Is Vero taking over Instagram?

M any might think, it's about time! A new era of social media may have started with the new Vero app. Apparently it was launched about three years ago, but something happened last night that caused many people to start downloading the app and setting up their profiles, including me (find me on the Vero app: MonMode)! Instagram has done so much positive things but over the last few months and even years, more and more frustration has come along with using the photo sharing platform. The change in algorithm, more and more ads in the feed and "shadow bans" (if that is even a thing?!) has seriously taken the fun out of the social media app that once was the perfect place to share photography and creative content. All of these changes in Instagram have especially hurt businesses and content creators, who use Instagram as a source of income.

The main difference between Vero and Instagram is the chronological feed (a huge yay!) and also the fact that you can both follow people and also connect with them as a friend, close friend or acquaintance (you can then decide to share your posts to only close friends, friends, acquaintances or to all your followers). Another amazing feature of the Vero app is that links can be shared - like a YouTube video link or blog post - which then takes the user directly to the source (no more "link in bio"). You can also share your favourite books, music and movies, and connect with people who share the same passions as you. Vero is currently missing the Story feature, which for me is something that is very important to business and also fun for anybody.

Right now, the Vero app is free. After the first 1 million users sign up, however, there will be a fee for new users to sign up and use it. For most frustrated social media users, this fee is going to be a small price to pay IF the feed is really going to stay chronological and IF Vero is not going to interfere of who can see your posts. Because of all the current hype around this, the app is being flooded with new users, and the servers are not able to properly handle this influx in user traffic. Vero keeps tweeting that they are trying to keep up with all the new users and are trying to fix the problem. I think it is amazing, it only shows how many people are looking for social media without an interfering algorithm.

So, the new few weeks and months will show how likely it is for Vero to survive (and thrive) and maybe even the potential to take over Instagram. Hopes would also be that Instagram will adjust their methods and maybe re-think their current strategies. The question would also be, if Instagram would want to charge business accounts with a fee, instead to altering who sees the posts? I know that if it meant allowing more of your following to actually view your posts, I would pay!

What about you? Have you downloaded Vero? Will you?