Published on 23, Aug 2022

 “I See Us Being Everywhere and Changing Everything,” Preet Raj on Bakstage, Digital Consumer Engagement, and Privacy

Bakstage is a no-code AI technology platform made for both emerging and established brands to build deeper relations with their customers via live and interactive audio & video experiences on their own websites. 

Recently, we got to catch up with Bakstage CTO & Co-founder, Preet Raj based out of New York City, to learn more about the platform.

What is Bakstage?

“The idea behind Bakstage was always, ‘What if there was a social media platform that placed you in a brand’s own space?’ I mean, if going to someone’s Twitter or Instagram is like going to a booth that’s designated for them or their products in a long line of booths, why not bring someone into a brand’s headquarters, the backstage? That’s Bakstage for you. Giving a brand a social online space where they can feel a sense of ownership, and likewise, fans of this brand can be part of an exclusive club and moreover feel comfortable knowing there isn’t a third party that has access to their information. Instead of being in a relatively public space, where your information is just out there, your data is treated as more privileged information and is only shared with who you’d like to share it with.”

Why should businesses use Bakstage and not the standard social media sites?

“Well, that’s the million-dollar question. All businesses should be building communities that they own and manage, and build direct relationships with their consumers so that they understand them and can serve them better. Our technology enables businesses to create live and interactive audio and video experiences on their own websites. We further give brands access to their own Customer Data Platform (CDP) where they get direct access to their consumers and detailed actionable analytics and insights. We never advise businesses to stop using their existing social media accounts, we actually encourage them to use their accounts to drive more traffic to their own websites using our technology.”

Can you speak a little more on the importance of consumer data for a business?

“Well, there are countless benefits of collecting consented 1st Party consumer data but all of those also come with specific responsibilities as a business. Good quality consumer data will help a business understand their overall target audience, demographics, interests, age groups, etcetera, which will help the business improve the overall consumer experience. It will allow for greater levels of personalization, which leads to better conversion rates and shorter sales cycles.”

Tell me about the team behind Bakstage.

“We have one of the best leadership teams that any startup can hope for. We compliment each other in the best possible way, our team consists of subject matter experts in ad-tech, data, design, and content. We are innovators and builders who understand the importance of owning consumer data, and the future of consumer privacy, and are on a mission to help brands build deeper relationships with their consumers.”

Where do you see Bakstage in the next five years?

“I see us being everywhere and changing everything. For brands and businesses, I see us being the obvious choice for digital consumer engagement that truly caters to changing consumer behavior. For users, when they see “Powered By Bakstage” on any website it should automatically instill trust and authenticity in their minds.”

What is success to you?

“Success to me is doing things that you love with the people that you like. Entrepreneurship can be very lonely, finding the right co-founders/team is one of the biggest successes that an entrepreneur can achieve.”

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 As Bakstage continues to gain traction, Preet Raj’s success will only multiply in the coming months and years. Giving power back to the brands is first and foremost on Bakstage’s initiative, which businesses are undoubtedly noticing.

Bakstage empowers its clients to convert their consumers to loyal fans and advocates of the brand, championing both the product and the brand's mission. Every brand emerging or established needs to have a strategy for engaging its consumers on their own websites and apps. It looks like Bakstage can get you started in minutes.