Marketing

Kona Ice taps SOCi for online listing management

Adobe Stock.

June 12, 2023

Kona Ice is deploying SOCi Inc.'s comarketing cloud to manage its extensive online local listings.

The technology will ensure Kona Ice remains visible to customers across multiple platforms including Yelp, Google and Facebook, according to a press release.

Kona Ice, a mobile food franchise, operates 1,500 units across 49 states. Kona Ice offers customers a one-of-a-kind experience with its self-serve Flavorwave, allowing them to create their own shaved ice while basking in a tropical ambience.

The average U.S. business is virtually invisible in two out of three local online searches, even when nine of 10 customers turn to search when they have a need, according to a recent SOCi report.

Kona Ice's partnership with SOCi illustrates the brand's commitment to customer satisfaction and positions it to increase online visibility and avoid search pitfalls as it continues to scale its operations amid surging demand. Kona Ice's decision to engage SOCi was also motivated by the desire to better support its team as customer volume increases, and the brand has plans to utilize the platform for managing reviews and social media later this year.

As Kona Ice plans to launch multiple brands, having one platform to oversee its online listings data, as well as other marketing channels, all in one place is crucial.

"We don't want our customers to ever struggle to find our trucks online," Tony Lamb, founder and CEO of Kona Ice, said in the release. "With SOCi, we can effectively manage our online presence across dozens of platforms to ensure that doesn't happen, especially as we continue to grow. We also want to enhance the digital strength of each franchise to improve local visibility and make our brand more accessible to our customers — SOCi will help us do that on all fronts."

Founded in 2007 by Lamb, Kona Ice launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle in Florence, Kentucky.