Top 5 Social Media Startups to Watch in 2012
Pinterest - Also known as “The Virtual Pinboard” is, as the name suggests, an online pinboard-type site where you upload ‘Pins’ to digital ‘Boards’ as well as ‘Repin’ the pins that other users have already uploaded. Although the site was launched in 2010, it has recently undergone a surge of interest going from 1 million to 4 million users in just four months
Instagram - Instagram is a free photo-sharing application in which users take a photo using an iPhone (Android version coming soon), apply a digital filter, and then share it on various social networking sites or Intagram’s own. Instagram photo’s are confined to a square shape rather than the usual 4:3 aspect ratio that most photo-sharing sites allow.
TaskRabbit - TaskRabbit is a website in which a user posts a task that they want another person to do. The ‘TaskRabbit’, a person who has their background checked and is then assigned to do the task that user one posted based on which TaskRabbit has the lowest bid. The user then pays the TaskRabbit using the site’s online payment system for a job well done.
PawnGo – PawnGo is billed as an internet pawnshop in which a would-be pawner lists the item they would like to pawn, uploads photos and lists their contact information. PawnGo then follows up with a pawn offer based on historical pricing data and if the would-be pawner accepts, they are sent a mailing label to ship the item to PawnGo. After the item is received and inspected, payment is wired to the pawner.
Wanderfly – Wanderfly works like a Pinterest for personalized travel. The user inputs data that relates to their ideal vacation, such as ‘Adventure’ , ‘Food’, and ‘Authentic’ and receive suggestions based on these conditions complete with large photos, airfare, hotel prices, and weather among other data items.
