team, and all of us will be tweeting away, blogging, video taping and more. I am going to come out of the 140 conference revived and re-invented; with a new Worldwide vision. I am going to make so many great new friends. My efforts will be more effective and I will help more businesses and people. Plus.. the late night dance & cocktail parties with friends and colleagues.. too much fun!

You need to make plans to attend this incredible event! Tweet me when you get there and lets connect.. @gsocialmedia

A true storyteller passes away - Trey Pennington RIP

2011-09-04T23:54:00.003-04:00

I met Trey Pennington on Twitter, as most of my relationships are started nowadays; about 2 years ago. I immediately gravitated toward his great attitude and desire to assist people with telling "Their Story" online and in person. You can say Trey has a lot of anti-marketing in him... pushed all of us to keep it real, practical and effective. He was not only a good friend to me, Mary, Justin, Amanda, Bruce and Felicia; but to many others all around the World. In the photo above, friends @TreyPennington, @JustinTheSouth @GoGrahamGo @MotherNos tweet away at an event in Chimney Rock NC.

I remember we had a social media class at the Garage at Biltmore during Fall 2009 and Trey raced up to Asheville from Greenville, in the middle of his busy schedule, to be a part of the evening and to help me and Justin out. I remember the day exactly. Great times.

Trey Pennington passed away today, and the Online world and Greenville SC community is now missing a great person and contributor. He spent his life reaching out and helping others. I lost a friend today. Someone who was sincere, fair and inspired me to be a better person and businessman.

Here is what Trey has written in his Twitter bio: "Be the HERO! Conquer marketing clutter with story. Be heard. Be shared. I'll help you discover, develop & deliver your amazing story."

Here is Trey's last tweet at 10:21 this morning, right before he passed away: "Sure am thankful for online friends who are real friends offline, too. Love you."

Trey... I love you too, and I am so sorry this happened to you,

Love Gary

Spark Tech Talk gets ready for take off

2011-08-24T17:40:00.001-04:00

Technology can cover a wide variety of topics. From science, to media, to ways to cook a meal. Sometimes I find myself getting frustrated sometimes with bookmarking sites that do not offer more categories, and even some categories such as "Social Media" and other "up to the times" niche market pages. SparkTT is coming on the scene and jumping in the middle of it all.

Spark Tech Talk has an incredible platform that will improve, educate and grow the technology world through community. Here is a quick peek of the splash page while the masterpiece website is built behind the scenes by Top Floor Studio, with design by Ox & Co. Oh, you will be able to Login with Facebook or Twitter to make an account. Several more surprise features. You can't wait to see it.

A look at Google+ Circles

2011-07-09T15:45:00.001-04:00

Google+ has just launched their testing version. I have not really dug into it yet, but the Circles feature is pretty cool. You make connections with people, and put them in circle. This can be a family circle, friend circle, business circle etc. You can make your own Circle also. When you choose to share something like a photo or blog post, you can choose which Circles of people get to see this content. When you add someone to a Circle, they are notified that you have put them into one, but not which one. So I can make a Friends 1, Friends 2, Friends 3 Circles and categorize friends according to how close they are to me :) Of course, if Google+ grows as expected, it will be a major competitor to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

G Social Media References

2011-07-05T22:24:00.000-04:00

If you know anything about increasing your media, you will take the great things people say about you and your business and create a blog post or web page such as this. Some of my anti-fan club are asking right now "How does he get all of these great references?" For one, I work my ass off doing successful social media for my clients. Next, I ask people for recommendations on LinkedIn. Lastly, I use them here to market who I am and what I do. Now go ahead, stop hating, and get some of your own. Be fruitful and multiply. Haha, I feel great! Listen to what folks are saying about me. It's pretty good...

“I can't think of anyone I enjoy writing a recommendation for more than Gary Charles. I first worked with G Social Media in 2010. Gary is Mr. Social Media.to me and you He lives, breathes, and eats it. He has deep technical understanding of the different channels available to promote a product or service, and how each will impact a campaign.

But plenty of people can execute a good social media campiagn. What Gary brings to the situation is a business person's drive and determination. Gary is a business professional and understands that it takes constant improvement to be the best. He was always on top of every detail and prompt to answer questions and deliver solutions. He is a business man's social media Guru, and I would work with him again in a minute. In fact, I am at this very moment working on a new campaign. I have no doubt the results will be fantastic.” -Kirk Adcock, ConnectMe QR

“Gary's results speak for themselves. He knows what he's doing and delivers the goods! thanks for the great work Gary. Would hire him again in a heartbeat.” -Jennifer Losch, Red Dog Digital

“Gary has been a HUGE help to us in getting our social media marketing program off the ground. His expertise coupled with his well established connections and his askasheville.com site are a huge reason to work with Gary. He will jump start your marketing program. On top of that, he is a great guy and a pleasure to work with. Highly Recommended!” -Chip Murison, WNC Insider

“It is a joy working with Gary - he does great work, is wonderful to work with, he's super nice, and he's a social media marketing guru!” -Linda Titus, Net Site Marketing

“Gary Charles is a valued business partner to RelyLocal Asheville. His enterprises, G Social Media & Ask Asheville, have been integral parts of our strategic growth. Through assistance in developing our Social Media platforms and providing additional platforms to distribute our message, Gary continues to bring value to the table as we work together to grow our respective businesses.” -Choya Harden, Rely Local Asheville

“Gary and I recently both spoke at a marketing communications class at UNCA. He is incredibly knowledgeable about social media and using it as a tool to market businesses. I look forward to doing more teaching events with him in the future and will certainly be recommending him to my clients. Social media and email marketing can go hand in hand so well...especially when you have a professional like Gary to help you do it the right way.” -Kelly Denson, Lush Life Today

“Gary is THE guy for social media marketing and growing your business online. He's passionate and truly wants to help people in new and innovative ways. Embrace the future of marketing and networking with help and direction from G Social Media and Gary!” -Gabe Fore, New Restaurant Logic

“After reading the many recommendations for Gary, all I can say is "all true, and then some" -Bill Hodges, Expressions in Design

“Gary Charles is taking the lead in Asheville for connecting businesses to the world of social media. Nobody in town knows the business like Gary does. Not only that, he has an enormous amount of support from the community already, thus creating an air of credibility for others to see from you once hiring Gary. Any hesitations? Don't bother with them--just trust your gut instinct. I did, and found my business in a much better position because of it.” -Sonia Hendrix, Push Asheville Fashion

“Gary is a highly motivated, social network guru who works tirelessly for his clients. Gary gets real results for the multiple small businesses he works for. His business is innovative, as well as a real step forward towards the future of social media.” -Chris Hart, The Garage at Biltmore

“Gary is so passionate about what he does! He loves connecting with people and helping people. I would highly recommend Gary. I've seen the results of what he does for companies. No one will regret working with Gary if they want results and want their company to flourish. I have taken numerous classes with Gary. He has great examples and real life stories that people can relate to. We even asked him to help us teach a series of classes for the PWB and he did so willingly. Gary is genuine and personable and has personal qualities that are so valuable in his line of work.” -Maria Aponte, Salon Blue Ridge

“Gary of GSocial Media is an expert social media networking advice and services in the Asheville, NC area, I highly recommend his service. Gary is very personable, easy to communicate with and truly enjoys what he does. He is very skilled and and creative. Very reliable, practical, attentive.” -Chris Hanson, A Good Plumber

Why I love my ConnectMe QR Code

2011-06-18T20:45:00.003-04:00

QR Codes have been around for quite some time. But nothing as awesome as the ConnectMe QR Code. This barcode actually takes you to my public dashboard which features several ways to contact me, icons and links to my social media sites, and an icon for my main website. Also a nice sized QR Code that I can save to my computer, then add and promote anywhere and everywhere. I can also click a button and print custom business cards and other items with my code on them, and then have them shipped to my door. This technology as a whole immediately helps me; because instead of sending folks a list of all of my links, I can send them to one place and they can choose what they want to see and in what order. Here is a screenshot of what you would see if you went to http://connectmeqr.com/gary on your laptop or desktop.

In addition to this, I get to keep my same QR Code forever. If I change my website, I simple go into the built in CMS, Content Management System and change the URLs my code points to. Maybe I want to only push my Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts. No problemo. I sign in, click on "Edit mCard" and choose only to display those icons. I can also add a custom banner that displays when someone goes to my CMQR site. And the features that are coming in phase 2 are AH-MAZING! I will keep you updated.

Another great feature is the built in mobile website, and the incredible App for iPhone and Droid. I believe it is currently rated #2 in the world for QR Code Readers / Scanners. How much is it costing companies to create a mobile website for their business? A minimum of $1000 and up from there. Now that cost problem is solved with CMQR. Here is a photo of the G Social Media ConnectMe QR mobile site pulling up on the Blackberry. The iPhone and Droid Apps are even more robust!

One more thing. Like any great company, the url extensions they offer are starting with 1 letter or number. This means I have also got the connectmeqr.com/g secured as well and I would recommend getting your custom url asap. ConnectMe QR is a technology company based in Asheville North Carolina.

All websites are not created equal

2011-06-12T16:37:00.004-04:00

In addition to building social media packages, I also do website consultation. 90% of the companies out there are lacking in their website presences in one way or another. This can be a small easy fix, other times a major overhaul, and sometimes even a demolition and re-build. What are you willing to do to make sure your company is represented professionally and sociably online?

Sometimes I get calls and the folks say "I got this website for free..." and I immediately tell them they did not get a website. A college kid may have practiced on you for his freshman final project, but that is simply not good enough. When I can build a Blogger Blog that looks better than your main website presence online; you do not have a website.

Then folks tell me "I need a website!" I say "ok, what type of website are you looking for?" "Something nice and pretty" is the top answer I receive. I smile and say "what is your budget? Are you ready to spend $500, $5000 or $500,000? What do you think you want the website to look like and what do you want the website to accomplish?" For the most part, you get what you pay for. Yes, there are people that will do it cheaper, but not better. And there are people that could do it better, but not cheap. Get it?!

Here are a few prices for websites that I keep in mind:

$500 for a down payment (if this is what you want to pay for a website, you do not believe in the Internet yet)

$1000 - $3000 for a premium theme Wordpress website + simple custom logo, buttons, banners.

$5000 + for a Drupal website

Depending on what your business is pulling in, you may want to allocate a certain percentage toward web design and updates. For example, if your business is grossing $1 million dollars per year, maybe you should put .033% toward it over 3 years, so you can get a nice $100,000 website that will keep you ahead of the curve. Grossing several million dollars yearly with room to play hard? What about a custom $250,000 - $500,000 website that will stun the world and give you every feature imaginable? CALL ME!!! Lol, I do not build $100k or $500k websites, but I have some reputable friends that do :)

Just having a website does not mean much anymore. Make your website one of the top priorities for your business. Put something into it, get it out online with SEO and social media, and watch it work wonders for you. Get your return on investment and then put aside more money to update monthly or yearly with the latest and greatest. Do it right!

Social Media - the proof is in the pudding

2011-06-11T14:01:00.004-04:00

Being a social media consultant has it's good and bad times. When a company calls me in and asks me to evaluate their current online media, I have to keep several things in mind. First, are they looking to get rich overnight with sm? If I sense this at all, I am quick to bring people back to reality and let them now that this is a growth process. Next, are they looking to save their business which is 90 days away from shutting down? Social media may help, but seeing last minute results right before your doors close will only leave you with a "could've, should've, would've" attitude and that is not healthy for anyone. Yes, you should act now, not later.

Then I have to find out who was "supposedly" doing their social media, or better yet, who was experimenting on them. Sometimes it is a family member that works for the business and other times it is an employee who thinks they are going to show off their technology skills by creating a Twitter account, Facebook business page, or blog. Oh, it could also be a friend trying to help, or a bad referral based off of a "friendship" deal. The owner of a business is usually temporarily satisfied by these efforts with their contentment built off of misinformation. I know when this happens, it is just a matter of time before business is lost, eyes are opened, people get fired, friendships are gone; and they finally come to me asking for help. I come in, educate, sometimes tear down the rickety social media they have built, and I begin building again; but this time with good constructive materials... the skills and knowledge I bring to the table. We are now ready to win!

The end result? A comprehensive, successful social media package that works day and night for businesses anywhere. A consistent, targeted, effective online campaign that is quickly proven within 90 days of starting. Like I said "The proof is in the Pudding."

Read some recommendations for G Social Media

Read more recommendations for G Social Media

Oh, and I do love good pudding too :)

QR Codes bring social media to the next level

2011-05-29T00:45:00.002-04:00

A QR Code is a specific barcode that is two-dimensional and readable by a QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information coded can written, a website URL and/or other many other forms of data. The QR Code was created in Japan in 1994. QR is simply an abbreviation for Quick Response, intended for high speed information.

The Western part of the World has been extremely slow at adapting this new form of technology, but now with the launch of ConnectMe QR, folks are looking at QR Codes in a different light. ConnectMe QR is an Asheville based company that is digging into the vast potential of the QR Code. With their new app launch for the iPhone, Droid and iPad; the worldwide popularity is going to rise extremely fast. With a quick scan of a custom Connect Me QR Code, a person can find see direct portfolio information including their website link, Twitter icon link, Facebook icon link, YouTube video link, address, phone number, email and so much more. This is the connectivity dream!

Click here to get your own custom QR Code from ConnectMe QR. Customize it for you and/or your company, add it to your website, blog and print materials, and watch the doors of social media open up even wider. Thank you again Technology.

Yes, you are losing business by NOT using Twitter

2011-05-16T14:26:00.002-04:00

It is amusing sometimes when businesses take the attitude that they do not need the power of technology on their side. They have that type of attitude like they've got it like that and nobody is going to take it away. I have talked to many people who think like this. Oh yes, they want to talk to me; but with a skeptical and critical perspective toward new media. I have to convince them not to lose new and existing business, lol.

Losing business is not good. Losing business because you have not simply connected with folks on Twitter is even worse. Having people avoid your business because of your lack of sociable media is horrendous.

Let me tell you a few quick stories:

1) I was planning on meeting some of my clients the other day. We texted back and forth a few times and decided we were all hungry and needed some food. So we went through our list of options and I finally announced where I wanted to go. As soon as I mentioned this business, the other party of 3 said "oh no, we are not going going to spend our money at a place that wont even follow us back on Twitter." I thought immediately that this local business is about to lose $150 in 1 hour because they are not properly maintaining their social media. I did not argue (as I am the social media man lol) and we went with the next choice, which happened to be following all of us on Twitter. Who ever thought that a simple follow back on Twitter would represent a virtual handshake and connection which leads to business? But it does.

2) I was walking around downtown with some friends and we were looking for someplace to eat. One person said "well which one of these places are on Twitter?" I of course responded with several options, another person yelled out "But they only talk to 3 people and they are rude on Twitter!" We laughed and then made our decision on another place.

3) I have shopped at many stores, eaten at many restaurants and became a part of many events all because of social media. I have a pool of great friends who I connect with on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, and more. We share, We show, We tell and We do. We influence each other. This is social media.

We are all partial. We have our social influences that we allow into our lives, and we listen to them. Being able to make a simple friendly connection with others online is vital. Not becoming a part of social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can prove deadly to your business.

While I was in Florida recently, I was using my Foursquare social media app on my Blackberry. For those of you who do not know what Foursquare is, it is a social network where you base your communications off of where you are. So I can "Check In" to a business or add that business and Check In if it is not listed, make comments, add tips, etc. The thing I use mostly when on vacation is the "Places" button. I click on that, my smartphone is located, and it tells me a bunch of places and venues close to where I am. Then I make my destination decision based on that.

I know, you are just waiting for social media to TAKE OFF before you "Believe" in it and really put your heart into it. It already has. There is such a thing as "Too Late" and nobody likes to play catch-up for the rest of their business lives. Other businesses are getting in on the action, building and growing. The longer you wait, the more time it is going to take you to grow. Your competitors will win.

Yes, you are losing business by NOT using Twitter

We like to stay connected nowadays

2011-04-26T15:20:00.001-04:00

I sometimes laugh when people get annoyed from technology interruptions. I mean years ago we did not have to worry about a phone going off in a meeting. Now, thats just the way it is. Today, our technology connections take priority. Not saying that our meeting is not important; but we are multi-taskers and like to stay on top of things. If I am in a meeting and someone has to take a call that they deem important, then so be it. I sometimes check tweets during meetings if I am expecting a contact, or someone is asking me a timely question. Excuse yourself for a minute with me, and I am catching up on work on my smartphone. This new world is a little more forgiving than the past generations. Give people a little room, and take some room for yourself too.

Social Media and Face to Face Tips - Friending People

2011-04-15T19:12:00.000-04:00

Asking someone to be your friend did not start with Facebook and MySpace. I remember several people asking me face to face to be my friend when I was a little child. As time passes in our lives, we hesitate to request friendships from other human beings, especially in person. Facebook has made this process much easier. I am not the type that gets offended if someone I do not know makes a request to be my friend on Facebook. I either think that they want to make a connection, and maybe they will even end up being a "real" friend to me. Who knows?! When we make a connection with someone, you never know the possibilities. Make it a point to make some new friends this month, online, and also in person. Make relationships that contribute to your social growth, and not those whose wish to limit you and box you up. They are just building their own empire, with the same old people they have cliqued with for years, and they are all better than everybody else, hahaha. We are building an open network, and friendships with others! No membership required :) You are already accepted!

Twitter Part 1 - setting up an account

2011-04-12T23:24:00.002-04:00

Taking the lunge and setting up a Twitter account is a big step. You go to Twitter.com and hit the Sign Up button. Enter some basic information such as your display name (in my case it would be Gary), your username (for me it would be GSocialMedia), choose a password and add your email address. Bam, you are almost done!

Now it is going to take you through a few quick pages where you can check your email address book to see if any of your friends and connections are on Twitter, and you can invite them. They will show you some suggested people to follow. Go ahead and follow at least 10 people to start. Now it is time for your first Tweet. Twitter asks "What's Happening?" Say something, ANYTHING! Tell us about how good your last meal was and where you ate it. Tell us about your dreams. Tell us about the weather. Hit "TWEET" and it updates your status.

Now go to the button with your username in the top right corner of the screen. This is a drop down menu. Hit it and go to 'Settings". Once you are in settings, Once you are in, there are several tabs on the screen. Change the timezone on this first screen. You will have to re-enter your password at this point for some weird reason. Then, on the same screen, click the "Mobile" tab if you want to add your cell phone number so you can Text to Tweet. This is a great service where you can send a text message to Twitter using standard text charges. SMARTPHONE NOT NEEDED! This is one of the features not many know about.

The next tab that you want to hit is "Profile" where you will add a photo, location, website, and bio. This is a very important step to complete. DO NOT SKIP IT! And make sure you click SAVE on bottom of every screen. You are done! We will talk about Tweeting and Growing your Twitter account in the next few newsletters.

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2011-04-03T22:01:00.002-04:00

YouTube - Social Media Marketing with Video

2011-03-30T22:14:00.006-04:00

YouTube has been a great outlet for one of my portfolio projects AskAsheville. We currently have over 600 subscribers, over 100,00 channel views, and over 500,000 actual video views. The mission of Ask Asheville was to video and highlight life, business and events in the AVL community. This has been well accomplished.

G Social Media builds YouTube channels for businesses. This work includes setting up the You Tube page, targeting and making connections with people in your community or niche, and uploading videos that show your media content. Depending on what type of video you are looking for will determine who we use to do the video. We can source the work out, you can use your own videographer, or we can do it in house.

YouTube is the 2nd most used search engine in the world, after Google of course. I always use the example of trying to search Google on how to make Sushi. Then a light bulb went off in my head and I searched "How To Make Sushi" on YouTube and within seconds I was able to see a Japanese Chef in Japan make a perfect Sushi Roll. Thanks to technology, my sushi roll came out half decent. Things that we could never duplicate and show to anyone again are now common everyday videos that we can all enjoy on YouTube. Memories being made and shared via video, and for free!

Can your company profit from using video social media? Yes. Throw a 30 seconds pitch up on YouTube, distribute your content in the video network, then leak it over your other social media platforms, and you get to say it once to hundreds and thousands of people. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth 10,000.

If YouTube is not one of your key ingredients in your social media dynamic; you are missing out on a large community. Another tip is that even though you may make and upload a video; getting the title, description and keywords is vital to the life of your video. Tell us, and the search engines, what the video is really about. The distribution is another big factor. Getting and keeping that video in front of the people is key. This is where other great social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook come in. One more tip is that when someone subscribes to my YouTube channel or adds me as a friend, I get a notification in my Gmail inbox. I then click over to their profile, and I usually accept the friend request and subscribe back to them to make the reciprocal connection.

I am currently working on building up the AskAsheville and GSocialMedia YouTube channel even more. Results will be very evident in a matter of 90 days. For AskAsheville, one of my main targets is anyone who has the word Asheville in any of their videos. As I sit here writing this blog, my other computer is making connections on YouTube. I can peek across the room and watch my video network grow. Because of the video work I have done, my clients have potential clients calling them and saying "I am watching your YouTube video right now!" Nice!!! I enjoy working with videos and creating a successful YouTube video campaign for you and your business.

Introduction to Social Networking and Media - Raleigh NC presentation

2011-03-14T13:42:00.003-04:00

Here is a recent beginners introduction to social media that I used at a presentation in Raleigh North Carolina. This was a private presentation and not open to the public. Some of your definitions or prices may vary in comparison to the ones I have below. Not a problem at all. Just take note. I am a real life sociable human being that uses social networking and media to express my person and my business. What better way to get your name and brand in the mix of things, in this new world media era? It is the modern day version of "writing your name in the wet concrete." Make your mark, establish your brand, build your network, be sociable, build your business, service your clients, make friends. BAM!

1. What is social networking? It is a social act, function or club where you can get together and connect with other people, possibly leading to friendships and/or business relationships.

2. What is social media? It is using your people skills to reach out to others, connect, share your personal and business media, and build relationships. The methods of communication has changed with the Internet; but the most important part is to be sociable, or at least make your business seem so and learn how to.

3. Who invented social media? It was an evolution of human behavior and communications. It was a fad until our current President used it to win the world over during his campaign. Then people started paying big attention.

4. Why is social media needed?

Forms (mail to fb me) and places (outside to online) of communication have changed.
People used to use telephones, now use text and/or Skype for free video calls.
People used to spend time with neighbors, now spend time with Facebook friends.
People attend public social functions sometimes, but connected online all of the time.
This is where you will find your new friends, clients and future. (this is where they live)
Friends do business with friends. Facebook friends hold more weight than a stranger.
I trust my social circle more than I trust Google search results, SEO, or an algorithm.
It is the best way to make the most, and most valuable connections in minimal time.
You can search sites like Twitter & get crowd sourced information from a huge network, and up to the second, no more stale search information.

5. What about my website?

If you have one, great. If not, we could have one built for you or use a blog site.
Your main website is not included with a social media package unless requested.
Main company websites could run anywhere from $1500 to $50k+
Wordpress websites could run anywhere from $500 to $2k+
A website is your headquarters. Social media is your arms, legs, mouth, feet.

6. What online platforms should I get with a “social media package?”

Email - this is with Googles email, called Gmail. This is only an admin email.
Blog Article Site - supplement to a website, sometimes used as a main online presence.
RSS Feed Site - worldwide feed article distribution service.
Photo Album Site - allows you to upload photo into online albums, add captions, etc.
YouTube Video Channel Site - allows you to upload videos online, add info, links, etc.
Twitter Updater Site - used for quick daily updating and connecting.
Twitpic Photo Updater Site - used for quick daily photo updating.
Information Bin Site - used for compiling your media and distributing on Twitter.
Social Network Site - usually a Facebook business page where people “Like” it.
Tracking Site - gives you statistics on how may people are clicking to your content.
SM Management Site - allows you to easily manage your social media in one place.

7. How do I get started with social media? This is where I am supposed to say "Contact Me" - but I will skip that part and say something like "Just Do It!"

8. How much time will it take me per day? After proper social media building and training, if you put an average of 10 minutes a day into making and growing connections, you will do great.

Email Newsletter Marketing and Social Media

2011-03-03T17:17:00.001-05:00

Today I met with my friend Kelly Denson. She works for My Newsletter Builder, a local AVL company that competes strongly with some brands such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, and Vertical Response. She was headed to UNC Asheville today to do a presentation on email newsletter marketing and I was very excited for her. I regularly speak there and currently have 3 interns from UNCA that are working with me. Kelly mentioned that maybe I could talk about social media for a few minutes and I said "I will be there!"

We met at Rise N Shine Cafe on Merrimon Ave to eat a great breakfast and throw around some media ideas before heading up to UNCA. We arrived at the school and met with Professor Jeff Foreman. We walked into the class and started getting ready for the presentation. Kelly took the lead, introduced herself, and gave an awesome presentation about email marketing using newsletters. I learned a new perspective and some nice tips. "The Sexy Subject Line" branded me. Thank you Kel! I jumped up after and talked about the importance of email and how it is part of my "sales process" when using social media. I said... "I communicate on Twitter, Facebook, Text and then evolve it to Email once we are ready to get more serious." Then I discussed the many SM platforms that I use, and showed the class some examples from the icons on the AskAsheville website.

Since the class just a few hours ago, I have received a LinkedIn connection, some conversation on Twitter, and a great email from the Professor thanking us for coming! Great day in the social networking and media world.

If you are interested in having an Email Newsletter Marketing and Social Media combo class, we would be glad to do a nice presentation for your company or group.

Grandpa has an iPad

2011-02-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

It is amazing how we evolved over the past 20 years. I remember when some folks that were older than me were cursing at cell phones and vowed that they will "NEVER" use them. I remember when email first came out and I would not touch it. I used to dictate emails to my secretary, and she would type them out and send them. Easy enough for me!

I stopped by the iPad social hour at Charlotte Street Computers in Asheville tonight and saw a great group of people hanging out, eating pizza, drinking beer, and talking about iPads. I talked with local photographer Micah Mackenzie and we both took some video clips and photos. I ended up looking at this photo again and again because it stuck in my head as "Generations past get a hold of technology." Here are 3 elderly gentlemen with iPads and they are discussing apps and functionality. This is part of the pie and everyone wants a piece. I am very excited about how social media and networking is crossing generational lines and cultures. Come get some!

Twitter - the follow back theory

2011-02-10T20:53:00.003-05:00

I, for one, am a supporter of following people back on Twitter. I tell people all of the time that "unless you are famous like Shaq or Britney Spears, you will probably want to follow back and reciprocate with your followers unless they are ridiculous porn or spam." When you follow back, you may have an idea of where you want this relationship to go... or maybe you do not... but there is that percentage of possibility!

If you do not consistently check your followers and follow the applicable (meaning people in your community, niche, or anyone that is a potential) back, you are limiting your networking capability. Of course you have people that ask "how can I keep up with everything that goes across my home feed?" The answer is that once you are following 300, 500, 1000 people or more; you do not monitor your home page. You evolve to your mentions (@replies) and the niche that you and/or your business is focusing on. You can also follow by Twitter lists where you can group a bunch of people and watch them a little closer, interact, etc. For example: I set my clients up on Hootsuite where they can monitor what is going out of their account, when they are being mentioned, their direct messages, and also streams of tweets about their local community and their business niche. This allows them to be on top of their game when it comes to getting in on the tweet action.

It is funny sometimes when I hear of people complaining about followers following them, and then they complain when they get unfollowed too... and it many times because they did not complete the relationship connection by following back. Maybe they think they are better than the folks following them? Maybe they think that their product or voice is superior? Some people just don't know? It doesn't matter. The same result is still there.

Oh, you may also be hindering other people and businesses from growing their account by not following them back. A person can only follow so many on Twitter (around 2000) before you are subject to the 10% rule where you can only follow 10% more people than you have following you.

Part of your weekly Twitter maintenance is checking the people and businesses that are following you and follow them back to make the bond. It take two!