What is Yik Yak?
In this blog I will try and explain what is Yik Yak and why proximity based messaging is about to invade us.
So I came across this recently and after a little research came to some conclusions and thought I would share, but before that let me address those that want the answer to the headline.
Yik Yak is a US based startup that was founded in 2013, so this is not a new app or social network. It is a messaging service that is based around a 10 mile radius of wherever you are. You post a message (yak) and people can respond and vote up or down if they like or dislike it. Like other private messaging apps a Yik Yak user is anonymous. Now this its pros and cons but it is what the under 24 market demands.
It seems to me that whenever a social media channels starts to get traction marketers come in and soil it. They look to come in and find a way of serving adverts. Snap Chat was all the rage for this market and even they had to find a way to monetise and allow brands to join in. What's happened is they will look for another way to communicate.
There are other messaging apps like Yik Yak they do similar things and in fact I was reading about another that is gaining traction that does not even use an internet connection and works on your bluetooth range, this is great for lots of people in a single room such as a classroom or nightclub.
Like all new apps of this nature controversy is never far away and there has been reported cyber bullying and also schools trying to ban the app usage all together.
There has also been some other university's looking to collaborate with Yik Yak and join in and see the benefit of being able to communicate and join the conversations.
The company has had a steady growth period over the last few years but seems to be making some good progress and is now slowly making a little noise in the UK.
I can really see the benifits of this app and would love to see it work with small business but I just dont know if the target audiance will like that but maybe in time when the digital natives have had enough we might be left with something really quite different to what we have today.
There is still work to be done but new social platforms will come and go and who knows if this is is going to stick around but in meantime it was fun to yak about it for a bit.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Author- Speaker - Consultant. Passionate about all things digital.