STRATEGY   |   POSTED ON 16.12.2014

While making use of current social media mainstays – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube – it was obvious from the very beginning that a new direction would need to be forged for Bunchrides.

The app, designed with cyclists in mind, had a very specific target audience – complete with its own language, needs and culture. ‘Traditional’ social media has its place in expanding the reach, connecting and engaging, but its very own social media platform – that took things to a whole new stage.

Having a live chat function within the Bunchrides app and making its functionality a priority within the digital strategy proved to be one of the most popular aspects during beta testing.

With many social media platforms becoming more business than social, it’s becoming harder and harder for marketers to connect with today’s savvy consumers. Organic reach is dropping and it seems that the only way to expand your reach is to spend on advertising campaigns and while this is not true for all, it’s no wonder brands are looking further afield for a platform that works for them.

And Bunchrides aren’t the only ones exploring this option and its pros and cons. Many brands are implementing their own form of social platforms on their websites, an industry specific application or app.

The case for…

Semi-conductor manufacturer, Analog Devices, has used their in-house site EngineerZone to leverage their brand and products – and it’s working.

The internal platform reached a wider audience then their entire Facebook Fan page and ‘better yet, 90% of EngineerZone users say the community is helpful to their design process and 76% say the community makes them more likely to buy Analog’s products again in the future’. – Nate Elliott, Forrester analyst.

The case against…

From Jerry Daykin, The Drum, ‘The suggestion that brands should turn to their own websites or smaller platforms instead seems even more misguided given the further lack of scale they inevitably have. Reaching a bigger percentage of a smaller number of people still means reaching a small number of people.’

In the current market we have little option but to continue to invest in popular social media platforms, develop new platforms and test, test, test to see what works best for your target audience. Facebook still dominates social media advertising, Google dominates search ads and they work in conjunction with each other so for the foreseeable future brands will need to harness this power to market their brand.

With social media and consumer needs evolving at a rapid rate, digital strategy will need to be reviewed, adjusted and updated on a consistent basis to stay current and appeal to target markets.

To learn more about the Bunchrides branding strategy click here, or how they are connecting and engaging click here

If your brand needs to update its digital strategy to stay ahead of the game have a chat with the your local brand agency Liquid Creativity team.