AFGM's Invitation to Ello

So one of the most common things I am asked when it comes to my social media is "what sites are you on".  After I tell them what platforms I use, I am generally met with "you should try this site out".  While I do my best to knowledge and look into their recommendation, it can honestly get a little tiring managing all the sites by yourself.  Just so you know for yourself, I currently run on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc.  So this social site caught my eye and really seem to like it so far.  Welcome Ello!

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Hi @afgm. Welcome to Ello, a simple, beautiful & ad-free social network.

Ello's minimal design puts emphasis on high-quality content, and makes it easy to connect with the people you really care about. Ello does not allow paid ads, and will never sell user data to third parties.

@jayzes invited you and will be your first FRIEND. You'll find @ello, a curated collection of some of our favorite posts from the Ello community, in NOISE.

As you DISCOVER new people, follow them in either FRIENDS or NOISE. Nobody but you will know where you've put them.

Click SETTINGS to add an avatar and header image, and to complete your Ello PROFILE.

Visit WTF to learn more about Ello.

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(Photo courtesy of Ello)

So far the site seems pretty smooth and easy to understand.  There is less clutter on the home screen and filled with icons and images that you will eventually learn.  It features most other things you would see on social media platforms.  It has an avatar, a user name, a location, basic info about yourself, etc.  I will agree it does not go into great detail and depth such as Facebook for personal information, but provides just enough info in order for people to connect with you.  I think one other thing worth mentioning is the fundamentals the website functions under:

- Ello will never sell user data to advertisers or third parties
- Ello never show advertisements
- Ello will not enforce a real-name policy

The marketing sensation behind it seems to be an "invite only" way to subscribe to the website.  Someone sent me my invitation and in turn I invited someone else.  The site currently claims 1,000,000+ users and has been in operation since March, 2014.  Co-creators Paul Budnitz and Todd Berger managed to raise $435,000+ from investor(s) (practically all from FreshTracks Captial) in January , 2014 and launched shortly afterwards.

Another notable piece of information here is the focus on those website fundamentals.  Tech Crunch and WIRED magazine have reported a $5.5 million raising through capital venture funding and has officially files as a public benefit corporation, meaning NO ADS will ever be on the website.  This might appeal to quite a bit of users who are tired with social media sites using them as psychological experiments or don't necessarily like websites retaining that much data about their personal lives.


(Photo courtesy of Ello)

So how does this relate to music and AFGM?

Well, obviously not everything on AFGM surrounds music in itself.  There are other indirect articles that revolve back to music.  Ello does not have a media player, it doesn't have band pages, nor does it allow for AFGM to market itself as a blog (not yet for all points made).  But since AFGM's fundamental was to get people talking (or continue talking) about music in any form.  If this site brings one new person to my site, or even so much as asks about the music I listen to, then the campaign was a success!

Be sure to keep a lookout for this website making headlines more and more often.  I believe that Ello is trying to keep up with the overnight success and release a full website to make up for the beta version they are currently running on.