Despite having only
launched in October 2012, new social network Pheed has experienced an
overwhelming surge in popularity. This growth was largely to the app’s appeal
to teenagers and tweens, and saw the network overtake both Facebook and Twitter
to claim the top Social Networking spot on in Apple’s App Store by Feb 2013.
In fact, according to Ilya Pozin, it was a mere handful of teens with popular
twitter accounts who were largely responsible for the app’s ascension to the
coveted No. 1 spot. By tweeting their approval they inspired thousands of other
teenagers from across the US to open their own Pheed accounts.
What Makes Pheed So Appealing?
Pheed’s standout
function is its integrated social media dashboard, which lets users subscribe
to the ‘pheeds’ of accounts they are interested in. But Pheed differs from
other social networks by offering users the opportunity to ‘socialize with any
media file in a non-restrictive, unlimited space’ (Digital Trends).
It almost seems as
though Pheed is trying to deliver a ‘cream of the crop’ amalgamation of all the
best functions from a number of different existing social platforms, including:
• Large Media
Files
• Streamlined
Feeding
• Integrated
Copyright Function
• Commenting
and Shares
• Customisable
Pheeds
• Content
Monetising
Most of these elements
have certainly been inspired by networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
But by combining them into one integrated platform, Pheed seems to offer a more
comprehensive social media solution, which is more than just the sum of its
parts.
Monetising Social Media
Forbes described Pheed
as ‘Twitter-with-a-business-model’, implying that it is the monetising feature
included in the world’s newest social platform which may stand it in good stead
for the future.
Certainly, right now
it seems to be working. Options to charge users to view exclusive content have
already been earning some celebrities, as well as the Pheed itself, a profit.
Questions as to the desirability of such a function have already been answered,
to some extent, by user’s willingness to pay for their favourite or most
desired content. However at this moment in time, monetised content is largely
of the pop culture variety, of the sort that is largely appealing only to
younger fans. The question still remains as to whether or not Pheed’s
popularity will transfer to an older generation, and whether an older
generation would be interested in paying for content from pop stars and
celebrities such as Paris Hilton, or Miley Cyrus.
The Face of the Future
Broad user appeal, a
quality which is common to both Facebook and Twitter, has stood them in good
stead over the years. Testament to this is the large number of children (approx. 5.6 million in 2012) who have signed up to Facebook, despite its age
restriction policy.
But whereas both
Twitter and Facebook appeal to both younger and older generations, Pheed’s
popularity seems to be driven by its younger users, much in the same way as was
the case with MySpace. It may well be the case that Pheed’s limited appeal, in
this respect, may prove to be a sticking point in the future. But whereas both
Twitter and Facebook were able to overcome this problem by redesigning and
streamlining their dashboard functions, it was precisely this strategy which
left MySpace by the wayside. Only time will tell whether Pheed will be able to
grow and change to meet the evolving expectations of its young users, or
whether it, too, will be left behind.
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