We covered BuzzE in a recent article and have been frankly astonished to learn how popular the location based social app is becoming . So much so that we just had to feature one of the dynamic creators of the app in our legendary Gametrender interviews. if you're looking for an app that will expand your social network and also allow you to interact directly with people around you . Then give BuzzE a go for that sense of neighbourly belonging that is missing from most social networks.
Interview with Brett Rosen of BuzzE
Q1: We've enjoyed using the iPad BuzzE App, what other platforms are supported?
[BR] Currently we only support iPhone products (iphone,ipad,touch). We have done some early work on an android version and are investigating a cross platform version based on html5
Q2: How have you managed to spread word of BuzzE and its associated apps?
[BR] We have experimented with some advertising which has helped a bit. We also try to be active on iPhone related forums to make sure people are aware of BuzzE and the updates we are making. We of course also rely on a really good relationship with our users. BuzzE has the feel of a big extended family. We listen to them and give them the kind of app they want and in turn they help us grow the community.
Q3: What sort of uptake have you had from users, and are numbers still growing as fast as you would like them to?
[BR] We have about 20,000 accounts right now. We would of course like to see that number grow faster but it is also important to maintain the special feel BuzzE has. Too many users too quickly could overwhelm the community feeling so we would like to grow as quickly as we can without damaging that vibe. I would be happy to add another 20,000 users in the next 3-4 months.
Q4: We particularly like the "streams" feature, and are naturally drawn to the gaming stream, which streams generally seem to be the most popular?
[BR] The most popular stream by far has been the American Idol stream. This is one where users use the audio feature to sing to each other. Gaming is actually very new. We just added it a couple weeks ago based on user requests. We expect that one to grow in popularity over time. There aren’t many people who don’t play some kind of video game.
Q5: What plans do you have for the future of BuzzE?
[BR] We try to put out a feature release every couple months. This time through it will be a bit longer than usual but we are looking to make some significant enhancements to the stream feature. Among those changes are the ability to create a “poll” type stream. The idea is people will be able to attach a multiple choice poll question to the stream and let other users vote as well as talk about the question. This seems like a natural extension to what we currently have. Each release we try to smooth things over as well. Everything we can do to make the app a little faster, easier to use, or more intuitive is important. This is another area where we take a lot of user feedback.
Q6: We do a lot of marketing for Apps, how could BuzzE be used for this?
[BR] That is an interesting question. There is a stream on BuzzE where users recommend apps they like. We don’t allow spam but our policy does allow regular community members to post an occasional commercial message. So if a developer was a genuine participating member of the community and are not a direct competitor there would be no problem with them mentioning their app say in one of the streams. The users on BuzzE are a friendly and helpful bunch so not only would it be good for getting some attention to the app it would also be a good way to generate some useful feedback.
Q7: What have users reported as the best feature of BuzzE?
[BR] So far without a doubt status post commenting has been the most popular feature. There are a lot of Facebook refugees out there looking for something different so we get some very active banter on user’s status posts.
Q8: And the worst?
[BR] We haven’t had a lot of complaints about features. Probably the least used or least popular is the “hot potato” game. The idea is users pass one to a random person and that potato has to be quickly passed to another random person on-line. If you don’t do it fast enough you get stuck with it. We thought it was a cute game like feature when we built it we just haven’t seen it used much.
Q9: Anything else you think would interest readers of an app reviewing website?
[BR] I would just suggest if they are unhappy with their current social networks that they give BuzzE a shot. If you look at some of our reviews in the App Store we have really been a home for some people who just weren’t into the social networking thing in general. We try to put out a great product but ultimately BuzzE is fun because the people are fun. The founders spend a good chunk of time in the app not only to get feedback but because it’s such a good place for a laugh and a smile. The people on BuzzE are fantastic and we couldn’t ask for a better crowd to just hang out with.
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