We are AdScout - the first social platform of its kind in Bulgaria, which builds a network of trusted recommendations. We do this because we believe that trust between people is the most valuable asset and that through it we can make the world of online advertising and sales better for everyone. But how?
All of us are bombarded daily by all kinds of advertisements on the Internet, on TV, on the radio, etc. However, very few of them grab our attention at all, and that's because they're not personalized for us - they don't show a product we want and they're not presented by someone who knows us, knows how we think and what we need. At AdScout, we're turning things upside down by empowering people to recommend products and services to their family and friends and earn money at the same time.
How the idea was born
Miroslav Stoyanov is an IT entrepreneur, but also an avid snowboarder, and over the years he has heard similar questions dozens of times. From friends and acquaintances who ask him for advice. In the months of the Covid-19 pandemic, he has sent dozens of links to products from verified online stores to friends with whom there is no way to see each other live. This is how the idea of AdScout was born - a free platform to connect businesses, satisfied users and new customers, based on the trusted recommendation, from which everyone benefits.
Over the years, he has faced a number of marketing problems, working with various agencies that specialize in business development and increasing company sales. It is quickly becoming convinced that the market is oversaturated and the lack of trust among consumers is based on the lack of authenticity in the way products are offered in the online space, and not only that.
The social platform is the first of its kind, which builds a network of trusted recommendations, connecting satisfied users and businesses.
It's no news to anyone that traditional advertising channels are badly worn out. People are inundated with a huge amount of information, companies are competing for the attention of the audience in all ways and on all channels. The wave of influencers came, followed by micro-influencers, community branding, and so on. And we've kind of forgotten what it means to take a step back, to see what the root of the challenge is in offering any good or service. And this is the lack of authenticity, which quite naturally led to the lack of trust among consumers. We tried to digitalize word-of-mouth recommendation on influencers' Instagram profiles, forgetting that we turn to family and friends for advice because we trust them. Something that is very difficult to build with followers on social networks. I love winter sports and that is why I am approached by friends and acquaintances who trust me and know that I will recommend the most suitable product for them. But, I wouldn't commit to recommending binoculars, for example.
Why we do it
In the digital world, we are bombarded with different content and advertisements from everywhere, and the way in which they are presented leads to a huge problem - the lack of a sense of authenticity. So we think we need to remove that barrier and take a step back. Let's start talking again about the products and services that really benefit us - that old and tried method.
Tech giants are pouring a ton of resources into understanding our preferences as a result of what we're looking at. However, no one knows us better than our loved ones and trusted friends. That is why, in our opinion, the personal recommendation is the missing element.
What do we believe?
We believe in changing the perception of advertising. And that targeted advertising can change the online world, reduce the ads that reach people unnecessarily and replace them with what they would have a real interest in.
We also provide the freedom for a large audience of businesses and ordinary people to help each other without the risk of an unhappy customer, as everything is tied to their mutual success.
Trust! Trust between people. It is the most valuable asset in a relationship. This is exactly one of our goals in creating AdScout - the network of trusted recommendations.
An investor in AdScout is New Vision 3 Fund, which is co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds under the Operational Programme for Innovation and Competitiveness 2014-2020 managed by the Fund of Funds in Bulgaria
