What Is Happening Today On Gather - Thursday April 15, 2010

The  Gather community has so much to offer to its members.  This is the only place you will find engaging conversation on subjects from raising kids, raising gardens to finding a place to vacation.  You will also find original poetry, complete first draft novels, writing challenges and of course photography.  You may have to go out of your comfort zone to see the really good stuff.  I try to spotlight a variety of  posts/photos and videos in the Today Post.  Make sure you check it out  each weekday.  You just may be spotlighted.

 

RETURNING THIS FRIDAY 

The Author Live Chats will resume beginning this Friday.  You won't want to miss these.  These talented authors are sharing their secrets of writing and publishing as well as information on upcoming books. Many authors are giving away autographed books at the chats.  You can't win if you don't join in the chat.

 

BEGINNING THIS WEEK!

This week, I will be trying something new.  I will be spotlighting a group like I have never spotlighted them before. I have contacted the owner of a group and ask them questions.  I will post these questions and the owners answers in hopes that you will have a better understanding of the group.  I will spotlighting a new group each Friday in the same way.  Make sure to check it out in the Friday/Weekend edition of Today On Gather.  You will not find it anywhere else!

 

 

 DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that each weekday the Gather Support team submits a post?  The purpose of this post is to help each of us in the community with Gather related problems.  It is also suggested that the members in the community check out this post and offer assistance whenever possible.  You can find these daily posts at the The Gather Help Desk.  These posts also give directions and email addresses to the Gather Support team so you can get confidential assistance if you need it.

 

 This post would be a great place for members to chat about problems they are having in the community as well as the things they enjoy about the community.  I has the potential to be a great source of support.

 

 

Will You Be There?

There will be a live chat with April 16th chat with Sarah Honenberger.  This chat will take place at 9 PM EST. It will last for one hour.  I will submit a post on Thursday night that will serve as the chat itself. If you will not be able to attend the chat, you can still ask questions in the comment area of the chat post. 

 

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Growing Fruit in Small Yards- Win a Copy of "Grow Fruit"!

 

This post has some great advice on growing fruit trees.  They explain about growing dwarf, compact and even container fruit trees.

Share stories or tips on growing fruit and you can win a copy of DK’s Grow Fruit. Comments must be posted by Wednesday, April 21st. Gather will draw one winner to receive a copy of the book!

 

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 What do you love about traveling to a new city? Tell us and you could win Gather Points!

 

I know all of you are familiar with the "Best Kept Secrets" series that Gather has been promoting for several weeks now.  I personally am really enjoying them.  I love to read about new and exciting places.

Gather wants to hear about your travels to new cities.  For your chance to win 1 of 10 awards of 20 points just for answering a quick question by Tuesday April 27th.

 

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Come Share Your Comments and You Could Win 125 Gather Points Daily!

 

 Gather has launched the Best Kept Secrets travel program in travel.gather.com sponsored by HomeAway and they are requesting your help! Share your tips for vacationing and you could win Gather Points.

These are the questions they would like you to answer for them.

How do you budget while you’re on a vacation?

Do you use a travel agent or select a location on your own?

What are your "must-haves" when you go on vacation? (Pool, spa, childcare, etc.)

Each day Gather give away 25 Gather Points to a commenter on each article-that’s 125 Gather Points a day! You can win more than once so if you have more tips to share then comment on all of them. This promotion will run until Friday, April 23rd  so comment by then to be eligible.

Note: You must comment in the article links below to be entered. If you have a secret-share it! Just want to visit-tell us!

Best Kept Secrets of Park City, Utah: The Perfect Resort for All Seasons

Best Kept Secrets of Naples, Florida

Best Kept Secrets of Beach Getaways (Let the Ocean Work Its Secret on You)

Best Kept Secrets of Family Vacations-Budget Friendly Family Vacations

Best Kept Secrets of Maui, HI - A Tropical Paradise

 

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Win a Copy of Sergio Mendes' New Album 'Bom Tempo'!

“This is bom tempo music, good times music,” says the Brazilian-born, U.S.-based Mendes, who sought to sum up the CD with a succinct Portuguese title. “It’s all about the good times, good weather, good tempos. The album is about the diversity, joy and sensuality of Brazilian music—songs I previously recorded and some that I never have—played by Brazilian and American musicians.”

For your chance to win one of five CD's that will be given away, all you have to do is answer one quick question by April 28

 

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Win a Prize Pack of 4 Books!

Gather is giving away a Prize Pack of the following 4 religious novels.

1. God Never Blinks by Regina Brett

2. Should We Fire God by Jim Pace

3. Heart of my Heart by Kristin Armstrong

4. Green Like God by Johnathan Merritt

For your chance to win, all you have to do is answer one quick question.  Gather will draw 3 respondents who comment to receive the above books. Comments must be posted by Friday, April 16th.

 

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Myrtle Beach, SC is HomeAway's Featured Property of the Week. Two Members Will Win Gather Points!

 

 Have you ever been to this week’s featured location? If so or even if you have not, all you have to do is   share your stories, tips and secrets by following the above link. Two members each week will be drawn to receive 50 Gather Points™ for doing so!

 

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 ENDS TODAY!

What are your best tips for planning a family vacation? Tell us and you could win Gather Points!

As the flowers begin to bloom, the leaves and grass turn dark green, our minds tend to wander to "Vacation Time".   I know we each have a different idea of the perfect vacation but we can learn tips from each other in this area that will help to achieve that one time "Best Vactaion".

With the "Best Kept Secret Series of posts we are being exposed to places many of us have only dreamed of. These well written member articles are filled with those "special tips" that can make your vacation a success.

Gather wants to hear your tips.  When you share your tops with the rest of the community, you will have a chance to win 20 points "What are your best kept tips fro planning a family vacation?"  Keep in mind that this can be a family of two or four or whatever the number is in your family.

Please comment no later than Thursday, April 15th by clicking on the above link..

 

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NEW Daily Points Promotion: Comment to Win 25 Gather Points™ or More! 

 I have really been enjoying the new program "Best Kept Secrets". Each time you comment on one of these posts, you have the opportunity to win 25 points. I will announce the previous days winners for each post at the bottom of the Today Post. So make sure you comment on each of the following posts each day.

Best Kept Secrets of International Vacations:

Best Kept Secrets in London, United Kingdom - A Guide to Having Fun in London

Best Kept Secrets of Rome, Italy on a Family 'Roamin' Holiday

Best Things to do in Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

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 Gather Home & Garden Essential

 

As The Gardening season gets ready for full swing, the Garden & Home Group is beginning to take off.  There is not a lot of information posted yet but it is starting to take form.  We all need to share that knowledge with each other as the economy prevents us from purchasing fresh food as much.  We need to learn to raise our own.

 

 

 

 

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Take a Survey for a Chance to Win $500

 

 Gather’s giving you a chance to win $500, simply by completing a survey.  The world of news is changing and we’re curious how you find and share news stories.  There are only 21 questions, so the survey will likely take about 5-10 minutes.  Once you complete the survey questions you’ll be asked to supply your email address.  You will only need to enter your email address if you wish to be entered into the drawing for a chance to win $500.  Your email address will not be shared with anyone and you will only be contacted if you’ve been selected as the winner. 

The survey will be closed on April 16^th

 

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 CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS

 

April 14th Winners of 25 points each for commenting on the following posts are:

 

 

 

Best Things to do in Buenos Aires, Argentina winner Amanda "middle of nowhere" C.!

Best Kept Secrets of Rome, Italy on a Family 'Roamin' Holiday winner Golds G.!

Best Kept Secrets in London, United Kingdom - A Guide to Having Fun in London winner is Trish A.!

 Best Kept Secrets in London, United Kingdom - A Guide to Having Fun in London winner is Trish A.!

Best Kept Secrets of Maui, HI--A Tropical Paradise winner John S. (arizona)!

Best Kept Secrets of Family Vacations - Budget Friendly Family Vacations winner is Kat W

Best Kept Secrets of Naples, Florida winner is Bridget

Best Kept Secrets of Park City, Utah: The Perfect Resort for All Seasons winner April H

 

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WELCOME TO THE GATHER COMMUNITY

 

 

 

 

Do You want To Make More Points On Gather

 One of the questions members frequently ask the Support team is for tips on how to get more views to their content so they can earn more points. An easy way to do this is by checking to see what is being searched for on the major search engines and to pick a topic that interests you from the list of top searched trends to write about.

The Google trends list is updated very regularly throughout the day.  MaryAnne be publishing this list daily to the Earn More Points and SEO groups. Feel free to check out these posts for ideas. If you write about one of the items on the hot trends list, and use the keywords that are being searched on, your content will be one of the items returned in the search engines and you’ll draw more viewers to your content.

 

 

Tom Gerace, CEO and Founder of Gather has submitted some great posts to help you with your Gather experience:

 Amplifying Your Voice (or, If a tree falls in the forest, and only 1.3 million people hear it…)

Step 1: Find Something that You Love to Do

Step 2: Evaluate the Appeal of Your Topic

Step 3: Consider the Competition (and Learn from Them)

Step 4: Creating a Consistent Experience

Step 5: Using Gather Groups: Create, Curate or Both?

Step 6: Check the box, expand your reach

 

 

Are You New To Gather?

 Welcome! I think you will find the Gather community a great source of information on just about anything. There are groups for food, music, writing, frugal living, couponing and everything in between. The Welcome To Gather group is a great place to start. It is a place where you can meet other new member on the site as well as seasoned members. The Welcome To Gather group goal is to help you learn your way around Gather and let you find friends who share your interests. Welcome!

 

The Today on Gather post is posted each weekday to keep the community informed of all the happenings in the community.  You can find the post in the Today group as well as my profile page on gather.