Bloggers Delight
Gospel Link 360 invites you to feel the music via an all-round social media experience…
Not just an independent record label, but with a Youtube channel with more than 100 videos and thousands of hits, Gospel Link 360 are creating big waves within the blogsphere. We talk to Roger Moore to discover how vital social media is to this start-up label…
How did GL360 come about and how has social media been a part of this strategy?
GL360 has evolved from my humble beginnings, running Divine Intervention, where I was managing my wife and producing her music. I went on to release four albums, featuring local artists – Gospel 4 U, Gospel 4 U 2, Gospel 4 U Message and Not Ashamed. I was approached to develop a gospel magazine called Gospel Link 360. The magazine began to develop during the same time period that social media began to become prominent and take off, starting with Myspace, then a year later Facebook, and my love for technology just absorbed the whole platform. As we noticed that print media was taking a back seat and declining, we spent a year preparing for GL360tv – and as you can see it’s going from strength to strength.
How has the Digital Age changed the face of independent labels like GL Records?
It has given us worldwide exposure.
The marriage between the music business and social media seems to work very well. How has it helped with your new projects?
Social media has been a massive help, but I still believe the fundamental principles of promoting a product are the same as ever, but just on a wider scale. Social media has increased what five years ago would have been about 10 per cent of promotion via the Internet to now 80 per cent.
Can you explain for us the
thought behind your other project, True Paradox?
It was a bit of an accident: DJ 4Real was working on some dubstep tracks; when I heard it I thought we had to make use of the tracks. The concept for True Paradox is that dubstep, a style of music often seen in a negative light, can be used for a positive message; that’s the paradox.
What is GL Records USP?
As you can hear from our products, we are very diverse in our approach to gospel, from dubstep and drum’n’bass to R&B and worship.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to start their own YouTube channel?
1) Choose the name of the channel carefully – this may sound so simple but you can’t change it later.
2) Know what content you are going to promote, even if you have different types of videos on YouTube, you can utilise playlists.
3) Finally, just putting it on YouTube, hoping it will get views isn’t the only way to push videos; you have to use all techniques from Facebook and Twitter to Blogger and WordPress.
What’s the purpose and aim of the YouTube channel?
Ministry and promotion.
What has surprised you the most about this Digital Age we’re in?
That people young and old are using it quite comfortably, which is great for online promotion and sales.
What are the negatives and positives of being a blogger? What are the difficulties?
Negative: it’s more time consuming than people think, and techniques change all the time. Positive: it’s a very global approach to connect with the audience.
You’ve had some of the biggest names in gospel in your presence, but who do you have on speed dial and why?
My boy Marcus Hall in New York, as it’s good to have someone in this
field that as well as being a good friend, actually cares for the future of your ministry.
What would you say has been GL Record’s biggest achievement thus far?
We’ve just started, but to produce 7 tracks with 7 music videos within 7 weeks was amazing, and to have the positive feedback was just a blessing.
Follow Gospel Link 360 on Twitter @gl360 or visit glmedia.co.uk and www.youtube.com/gl360tv
Twitterati
Bobbi Kumari @Livinginlight1
The sunny side of style…
After resisting for a very long time, I gave in to the fact that it’s a pretty powerful yet extremely easy way to connect with the whole world.
What’s the concept behind Living in Light?
Living in Light is about celebrating the beautiful and positive things in life, in what can sometimes be a very dark world. Most of the fashion pieces and accessories I make celebrate the amazing diversity of our different cultures and backgrounds and promote a positive message. The fashion design workshops are about enhancing a person’s creative gift, and the free image consultations offered on the Living in Light website are there to help cultivate a positive self-image.
Who are your favourite designers and what is it about them that appeals? Do you follow them on Twitter?
I love a bit of Valentino – total genius. But I like to follow ethical fashion designers on Twitter who are helping our environment through innovation.
Who would you pick as style icon supreme between Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, and why?
Hepburn all the way – apart from being one of the world’s most beautiful actresses and style icons of all time, her life story is inspiring.
What is your favourite fashion garment and why?
I like dresses that are a little bit crazy, but they have to also be versatile and comfortable.
What has surprised you most about Twitter since you joined?
How much you can fit into 140 characters when needed.
Recommended #FFs:
@Biancarosemusic
@AfrcanInfluenced
@AnnaOmak
@magnifyUK
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