The Wildfire app is a new crowdsourced news app targeted at college students. Submissions are location-based and can be a short message or a message and photo. Users can browse posts based on categories, which include things like safety (fires or theft) and celebrity sightings (a sighting of a musical artist or pro athlete on campus).
Many apps have tried to do crowdsourced news, but the Wildfire app is taking a simplistic approach that could be more appealing to the masses. Both its layout and submission process are similar to what you'd expect to find on a social media service. While the Wildfire app is ostensibly an app for learning about what's going on around you and your school there are also social elements to it, like the ability to like posts and the "campus chatter" category. The Wildfire app is out now for both iOS and Android.
Crowdsourced College News Apps
The Wildfire App Lets Students Share What's Happening Around Them
Trend Themes
1. Crowdsourced College News - The trend of crowdsourcing news for college communities creates opportunities for businesses to advertise locally or sponsor content.
2. Location-based Social Media - Location-based apps that incorporate social media features provide opportunities for businesses to target specific audiences based on their interests and location.
3. Simplistic News Layout - Simplifying news app layouts makes information more accessible, creating opportunities for businesses to deliver personalized content in a concise format.
Industry Implications
1. Education - Location-based apps that share information among school communities and local businesses present opportunities for the education industry to enhance campus experiences.
2. Media/news - Crowdsourced news apps like Wildfire open up opportunities for media companies to access information and stories that would have gone unnoticed.
3. Marketing/advertising - Location-based news and social media apps provide an opportunity for targeted advertising to local college communities.