Facebook is so not “in” these days. While it’s becoming increasingly popular for older generations, teens are leaving the social network in droves. One app in particular that is claiming some teen users is Anomo, a tool that provides social networking for introverts.
Anomo claims to “democratize the way we socialize where first impressions are based on more than a simple photo.” Everyone starts with cartoon avatars to mask their real identities, but depending on the relationships formed in the network, they can choose to reveal actual pictures and information later on.
An incredible 95% of Anomo’s active users are young teens between 15 and 20. Users take advantage of Anomo for networking, casual conversations, dating and more. Anomo even partners with certain venues like bars and coffee shops to allow users to send gifts to each other. Now, I’m not sure how that all plays out at bars with younger users, but if someone anonymously sent me a croissant at my local Starbucks, I’d be one happy lady.
After reading more about Anomo, I decided to download the app. It’s free, and the avatars are pretty cute.
Upon downloading, the app prompted me to sign in with my Facebook account information. I’m guessing people who opt for Anomo may not want to share this information right away, so I was glad (for those people) there was an option to just try the app first. I am lazy and don’t like typing my info, so I used my Facebook info.
Once I created my account and chose a super cute avatar that totally resembles me, I was prompted to participate in an ‘ice breaker’ to meet other users. Anomo asks a series of multiple-choice questions to compare how you relate to other users and find some potential matches.
After playing a few ice breaker games, you can start to form one-on-one relationships with users who spark your interest and have similarities. You can also find users nearby and start following others. The rest plays out sort of like Facebook with a newsfeed, likes, comments, and shares.
You can download the iOS version here or the Android version here.
Business marketers, what are your thoughts? Would you be interested in becoming one of the selected venues to partner with the app? Or would you rather use it personally to network and find new connections?
