In the early days of social media, posting a rant about the latest episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” on Myspace was the ultimate Thursday night activity. And discovering a Facebook group called “Team Jacob Forever” was one of the best finds.
Today, finding that perfect niche community may seem impossible, but it’s called a new social networking app Naturally aims to change that.
Available on iOS and Android devices, the app allows users to form clubs centered around their favorite books, TV shows, and movies, creating niche communities where people can discuss their specific interests without judgment.
For example, users can dive into clubs to read fiction and gossip about Violet and Xaden in “The Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros, or reminisce about the early days of “Grey’s Anatomy.”
The app was created by Nyleena Aiken after she started a book club with her sisters and struggled to find books that interested everyone. He realized that many people likely face the same challenge and would benefit from an app dedicated to creating groups focused on one specific title at a time.
“Looking at our competitors, there are a lot of big teams with little interactivity,” Aiken explained to TechCrunch. “Phictly keeps conversations focused and aligned with everyone’s fast-paced lifestyles, allowing users to integrate conversations into their schedules.”
Phictly’s key features include a maximum of 20 members per club to keep discussions intimate, and users can also set the pace for their clubs based on their reading or viewing habits. For example, those who enjoy speed reading or binge-watching can create or join clubs that last only a day or two, while those who prefer a slower pace can join clubs lasting up to 30 days.
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Another notable feature allows users to post spoilers while hiding them until others get to that part of the story. Each spoiler is initially blurred, giving users the ability to choose when to reveal it, which helps everyone stay on the same page. Phictly also includes a “Discussion Points” feature, which allows users to set check-in dates to discuss specific episodes or chapters and give everyone a chance to join the conversation.
Similar to Goodreads, users can also track what they are currently reading or watching, record titles, and set personal goals for their reading or viewing habits.
Future updates will introduce a matching system that matches users based on shared interests, favorite genres, and shared TV shows and books. The app will eventually expand to include video game-focused clubs.
Phictly is free to download, but may soon offer a premium subscription with additional features, such as the ability to create a private profile.
