In the age of social media censorship of hunting and shooting sports content, outdoor enthusiasts feel alienated online.
As platforms like Facebook and Instagram increasingly rely on automation and algorithms that flag innocuous hunting and firearms content, users feel they are unable to navigate the digital waters comfortably and with ease.
There are endless social media app alternatives available for anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts. Anglers have apps like Fishbrain while hunting apps like Powderhook, YUDU Outdoors, and onX Hunt App, for example, afford users meaningful social interactions, conservation call-to-actions, and useful information on land access.
One all-encompassing app that should be on your radar is the mobile app from GoWild.
Not Just Another Social Media App
GoWild has been on the market just shy of two years and it’s generating a lot of buzz in the outdoor industry.
Co-founder and CEO Brad Luttrell spoke to Sporting Classics Daily on his company, their instant success, and what they hope to accomplish in the outdoor industry.
Luttrell believes centering an app around community and constructive dialogue is the key to their success. In fact, it’s why companies and organizations like FirstLite, Garmin, and National Wild Turkey Federation have partnered with them.
“We focus on building a great product that creates conversation and engagement,” he said. “The community has taken to how we’re doing things differently and decided it’s worth telling a friend or five. We’ve certainly marketed this product but in the same way the community is what makes GoWild special, it is also what’s marketing the heck out of this product right now.”
Brad says his company’s app is outlasting the competition for one reason: It’s the only social media platform getting real engagement for the everyday hunter or angler.
The mobile app invites users to create a profile to track their hikes, scouts, hunts, archery practice, and fish catches. Logging in catches or harvests for points is also a central feature to the platform. It also allows individuals to connect with like-minded folks to exchange information and learn about recipes, tips, or general information.
“We’ve always focused on relationships and real engagement,” Luttrell said. “Likes” don’t mean a thing when you’re asking questions about being better at what you love to do.”
Serving a higher purpose
Conservation is in the company’s DNA, Luttrell said. Strategic partnerships with companies and nonprofits allow them to advance that agenda.
He said, “We’re working with organizations like NWTF and Raise ‘Em Outdoors to tackle this very effort. And even our advertiser relationships with brands like Outdoor Access and Houston Safari Club Foundation have been focused on recruitment and the empowerment of hunters.”
“If you’re looking for new, young hunters, you’re not going to find them in traditional hunting print magazines or TV shows,” he added. “You have to meet them in the space they already exist, and that’s digital and social. Like communicating with a turkey this spring, you have to speak their language. We’ve seen a lot of folks sign up for our platform for one interest, say fishing, and convert to become a bowhunter because it looked fun. That’s the power of this platform. At full scale it’s going to be a beast for R3 efforts.”
Not a Substitute, but a Supplement, to Existing Social Media Platforms
A December 2018 University of Pennsylvania study found apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are bad for users’ well-being.
Social media can be a lonely place for hunters. Facebook and Instagram have made it increasingly hard for firearms and hunting content to be circulated without falling prey to censorship. Google recently banned then restored ad privileges to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation thanks to pressure from Congressional lawmakers. Last June, YouTube banned then reinstated Brownell Inc.’s YouTube channel after users came to the company’s defense.
This is an opening for GoWild, Luttrell says.
“GoWild is a different tool and platform than those major players [Facebook, Instagram, Twitter],” Luttrell said. “The question becomes do you want more out of your screen time? Just like LinkedIn is the best place to have a professional conversation, GoWild is the best tool for connecting with outdoors enthusiasts from around the world. You can have both. Or in the case of many of our community members, GoWild provides enough value.”
By creating an alternative hub for outdoorsmen and women, users can have a comfortable and well-rounded online experience.
As technology advances, Luttrell believes hunting will look differently too—especially with help from his app.
“We talk a ton about recruiting newbies, and we have to realize that probably means people who don’t traditionally look like us,” he said. “The hunt camp of the future is going to see more tattoos, skinny jeans and piercings. And that’s not only OK, it’s good. Imagine the power of creating a country that comes together as a whole to appreciate outdoor recreation, participating in conservation and the pursuit of your own food.”
Interested in getting GoWild? Download it for free on iTunes and Google Play. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.