Over the past decade, there has been a large shift in our social media platforms. Not only do we use Facebook to contact our college buddies, but also to find pictures, videos, restaurant and media recommendations, etc. This practice can bog down our Facebook and keep us looking at the screen for hours on end. What feels like two minutes of scrolling easily turns into thirty minutes of mindlessly staring at a screen. That is where Vero the social network, comes in. It is the latest in social media that is looking at monitoring quality over quantity.
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Vero: The New Social Media Network
What is it?
Vero is the newest up and coming social network that allows you to be more selective about who you share with and what you share with them. The app was founded in 2015 by Ayman Hariri along with two of his childhood friends. They wanted to create an app that would allow you to act online the same way you do in person. As stated in their manifesto, «In real life, people are never presented with a one size fits all audience. We share different things with different people.» That’s exactly what Hairiri and his partners set out to do.
How does it work?
Vero the social network aims to provide the best of both worlds between Facebook and Instagram. Upon signing up, you are provided the option to choose a profile picture and write a short bio about yourself. With the ability to like and comment on post, the late functions similarly to Instagram, though the screen is more monotone. When content gets shared with a user, it automatically gets categorized into collections: photos/videos, links, music, movies/tv, books, and places, making it easier to find that video you watched an our ago.
You can now group your friends based on your relationships to them: close friend, friend, acquaintance, or follower. This gives the user more control over which friend is seeing which post. Rather than having different «categories» of friends to share with, the system works like a pyramid: you can start with close friends and work your way down. On top of that, this app supports a chat feature and the ability to share to other social media platforms, such as Twitter.
What makes it different? Quality content.
Based off all the features, it mostly sounds like Vero is just a blend of Facebook and Instagram. But what separates Vero from other social media platforms is the control it gives to its users. Most people are aware that Facebook and Instagram use algorithms to show you the content it thinks you would like, over the content that has most recently been shared with you. On top of that, your feed gets cluttered with ads from local and online businesses. Vero removes this element. In an article published in Time magazine, Lisa Segarra said that «Vero is…fixing the one thing everyone hates about Instagram.». The user gets to see content more organically as opposed to having to sort through ads, bots, and other clutter.
Along with reducing clutter, this helps social media users, individuals and businesses alike, to devote quality content to their target audiences. Rather than bogging up someone’s screens with the same ad half a dozen times, businesses are allowed to reach out with actual events and sales that might interest their clients. In addition, individuals can share pictures with the knowledge that grandma will be able to see them. It’s efficient and ultimately, cost effective for everyone.
What’s more though, Vero also wants to help users monitor their screen time. Sites like Facebook consider it a «success» when you are on the site frequently. This is where Vero disagrees. Spending much of your time with something does not necessarily mean it will increase or add to your life. As you can see on the website, «We want Vero to enhance your life, not detract from it.». You can enable a feature that allows you to see just how much screen time you give to the platform. The idea is to help address the issue of social media addiction.
The buzz and the controversy
The idea of having a social media platform that does not cater to businesses has people excited. Users are at the mercy of Facebook and Instagram when it comes to ads and sharing content with friends and family. Whereas with Vero, they can view content in chronological order rather than having it filtered through an algorithm. Rather than just being consumers to market to, they get to be individuals with a social life again.
Even with all the excitement, no social media platform is without its faults. One of the biggest complaints among users is that you need «permission» to delete your account. This does not set well with users as they question what may be happening with their personal information. On top of that, where Facebook and Instagram are free for users due to companies paying for advertising, in the future Vero might not be free.
Additionally, it has been made known that many of the staff on Vero are Russian. Users are concerned if the app is safe because of potential Russian ties. Furthermore, it has come to light that there is a gender-dominance on the development team. Moreover, CEO and co-founder Hariri doesn’t have the best social standing either. According to reports from Reuters, the company where he was previously a CEO, Saudi Oger, left many of his workers unpaid and in terrible living quarters.
What’s the verdict?
Should you give Vero a chance? Currently, it is free for users to sign up as they want users to test out the app and give feedback on what they could improve.
Controversy aside, this social media app is still worth taking a glance at. Between not having any algorithms and being able to monitor your screen time, you could learn a few things about your social media use. In addition, this could help users raise the expectations of other popular social media platforms.
Using Vero as a social network is an excellent new way to reach your target audience with quality content, but results can always be maximized by using professional marketing services, such as Lowpost, to help you create the best content.
