I realize the trouble I’m creating by comparing social networks. Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest are the biggies of the social networking scene and each have a rabid horde of loyal users who will defend their preferred platform with zeal. But loyalty beyond reason turns into fear of change. And at Startup Dope we recognize change which is for the better and unabashedly support it!
So why is Socialist better? When I browse through the pins on Pinterest, I sometime find them to be little more than image noise. There is nothing I can do with those pretty pins other than look and like. But what if you can create “smart lists” that not just allow you to share information in a very digestible format (“9 Reasons Why Everyone Love Lists”) but also offer contextual actions for the items listed? There is a lot to like about Socialist and we have all the details!
Meet the Bakers
The makers of Socialist are also the founders of The BKRY – a startup incubator in New York – and Socialist is their delicious first cook! Paul Geller the CEO and John Ashenden the CCO are the former high ranking executives of the popular music streaming site Grooveshark and they are showcasing Socialist as a role model for future startups to come out of their oven.
On how Socialist came about, Paul recollects, “I was arguing with a friend over Woody Allen films and wanted to create a list for our other friends to chime in as well. We couldn’t find a tool that allows list collaboration and it was cumbersome filling in every details from IMDb”. In the age of easily accessible APIs (Application Program Interface; allows others to integrate your product in their own), a dynamic and intelligent list service seemed like one of those “Why didn’t I think of it?” moment.
Socialist tapped into 12 online services like iTunes, Google Maps, Amazon, Netflix, IMDb and many more to create an elegant experience. “I prefer the term “elegant” which implies both simplicity, aesthetic beauty and efficiency all in one. Our product is elegant because it requires a minimal amount of input from the user and they get a tremendous pay-off in terms of seamless essential third-party services.”
The Socialist Revolution
The intelligence quotient of the service can’t be overstated. On creating a list about your favourite movies (Top 5 Mind-bending Movies of All Time) it’ll automatically pull-in plot and crew details, reviews, and even allow you to watch it online or buy the tickets with just a single click. Same goes for favourite restaurants, travel destinations, or any list worthy thing you can think of. And once you start adding people to collaborative over a list, the possibilities and probable good times will make it one of the “8 Great Things To Do With Friends”! Socialist also runs featured lists from content partners like Vice and The NY Times and offer data portability service for enterprise users.
Other than being the USP of Socialist, the third-party service integration also provides a solid revenue model. The site gets an affiliate fees for every iTunes purchase, every new Netflix account, Amazon purchase…basically it means that the service is free for users!
The 5-start rated app is available on iOS with Android version coming later this year.