The time of life when Yik Yak was in it’s prime feels like a fever dream. College campuses used this app like it was Gossip Girl. You could find out about social gatherings, tips on people in your community, gossip … It was a completely unregulated anonymous Twitter. Which ended up being as chaotic as it sounds.
The Haps
Yik Yak was a community based social media app, but it was 100% anonymous. You could post to your communities (mainly college campuses) anonymously to find things like parties, or a blacklist of your classmates. Posts were visible in a 5 mile radius of the poster. During the peak of its popularity in 2014, the company was valued at around $400 million.
“We’re bringing Yik Yak back because we believe the global community deserves a place to be authentic, a place to be equal, and a place to connect with people nearby,” the new owners said on the company’s website. The app was brought down four years ago for cyber bullying and hate speech.
Impact for Marketers
The new company owners are taking a strong stand against threats and abuse. Which makes this the ideal app to post about your company’s events! If your target audience is Gen Z or younger millennials, this could mean big things for your company! A completely free communal page, where you can anonymously post your company and events and make it sound like you’re part of the community instead of an advertising robot. Anonymity gives you access to an entire market without having to pay for influencers with status.
