Validation of the market potential for social media automation in Switzerland based on a pilot project.
To increase the reach of social media profiles, two things are crucial: high-quality content (posts, etc.) and numerous authentic interactions with its target audience (likes, comments, etc.). Creating content is an exciting and creative editorial activity, while interacting tends to be perceived as repetitive, time-consuming and tedious. Tedious and time-consuming activities should be automated or outsourced in order to use one's limited resources for the exciting and creative activities.
BOXAGRAM would like to offer social media managers the automation or outsourcing of social media interactions. To this end, the market potential, customer acceptance, and feasibility are to be assessed on the basis of a pilot study with a functioning software solution. In a first step, the solution should automate interactions for the platform Instagram (IG). In the shortest possible time, a saleable digital service for IG automation is to be implemented and sold to the first customers.
Automated interactions mimic the owner of the social media profile to appear as real and human as possible.
Automated Instagram interactions are successful when Instagram and its users do not recognize them as such. Therefore, a careful and thoughtful approach is required. The BOXAGRAM service operates from a small box (single board computer) which is installed in the client's network. All interactions thus come from the IP address of the profile owner and not from some server farm overseas. A bot running on the box calls target profiles via a browser and interacts with them. The bot scrolls through the profile and presses like buttons, for example. The bot randomly chooses the amount and type of interaction for each target profile, and the pauses between interactions are also randomized. Everything happens as if a human would do the interactions.
Development and distribution of a digital service based on software and hardware within only six weeks.
EMBRIO.tech developed and launched the first version of the BOXAGRAM service within six weeks. The customer buys a BOXAGRAM subscription for his IG account and receives a personal BOXAGRAM box by mail and a login to the BOXAGRAM web app. Payment is made conveniently by deposited credit card. After connecting the box to his router, he can configure his box via the app. He sets which interactions BOXAGRAM should perform on his behalf, the frequency with which they occur and which target groups are addressed.
In addition to developing the solution, EMBRIO.tech also developed and implemented a marketing strategy during the same period. This includes obvious things like a corporate design, packaging, website and the search for distribution partners. The conclusion from the pilot phase showed on the one hand that a double-digit number of paying customers could be acquired in a very short time. However, it also became clear that the changing interfaces of the social media platforms represent a major risk for sufficiently stable operation.
6 weeks
time-to-market
3 weeks
time-to-PoC
20+
boxes installed
up to 5K in 6 months
followers gained