July 30, 2013
Black Blogger Month: BrothaTech, Breaking Tech Talk Down for the Masses
- Blog: BrothaTech
- Niche: Technology/Digital Lifestyle
- Founder: Terrance Gaines
- Twitter: @BrothaTech
When you’re the only techie in your family, it takes more than a little gadget gusto and Blerd 101 to get people to converse with you about technology. It was a welcomed challenge for Atlanta native Terrance Gaines, who has a knack for breaking even the most complex tech terms down for the average consumer. Stepping into the blogosphere never entered Gaines’ mind, though, until he received a helpful nudge from his wife, Alondra. “My wife actually suggested that I get started because she got tired of me talking tech to her,†said the father of two to BlackEnterprise.com, laughing as he recounted the story. He took the necessary steps, purchased the domain name and launched the now award-winning blog, BrothaTech.com, in 2008. His blog has earned various awards, including the Small Biz Influencer Awards in 2011 and 2012 and Best Science and Technology Video Blog at the Black Weblog Awards in 2013.
The digital lifestyle expert has been able to leverage his passion for technology and background in information technology, sharing his expertise with print and digital media like Black Enterprise, Black Web 2.0, Small Biz Go Mobile, Madame Noire, PC Magazine‘s AppScout, and Uptown Magazine, as well as via guest posts for various other sites. Gaines also speaks at conferences and events, having presented his ideas locally and nationally during this year’s Blogging While Brown Conference, Hispanicize, Show Me the Blog Social Media Conference and the Chocolate Chat Atlanta Meetup. Although penning articles and blog posts, speaking at events and consulting with brands, repairing gadgets and spending time with his family is keeping the Tennessee State University graduate busy, he’s in the beginning stages of creating his own weekly podcast. As Black Blogger Month continues, Gaines shares his tech expertise and how he turned his blog into a business.
BrothaTech stands out because…
One of the things I try to do is not make it so geeky, make it in plain layman’s terms. I’m the only techie in my family, so me trying to speak like a traditional geek speaks, with all the technical terms and the technical jargon, is going to fly over their heads. I’ve been talking tech in layman’s terms pretty much my whole life. I really try to tell a story to make more sense, and to also use myself as an example. A lot of my blog posts, I write about my experiences with technology, but I also make it plain and simple so people can actually use that information and apply it to whatever they’re trying to figure out, or find some new tips. I try to make it personal and I try to break it down in layman’s terms.
People trust my brand because…
When people come to my site, I’d like to think that they get enough information and enough value to where it’s easy for them to say, ‘You have a question about a computer? Call BrothaTech. You’ve got a question about social media? You should hit up BrothaTech. You’ve got a phone that needs to be fixed; you need to hit up BrothaTech.’ I’d like to think the value that people take from my site that it’s easily shareable, which is why other people come to my site as well. Those relationships that I’ve built to where I’m recognized just outside of my blog and influential bloggers.