This week a very unique app with a very unique name made its debut on the iOS App Store. Pippit, the brainchild of the blogging superstars behind Oh Joy! and Love Taza, is an app created by bloggers for bloggers. Acting like a chimera between Instagram and Pinterest, Pippit allows bloggers to create a profile that automatically incorporates an RSS feed of their blog into their stream of images with direct links back to their sites. Users are able to follow their favorite bloggers and keep up to date with them, not only through their blog feed, but also through a “pip,” an image or video that users can upload to their stream. Users can then tag the image with “dots” of information in the form of a text tag or a direct link to a product or website. Aside from the user profile, the app provides a home stream of images based on the users you follow, as well as an explore feature that is like a master stream of activity happening through the app. While scrolling through these streams, you are able to give an “opinion” as it is called, on images by marking them with a “like,” “want” or “useful”.
Like I said, this is one unique app that is certainly multifaceted. As a blogger, I can see how the app acts like a one stop shop that could potentially take the place of apps like Pinterest, Instagram and even BlogLovin’, however, I don’t forsee Pippit forcing any of those into extinction. In fact, although I find Pippit to be a rather interesting concept, I am not precisely sure where it fits into the bigger picture along other social media apps. I keep asking myself if it’s trying to be an Instagram/Pinterest/BlogLovin’ replacement or an alternative.
It’s also worth mentioning that Pippit is not a free app, it retails for $2.59, however, in researching the app for this post, it seems as though the cost is a one time subscription fee for a year of service. The app creators say they are charging in order to prevent the need for ads, however, I am left wondering if I will need to either repurchase or resubscribe to the app after the first year is over. Time will tell if Pippit will find a permanent home on the iPhones of the social media obsessed, but for now, for me at least, it’s just one more app I need to manage in my quest to build and interact with my audience.
If you have Pippit, make sure to follow me @ MissTrenchcoat, and go ahead and leave me a comment letting me know what you think of the app! I would love to know your opinion and whether you think the app is worth the extra effort!