In mid-January, the German startup
Dropify debuted as a tool to let users to share files for download via Facebook,
spreading the word virally via timelines and news feeds.
Since then, there have been a couple of creative travel uses of the tool.
Until the creation of Facebook file-sharing apps like Dropify, it was difficult to share files the size of this coupon (0.8MB) on the social networking site. Dropify even lets mobile users download and share files.
Brands had to use links for users to click, and then users could download the coupon on another site -- without any friends knowing that the sharing took place and thus missing a shot at viral marketing.
The MyTaxi experimentMyTaxi, Germany's most used mobile app for booking taxis, created a PDF that's a coupon for a 5 euro discount off a taxi booking, redeemable until end of February at participating in myTaxi Payment taxis in Germany.
The coupon has only been online for a short time, but has been
downloaded 148 times. A small, but respectable number for an experiment that cost extremely little to create.
MyTaxi promoted the file with its
10,000 fans on Facebook in
a post, and then users who liked the coupon, in turn, promote the coupon each time they download it. Dropify's dashboard lets user monitor download usage.
When someone downloads the file, it appears in their timeline, meaning that their connections will see your file’s cover image, download count and your brand name.
The process for using Dropify to create sharable files was simple.
- Create the file
- Go to dropify.com. The basic service is free. But subscriptions permit more uploads, larger file sizes and the ability to get analytics, from between $9 to $99 a month
- Connect your Facebook Page
- Publish your file and share the link via your Page, website or ads
Travel blogger trial
Andrew Hyde, who has built up a loyal following for his travels since 2004, achieved
94 downloads for a sample of his-book that he shared via Dropify.