[slowernet]

1) Better unit economics via user-generated content creation. I'm not paying per-market salaries like Patch (though I'm not reaping the benefits of labor of a dedicated professional, either).

2) A native ad product (sponsored photo/link) which local businesses understand, because they're already creating the content for existing social media.

3) A content model based on a form of media which people enjoy both consuming and creating, rather than zoning board recaps and the crime blotter. I'm not denigrating either of those - I enjoy both - but like a lot journalism they are costly to produce relative to their travel.

[exolymph]

How will you compete with NextDoor and Facebook? What's the key improvement?

[slowernet]

Nextdoor is a private message board, which is an ideal environment for people who enjoy message boards and the type of conversations they engender, while the unit of content on Placewire is a photo. I believe this enables a different type of conversation and will engage a different set of users.

I think Facebook groups are typically used at micro-local (eg. a city block) scale and it's perfect for sharing information in that context. I'm not sure how that maps to a neighborhood. Do you have any firsthand experience?

I also plan to circulate content in a less geographically siloed way than these quite private platforms.

[exolymph]

In what sense is Nextdoor a private message board? I don't see Nextdoor as being more private than other social media networks. (Genuinely asking, not trying to shoot you down!)

[slowernet]

In that it requires address validation. So "private" per se is wrong, sorry, but nothing within a community is intended to travel. Placewire is happily promiscuous. Thanks for the question.