Leeds-based digital agency launches startup online platform

Headland, a Leeds-based web design & development agency, has launched a startup online platform that specifically targets ‘tweens’ - girls aged 8 - 12.

Two businesswomen and mothers, Clare Vincent and Gina Walter, built TotallyTween after spending 12 months researching the needs of young people during the transitional period between being a child and a teen while experiencing rapid physical and emotional change.

The new platform hopes to become the “go-to” source for information, discussion, opinion and sharing on fashion, style, beauty, entertainment, film, music, books, TV, social, cooking, health and fitness, as well as a range of other issues that appeal to a young audience.

TotallyTween is employing MySafeTXT, a sophisticated integrated suite of moderation tools, developed by KidsOKOnline (KOKO), which enables the platform’s online community to remain safe.

TotallyTween, which will officially go live nationwide on 27th March 2015, allows tweens to produce much of their own content, with other subject matter coming from a range of syndicated and original articles.

Clare Vincent said: “Our tweens want to discover and create trends, not be spoon-fed them. The look, feel and style of the entire site and its content are current and imaginative, and it’s been designed with tween input.”

Ken Heptonstall, founder and managing director of Headland, added: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Clare and Gina on this innovative design and technical project for 8 to 12 year olds. There are very few places on the web where tweens can go safely for discussion and the exchange of ideas. We are confident that it will quickly become a much talked about website for tweens.”

The site also includes the feature TT Design, which lets tweens to either use existing images or create their own designs on an array of clothing and accessories that can be purchased online.

Gina Walter added: “Our target market is too young for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat but our forum TT Trending will enable tweens to discuss relevant topics in open and safe threads. One of our key areas of research has been safety as it’s clearly paramount to demonstrate to parents that their tweens are safe as well as fulfilling the social and creative needs of the tweens.”