tsu social networkIt’s no secret that I’ve been disillusioned with Facebook for quite a while.  Ever since their IPO back in May 2012, the social media giant has had to answer to investors and generate money (which I don’t fault them for).  However, in the process it feels like they’ve lost the essence of what made them popular to begin with.  Now, they’re among the online bigwigs such as Google and Amazon.  More corporate than personal.  And when it comes to social media marketing, the personal connection is important.  Facebook has somewhat lost sight of that.

I have long thought that Facebook could be de-throned from their perch above the top of the social networks as soon as a better alternative came along.  Just like MySpace became an online ghost town, I figured same thing could happen to Facebook.  Users are not loyal to a brand, they’re loyal to their friends.  Where their friends go on social media, they will follow.

But who could dethrone Mark Zuckerberg’s behemoth?  Google+ seemed like it had potential, but in my opinion it was too tech-oriented and lacked that warm and fuzzy feeling.  It appealed to tech geeks, but not the mainstream computer user.  Other smaller networks and niche platforms have attempted to do so, with little success on a larger scale.  One network, which just emerged last week, has more potential than any other platform I’ve seen.  Not only is it user-friendly, it capitalizes on the basic premise of why so many brands these days hate Facebook:  People should get rewarded for the content they produce.

That network is Tsu.  Built with nearly 7 million in venture capital, Tsu loosely translates to a “connoisseur” or “purveyor of information” of any given topic.  But instead of making its advertisers the so-called connoisseurs, Tsu is making its content creators the experts.




Source:  http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/the-social-network-that-pays-you-to-friend/

What I love most about Tsu is that they are incentivizing users for engagement rather than selling ads Facebook style.  They are rewarding content generators, not selling their ad impressions to the highest bidder.  Besides, any social marketer worth their salt realizes that people no longer trust ads, they trust their peers and those they follow.  Engagement is the new sales model, Tsu recognizes this.  As a user, the more you create content and generate engagement for Tsu, the more they reward you.  It’s a win-win.  Money talks, people. Under this concept, Tsu could go viral very quickly.

What does this mean for you?  As a blogger with an existing audience, you need get on Tsu ASAP.  If you already have a fan base, you are going to benefit greatly from this business model.  As a user, Tsu will reward you for posting things your friends want to see.  It’s the gamification model with money as the payout.  Hear that Candy Crush and Farmville fans?   Real-life Moola, not tokens.  And like most social platforms, the early adopters will win.  The “children” model of Tsu is akin to multi-level marketing.  The sooner you invite others and build a social media “downline,” the close to the top of the pyramid you will be.  The jury is still out on how all this will work, but I, for one, am intrigued.

Friend me on Tsu:  Kim Danger


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