While the whole (digital) world anxiously refreshes their inboxes in anticipation of an Ello invitation, another social network is offering a service that offers a quality alternative for those looking to connect with others online in a clutter-free, ad-free environment. href=”http://www.wibki.com” target=”_blank”>
The site is called Milq, and it demands the attention of anyone sharing and discovering new cultural content online (so, basically, everyone). Although the site’s login links with Facebook and Twitter, it offers a content-sharing service that greatly differentiates itself from mainstream social networks.
It’s All About the Content…
On Milq, content is king, and it comes in many forms. The site favors simple sharing over complicated profiles, allowing users to post audio and video clips, links and ideas relating to the worlds of music, film & TV, comedy, sports, fashion, food & drink and art & design on open-ended playlists. Those are the major categories hosted on the site, making it easier for users to browse and find specific types of content.
Rather than having users post links on each other’s profiles, as would be done on Facebook, Milq’s platform organizes each shared piece of content into an endless stream of information called a “Bead.” Any Milq user can start a Bead, typically by asking a question that will prompt answers in the form of shared content from other users. An example from Milq’s music section is “Song of the day?” — a Bead in which one user asks others to post any song that happens to be on their mind that day. That particular post has returned tons of results, with an eclectic mix of responses from many different members of Milq’s community. The songs in that Bead can be played in order like a playlist, or combed through on a user’s own time.
Third-party sites like SoundCloud and YouTube sync well with Milq, so you never have to stray too far to listen to a song or watch a video clip. It’s usually embedded directly within Milq’s platform, along with the ability to comment or respond. The ‘star’ icon beneath each piece of content is the way users can add items to their “collection,” one of the coolest parts of Milq’s interface.
Every item that you ‘star’ is added directly to your collection, which is easily accessible via Milq’s top toolbar. The collection is essentially your own version of a Bead, designed specifically based on the content you enjoy using the platform. You can scroll through and choose to play back certain songs or videos, or you can just press play on the entire playlist. Building a collection on Milq is a way to show off your unique taste and sensibilities. Instead of listing your favorite movies or songs, as you might on Facebook, your Milq profile slowly builds based on what you’re actually watching and listening to.
Milq allows its users to connect aside from posting and responding to items on Beads. Similar to Twitter, users can follow each other (or choose to follow a certain Bead). Information from each individual or Bead that a user follows is ultimately displayed in the user’s feed, another feature that should be familiar to Twitter users. But Milq is more organized, easier to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Can There Be Too Much Content?
There’s tons of awesome stuff to be found on Milq, but sometimes the open-endedness of the site seems like a limitation. If it were focused exclusively on music, for instance, then a user’s collection would feel less cluttered with several different types of content. It’s nice to be able to find comedy videos in the same place you can find new songs or sports clips, but at times the amount of information on Milq can feel a bit overwhelming. It takes time to find your niche on the site, which is rewarding but may be intimidating for new users.
A Social network in the Making
Milq is still growing, but it’s already created an active, supportive community. Discussions can be found beneath videos in many of the Beads, which are as diverse in topic as the content found within them. The community aspect of Milq also helps it stand apart from other content discovery tools, as the human element is still always more accurate at recommending items of culture than any algorithm.
The design of Milq makes it easy to watch or listen to a particular item in the right-hand column while continuing to scroll through a Bead on the left-hand column. The way the Beads are organized in general also makes for an enjoyable user experience. If users continue adding to a Bead, there could be endless amounts of content to scroll through and discover. As Milq’s community grows stronger and its library of hosted material grows larger, the site will become a premier destination for content sharing and discovery.
