Much Ado About Pheed
By Guest Author
October 31st, 2012
This is a guest post by Nate Towne. Follow him on Twitter at @Fancy_Lad.
You may be seeing a lot of buzz regarding Pheed, the new “Twitter Killer” that launched on October 1st – it looks and acts a lot like Twitter, but gives users (a.k.a. Pheeders) the option to share content for free or at a premium, either by applying a monthly subscription fee to their channel or setting up a pay-per-view live broadcast event. Users can charge anywhere from $1.99 to $34.99 per view, or $1.99 to $34.99 per month. The platform offers standard sharing features such as text, photos and videos, but also incorporates “stuff” (its word, not mine) like voice-notes, audio clips and live-broadcasting.
Not only is Pheed is going for that premium-content-gotta-have-it feel, it’s also positioning itself as the edgy new social startup, featuring the backside of what looks like Adam Levine’s head from Maroon 5 on its homepage. (But sadly, it is not.) This in itself should scare many older, more conservative users away right off the bat, leaving us fresh young things with that MySpace experience we’ve been missing since that platform bombed many moons ago. (Though Justin Timberlake is doing his darnedest to revive it. Maybe. The jury’s still out on that one.)
So who cares about Pheed? Well, if you’re a celebrity trying to cash in on premium content, you just might – the site seems to be a magnet for hip hop moguls and mogulettes. Same if you’re an Instant YouTube Star like these guys – you might want to start up your own pheed feed to try to monetize your videos. Some brands, like record labels and other content-and-taste makers could also benefit. Case in point it looks like everyone’s trying to figure out the value; the “big names” of celebrity content producers like Slash and Chris Brown are on Pheed, but have activity levels just south of minimal. BUT, and here’s the big but, they’ll only stay on Pheed if YOU go there and start buying.
Otherwise you might as well just Pheed your time into the ol’ toilet because you just wasted precious resources on the next big social thing that never happened. Wouldn’t be the first time, won’t be the last.
But you’re probably here for deeper insights, so here goes:
PROS:
- You can make money – if Pheed attracts users who will open their wallets to digital content.
- Pheed has more bells and whistles than Twitter.
- You can position yourself as cooler-than-cool by eschewing Twitter for this new social channel, being the first on your block to start a Pheed.
- You can easily share Pheed content on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
- Like any social network, you can gain insights into things.
- The content is entertaining, though dubious.
- Pheeds are rated for content and measured for level of activity, meaning users know what they’re getting into before they sign up for a pheed.
CONS:
- It’s an unknown and could become a big time suck if nobody is there to help you monetize your content.
- Pheed is a ghost town compared to Twitter. Only 1 million users on Pheed vs. more than 500 million on Twitter.
- There’s no ability to easily share content with Instagram or Tumblr – for now.
- The content is dubious, though entertaining.
- Not primetime ready for main stream brands.
- Like any social network, you can gain insight into things. Mostly Paris Hilton’s things. *shudder*
Only time will tell if Pheed will get off the ground. With quality content producers including Big Sean, who has produced nothing, Spammers (that didn’t take long), and paparazzi’s putting up premium channels so they can get paid more for stalking your favorite celebs, you can count me out for now. When the Muppets start a Pheed, then I’ll consider joining. (I’d best not hold my breath.)
Entry Filed under: Digital Media Relations,Live-Stream,Multimedia,Online Video,Pheed,Social Media,Social Networks,Twitter
25 Comments Add your own
1. Racepoint Group | October 31st, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Much Ado About Pheed http://t.co/3SEvlz23 via @RaceTalk Blog
2. RaceTalk | October 31st, 2012 at 7:40 pm
New RaceTalk Post: Much Ado About Pheed http://t.co/DxABmTw0
3. Racepoint Group | November 1st, 2012 at 3:06 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/Ou27FdbL
4. Morgan O'Leary | November 1st, 2012 at 3:53 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/GWJgfbGK
5. Mr. Guanxi | November 1st, 2012 at 3:55 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/GWJgfbGK
6. Mr. Guanxi | November 1st, 2012 at 3:55 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/GWJgfbGK
7. catherine pittham | November 1st, 2012 at 4:12 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/r5szIT7z
8. catherine pittham | November 1st, 2012 at 4:12 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/r5szIT7z
9. Ally Peebles | November 1st, 2012 at 4:13 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/a1Q1ssSd
10. Ally Peebles | November 1st, 2012 at 4:13 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/a1Q1ssSd
11. Anne Potts | November 1st, 2012 at 4:13 pm
Great post from Nate today – RT @RaceTalk: Much Ado About Pheed http://t.co/GrCCU2RH @Fancy_Lad @racepointgroup
12. Brent R. Carney | November 1st, 2012 at 4:26 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/7JNdNgRQ
13. Cheri (Lapane) Keith | November 1st, 2012 at 4:33 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/y1rVuTBI
14. Jenna Caswell | November 1st, 2012 at 4:41 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/j9R1ZGu7
15. Jenna Caswell | November 1st, 2012 at 4:41 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/j9R1ZGu7
16. Palmer Reuther | November 1st, 2012 at 5:27 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/YyjZ5DWZ
17. Marcus LaRobardiere | November 1st, 2012 at 6:15 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/4QHb1Ee8
18. Matthew Doyle | November 1st, 2012 at 6:36 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/4QHb1Ee8
19. Dan Carter | November 1st, 2012 at 6:51 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/85mMJcTy
20. Carolyn Linck | November 1st, 2012 at 8:11 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/TZXNUZvK
21. Monika Yeung | November 2nd, 2012 at 1:33 am
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/alaqLK8q
22. Jon Temerlies | November 2nd, 2012 at 2:00 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/wAhiJKrT
23. Evan Siff | November 2nd, 2012 at 3:12 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/v8a1Ddnd
24. Theresa Masnik | November 2nd, 2012 at 7:19 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/cxz0r41F
25. Amanda Sina Griffith | November 6th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
#Pheed your mind w/ @RaceTalk post on newest social network to take on Twitter. Hot opportunity – or a hot mess? http://t.co/R0yb5JvS
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