Truckers: Driving Social

“Roger that. You’ve got a clean shot ahead. Over.” That’s trucker talk for “the road is clear of police ahead.” You see, truckers are on the road so much that their CB radios historically functioned as networking channels and a venue for them to utilize code language to warn of obstacles on the road.

However, as technology rapidly advances and radios become a nostalgic relic of the past, truckers are turning to another source for communication -- their cell phones. Turns out there’s a huge untapped network of social-savvy truckers on the web. Enter Hodyon’s new Social CB Radio, a website devoted to amplifying the voices of truck drivers, trucking organizations and their advocates.

FeedMagnet created a microsite for Hodyon that pulls in #lifeofatrucker social content in the form of around 300 Tweets, Facebook updates, Youtube videos, Foursquare truck stop check-ins and Instagram and Flickr photos per hour. The page is sponsored by Dynasys, Hodyon’s environmentally responsible solution for overnight power which reduces harmful carbon emissions from semi truck idling. Just like Dynasys, this online initiative is a 21st century spin on the traditional radio interaction that kept many a lone trucker connected and safe. The content is useful beyond its social aspect -- frequent updates include job postings, obstacle warnings and radio show updates.

Hodyon’s success with leveraging content for engagement is one more piece of evidence that nearly every audience and industry is social - brands need to join the conversation to keep keepin’ on.