Neptune is among the latest short-form video apps on the block looking for to compete with main gamers like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
The app, at present in beta, has attracted consideration from lots of of 1000’s of customers, with 970 testers collaborating and 400,000 individuals on the waitlist, per the corporate.
Neptune introduced Monday that it’s making ready to launch the app on the App Retailer subsequent week, with plans to roll out on the Google Play Retailer in about six months.
The startup was based by Ashley Darling, who has a background as a expertise director on the OPTYX company, the place she labored with “underestimated” influencers. She got down to develop a platform that emphasizes creativity as an alternative of the variety of followers a creator has.
“I spent years working with impartial creators, each as an influencer myself and later serving to manufacturers,” Darling shared with TechCrunch. “I saved listening to the identical factor from creators and customers, ‘I miss when social media was enjoyable. When it was about creativity, not competitors.’ So, as an alternative of ready for a platform to hear, I constructed one.”
With TikTok’s future nonetheless unsure, Neptune hopes to draw creators in search of an alternate option to earn income whereas fostering an atmosphere that prioritizes the standard of movies and connections as an alternative of follower counts. The app plans to supply varied income streams, together with ideas, livestreams, and subscriptions.
Like its rivals, Neptune includes a discovery device and a vertical feed for customers to swipe via brief movies and interact via feedback. Moreover, customers can add a canopy photograph to their profiles, imitating what X and different networking apps provide.
A key distinguishing function of Neptune is that it lets creators disguise their complete followers and likes. This “ghost metrics” function is elective, nonetheless, and is designed to assist customers keep away from the pressures related to follower depend, but nonetheless caters to creators who could need to showcase their metrics.
In line with the corporate, Neptune’s algorithm emphasizes consumer pursuits and content material high quality reasonably than creator recognition. Sometimes, social media algorithms prioritize content material with the very best engagement, usually leaving lesser-known creators, or “micro-influencers,” at an obstacle.
“We put the ability again within the fingers of [the creators] who truly constructed the web. Not the companies, not the algorithms. Neptune is for connection, not clout,” chief advertising and marketing officer Timur Tugberk mentioned.
One other notable function is “Hop Again,” which permits customers to renew watching a video proper the place they left off, stopping them from shedding their place when the app refreshes.
Neptune is in beta and doesn’t provide all of its supposed options but. It’s at present on the easy facet, offering solely a video feed and a search perform. When testing the app, we additionally observed it lacks in-app modifying instruments and direct messaging.
The corporate says it’s engaged on including a livestream functionality, the power to create playlists, and music integrations.
