Move over Snapchat, Houseparty is the new way to connect with the Cool Youth™

January 9, 2017

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2017 is the year of livestreaming, and Houseparty is the next big thing to happen to livestreaming.

Oh, haven’t you heard of Houseparty? That’s probably intentional.

Houseparty is the Cool New App™ that’s really popular with teenagers right now. While you may not have heard of it, it already has over 1 million users across the world.

And why haven’t you heard of it? Well, that’s simple. Teenagers don’t want their parents following them onto a new platform. They don’t want Houseparty to become the new Snapchat, which is the new Facebook (i.e. old, boring.)

man using houseparty

Snapchat is boring now?

As previously reported by Gizmodo, The Wall Street Journal and TheNextWeb, Snapchat is becoming overrun with “old people”. Three years ago, Snapchat was only used by 5% of smartphone users who were aged 25-34, and a mere 2% of users aged 35+.

However, according to comScore, Snapchat’s current penetration in those two age groups now stands at 38% and 14%, respectively. This translates to Snapchat becoming full of ‘olds’, and teenagers deserting the platform.

Enter Houseparty. Houseparty is a live-streaming app that was built by Life On Air, the makers of the now-deceased live-streaming app Meerkat.

But what makes Meerkat and Houseparty different? Unlike Meerkat, the conversation on Houseparty is two-way. Meerkat allowed you to broadcast to everyone, whereas in Houseparty you can all see each other.

All? Yes. Unlike Facetime or Skype, you can have up to eight people in a room, and several “parties” going on at once. Imagine the video version of a chatroom.

Still not convinced? That’s fine. Despite the relatively small amount of buzz about it, there’s already a core fanbase and over a million users that are quick to talk to their friends and peers about the app. Let’s not forget that’s how Snapchat first exploded too, primarily through word-of-mouth.

houseparty cup gif

What’s next for Houseparty?

Life On Air struggled to find a way to monetize Meerkat, while their competitors did not – which is why they still exist and Meerkat doesn’t. So they need to up their game with Houseparty and turn it into a profit-making app – and here’s how.

Firstly, Houseparty needs to find out a way to become – and then stay – relevant. Millennials (and Gen Z!) are notorious for not being loyal to any one tool or piece of tech. Our interests are constantly evolving, so it’s crucial for Houseparty to maintain momentum, adding new features and staying one step ahead of their competitors.

Secondly, how will Houseparty start to reap the rewards of this big user base? Typically, tools like this are always used for influencer marketing. But Houseparty is private and mainly contact-based, and most influencers already have established fan bases, as well as intricate knowledge, of the platforms that they’re already on. What will convince them to move to a new platform?

What about interstitials? Well, even when you open the app, the UI doesn’t really allow space for advertisements. This isn’t something that stopped Snapchat from allowing adverts, however, and they are predicted to rake in close to £1bn in 2017. Sponsored Parties could allow brands to reap the rewards of live streaming in a way that nobody else is really doing.

Houseparty is definitely one to watch, especially if you want to keep your ear close to the ground and your brand aligned with that millennial money. It’s already made big waves on the campuses over the Pond, so it’s only time until British kids catch on too.

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