We are in a time of rapid media consumption. We skim through internet articles and want information quickly and succinctly. The best written content is quotable, shareable and tweet-able.
But, our life experiences are so much more than 140 characters.
Our top 7 songs are more than several minutes of music – they are the songs that have gotten us through hard times, break-ups, broken homes and stressful moments in work and school.
The 10 items we always take when we travel aren’t arbitrary trinkets – they are the things that we’ve learned we need in foreign countries, while learning new things, and connecting with new people.
And our top 5 most beautiful pieces of art aren’t an answer on an art history exam, they are renditions of life that have made us cry, helped us love and inspired us to look beyond today.
The app Lili knows all this and is providing a platform for people to share their lists with people all around the world. Practical things, meaningful things, funny things, and cultural things are all listed and made connectable.
“We’ve been amazed by the creative content people have shared, from what it’s like to have epilepsy, to travel anecdotes, to stunning photography, to the unique experience you might have when a parent has Alzheimer’s,” says Lili founder, Brad Robertson.
Everyday there is a new, sometimes surprising, list submitted by a contributor around the world. Art, social justice, lifestyle, food, anything someone has a passion about can be submitted in list form for users to read. “We want to continue to foster our growing community of diverse users who are looking to display what they love to the world and connect with others. Lili is a place where you can learn, discover something about yourself, and find your new favorite hobby,” said Robertson.
Lili currently has users from more than a dozen countries, and from every lifestyle background. Users can find lists that come from people who are similar, or who are vastly different. The easily consumable content makes understanding and connecting as easy as 1, 2, 3. “By being unlimited in the type of content we can feature, we can reach any type of user imaginable, which makes for a more diverse community that allows users to learn and discover more.”
So, how does it work? From the founder:
“When someone creates a list, it appears on their profile page, and those they’re connected with receive a notification. Depending on the interaction the list experiences – such as a view, a like, a re-list or a comment – the list may appear in the “trending” tab of the home screen of the app.”
With over 13,000 visitors a week, Lili is bringing information – in list form – to a wide ranging audience. People are learning, sharing, and experiencing together in a deeper way than a status update or tweet could ever convey. It is the next level in social engagement.
Plus, most people who make a list – maybe a project or short term goals – are more likely to complete and succeed at what they wrote down. Lists have a way of taking an ambiguous clump of information and turning it into something workable, doable, and understandable.
What would you list? Or, more important, what list would you hope to discover? Talk to us @StarterNoise
