Interview with Charles Gooch-Director of Global Social Media at Garmin

Intro

Charles Gooch currently serves as the Director of Global Social Media at Garmin, where he oversees strategy and content from across more than 100 social media channels worldwide. His work focuses on managing public facing conversations, building brand awareness, and strengthening the connection between consumers and the garmin brand. With more than two decades of experience in storytelling, community engagement, and digital strategy, Gooch has built a career that reflects the rapid evolution of media and communication. 

Professional Background 

Gooch began his career after earning a journalism degree from Penn State University. His early work was in newspapers, where he held roles like copy editor, page designer and news designer. He eventually moved to Kansas City to work for The Kansas City Star, where he helped redesign elements of the newspaper and contributed to its sports coverage. One of his notable projects was creating The Full 90, the newspaper’s first soccer focused blog, which combined his interests in sports and writing. 

Around 2009, Gooch became interested in the growing influence of social media. At the time many news organizations were still learning how to integrate social platforms into their strategies. Gooch helped push The Kansas City Star toward social media adoption and began focusing more on digital community engagement. His work eventually led him into marketing and brand communication roles, including serving as community manager for Gatorade. 

From there, Gooch continued advancing in the field of social media strategy, working with major brands through the agency VMLY&R and leading teams responsible for social story telling for clients such as Gatorade, Wendy’s, and Intel. He later joined Garmin, where he now leads the company’s global social media efforts. 

Daily Responsibilities and Key Skills 

In his current role at Garmin, Gooch leads a team of about eleven people who manage the company’s public-facing social media conversations around the world. His job involves making sure Garmin’s content strategy stays aligned with the company’s larger marketing goals while also keeping a close eye on how audiences are interacting with the brand online.

Earlier in his career, Gooch spent more time directly analyzing posts, reading comments, and building reports on audience behavior. Now, a typical day for him includes a lot of meetings, emails, and collaboration with different teams. While the work looks different than it did earlier in his career, he still focuses heavily on strategy and making sure the team understands how audiences are responding to their content.

One skill Gooch emphasized was staying aware of trends. He explained that people who work in social media have to spend time actually consuming social media. Paying attention to what shows up on your “For You” page or noticing what content people are sharing can help professionals understand how platforms and audiences are evolving.

He also talked about the metrics companies use to evaluate success. Some of the biggest indicators include follower growth, post reach, and overall awareness of the brand. Engagement is also a major factor, such as shares, comments, and saves. Metrics like views and watch time can also show whether content is influencing someone’s interest in buying a product or learning more about the brand.

Industry Insights and Trends

According to Gooch, one of the biggest changes in the social media world has been the rise of TikTok. He described it as one of the biggest disruptors in the industry because it changed how audiences discover content. On platforms like TikTok, follower count matters less than it used to. Instead, the algorithm focuses on pushing engaging content to users, even if they do not follow the account that created it.

Another shift he has noticed is the growing demand for authenticity. Brands are realizing that audiences respond better to content that feels natural and creative rather than overly polished corporate messaging. Gooch said he hopes to see more creativity and craft return to social media strategy as brands experiment with new ways to connect with audiences.

He also pointed out a common misconception about the industry. Many people still assume social media accounts are run by interns or that managing social media is simple. In reality, it requires strategy, data analysis, and a team of experienced professionals working behind the scenes.

Advice for Aspiring Professionals

For students interested in working in media or social media, Gooch emphasized the importance of intellectual curiosity. He believes that being curious and willing to learn is one of the most valuable traits someone can have in this industry. Social platforms change constantly, so professionals need to stay open to new ideas and continue learning throughout their careers.

He also shared a piece of advice that stuck with him over time: try to be more curious than judgmental and listen before speaking. Taking the time to observe, ask questions, and understand different perspectives can help professionals make better decisions and develop stronger ideas.

Personal Reflections

Talking with Gooch made it clear how much the media industry has changed over the past two decades. His career shows how someone can start in traditional journalism and eventually move into digital marketing and global brand communication as technology evolves.

One thing that stood out was how strategic social media roles have become. It is no longer just about posting content. Professionals now analyze audience behavior, track performance data, and create strategies that help companies reach business goals. Hearing about that process gave me a better understanding of how complex and creative this field can be.

Conclusion

Charles Gooch’s career reflects the evolution of media from traditional journalism to digital storytelling and global brand engagement. His experience highlights the importance of creativity, curiosity, and adaptability in a constantly changing communication landscape. For anyone interested in working in social media or marketing, his advice reinforces the value of staying curious, paying attention to trends, and continuously learning.