CUSTOM SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR CANNABIS CONNOISSEURS

The burgeoning cannabis market, with its unique regulatory landscape, presented a ripe opportunity for a dedicated social review platform. Just as consumers rely on review sites for travel, food, and movies, a similar need emerged within the cannabis space. This led to the creation of Budist, a pioneering social media application. The platform was designed to connect cannabis enthusiasts and provide trusted product reviews for personal health, wellness, and recreational use.

COMING INTO FOCUS

Budist’s core features empower users to:

Discover product reviews from cannabis experts.
Find the best cannabis products tailored to their needs.
Connect with a community of like-minded enthusiasts.
Recommend their favorite cannabis products and brands.

The Budist app aims to elevate cannabis appreciation to the level of wine connoisseurship. It was inspired by the parallels between cannabis and wine—such as regional origins, cultivation techniques, and cultural significance. Budist provides a platform to capture and celebrate these aspects within an online community.

The app rates products on a 100-point scale. Ratings are based on aroma, flavor, potency, and effects. They include detailed notes indicating perceived effects and the reviewer’s background, distinguishing between professional critics and community members. The feature reviews, articles, and recommendations are provided by a range of experts and community members, including certified “Ganjiers,” journalists, and connoisseurs.

Recognizing the varying legality of cannabis across states, Budist strategically launched in California, the largest and most established U.S. cannabis market, valued at $5.37 billion in 2023.

FROM IDEATION TO IMPLEMENTATION

Budist founders had combined expertise in the cannabis industry and software development. They engaged First Factory to bring their product from ideation to implementation. A UX/UI designer was brought in early to prioritize product features that would establish the platform’s credibility, focusing on defining reviews from certified Ganjiers, Budists, and other cannabis aficionados. Early design and testing focused on reviewer profiles, product categorization, ratings, and featured products.

Following the development of the core application and a consistent product review format, the platform initially welcomed users through invitation. Subsequently, functionalities like news updates, articles, personalized suggestions, and individual reviews were integrated.

The platform’s lasting success hinged significantly on its social networking features. These allowed users to invite peers, distribute content, track influential figures, and uncover brands and products tailored to their unique profiles. The strategic plan for future development was constantly adjusted, taking into account user input, business objectives, and new potential avenues.

The “Oscars of Cannabis”

A significant pivot addressed the ability to support the judging of cannabis products at the California State Fair. In 2024, the Fair introduced Golden Bear awards for cannabis products, quickly dubbed “the Oscars of Cannabis”. Budist was selected as the official judging platform for the event. The Budist team rapidly repurposed the core app’s rating functionality to serve as the official review platform for California State Fair cannabis judges. Jocelyn Sheltraw noted, “These awards honor exceptional craftsmanship and educate and engage consumers while paving the way for cannabis to be appreciated as an artisanal product”.

Performance Drivers

First Factory’s technology choices for Budist prioritized speed to market, efficient release cycles, low maintenance, and consistent quality across versions.

The marketing site was built using WordPress for its content management flexibility, allowing the client to quickly update pages, add blog entries, and manage editorial content without extensive developer involvement.

The mobile application was developed with React Native, enabling a single codebase for both iOS and Android, which streamlined development and reduced maintenance efforts. NestJS and GraphQL were chosen for the backend, providing a structured framework for scalability and maintainability, and optimizing network usage by requesting only necessary data. PostgreSQL and OpenSearch were utilized for database solutions.

For hosting and infrastructure, AWS and Codemagic were adopted. AWS was chosen for its scalability, reliability, and support for reliable deployment and CI/CD workflows, while Codemagic automates the build, test, and deployment processes for the React Native mobile application.

A WordPress marketing site offered content management flexibility, empowering the client to rapidly update pages, post blog entries, and handle editorial content independently.

For the mobile application, React Native facilitated a unified codebase for iOS and Android, accelerating development and simplifying upkeep. The backend, built with NestJS and GraphQL, ensured a scalable, maintainable structure and efficient data retrieval. PostgreSQL and OpenSearch were employed as database solutions.

AWS and Codemagic were selected for hosting and infrastructure. AWS provided scalability, reliability, and support for seamless deployment and CI/CD pipelines. Codemagic automated the build, testing, and deployment of the React Native mobile app.

The technologies utilized include NestJS, React Native, WordPress, AWS, Codemagic, GraphQL, OpenSearch, and PostgreSQL.

Share and Share Alike

A significant challenge was designing and implementing a custom sharing feature. Budist required a user-friendly and seamless sharing experience that integrated with multiple social media platforms, adhered to industry regulations, and maintained the app’s brand identity. While existing libraries like Branch and AppsFlyer were considered, they lacked the granular control needed for tracking which user shared a link, which user opened it, and how many points should be awarded based on each interaction.

To address these evolving requirements, a custom solution was built. It included integrating deep linking into the React Native application, its backend, and frontend. Each generated link includes a unique identifier tied to the sharing user, secured with asymmetric encryption. When a shared link is opened, the backend validates the identifier. It displays a preview of the content via a webpage and detects the user’s device type to either open the app directly or redirect to the appropriate app store. It then awards points to the original sharer (only once per unique viewer).

A considerable obstacle faced by Budist involved the conception and deployment of a bespoke sharing mechanism. Budist aspired to deliver an intuitive and frictionless sharing interaction. It required seamless connection with various social media platforms, compliance with relevant regulatory standards, and preservation of the app’s distinctive brand image. Initial deliberations included the incorporation of established libraries such as Branch and AppsFlyer. However, these readily available solutions were ultimately deemed insufficient. They lacked the precision and detail necessary to monitor and differentiate specific user behaviors. Specifically what was missing was the ability to ascertain which user initiated the link sharing, as well as identify which user accessed the link. Additionally, the ability to accurately quantify the points to be allocated contingent upon each specific engagement was not possible.

Nimble Custom Development

To effectively address these dynamically changing demands, a tailor-made solution was architected. This comprehensive solution involved the thorough integration of deep linking technology throughout the entirety of the application’s infrastructure. This included the React Native application, the back-end systems, and the front-end presentation layers. Every link that was generated encompassed a distinctive identifier. This identifier would be allocated to the user responsible for the original sharing action. It was further secured through the implementation of asymmetric encryption protocols, thereby ensuring both integrity and confidentiality. Upon activation of a shared link, the back-end system performed a multi-faceted validation procedure on the embedded identifier.

This validation confirmed the link’s authenticity and origin. Subsequently, the system dynamically generated and presented a preview of the linked content via a dedicated webpage. In addition, the system incorporated intelligent device detection capabilities. This allowed for the accurate determination of the end user’s device type. If the app was already installed on the user’s device, the system automatically launched the app directly, facilitating seamless access to the shared content. Conversely, if the app was not present, the user was redirected to the appropriate app store, streamlining the app installation process. Finally, the system fulfilled its core reward functionality by crediting points to the original sharer. But crucially, this point award was only granted once per unique viewer of the shared link, preventing any abuse or manipulation of the system.

Reaching the Community

As Jocelyn Sheltraw summarizes, “Put simply, Budist is an app that features product reviews from everyday cannabis consumers and professional critics. New users can scroll through a feed of reviews and filter them by category to discover which products are most highly recommended by the community for a given use case, which leads to a more informed purchasing decision. More broadly, Budist is a social network that connects consumers based on shared cannabis preferences”.

The Budist team is well-positioned for community growth. With founders Jocelyn Sheltraw and Claudio Miranda deeply entrenched in the California cannabis community, awareness is growing. User feedback has been exceptional. Jocelyn Sheltraw has been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential People” by Global Cannabis Times and named to Leaf Magazine’s 2024 Impact List.

The Budist app is available on the App Store and Google Play and is currently accepting reviews for products sold through licensed California retailers.

If you have a product concept and are seeking capital for its development, consider First Factory’s nearshore development team for expert design, development, and product ideation services. Our comprehensive software solutions, cloud infrastructure expertise, and product development services are designed to help you succeed. We pride ourselves on quickly understanding your business goals and adapting to your specific needs, rather than simply completing tasks.

Contact us at +1.646.688.5070 or visit https://firstfactory.com/nearshore-solutions/ to begin your journey toward a winning product solution.

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