Audience Engagement Platforms
3 mins read

Hear Me Out: the emergence of voice-based social networks

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When Amazon debuted its Echo smart speaker in the US back in 2014 very few of the initial reviewers had any inkling of the potential of the device. Many described it as gimmicky and felt that the public wouldn’t warm to it.

Four years on and it is now clear that the Echo, along with voice assistants on mobile devices, have significantly changed the way in which the world interacts with technology. The most recent figures from YouGov are that one in ten Britons now owns a smart speaker. Meanwhile, Comscore has predicted that as many as 50% of searches will be voice-based by 2020.

One question that is coming up repeatedly is ‘how much will voice impact on the future of social media?’ It was a topic discussed at the recent Future Content Sessions event on social media – several of the presenters, most notably Lisa Targett of Tribe, Joanna Boyd of ITN Productions and Lydia Wise of Lansons spoke enthusiastically about how they saw a potential for its use.

The theory runs that in the same way that younger users are starting to create and send voice messages to each other on platforms like WhatsApp, so there is an opportunity for a social platform that enables users to share voice content with their followers. Voice content is perceived as being more personal and perhaps informal than text based content, and the inflection in the user’s voice adds nuances that mere text, albeit accompanied by emojis, can’t really convey. Humans can create more content quicker using voice than text too – the average person speaks three times as fast as they can type

With voice showing such potential in the rapidly expanding digital era, Hear Me Out,  a digital app available on both Andriod and iOS aims to revolutionise the social media space by incorporating voice recordings.

About the app

As you would expect when searching for most social media apps on the App Store, Hear Me Out is easy to find, bosting a 5-star rating and simplistic screen previews of the app.

Captured from Apple’s App Store

Downloading the app, which is free on both iOS and Android is the first step into the voice-activated social space. Logging into the app is simple, offering new users the option to log in with their Facebook app, something most Generation Z users will be accustomed to.

The app features a fully customisable homepage, which can include voice notes from popular politicians, to up and coming rappers and comedians. This customisable experience is something Generation Z users may find particularly appealing, as being forced to view promoted content is not something they find attractive.

The process itself of recording and posting is simplistic and easy. A standalone microphone button featured right in the centre of the home bar (which users can use to navigate through the array of voice notes posted) is big and hard to miss. Great if, like most Generation Z users, you hate an overcomplicated process.

A new home for Generation Z?

Hear Me Out’s simplistic layout means even your tech-savvy Grandma could easily post her voice on the web. But as it seems at the moment, that’s exactly whos going to be using it. Even Larry King is on this thing.

Alongside services like Spotify, in a deal with SmartDeviceLink Consortium Hear Me Out will be placed in cars made by Lexus, Subaru, Mazda, and others soon. A clear indication,  if any, of who the app aims to target.

Now I’m not saying this app is a blow out which Generation Z users are going to stay well away from, but given the predominantly older demographic using the app, it’s hard to understand why they would. Even the ‘editors pick’ is a 26-second long voice note from 63-year-old Governor Mike Huckabee promoting his new television show.

And that’s really what Hear Me Out seems to be – an alternate platform to promote on. The app’s simplicity is great for Generation Z users, but what is not so entertaining, is that the majority of the voice notes encountered are promotional pieces from politicians or comedians encouraging listeners to watch their new show or recent stand-up. Although the app allows users to comment and like notes, the core social aspect seems to be missing – the core motivation behind most Generation Z users.