Rise Of The Love-App

Butcher 2.0's comment on my post about why networked media isn't about technology got me thinking: "Techies and startups are now working in an application world, where the social nets are just the playground platforms to play in. They say: "The people are already here to play with their apps. So let's build."  And I say, let's build Love-Apps for the people - not the ranting Techmeme bubble.  As Mike hints, mega social-nets are becoming part of the furniture and that's where the real opportunities begin.  If there is a better example of a Love-App than Etsy I haven't found it.  From it's mission statement, to its users, to its fans to its communication, the tech-features are hidden away and the focus is on the stars who are building their lives around Robert Kaplin's vision.  Oh, and Dawanda.  Any other Love-Apps spring to mind?

Comments

[Simon]

Great post. I can definitely see this long-tail of niche communities gaining traction in the short-term.

Would you ancitipate any issues with etsy et al remaining vibrant in the long-term, once community norms and values have been entrenched by the long-term users?

[James Cherkoff]

Thanks Simon. I think the strength of Etsy is that it is so people focused and that it's actually a way for a group of people to make a living. That creates huge energy and dedication, in a way that feature-led offerings do not. Making a difference in someone's life is really difficult to do. However, if you can pull it off, the result can be remarkable.