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WhirLocal Media Group

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WhirLocal Media Group

WhirLocal is a positive, community-based media network and a champion for all things local.

11/07/2025

Meet Gabby Gonzales-Heck and Phillip Heck, co-founders of Sidekick Creative Company in Arkadelphia, AR!

Gabby and Phil are the powerhouse duo behind this full-service digital marketing agency that’s helping small businesses thrive through purpose-driven storytelling and creative strategy. From their tiny house on the river to big ideas for local brands, they’re building something truly special.

Read their inspiring story and see how they’re supporting local entrepreneurs with heart 👇

10/31/2025

When someone close to Philip Korniotes introduces him, they don’t start with job titles or career highlights. Instead, they might say, “Phil is all about starting a nonprofit called WholeWay to help transition people from recovery to leadership.” That one sentence captures the heart of a man whose work blends purpose, community, and a desire to create real change.

Read the full article. Link in the comments.

09/16/2025

Yesterday we had the opportunity to speak on the topic of AI at the Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The room represented a wide spectrum of experience. Some members are using AI every day, some are just getting started, and others had never tried it before.

It was a great reminder that progress is not necessarily about being on the cutting edge, but about taking the first step from where you are.

A big thank you to Debbie and the Roseburg Chamber for inviting us and for investing in your members. We truly enjoyed connecting with your community and experiencing the beauty of your part of Oregon.

09/09/2025

"I found you via ChatGPT"

It’s something we’re starting to hear more often.

The shift is happening.

From Google search (Local SEO) to AI Answers (AEO).

And here’s the key: both rely on the same foundation.

* Optimized content
* Consistent citations (name, address, phone)
* Reviews
* Backlinks
* Solid website structure

That’s why we’re bringing Local SEO and AI optimization together with WhirLocal.

Whether you’re a small business looking to get found in both search engines and AI tools like ChatGPT, or you provide Local SEO services for your clients, we’re here to help.

09/02/2025

AI for Main Street? We're Making It Happen.

We’ve been meeting with Chamber of Commerce and association groups across the region as part of our Heart of Local AI Tour, helping business and nonprofit leaders understand how AI can work for them.

If you’ve been wondering how to use AI tools to save time, cut costs, and get better results in your business or nonprofit, this is for you.

✅ Practical examples
✅ Real conversations
✅ Built for Main Street

We’re adding more stops to the tour right now in Oregon and beyond. If you're part of a chamber or association group and want to bring this session to your members, let’s connect.

08/05/2025

We just built a Smart AI Assistant in one hour.

It now saves us about an hour every week. And it gets better results than doing it manually.

Let’s do the math:
1 hour invested
1 hour saved per week
52 weeks in a year

That’s a 52X ROI in the first year.

We like that math. A lot.

If you're a small business owner or nonprofit leader, ask yourself:
What is one hour of your time worth?
$100?
$250?
$500?

This assistant handles a weekly process we used to do by hand.
It’s the kind of task every small business or nonprofit should be automating.

We’re adding this Smart AI Assistant to our Local Champion Membership.
Just $37 per month or $365 per year.

And now, we’re launching a Custom Smart AI Assistant Service.
We’ll customize 10 Smart AI Assistants for your organization.
Each one customized for your brand voice, your systems, and your workflows.

Not just one.
Ten.

How many hours could you and your team reclaim each week?
10? 20? 50?

Imagine the ROI on that.

If you want the details, just comment "Assistant" and we’ll send them your way.

07/24/2025

In this week's edition of the Heart of Local newsletter, we're talking about what to do when you're wearing too many hats.

That feeling of being pulled in every direction is something we hear all the time from local business owners and nonprofit leaders.

The truth is, some of the most exhausting parts of your day might be easier to automate or take off your plate than you think.

Try This AI Prompt:

Act like a seasoned productivity coach. I’d like to identify 5 things that I don’t need to do myself—things I could delegate to someone else or automate with AI. Guide me through a process to identify these tasks by asking clarifying questions one at a time and helping me brainstorm things that drain my time, feel tedious, or don’t require my unique skills. Then, summarize the top 5 in a bullet list, especially focusing on tasks that are easy to hand off to a human or AI assistant.

Let me know what you come up with in the comments. 👇

07/10/2025

We get it. Not everyone is ready to talk to an AI agent.

Think about this:

When answering machines first came out, people said,
“I’ll never talk to a machine.”
“If they’re not there, I’m not leaving a message.”

When seatbelts were introduced, people said,
“They’re uncomfortable.”
“I don’t need them.”

Fast forward to today.

We leave voicemails without thinking twice.
We buckle up automatically.

The same shift is happening with Voice AI.

Sure, not everyone is ready to talk to an AI agent today.

But here’s the reality:

People don’t want to wait on hold.

They want quick answers to simple questions.

And they still want the option to talk to a real person when it matters most.

Voice AI bridges that gap.

It can:

Answer routine calls instantly

Transfer important calls to your team to maintain the human touch

Ensure every single call is answered, day or night

Automatically handle robocalls so your team isn’t constantly distracted

Imagine this for your business or nonprofit:

Never missing another call.
Never losing another opportunity because you couldn’t pick up.
Having your AI agent filter out distractions so your team focuses on what matters most.

How much is missing calls costing you right now?

Yes, some people will resist at first.

But over time, it becomes the new normal – just like seatbelts, answering machines, and online booking.

Would you trust AI to handle your calls if it meant happier customers, donors, and supporters?

For us, “Rebecca,” our Voice AI agent, now answers our phone 24/7.

Is she perfect? Of course not.

But we love it and it's only going to get better.

Voice AI is here to stay. Don’t get left behind.

If you’re curious about implementing Voice AI for your business or nonprofit, we’re here to help.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

06/24/2025

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

Today, Facebook removed a bunch of large, active groups with no warning. Just gone. No explanation, no backup. They may come back, but they might not.

It’s a powerful reminder that most of what we use online is rented space; social media platforms, website hosts, CRMs, and yes, even WhirLocal.

That’s why it’s so important to protect what you truly own.

Here are 3 steps every local business or organization should take:

𝟭. 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀
Once a month, export your email list, CRM contacts, and social data. Store it in a safe location.

𝟮. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁
This is your most direct and reliable way to communicate. Nurture it consistently.

𝟯. 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀
Use a mix of email, text messaging, community platforms like WhirLocal, and real-life connections to reach your audience.

This digital world is powerful, but it’s also fragile.
Make sure your business is protected from unexpected disruptions.

What steps are you taking to protect your digital presence and assets?

05/20/2025

Let’s Talk Local: AI, Automation & Starting Simple

Our founder Tim was recently interviewed by Tyler R Lordi on his podcast O My Lordi to talk about something close to our hearts - local businesses and nonprofits.

They discussed why these organizations are the backbone of our economy and how exploring tools like AI, automation, and platforms like WhirLocal can help them grow without the overwhelm.

As Tim shared in the episode, the key is to start simple.
💬 Have a quick conversation with ChatGPT
✅ Choose one thing to automate
⭐️ Ask one customer for a review

Small steps can lead to big progress.

We’ll share the podcast link as soon as it drops. In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you:

👉 What’s your biggest hurdle when it comes to taking the next step in your business or nonprofit?

If this resonates, give it a like or share it with someone in your network.

05/16/2025

Looking for a speaker on AI?

Next month, we're speaking at several key events across Oregon, including the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce Executives meeting, the WVMLS Annual Meeting, and another upcoming event in Salem.

At WhirLocal, we’re passionate about helping businesses and nonprofits understand how tools like AI can drive growth, save time, and strengthen community connections.

Whether it's a keynote talk, a hands-on workshop, or a strategy session, we help organizations:

* Cut through the noise
* Build scalable systems
* Stay competitive with practical, real-world AI strategies

If your organization or event is looking for a speaker or is ready to explore how AI can fit into your marketing and operations, we’d love to connect.

What’s one AI tool or tip that has caught your attention recently? Let us know in the comments.

05/14/2025

If you’re feeling a little unsure about AI, you’re not alone. A lot of folks are.

At the Scale with Stability Summit that we recently attended, I asked our friend Jonathan Mast what he would say to people who feel nervous about it. His answer was powerful.

He said AI is not here to replace people. It’s here to amplify the experience and skills we already have. Especially for those of us who’ve been around the block a few times.

He also made a great point: AI isn’t some scary robot or science fiction. It’s a tool. It needs us to do anything. It’s not going to take over the world, and it’s not going to read your mind.

Like any tool, it can be used for good. And as business owners, community members, and people who care about others, we have a chance to lead the way in how we use it.

One small step at a time.

Curious what you think. How are you starting to explore AI in your own life or work?

Address

Salem
Salem, OR
97304

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15032172800

Website

https://whirlocal.io/

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