Keek – The next big social network?

In this digital age, there's no dearth of apps and platforms available for users and brands alike. The latest to emerge is Keek, a privately held social networking platform launched two years ago.Since then, Keek has rapidly grown in popularity in the UK, Australia and Canada with 200,000 new users joining daily.Keek allows users to share 36-second videos, or what's known as 'keeks'. Users can follow, subscribe and respond to videos with either text comments or video replies called 'keekbacks'. There is also a hashtag option called 'Klusters'.Isaac Raichyk, founder and chief executive officer of Keek, in a press release said, "Users like that our app is extremely fast, fun and easy to use. We are obsessed with speed and our goal is to keep Keek fast, fun and free as we continue to grow."In Malaysia, Keek is gaining popularity among celebrities who wish to engage with fans outside of existing social media platform such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.Margaret Lim, managing director of OMD, said the use of Keek in Malaysia is still minimal. However, it is great that alternative social media networks are becoming popular as these provide brands new and less cluttered environments to leverage on."Keek has considerable potential for brands to leverage. However, how a brand will leverage Keek's potential depends on how it will be used by Malaysians. Before brands decide to tap onto any social media platform, they need to firstly identify the brand personality and the right angle to communicate and grow brand affinity amongst the social networkers," Lim said.Rachel Jenagaratnam, senior social media executive, MEC Interaction, said, even if Keek is in its early days in Malaysia, the agency is keeping an eye on the platform.Jenagaratnam also added that as with most social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it is inevitable Keek would introduce a monetisation deal once it gains popularity."Good models to look at are the big guns; Facebook, YouTube, Twitter. All of these platforms have managed to do this whilst retaining their user base, and reinventing at the same time," she concluded.Lim echoed the sentiment, "Only time will tell if Keek will catch the fancy of Asians. Historically, similar social media platforms like Instagram have eventually sold out to larger player for considerable profits."Keek has recently introduced new account verification program to meet increased demand of high-profile celebrities and influencers.Keek is available for download on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices.