LocalBuzz is set to launch the official LocalBuzz app early December ahead of the holiday season. Designed and funded by local Phoenix residents, the video-based discovery platform is meant to highlight small businesses, local events, and the communities we live in.
“LocalBuzz is designed from the ground up to be able to enhance the ability to explore and discover what’s happening in your community,” Co-founder and CEO Adrian Gillette said.
Founders said Localbuzz was created in response to how social media has evolved.
“Things used to be simple in terms of staying connected,” Gillette said. “that is until platforms like Facebook and Instagram changed their algorithms to rely on heavy data collection with the goal of keeping users addicted to their platform.”
LocalBuzz developers saw an alternative to this and strived to create a short-form video social platform that helps people discover exciting aspects of their community that can’t easily be found elsewhere on the web.
“We want to reinvent the hyperlocal community space and draw people’s connections and attention back to their local communities,” Gillette said.
The fear of not getting enough likes scares many away from creating content, that’s why at LocalBuzz the focus is purely on the content.
“Social media is now riddled with influencers and competition,” media team member Aitana Yvette Mallari said. “So with LocalBuzz we’re trying to create an environment where it doesn’t breed that kind of competition by having no likes.”
“You don’t have to be a social media expert to share what you love about the community,” Mallari said. “the basis of the app is the content creation and being in the moment.”
On the LocalBuzz app, you can share anything, whether it be a walk in the park, lunch at a new cafe, or a local artist.
Pre-existing videos cannot be shared on LocalBuzz, that way users can use the mobile app to capture what’s going on in the moment. Content is generated based on your geolocation, and every post is in chronological order. The user experience is very simple, allowing for a raw and genuine experience.
“It gives you a taste about the different dimensions that make our communities distinct, cool and unique,” Gillette said. “And to be able to show that in video form is a game changer in the hyperlocal space.”
The founders described the LocalBuzz app as a mashup of Pinterest, Tiktok and Yelp. Since it’s an open source app, the content is publicly available on the LocalBuzz website and can easily be shared to other social platforms.
“We’re trying to bring back community connections,” Cofounder Tony Chanthavong said. “This platform is meant to be uplifting and for us to inspire each other.”
The app will be available for download on the Apple App store, Google Play, and the LocalBuzz official website in early December.
Contact the reporter at wdcampbe@asu.edu.
