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New App Who Dis

_“I’m your biggest fan, I’ll follow you until you love me, Popar-Poparazzi.” _While we love a bit of Gaga here at Spin HQ, we’re not here to chat about 00s pop. Say hello to Poparazzi: a brand-spanking-new photo-sharing platform that lets your friends be your very own paparazzi and vice versa. (Disclaimer: yes, you need friends to use the app).

Despite kicking it back in beta-mode since its inception in the Dark Ages of the pandemic, the app has reached an estimated value of $1 Billion, so we’d say that this app is set to be more of a pop than a flop.

What is it?

Poparazzi is similar to Instagram, except you can only take pictures (or “pops”) of your mates, your nan, Pete down the pub, or anyone you’re friends with on the app. Once you’ve taken a pop, it’ll appear on their profile.

(Sorry, selfie sleuths – self-paps are strictly prohibited).

Who’s using it?

Like TikTok and Snapchat, Poparazzi is attracting 13-25 year-olds and is set to be the “next big thing” among the Gen-Z crowd.

What features does it have?

Poparazzi seems to have stitched together layouts from competitor platforms, so it has a bit of the deja vu’s about it. For instance, the search tab has an uncanny resemblance to that of Instagram’s Explore page, while the main feed’s compilation of images looks like a TikTok profile. It’s a smart choice because its familiarity makes it accessible AF.

When it comes to creating content, you have a couple of options: you can upload photos from your camera roll or create native in-app GIF videos on Poparazzi. However, if you were hoping to add a filter or two before your pop goes live, you’ll be disappointed. Currently, the app doesn’t allow you to crop, add captions, filters or any edits to the photos taken.

How do you grow your account?

Poparazzi has its own iteration of an ‘Explore’ page and, as with Insta, you need to post engaging content to increase your chances of appearing there. Having lots of friends to follow you also helps.

How many friends do you need on the platform for it to work well?

About 5ish should do the trick, but they need to be friends you see IRL regularly so you have plenty of opps to get “popped”. For that reason, we see it really taking off as lockdown eases.

**Spin’s verdict **

Clubhouse showed much promise when it launched as it was set to be the new and improved Periscope. However, it failed to outshine the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, which triggered a 68% drop in daily active users.

We don’t see the same fate for Poparazzi, since its core USP is the prohibition of selfie culture, of which platforms like Insta depend on. We even see it replacing private “spam” Instagrams by publicising the photo-to-photo interaction users have on Snapchat.

In addition, by removing the option to add filters or spend 10 years choosing the right Olivia Rodrigo lyric for your caption, Poparazzi users can share more authentic experiences on the platform and, ultimately, take a bit of the pressure off. This aligns with one of the biggest trends we’ve seen since the beginning of the pandemic: a shift from the super-polished feeds of old and towards greater authenticity and raw content.

Perhaps brands will join the platform to generate UGC? Perhaps Instagram will pull a number out of the bag and find a suitable copycat a la Reels? Will Poparazzi launch more features to keep pace?

Watch this space…

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