The concept of a democratic internet includes making sure all voices get heard - not just metaphorically, but literally, too. And a recently-launched audio social network called Riffr wants to do exactly that.
Riffr is in the same family of social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The key difference with its platform, however, is that it's solely audio. Users who join Riffr can post audio clips that last for a minimum of five seconds and a maximum of three minutes. These can be on a variety of topics in categories like news, entertainment, opinion, music and more. Think of it as tweets, but with voice.
"Emojis take away from the emotion, we are bringing back emotion," said Toufic Mobarak, CEO and co-founder of Riffr.
Riffr users can record and publish audio, as well as customize their riffs with a background image. This image can signal the topic of said clips, with a description field providing more insight.
Users don't have to be part of the network to listen to "riffs" from friends or other users; the platform integrates with Twitter and Facebook natively, where the clips can be shared.
In a way, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are both Riffr's competition as well as enablers.
"It's a marketing strategy where people to get the word out," Mobarak said. "We don't want it to be closed initially, social networking is a challenging market and we want to make the most of existing channels."
But why audio?
"Because audio is more authentic, it's your voice," said Mobarak. "You cannot photoshop that."
Mobarak noted that the inspiration to create Riffr originated from the disconnect he sees in the world that's glued to phone screens. He wanted to create a platform that would help people stay connected to their friends and interests but also to the outside world.
"Audio can free us from our screens while allowing us to stay connected," he noted.
Born in Lebanon and raised in France, Mobarak moved to the U.S. to pursue higher education. An avid mountain biker and a licensed private pilot, his entrepreneurial journey charts the trajectory of the evolution of technology - one of his companies he founded called ConeXus Technologies, was a Boston-based company that did voice over IP VoIP in the early 2000s. Mobarak also founded and ran MobileSphere which was granted a patent for its straight-to-voicemail technology.
The Faneuil Hall-based company already has a few thousand users and employs a staff of 15 people. The self-funded company is hiring for roles in content management and marketing.
As for the business model, Mobarak said that it will start out with ad campaigns initially and its unique positioning is that it can offer advertisers a more precise and accurate measurement of engagement. Eventually, the company plans to move to a premium channel model where publishers in different categories like CNN and NPR could have its own channel to broadcast content.
