Even if you're not an expert on every social media network, you've probably heard of most — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, maybe even Meerkat and Periscope. Chances are you haven't stumbled across this one, though.
It's been around for less than a year, has raised over $70 million in venture capital funding and has nearly 2 million active monthly users. Meet Yik Yak.
In essence, it's an anonymous Twitter where you post 200-character messages called "yaks." Users may also upload photos as long as they don't include faces, nudity or illegal activity.
From there, users upvote or downvote your yak. The more upvotes, the higher you'll appear on the Hot list — and the more people will see it. Conversely, get five down votes, and your yak disappears. Users also comment and are randomly assigned an avatar for each yak.
The interesting twist is that the network is entirely localized. Only users within a 5-mile radius will see your yak. This creates a big opportunity for local businesses.
Much like Facebook, Yik Yak began by marketing and focusing exclusively on college campuses. Since the app is so new, their audience remains primarily college-aged students and teens.
However, especially in metropolitan areas, the demographic is already beginning to diversify. Twenty- and thirty-somethings often comment and post. Yik Yak's audience will continually evolve as they grow and expand, which thus far they've done quickly.
Is there a marketing opportunity for your business on Yik Yak?
The answer is yes, if you ...
- Are a business in a college town
- Cater to teen or college students
- Frequently have those under 21 patronize your shop or service
- Focus exclusively on local business and like taking marketing risks
Remember, your yak gets deleted if you get five downvotes. So if your message isn't resonating, it's removed quickly — often within minutes. But since your business name isn't affiliated with the yak, feel free to take risks and experiment.
Before posting, check out these four tips on how to navigate and test the marketing waters of Yik Yak for your business.
1. Have a minimum of two mobile devices at your disposal. Your goal is to start a dialogue, so get the ball rolling. If you comment using the device you posted with, your icon will show that you're the OP (original poster). So use your second device to respond and comment.
2. Avoid actively selling and pushing products at all costs. Your yak will be almost instantly downvoted, and you'll upset the users.
3. Instead, post comical stories and anecdotes that happened at or are about your business. Remember to tell the story from your customer's point of view.
4. Make your yak either funny, relatable, locally-relevant or timely. Overall, these are the types of content that perform best. Familiarize yourself with the quirks and most popular content on your local Yik Yak before posting.
