I know what you’re thinking. Why on Earth would I want to sign up to another social network. Twitter just doesn’t really do it for me, Facebook is filled with stupid videos and brand posts I have no interest in, and Instagram is flooded with bots, fake profiles and overly-pristine images.
If you think that, then the answer is right in front of you. Vero uses the tagline True Social, and it sticks to its word: Vero has no ads. There’s no algorithm deciding what you should and shouldn’t see. There’s no data mining. You simply share content with whoever you want, and the posts in your feed show up in chronological order.
Tell me that doesn’t sound refreshing?!
Where Did Vero Come From?
Surprisingly enough, Vero has been around for a while. It launched in 2015, and was founded by billionaire businessman Ayman Hariri. Over the past weekend though, Vero exploded. So much so that Vero’s servers are currently having trouble keeping up with the server load. Many users have already moved over to the app from Facebook and Instagram. The Independent has a slick video which gives a good overview of Vero, and its founding roots.
With no ads, how does Vero make money?
Very good question, and one users have been pondering over the last 48 hours. The details are a little sketchy, but it looks like Vero will eventually start charging subscription fees for users. You can also buy products through the app, and Vero takes a commission on each sale.
HOLD THE PHONE. I have to pay to use the app?! Seems so, eventually. But look at it this way – would you rather have your social feeds filled with algorithmic nonsense, the same nonsense that has been annoying you for the past few years, and not pay? Or, pay a small subscription fee and have a clean, chronological feed with no ads? Your choice, but for now, the Vero is free.
How does Vero work?
Vero actually has a very clean, simple to use interface. You find and connect with people in the same way you would on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It uses hashtags for discovery, the same as Instagram.
You can follow people the same as you would on other social networks, but in terms of making a Connection, you can choose an appropriate level, depending on how well you know them personally. So for instance, you can decide if someone is a Close Friend, Friend, or Acquaintance.
Once you’ve had fun building up your connections and followers (your feed will be sparse to start with, but remember how much fun it was to build connections and followers on the other platforms?!), you can then begin posting.
You can post about anything – images, videos, links to content, music, movies or TV shows, books or places – and then you can choose who to share it with – Close Friends, Friends, Acquaintances or all your Followers.
Vero even has an in app browsers, so you can find the page you want before sharing.
What’s The Downside?
The only thing we can see users complaining about so far is the terms of service. Within the terms Vero are saying signing up gives the company the right to use the content you post, without paying royalties…forever and anywhere.
That leads down the path of privacy concerns, but it could be the case anything you post publicly can be used, and anything shared privately will not be. I’m merely speculating, but I’m sure more information will come to light about this area soon enough.
Can Brands Use Vero?
Regular users aren’t the only ones likely to jump ship from Facebook and Instagram. With Facebook’s organic reach plummeting, it could only be a matter of time until brands sit up and take notice of Vero.
Our initial findings show that yes, brands can also set up profiles on Vero. Back in 2016, Vero ran a partnership with Temperley London, and upon discovering their profile in the app, they have a blue tick verification, and loads of content, including products, photos and videos.
Whilst brands can sign up, there doesn’t appear to be a login switcher, or multi-login function, as yet.
Check Vero Out
Vero haven’t just created a new social network – they’ve created a timely, refreshing way to be social online. Go check it out. Vero is available on iOS and Android.