Week XII Pt II: Other Online Tools

Three online tools worth diving deeper into are Yelp, Podcasts, and MeetUp Groups. Why these? Well, here's the explanation for Mama Sai's Cookies:

Yelp

Yelp undoubtedly has a strong impact on any business, the question is: what kind of impact? Taking a look at other competitors in the area, it is typically a positive one. Maya's Cookies has a plethora of mouth-watering descriptions of delicious cookie experiences, as does The Cravory, Hazel & Jade, and Caked. Results are a bit scattered for search terms like "vegan protein cookie" and "gluten-free vegan cookie". This presents an excellent opportunity for Mama Sai's Cookies to jump in and make a splash on Yelp. 

Podcasts

The beauty of streaming services like Podcasts is twofold. First, they bring about a sense of loyalty similar to a weekly television show, often leaving consumers marking their calendar for freshly broadcast content. Secondly, they often extrapolate into much more than one piece of content. For example, a radio show interviewing Mama Sai on the creation of Mama Sai's cookies can then be transferred to video to be hosted on YouTube and Vimeo. Snippets of those videos can be proliferated on Twitter and Instagram, while the transcript itself can become a blog or two in its own right. Clearly, Podcasts are an exciting way to expand into more than one platform.

MeetUp Groups

One of the most valuable currencies in the modern world is face time. Having the opportunity to connect with other industry professionals despite busy schedules is a blessing, especially in such a non-confrontational space. MeetUp groups involving cookies and bakeries in San Diego revolve primarily around coffee shops, educational bakery tours, and corporate meet-and-greets. This rare platform allows users to actually connect face-to-face, transcending the barrier of screens and HTML that normally dictates digital human interaction.

Regardless of how effective these three tools might be, it is of paramount importance to keep updated with the newest social media platforms as time goes by. With new platforms gaining massive popularity in only months these days, the only way to stick with the current is to dive right into it!