With all the negativity online, it’s nice to see an app for positivity. Cheers, the new network from Shopzilla Founder Farhad Mohit, recently raised $2.5 million in funding for expansion, and if you’re looking for some good vibes in your ‘like’, this might be the app for you!
Cheers is free to download on your iPhone and iPad. When there’s something in life that gives you the warm fuzzies, just snap a picture and upload for others to see, along with a few words about the image. It is, as the company suggests, “a like button for the world around you.” The more you share, the more “Cheerfluence” you’ll have.
Users can also use the “Celebrations” feature, which allows you to curate content about a specific topic into a single Pinterest-like board. This is an extremely useful tool for brands who want to collect positive messages or amplify a message. For example, Mindshare LA created a celebration around their movie “Happy,” where contributors to this celebration had the chance to win prizes at their live screening.
While many have compared Cheers to the failed Kevin Rose project, Oink, Mohit says that Cheers is fundamentally different. People use Cheers not to make purchasing decisions, but to become aware of brands. This is where the true value lies, and why the Cheerfluence rating system is an important integration. As the network grows, brands will want to know which users are the biggest influencers.
Perhaps we’re getting ahead of ourselves, though. For Cheers to really have any sort of success, it needs to capture mainstream attention, like Facebook. Currently, the app allows you to send out cheers via Facebook, Twitter, and other channels, which has helped the user base grow. For more major brands to start paying attention, however, the user numbers need to grow exponentially. The company has said that this initial Series A funding is essentially making it possible to see whether or not there should be a Series B. Only time will tell.
In the meantime, I encourage you to check out Cheers yourself to add a little positivity to your life. Start sharing the good things in the world, and before long, other users will be “cheering” you on!
And if you’re feeling a little more grumpy cat about life? Check out Cheers’ sister app, Gripe, a network where your complaints get heard and resolved.
Allison Boyer is the Online Education Coordinator for NMX University, where you can learn more about blogging, podcasting, web TV, and social business. She also runs the food blog The PinterTest Kitchen with her mom and sister.
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