Vero wants to take on Instagram and has already lured many of its big users on to the platform. Vero has no ads, no algorithm re-jigging the feed and no data mining. It aims to be ‘refreshingly transparent’, however only the first one million accounts will be subscription-free.
Where did Vero come from?
Vero has been around for a while, however it’s only just gaining real traction, with multiple Instagram creators stating that “I’m trying out this Vero thing, here’s my info.” The platform aims to be truly honest, the feed is in chronological order, there’s no algorithm and no option to run paid advertisements. Vero wants people to join the platform to share content with each other, not run ads and mine data. However, there’s a catch; only the first one million accounts will be free-of-charge for life. After this, Vero accounts will have an undisclosed annual subscription.
What does the platform do?
The user experience is much like Instagram; each profile has a display photo, bio and grid-style layout. However, unlike Instagram, Vero seems to have combined elements of every other social network too. Each profile has connections, similar to LinkedIn, where you can rank other users as ‘acquaintances, friends or close friends’. Users who you don’t know have the option to ‘follow’ your profile like on Twitter or Facebook. In addition, users can share and upload photos, videos, music, links, books, places and podcasts together in a single feed. All things considered, you could even compare the feed to Pinterest, as ‘tap to buy’ links will also be released on photos, just to add another social network to the list of inspired features.
Should you join Vero?
The app is still small and has been fraught with issues as its developers try to cope with the surge in demand. Furthermore, it’s yet to report on hitting the magic one million users. So for now, every sign up is free for life. Vero’s surge in popularity is most-evident on Instagram, with many creators posting their Vero details and tentatively asking people to follow them.
Therefore, if you’re mourning the loss of chronological feeds on Instagram and Facebook and want to tailor content to share with your close connections, then you should absolutely give Vero a spin while it’s still free. You’ll be met with a completely blank feed, which will eventually be filled with chronological posts from the people you’re connected with, rather than posts the algorithm ‘thinks’ you’d like to see. Vero is living up to its matra ‘true social’ and is an exciting new prospect we’ll be keeping an eye on.
