MY4X4

Introduction

MY4X4 We developed this project to be the ultimate resource and community for off-road enthusiasts. Whether you’re planning your next adventure or upgrading your vehicle, MY4X4 is a place where 4x4 drivers can research, share and discuss what parts and tracks are worth installing or visiting get the most out of their off-roading experiences. Our mission is to connect the 4x4 community with the best information, helping them enhance their vehicles and make the most of their adventures.

Background

I absolutely love four wheel driving and camping and MY4X4 was created to fill a gap I saw in the off-roading community. While there are plenty of online forums and resources, the process of finding the right parts, what parts people were running and where they were running them was a pain. We recognized the need for a centralized hub where anyone from a weekend tourer to a hardcore adventurer could find reliable, expert information in one place. MY4X4 was born out of our love for off-roading and our desire to create a community that shares knowledge and passion for 4x4 vehicles.

I always hated having to ask instagram accounts what parts were on their car, or trying to find the right group on facebook and submitting an application to join. And I lament the slow gradual death of forums and the associated loss of knowledge. So I wanted to build something that would be a resource for the community.

Challenges

Monetisation:
There’s a few clear paths to monetisation for the product, but we haven’t fully explored any of them yet. For now I’ve been happy with slow gradual growth and it feels like it has the right product market fit, with a few tweaks it’ll be ready to scale one day.

• Insurance
• Sponsors
• Business Listings
• Part Sales
• Car Sales
• Affiliate Revenue and Advertising

Vehicle Customization Complexity:
Each 4x4 vehicle is unique, and modifications can vary wildly depending on the make, model, and intended use. Even completely different car models and parts per country. Providing detailed, accurate, and brand-specific parts and modification guides for such a broad range of vehicles presents a monumental challenge. We’ve done our best to solve this by having a comprehensive list focused on the Australian market so far and for the parts and guides relying on user input to build out the sites content.

The need for real-time behaviour modification:
The off-road community is primarily on instagram and facebook. To achieve real traction we believe we need to be where the community is and slowly pull them off platform. A limitation to this is we don’t currently have an App that would create that habit forming notification loop. It’s on the cards for the future though.

Solutions

Comprehensive Content for All Experience Levels:
We implemented posts so anyone can post anything about the industry, but the uptake was low once again the navigation and discoverability of community in the site probably needs an app to really grow.

Tailored Vehicle Mod Guides:
Because of the parts being attached to makes and models of cars I believe eventually we can get a really advanced compatibility system and ratings, people want to see products they’re considering purchasing on cars, with user generated content and ratings. If we can open this up, brands and manufacturers will be incentivised to advertise on the site, or pay commission on sales made through the site.

Expert-Led Content Curation and Marketing:
Eventually, the right people need to be put in place who are well known community members, ready to own a piece of the business and be responsible for marketing and growth.

Conclusion

MY4X4 was created to be the ultimate hub for off-road enthusiasts, providing everything they need to get the most out of their vehicles and adventures. it’s growing currently with almost no input from us, and a driving force in marketing could see it set to become an indispensable resource for the off-roading community, empowering adventurers to take on the wilderness with knowledge and confidence.