The NaturallyCurly Network Introduces Community-Engagement Opportunity for Advertisers: Curls on the Go(TM) Mobile App

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - Jul 18, 2011) - The NaturallyCurly Network, (www.NaturallyCurlyNetwork.com), the leading social network and community for people with wavy, curly and kinky hair and the brands and professionals who service them, has launched a multi-functional mobile application called Curls on the Go™. The app was featured by Apple as "New & Notable" and in "Great Free Apps" in an early July App Store introduction. L'Oréal Paris is the app launch sponsor.

According to NaturallyCurly CEO Crista Bailey, the mobile application's content and functionality were community-vetted, prior to release, and prioritized as indispensable information when it comes to curly hair. The app is:

• User Generated: Much of the content for Curls on the Go™ is created by community members themselves -- with monthly visits exceeding 1 million uniques -- from consumers to stylist professionals, including thousands of user-generated reviews on products, salons and textured hair care regimens created over the past 14 years at NaturallyCurly.com
• Precise & Targeted to Specific Needs, Location & Hair Types:
  • Advertisers can reach Curls on the Go™ users by hair type, by location, by current weather conditions and forecasts, or combination of these factors
  • Curl specialists featured in the app, by location and by client popularity, are now served up to any curly hair consumer looking for a curl professional, while traveling or at home
• Relevant to Buyers & Tryers: On average, people with curls buy 3 hair products per month, compared to just 1 product per month for people with straight hair, according to NaturallyCurly's 2011 Texture Trends Survey answered by 4,000 community members. Yet, even when they are satisfied with their hair regimen, nearly 50% of survey respondents say they buy and try other products.

"We designed Curls on the Go™ to be the mobile channel's be-all for hair brands and products seeking to connect directly with the curly consumer, as well as the stylists and salons who cater to them," said Chief Marketing Officer Christopher Burkhart. "Brands seeking deep engagement with the hair community -- and a relevant mobile presence -- will find Curls on the Go™ addressing that need."

Advertisers may email The NaturallyCurly Network at advertising@naturallycurly.com or call 512.371.7545 ext 309 to inquire about advertising opportunities. Curls on the Go™ can be downloaded at www.NaturallyCurly.com/mobile or through the Apple iTunes app store. The application is free.

The NaturallyCurly Network chose Best Fit Mobile (www.bestfitmobile.com), also of Austin, TX, as its development partner. BestFit Mobile is an enterprise mobile app development firm specializing in mobile strategy, design, development and support. BestFit creates cross platform mobile solutions spanning iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry and Windows, and is now developing Curls on the Go™ for Android release later this summer, Burkhart said.

About The NaturallyCurly Network
The NaturallyCurly Network is a collection of sites that informs, empowers and unites a community of people brought together by a common interest -- curly hair. The flagship brand, NaturallyCurly.com, attracts 700,000 unique monthly engaged, influential consumers creating user-generated content on a daily basis -- boasting more than 30,000 photos, product and stylist reviews and 30,000 monthly forum posts. The network also includes CurlStylist.com, a professional community especially for stylists servicing the curly clientele; CurlMart.com, a boutique e-commerce site showcasing more than 60 brands and 550 community-vetted products; and CurlyNikki.com, the leading natural hair expert in the blogosphere, encouraging people everywhere to share their experiences, frustrations and triumphs of being naturally glamorous, with 230,000 unique monthly visitors. The entire network logs 1 million unique monthly visits, on average from more than 250 countries worldwide, all of whom have a common thread -- a curl, kink or wave -- that bonds.

Tags: naturally curly, NaturallyCurly, The NaturallyCurly Network, Apple App Store, social media, mobile, social engagement, community, mobile app, Curls on the Go