Feedback request for iOS app: Super Social
Hi Indiehackers~
Glad to be part of this community. I've read all interviews and listened to all podcasts. Definitely learned a lot.
Staying in touch with my friends, old co-workers and even family members has always been difficult for me. I've long had this idea to create an app that reminds you to stay in touch more often, and helps you to remember and continue conversations. It would even give you inspiration if you don't know how what to say when you haven't talked with in a while.
We all have these ideas, and I've done some competitor research as well, but nothing really suited my needs. So in my free time I learned to develop in Swift and created the app myself.
A lot of advice given in the interviews is the release fast and often. So I'm very proud that the first version for iOS is online. It took me about 4 months, including learning iOS development.
But what's next? I'm now waiting for feedback to see if the app is really as useful to others as it is to me? Is the app easy to use and to understand? Are there features missing?
But in order to get feedback I first need to know: What's the best way to get my first users besides my friends?
I don't think buying ads is a great idea. I don't want to spam forums, Quora, etc (sorry Indiehackers), and I haven't got enough karma (or luck) to create a nice post on HN or PN :(
Would love to hear what you guys (and girls) think!
Thanks so much~
Appstore link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-social/id1186696582?mt=8
Website:
https://getsupersocial.com
A old school question is why people don't use fb messenger, google hangout, wechat, etc?
A big challenge for people want to run social networking app is how you motivate people introduce a new app to their friends, coworkers?
From my old experiences, people give much tolerance as they use social networking apps - people lazy to looking for perfect solutions for different type of social networking issues they are facing.
Sorry to say this negative feedback to you. From what I see that the way of how to social networking on internet is kind of passed 0 to 1 phase. Maybe VR is the next 1 for social networking, but, I believe VR is more like a new eco system not just social networking.
Thanks for your reply. Luckily this app is not another social network. I agree with you that it takes a lot to create and motivate people to use a (new) social network.
This app simply reminds you to reach out to a contact, and you can do that on any (social) network, or even better: Meet in real life.
Hah, my bad. I mis-read your app by just look at the screenshots on App Store. I think. I already downloaded and tried. Very smooth UX. good job. :-)
This is one area I've been really into over the years, even before the book Never Eat Alone was published. I've seen a few PRM (personal relationship manager) apps come and go including my own.
A few things you may already know:
It's very similar to ntwrk. Both your app and ntwrk are good. Simple and intuitive. Right now I'm not particular about using either ntwrk or your app. Both are interchangeable. Maybe my opinion will change the more I use your app.
I couldn't find your app with Apple's search using the keywords: super social, supersocial, super-social. The same result for google. Maybe your name needs to be changed? (If you're open to it I have a domain name for my now dead app that you may want.)
What's missing? I know this is hard because I tried to achieve the same thing with my dead PRM app. (It may not even be the direction you want to move in.) What could be improved about your app that would give it an edge is smarter notifications as in have an algorithm automatically determine when to do a contact reminder based on relationship type and activity. In terms of activity, at a minimum you need some access to IM & phone calls (which you kind of have if the user initiates it from your app) as well as the calendar (only useful with invitees) and social networking (a little harder going beyond twitter since fb has since locked down more and more user data).
Personally (I could be wrong but ) I wouldn't bother making this a product for the masses. I would just charge for more and more integration as well as a subscription.
That said, if you can just hang in beyond the trough of sorrow, the upside is huge i.e. autosuggesting events, gifts, etc...
Thanks for your reply!
I hadn't heard of ntwrk and the app functionality is indeed very similar!
I agree with you on the app's name. When hearing the apps name it is not exactly clear right away what it does. The other reply mentioned it was a new social network. I guess ntwrk is also facing the same issue as I hadn't discovered that app while searching on the web and app stores.
You're right about having smarter notifications. And you're assumptions are correct as well. It's impossible to get social network and IM data. Unless they are initiated from the app. It's on the product backlog. Maybe for iOS Callkit might be an options as well, but I haven't looked into that yet.
No worries, the product isn't for the masses (although it would be nice) It is still a side project to learn Swift.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, really helpful!
There's one thing I forgot to add. Fred Wilson the VC (my memory could be hazy), had a wishlist of features and use cases for this kind of app. I found it in one of his blog posts 3 -5 years ago.
oh yeah I own the domain muchcloser.com (with other tlds) if you're interested