User:ENGL101FARR

 Yik Yak

Yik Yak is the newest, rising app in social media. The app is made for most Apple and Android products. Yik Yak is made like the social media site twitter, but it is anonymous. The app was made for college kids, it allows them to connect with each other and find out what was happening all over the college campus. While using the app, you are able to connect with locals using the app in a 1.5 mile radius. In order to use Yik Yak you have to download it onto your phone or any product that is able to use apps. Before downloading Yik Yak, you will be asked to verify if you are 17 and older. After the app is downloaded, once you open it you will be asked if the app is allowed to use your location. You are going to have to confirm this, if you do not want to allow the app to use your location then you will not be able to use it. "Getting Yaks" will appear on your screen, this goes to show that the app is loading your feed. Soon everyone's Yaks will show. On the very bottom (Apple products), or the very top (Android products), you will see four different categories. The categories are called "Home", "Peak", "Me", and "More". On the home page is where you get to see your college campuses apps. You also see two tabs for "New", and "Hot", these two things allow you to see newest posts and the most "upped" posts. In the top left hand corner (iPhone), you will see a number. This number is your Yakarma. Yakarma is points based off how many posts you make, how many ups you get, and your replies. The more active you are, the more yakarma. In the top right hand corner (iPhone) you will see a square with a pencil in it. This allows you to write a post. You can use up to 200 characters in one post. In the Peak category, you have access to other college campus's. You are only allowed to read the posts though. If you are not in the area you do not have access to replying, upping, or downing a post. On the "Me" category, there are three tabs. One for "My Yaks", "My Replies", and "My Top Yaks". In the "My Yaks" tab, you can see all the yaks you have ever posted on Yik Yak. For "My Replies", you can see all the replies you have made on Yaks. "My Top Yaks", holds all the Yaks that have made it to the "Hot" page. Above those three tabs is a teal circle on a map, this is your location. The "More" category allows you too see "Top Yaks". These Yaks are from all colleges. It consists of three tabs below it that say "All Time Greatest Yaks", "Top Yaks In My Area", and "Other Top Yaks". Below those three categories is another heading that says "Other". Other has multiple tabs that are based on the app. It consists of "Rules and Info", "Share Yik Yak", "Rate Yik Yak", "Contact Us", "Follow Us On Twitter", "Like Us On Facebook", and "Follow Us On Instagram". All of these things are convenient for you and the app itself. It gives you access on the rules, support, and the apps other social media pages.

History:

Yik Yak is the newest, most elusive social media app that seems to be found on more and more phones across the country each and every day. It is often compared to twitter. Yik Yak allows users to post things about their community anonymously with a limited number of characters allowed per yak. Yik Yak was founded by Furman University graduates Tyler Drolls and Brooks Buffington. They launched the app to both apple and android users in 2013. By April of 2014, they had secured a $1.5 funding budget from the multiple investors they hooked. It quickly became popular among both high school and college campuses; however, seeing how the app was designed for college campuses and issues that have arose in high schools, Droll and Buffington have tailored the app so that users could only use it in the college setting. Droll and Buffington were able to block approximately 85% of the United States' high schools in effort to reduce the amount of bullying and parent displeasure. Although much controversy surrounds the gossip app, Yik Yak was able to make a whopping $10 million which they plan to use in order to better the app's features, teams, and reach a larger demographic. They already reach out to about 250 colleges throughout the country. However they hope to reach out internationally with the help of investors according to Kolodny in her article "Yik Yak Raises $10 Million To Move Beyond Being A Gossip Site". They also plan to add more staff and up their game with other competing apps such as, Whisper, by frequently updating it to better fit the demands of the general public.

Financial Aspect: 

'On June 30, 2014, Yik Yak proudly announced their four investors who had faith in their business; Tim Draper-founder and manager director,  Renren Liane Holdings- Chinese social network company, Azure Capital Partners- venture capital firm, and DCM- venture firm for inspiring entrepreneurs. An interest in investments sparked after the app gained popularity. On April 22, 2014 another venture took place and an additional two investors, Atlanta Ventures and Vaizra Investments, joined in on investments. In just 3 months, all six investors totaled out to raise 10 million dollars for the app. Co-founder Tyler Droll clearly states their plans for using their investments: '

“Our goal with Yik Yak was to create an open forum for mobile users to easily communicate, or Yak with one another, providing a virtual bulletin board of sorts for community engagement within a specific location," said Droll, CEO of Yik Yak. "This funding will not only give us the opportunity to bring our platform to more locations, but it will also help generate more features and functionalities that connect users and encourage free expression, humorous or cause-related engagement or community-building through the app." 

'After all, the official Yik Yak website shows their investments being put to use by adding a “tour” tab. The “tour” tab provides information about tours being planned along the west coast. Even showing the specific days and universities they are visiting in their 45ft bus. What is also provided on their website is a “Jobs” tab where they are seeking employment in areas such as; Systems Engineering, Data Scientist, and Software Engineering. These jobs will help with generating more advanced features and functionality for the app as Droll said was their goal with the investments. '



