Say Hello to Ello

Ello is the New Kid on the Social Media Block, and it is quite the mix of new and old. I get the same feeling as when I signed up for Twitter and Facebook back in the days, the feeling of not quite knowing what it is, or how to “behave”.

What is Ello today?

Currently in Beta, invite-only (every user gets 25 invites – give me a shout if you want one!). Ello mixes features from many of the popular and well established social networks, you can @mention others, divide the people you follow between “Friends” and “Noise”, post all sorts of content, be anonymous if you like. And the key differentiation – the promise of being (and staying) completely ad free.

What can Ello be?

We believe a social network can be a tool for empowerment. Not a tool to deceive, coerce, and manipulate — but a place to connect, create, and celebrate life. (Part of the Ello Manifesto)

According to this Ello post, many new features are in the loop. Such as: Private messages, a Love(!) button, the option to add videos, a repost-feature and so on. A paid version with more features is also likely.

Can it be the new Facebook? Will it be a real competition?

Some complain about Ello being over-hyped, not offering anything new, that it is certainly not Facebook nor can it compete. What they seem to forget is that Facebook has not always been like it is today, like every other social network it has evolved and changed over time (and still does).

Surely, Ello needs to differentiate itself more from other networks, gain a solid user base, come up with (or communicate) a plan for how the network can get by while staying ad-free and without selling user data (and make a mobile app, please!). But Ello is still in Beta, and while the features today are somewhat limited, I like the concept and Ello’s vision, and am excited to see what happens in the months to come.

What do you think? 

 

Are you on Ello?  Say hi here: ello.co/mariannemixi

Want to know more about Ello? Check out Ten Things to Know About Ello