In the age of ubiquitous digital entrepreneurship, there is a social network for just about every subculture under the sun. Take Codias, for example: it’s a network for political conservatives. There is Sermo, a forum for doctors. And HoffSpace is an internet fan club dedicated to TV star David HasselHoff. But one of the fastest growing niche networks has nothing to do with politics, profession or obsession with celebrities. It’s called Fishbrain and it’s a social network for fishermen.
Fishbrain CEO Johan Attby came up with the idea in 2011, after selling his first Silicon Valley startup in 2011. “However, you can take social media in a different direction,” he told Digital Trends. “In general, networks like Facebook and Instagram share platforms, they are very broad. And when you post about your passion, it’s irrelevant to a lot of your friends.”
With the spark of an idea in his head, Attby began researching the world’s most popular pastimes. He discovered that one of the biggest in terms of consumption was fishing. Anglers, anglers as they are colloquially called, catch up to 60 million fish each year. That industry is worth a combined $48 billion, more than double the music streaming industry’s $18 billion, Attby noted.
And it’s almost tailor-made for social media. Fishermen like to share photos of their catch with others, Attby said, because few keep the fish. “They are always taking photos and we are offering a place to share.” Fishbrain users can take advantage of the built-in publishing tools to share their proudest moments. A new feature launching today will allow Fishbrain users to post and share videos that they can tag with the location of their catch.
It’s all about customization. When you register with Fishbrain, you are asked to specify your favorite type of fish and your preferred method of fishing (eg fly fishing), among other details. Then Fishbrain’s algorithms recommended content that matched their criteria, sort of like Facebook’s News Feed. “We’re trying to bring them the most valuable content,” Attby told us. “Same with videos – we strive to bring you the most relevant videos. If you mention that you like fly-fishing, videos tagged “fly-fishing” are more likely to appear in your feed.
The social network labels each capture registered by its millions of users with data such as species, weight, bait and 15 different time parameters.
Fishbrain offers another, more intimate level of customization. When you sign up, you will be automatically added to the group: Fishbrain counties or chat rooms related to geographic locations. Group members can share actual catch data, track species, and see what others are catching. “You’ll see if there’s a group that wants to go fishing and learn about the best lakes,” Attby said. “You can subscribe to as many districts as you want.”
Finally, there is the element of prediction. Anglers are eager to see uncharted lands, Attby said, and that’s where the Fishbrain data comes in. The social network labels each capture registered by its millions of users with data such as species, weight, bait and 15 different time parameters. It then applies machine learning to that data to provide what Attby calls a fishing forecast: a graph showing peak fishing times for specific streams, beaches, and other top spots. “That’s the beauty of going for one.” [niche] — you can build a certain design or user experience around that,” Attby said.
That seems to be a winning strategy. Fishbrain’s membership now exceeds 3 million, with network users recording more than 1.9 million catches in 249 countries. They registered 1.1 million last year alone, three times the year before.
“Our users are eager to showcase their entire fishing experience, not just the catch at the end,” Attby said. “Thousands of fishermen share their fishing videos [and] images on Facebook and YouTube, and now I can share them [them] within a social community dedicated specifically to fishing, we know it will spark conversation and competitive spirit within the Fishbrain community.”
Fishbrain is available for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn