One Unique Zwift Social Eco-system

Feature Requests
1

Hi,

I would like to make some global view proposition to Zwift, in order to solve some existing problems that I’ve noticed as a Zwift user.

What: creation of One Unique Zwift social eco-system

Why:

As a Zwift user I’ve noticed several problems with events, clubs and whole community information organisational issues.

In the present way of user vs Zwift interaction outside of the Zwift software itself and even inside (Zwift and Zwift companion app) could be very challenging and even exhausting to find additional information about clubs, events, general news etc… The present whole “Zwift social eco-system” is not centralized and in some cases parts of this “Zwit social eco-system” are disrupted — but in reality there is no even such a thing as Zwift Social Eco-system yet… What forces the users to be lost easily when searching for simple answers, for more details, info etc… Something that should be simple and straight forward suddenly becomes very chaotic and non-obvious at all.

With this described reality above, I’m proposing to create a One Unique Zwift Social Eco-system. That will facilitate the Zwift users life and allow them to stay inside Zwift in one and only interaction without any need to go outside of the One Unique Zwift Social Eco-system for something that by the logic of the things should be inside.

  1. Creation of dedicated pages (blogs) for any registered club/ organization under Zwift.
    Each club will receive own page under Zwift domain.
    Examples: bestclubever1.zwift.com, myclub1.zwift.com or clubs.zwift.com/bestclubever1, clubs.zwift.com/myclub1

The main clubs page with the whole list of existing clubs and some latest club’s page updates could be found under clubs.zwift.com or zwift.com/clubs .

Those pages will be used by clubs/organizations in order:

  • Update existing members or any interested public with actual club/organization information, news, events;
  • recruit new member;
  • publish events related to this club/organization (the same events that exists under Events page, but here they are filtered by this specific club/organization — so there should be a direct inter-connection between Events Calendar and the same event’s data on club’s page);
  • publish any specific event related additional info, news, updates.
    Example: the specific event will be broadcast online from Qwe-Qwe, Zimbabwe by president of the club in person, and he’ll be riding on the horse and comment the event in the same time;
  • direct connection/link to dedicated forum topic of this club/organization under Zwift forums with option to bring the latest topics from the club’s forum section to club’s main page;
  • all the means of communication with the club: additional social networks, voice channels, administrators, emails etc…

  1. Each club will also receive a dedicated forum section where Zwift users could discuss clubs matters, events etc.

  2. Interconnection between all Zwift apps

  • Full integration of One Unique Zwift Social Eco-system inside the main Zwift software and mobile apps: users will be able to interact with Zwift at any time, even outside of their sport activity. The present situation is such that some users don't even know or have no need at all to go to Zwift forum, but do have need for more events info details, clubs details, special news and updates etc…
  1. The creation of the in-house clubs/organizations/events dedicated pages/blogs will also allow creating in-house data base of users/members of those clubs/organizations what as a result will allow to use this data base as a competition between clubs/organizations.
    S imple example: Company X from Quebec opening their own organization cycling/running club under Zwift and Company Y from same region as well. Two companies knows each other and the company/team leaders suggests making a team competition based on bike rides in Zwift. Same example goes well inside one company but different departments. Same example but with pro. cycling teams etc…etc…etc… This service, by the way…, opens a big door to additional business opportunity and B2B services, especially with the very popular in our days “team building” events, “healthy life style”, existing motivational problems inside corporations/businesses and employees orientation towards gaming psycho-types etc, etc, etc… - big door and opportunity ))

Why (from Zwift users perspective): the present situation is such that in order to find more information about event, or club there is a need to go and search for it over the internet. Or even for simple club-based, event-based, group-based interaction need the Zwift users mostly will be forced to go outside Zwift in order to find another solution/platform for their social need interaction. And, as an example, if one is not a member of specific club, or a returning rider of specific event a lot of things might be not clear. This also creates a lot of unnecessary time loose on something that could be found inside One unique Zwift space.
Example: when subscribing to a specific event one would like to know if this event will be broadcast officially by this specific club or event organizer, if the event is recurrent event, in order to do this today there is a complicated road to make: searching over youtube, or finding the event over social network, contacting directly with event organizers etc…

A dedicated pages for clubs will also allow Zwift users to follow repeated events, or special club events, news with more friendly tools that exists inside Zwift home environment. In addition, it will also save users time when searching for something that actually will exist under one place in Zwift.

Why (from business opportunity perspective):

  • Zwift could use this service as a business opportunity and provide it with monthly payment contract to those who would like to open their dedicated club/event/organization page/blog etc…

Examples of packages:

  1. Dedicated club/organization/event page/blog space + forum place — 100$ per month

*** — for sure the price is an example and should be decided based on marketing strategy + calculated expenses of hosting space, tech support etc…

b. Dedicated club page/blog space + forum place + dedicated club jersey — 100$ per month + one payment of 200$ for special club’s jersey (with own design) or special price xxx$ when the design is made by Zwift designers (contracts could be made with outsourcing designers).

**** — again the price is just an example;

  • as additional reason for this type of social services: one of the today's business challenges is not only find and bring new clients, but also keep them, especially in our days of big competition between similar products. When providing not only the main service (the Zwift software itself), but also additional social attachment to the service by clubs membership, direct social interaction under One Zwift Social Eco-system/One Zwfit roof/One cycle home etc…))), when the client not leaving Zwift even outside of his virtual ride/run experience;
  • additional opportunity for B2B services (not always as a direct service, but as an answer to today's business requests) - part of it already described above in section 4.

This additional social attachment could have several impacts on Zwifts revenues:

  • Additional revenues could be brought during the low business periods (summer time), since the clubs will still continue to pay, when some of the users might stop their membership during the summer;
  • it might also have an impact on subscribed users that will prefer to stay subscribed during the summer time due to intense interaction and high attachment to Zwift Social Eco-system;
  • by having in place well established Zwift social eco-system the next step could be done in creating a strategy of B2B new type of social services as an innovative answer to today's HR internal issues/problems in most of the modern corporations/businesses.

***Please note: above is just several simples, but core features examples that could make Zwift Social Eco-system unique and more attractive for users. Surely there are more than just those several propositions that could make this Zwift social system very special comparing to other competitors existing systems.

Thank you )
p.s. for sure there is also the “how” part, but lets first see if the “what” and “why” is really required and is aligned with the view of Zwift general strategy.

2

This is at best something that will only ever be used by a subset of all Zwift teams I think. At least not while there’s no integration of teams within the game anyway.

Teams simply don’t exist within Zwit at all right now. The closest are independent sites like Zwift Power. But the game doesn’t natively support teams at all. So there’s no master list on which to base any sort of directory.

Maybe that’s what you’re trying to suggest, I’m not sure. I support the idea of Zwift adding native club management tools.

But there are many reasons why a team might prefer to maintain their own website, rather than something provided by Zwift. One is functionality. If a team wants tools that the official site doesn’t provide, they can go and build them themselves.

Another is the idea here:

Dedicated club/organization/event page/blog space + forum place — 100$ per month

Well, who pays that? The nominated team leader? So they then onwardly have to try and collect subs from their membership.

Also the idea that a team would have to continue to maintain the space, even if all their members have unsubscribed for summer.

It’s an additional headache that people just don’t need.

Something that’s completely free probably has more mileage. For example, British Cycling do this. Here’s an example of a club I’m in: Lancaster CC Club profile

The page there provides very basic information, but also a link to the club’s own website.

Of course, it’d be up to individual teams to submit their details to that (as things stand today); and many won’t bother. In which case the issue you outlined originally is only partly solved.

3

No problem or any conflict here. The Zwift space for teams will be just additional social space to those who already have their own website, community etc… It is just a “window”, a “social window”. And for some it will be their only space/blog, since they do not have any need in additional website or social space. Simple as it is.

Well, yes, eventually the main idea is to make it global in-game vs outside-game experience, including teams points inside the game (during competitions also, or just a fun ride etc).

This is mostly a social answer. Who pays for the real clubs today?.. Is it the "nominated team leader" …well no… But those clubs, most of the clubs, already have in place: or some sort of existing commercial system; or it is a "cooperative-based" club where team members are sharing some expenses (it could be even a small team from a small unknown village).

Most of the clubs are usually very commercially based and already have in place the whole commercial system, so there is no need in "direct member's payment" - members usually pay the clubs in a non direct way. So this is not even a problem for most of the clubs.

It might be some sort of problem for small groups of friends, or small non-commercial clubs, but again due to the size of small organizations, people usually will figure out the solution of payment.

But, the question is revealing very important point - the tool that will answer the need of those "payments". Well, nothing new here, it could be done by creating internal virtual Zwift currency (Zwift money, Zmoney, Zfuel, Zey or any other idea to name it).

And again…the currency could also help here.

And by the way, this will easier some of the users interaction with the whole Zwift system:

  • ability to buy real products on Zwift Shop

  • ability to pay subscription with Zwift money

  • ability to transfer Zwift money to clubs etc/or buy subscription to family/friend etc

  • ability to buy some gifts for events/rides participants by payment with Zwift money and sending them the gifts after the event. Actually this is very cool and probably will be used widely by most of the clubs as additional motivation to join the event/ride. And, for the whole Zwift it will open additional income window…

Well, yes. This is simple reality. Not something that is forced.

The clubs will do it by their own will. And they will be very interested in doing it and maintaining their spot in the “global virtual world”.

Well, there are different visions on how to do it. One of them is the "free way ticket".

But I think that payed version is the best. Or might be some free version also, but with limited features - that might be used by friends, family or very small cycling communities. As already mentioned most of the cycling clubs are commercially based (not always in direct way), so it should not be a problem to pay some monthly fees for additional "social space" that will result in additional revenues (again, non in direct way).

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4

Just revisiting this thread because I just listened to an interview with Eric in which he talks about clubs being part of the platform.

Listen here:

It’s around 46 minutes in, but here’s a partial transcript:

The club functionality feature we’re coming out with is something that is entirely for the community. We’re making it easier for them to organize themselves on our platform. You can be a members-only or invitation-only club. Brands can be present on our platform as a club. This is something our customers have been asking for. It is strategic for us to have that core functionality which we’ve been working on for nine months now.

So it seems they’ve been working on it since not long after this thread was started. Maybe some of the ideas here have made it into the system.

Something that I found quite exciting was that Eric says we’ll be able to “level up as a community”. I’m intrigued to find out what that is. Does a club unlock new features as it levels up? Unlock a clubhouse a Club Level 20? Get a kit at Level 40? Do huge clubs have a levelling advantage over small ones?

Looking forward to finding out more!

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