Search
Close this search box.

New Social Network Anchor is Something You Should Pay Attention To

LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Update: Anchor was acquired by Spotify early this year in a deal worth more than $150 million. Told ya so 😉 And don’t forget to check out The Messengers podcast on Anchor!

In case you haven’t “heard” (wait, you’ll get it in a second) Anchor is here and it’s the first new social network I’m really excited about in a long time. So what exactly is Anchor and why am I so excited?

Anchor is a social media network dedicated to the spoken word. While everybody else out there was focusing on text and video, audio never really had it’s place. Audio on the internet has, for a while, been religated to traditional media outlets (radio stations) streaming their feeds online, and tech companies like Spotify and Pandora streaming the same stuff you can hear on the radio, just replacing the DJ. Podcasts were (and still are) the way for regular people to produce their own audio content and stream it to an audience.

That’s all changing with the release of Anchor. Anchor lets anyone produce their own “waves” and put them on the line for the world to listen. Responses all happen via audio clips as well, and you can easily categorize and search for clips using hashtags.

[Just in case you didn’t get the joke above … ]

I love this idea (Anchor, not Exchangeagram) because it fills a gap in the market. Everybody and their brother has tried to be the next Facebook, and very few have been able to pull it off. Twitter worked (although it’s definitely struggling at the moment) because it allowed people to connect and communicate with celebrities whom they otherwise would never have been able to interact with directly previously. Instagram satisfied people’s desire to take, distribute, and consume beautiful photographs. And Snapchat realized that not everyone wants everything they do and say to stick around forever on the internet and is now a monster in the space because of it (if you didn’t read my last article about using Snapchat’s geofilters for your business, that should be your next step).

Anchor’s biggest challenge is going to be scaling fast enough to keep competitors at bay and keep from becoming the next Meerkat. If you’re not familiar with the story, Meerkat was a media and tech darling that brought live streaming video to the social network market … for all of about 3 months until it was killed by Twitter and their own live streaming play, Periscope.

The platform works really well, the audio quality is outstanding, and it’s already a pretty active network with a lot of people finding new and interesting ways to use the service. The onboarding experience is great and I’ve been enjoying my experiences there so far. Plus, co-founder and CEO Mike Mignano was my very first employee ever at my first software company so I’m rooting for him big time!

If Anchor is able to scale fast enough, now is the time to get involved. Yes, there’s always the possibility that it flops and you end up like the guy that had 1,000,000 MySpace friends back in 2006, but that’s a risk you take on any platform where you don’t own your followers (hint: build your email and direct mail lists).

I’m excited to see what Anchor has in store for us, and I’m especially excited for the Android app to come out (right now it’s only available on the iPhone) so I don’t have to carry two phones around anymore! Download the app, find and add me, and start building an audience by putting out awesome content.

Share This Article:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
Email

We may earn a commission if you click one of the links on this site and make a purchase.

You may also like

Portfolio

Monti’s Barbershop

For Monti’s Barbershop in Moriches, Long Island, NY, we worked with the client to design a clean, simple, single-page website that was cost-effective but showcased the quality and care the owner put into his space and his work. This design was a cost-effective option for a new small business that

Read More »
Portfolio

Empirical Creative

Empirical Creative came to us with an existing website and web design that they liked, however it was built with a third-party, drag-and-drop website building tool and they had reached the limits of the functionality of that solution and was no longer a viable option for a growing organization. Our

Read More »
Marketing

What is the cost of a website?

Let me start by saying this is a loaded question. The real answer is that your website can cost as much or as little as you want or need it to. I’ve built websites for around $1,500 and I’ve built websites that have cost upwards of $250,000. So what is the difference

Read More »
Online marketing solutions in city skyline over people using digital technology
Digital Marketing

Using Online Marketing Solutions to Grow Your Business

Online marketing solutions refer to all marketing efforts that occur on the internet, also known as digital marketing. With the increasing number of people who go online multiple times per day, businesses need to meet their audiences where they are already spending time: on the internet. Digital marketing is essential

Read More »
Fictional small business local coffee shop with customers on devices
Digital Marketing

Do I Need a Website for My Business?

In the interconnected world of the 21st century, a web presence is as essential for a business as its physical storefront. Many small business owners might wonder if investing time and resources into building a website is worth it. Here’s the reality: in today’s market, a robust online presence isn’t

Read More »
Illustration of an offset printing press
Print Marketing

The Complete Guide to Printing Methods

Printing has long been the backbone of communication, even more so in the business world where it forms the bridge between ideas and tangible reality. More and more studies are showing how important it is to go beyond the screen to connect with your customers. At Searles Graphics, we’re passionate

Read More »