WeClickd: Not Clicking Just Yet

The social media world can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to weddings. Where should you go for advice, and what's the best way to find ideas? The result is a confusing  and sometimes headache-inducing combination of platforms and websites with different log-ins and passwords.

That's where an industry-specific social media site comes in. According to Clickz, these platforms are growing in popularity because sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become overcrowded and noisy. Industry-specific social media sites also connect people with similar interests, creating new relationships that may not have existed otherwise.

Today I'm taking a look at WeClickd, a social media platform for brides founded in 2013. The company's press release describes it as "The Knot, Pinterest and Facebook rolled into one." WeClickd targets the wedding industry, but interestingly, it also targets anyone who loves weddings in general. "WeClickd is about one incredible thing--and that's weddings," says Josh Liss, founder of WeClickd. "It's not just for people who are getting married, it's for millions of wedding fans! Shows like Say Yes to the Dress and others have proven the broad appeal of the whole wedding journey."

So how does WeClickd work, you ask? It has three major components: collections, vendors and conversations. Collections allows you to save your inspirations, very reminiscent of Pinterest. Vendors consists of a directory of wedding vendors. Conversations is less clear, but my understanding is that it encourages you to participate in "discussions" with vendors or other brides about specific wedding topics such as DIY or stationery. A sample discussion question: "Save the date in style with these delightful save-the-date cards. What will you send out to guests?"

Collections

 

 

Vendors

 

Conversations

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical of WeClickd. It's not easy to stand out in the wedding industry, and I think websites such as Pinterest and The Knot have the wedding planning market cornered. However, I will give WeClickd credit for three significant ideas:

1. Its featured sales section, where you can visually shop for wedding-related items that are on sale at various retailers. Genius. Keep is a new website that recently rolled out, operating as a Pinterest for sales notifications, and I love it. I can only imagine how much I would love the WeClickd sales section if I were planning a wedding, especially on a budget.
2. Its conversation section, which needs improvement. I like the idea of a discussion section. However, I can't seem to post a discussion question, and I think the option may be reserved for vendors. By doing this, you are shutting out brides who may have pressing questions. I think the discussion section should be more of a forum full of questions, similar to WeddingWire forums. Speaking from experience, too many wedding websites shy away from etiquette and how-to articles and instead focus on the visual aspect of the industry. I love WeddingWire forums because it opens channels for the exchange of ideas, and if WeClickd would do the same, perhaps with the involvement of some respected industry experts (maybe have them moderate or answer questions every week), I think the conversation section would be a standout. 
3. Oh my gosh, I swooned at their search options. You can search collections by color palette, tags and keywords. How many times have I wanted to search Pinterest by color? Countless, I tell you.

Proximity marketing for WeClickd is a little tricky. The only real method I could see is maybe sending notifications when brides are near a WeClickd vendor location. Something like, "Hey, we noticed you're in the area! So is Forever Flowers, and they're giving 10 percent off to all WeClickd brides and grooms today. Visit them for more information." However, if WeClickd were to organize some sort of tour or meet-up, I think proximity marketing would be a big hit at their events. This Marketing School article discusses how a maker of body sprays set up "download hot spots" on a UK campus where students were able to download a special app. WeClickd could put a spin on this idea or even set up a prize-based scavenger hunt using hot spots at an organized event.

Of course, I think Facebook would work well alongside WeClickd to help with IMC efforts. They only have 230+ fans, and if they were to get back on the Facebook train (last post was 2013), I think they could really improve their number of users. Besides Pinterest, which I think would be a competitor in this case, Facebook is a huge resource for brides. This survey discovered that 79 percent of brides become fans of wedding pages, and WeClickd should be using that to their advantage. WeClickd should also take a look at Google+ and LinkedIn, which are huge hubs for people looking for industry-specific information. In the wedding world, a strong social media presence represents a strong brand. The fact that they don't have a strong presence signifies to me that they are A) not an up-to-date website or B) a dead website. Additionally, I don't see any social sharing buttons on any posts. They should make it easier for brides to share topics, ideas, vendors and photos.

My last bit of advice would be to get other well-connected industry professionals on board. I find that many wedding industry professionals are always willing to lend a helping hand and try something new, and if WeClickd targeted the right vendors and professionals, they'd be able to spread their message better. Additionally, the fact that brides and newer industry professionals could have real conversations with seasoned veterans on a regular basis would help set the social media site apart from the rest. People clamor every year to attend huge industry-related events as well as workshops to meet these professionals, so why not bring that aspect to the website? But first, they need to get a-fixin' on that conversations platform. It's just not up to par. 

To build a wedding social media site, you must target what brides are truly looking for. First and foremost, inspiration in the form of photo boards. Second, the knitty gritty "boring" wedding stuff that other brands don't delve into (What should I tip my vendors? How should I tell someone they can't invite a plus-one? Where can I sell my wedding dress? How should I budget? etc. etc.). Third, deals. The other way to look at it is how you can target vendors and bring them on board. Based on Twitter chats such as #weddingmarket and targeted LinkedIn groups, I think vendors are really searching for a social network where they can build relationships, discuss problems, organize photo shoots, help brides around the world find vendors and more. So, can a wedding social media website work? Yes, but I don't think the right one has come along yet.