Socialcam: Instagram’s Prettier and Smarter Neighbor

For those wishing to share video on the go, there wasn’t always ‘an app for that.’

Enter Socialcam

Although Socialcam made it’s debut in 2011, it’s just now hitting the app market with the strength of an Instagram, Angry Birds or Cut the Rope. It’s currently #1 in Apple’s App Store.

Until recently, I’d only noticed it as an annoying notification in my Facebook news feed. Maybe you have too. “Sally is watching the video Two Cats Looking Cute on Socialcam.” Annoying yes. But after downloading the app, it’s growing on me.


Why Another Camera App?

Camera+. Camera!!. Facebook Camera. CamWow. 8mm Vintage Camera. Camera-Fotolr.

The list goes on with dozens of camera apps infiltrating the market. Then why has Socialcam risen above the fray?

+Simple interface.

+Quick uploads.

+Instantaneous viral capability.

Socialcam is different than the plethora of other camera apps because it shakes hands with it’s big brothers YouTube and Instagram. We’re accustomed to sharing photos on the go, and Socialcam makes it easy to share videos on the fly as well.

 

The Instagram of Video

Socialcam is quickly gaining airtime, and heavy data usage, that has many touting it as “The Instagram of Video.”

We can see why. Socialcam’s interface on the iPhone (also available on Android) is bound to produce a wow effect the first time you open it. It’s just so darn easy to add a stellar filter, shoot, and share your mini-film creations to directly to Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter.

You may choose this filter:

Or this:

Or how about a little Electronica:

There’s even a minituare post-production studio build into the app, allowing users to add music and themes such as news, classic, celebrate, journal, reporter, MTV, or ticker. And they’re pretty slick.

 

Will Socialcam Sink or Swim

There’s no doubt Socialcam is swimming. Right now.

Yet the app market is as fickle as a five year old at dinnertime: what is a big hit one day can be a big miss the next. Many users blindly install Socialcam on their smartphones and don’t adjust the settings to hide those automatic, aggravating Facebook posts. If too many people associate Socialcam with annoyance, that’s not good publicity.

Yet, Gilbert Godfried has made a career of being annoying and intrustive.

Perhaps Socialcam can do the same, but with really cool filter options.

Question: What’s your take on Socialcam?