Yubo, which launched in 2015, is paving its own path through the crowded social media industry. It’s exceptionally popular with Generation Z users ages 13 to 25. This tech-savvy generation makes up a large portion of the app’s users because they embrace its unique features, which are refreshingly different from other social media platforms.
Yubo hosts thousands of livestreams daily, and users can search through them based on a specific interest, country, or language. Its users can find friends in their age group and interact with people worldwide through chats, livestreams, and games. The app has profile tags to make it easy for users to make friends with people who share their common interests. Between 2015 and 2019, the app created approximately 2 billion friendships.
The app empowers users to be genuine and make authentic friendships since it has no traditional approval metrics, such as likes and followers. While many popular social media platforms are a space where young people seek validation or feel peer pressure to appear a specific way, there’s no performance pressure for the over 75 million users on Yubo from across more than 140 countries. Instead of concentrating on content, the live social discovery app gives users multiple opportunities to connect with others from different Gen Z social circles worldwide.
“Our commitment to empowering Gen Z to express themselves and connect authentically online is second only to our commitment to continually advancing Yubo’s position as a leader in safety innovation,” said CEO Sacha Lazimi.
The App’s Distinctive Features
Eight years ago, Yubo’s Paris-based team launched the app’s first version, Yellow. Its founders — Jérémie Aouate, Arthur Patora, and Lazimi — came together to create a way to help young people socialize and connect organically. The app continues to evolve, with new features added to enhance the experience for users and make the app stand out from other social media platforms and livestreaming apps.
Livestreaming is the most popular way for users to communicate on the app. The livestreaming feature is built for small-group interactions. Up to 10 streamers can interact in the same room, while an unlimited number of users can participate by sending comments in real time.
These lives are a great way for streamers to show off their talents and foster spirited conversations with their fellow streamers and audience of viewers. The app makes it easy for users to sort the livestreams by language, interest, or country.
Interested individuals can access the live discovery app via a free download on the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. Unlike many traditional social media platforms that encourage users to strengthen existing relationships by staying connected online, this one is designed to help young people make new friendships outside of their immediate social circles.
Gen Z users appreciate the focus on forging new friendships, not shopping, advertising, or celebrity spectatorship. When users want to connect with someone, they first need to become friends on the app to enjoy a one-on-one chat. Users can connect to one another in real time while active on the social platform. That level of immediate interaction appeals to young people.
One user stated, “I met several people [on] this app and [have become] great friends with them in person. In addition, this app has a swipe feature [that allows you to] swipe right or left to add new friends. So it expands the variety of people you can meet.”
Another user shared, “I want to start out by saying that this app is perfect for trying to find people to talk to when you’re bored. I have met so many amazing people around the world who I can genuinely call friends.”
Yubo Embraces Gen Z Values
Before social media, someone’s identity was formed by what they were like in real life, such as how they dressed, what sports or activities they were involved in, and what school they attended. But with the evolution of social media platforms and their rise in popularity, it’s apparent that they’ve become an important part of young people’s identities nowadays.
Over the last 15-plus years, social media has become a space for members of Gen Z to discover who they are and evolve their thoughts, feelings, opinions, and beliefs. The app takes a solid anti-bullying stance to provide all users with the best possible experience.
Gen Z tends to support companies that align with their values. According to a study by the Forrester research company, 51% of individuals in the Gen Z category check to ensure a brand’s corporate social responsibility agrees with their own. One reason young people embrace Yubo is because it’s inclusive of all identities. The app allows users to connect with those who share similar values and interests regardless of where they are in the world.
“It’s important that younger generations feel seen, accepted, and have methods of expressing themselves, especially in online and digital environments,” stated Lazimi.
A study by the Wunderman Thompson agency found that 55% of Gen Z find social apps and the internet to be a more creative space than anything they experience in real life, while 56% use social apps to express themselves creatively.
Gen Z enjoys the app because it taps into their desire for personalization. That’s one reason it offers 50 pronouns and 35 genders for users to choose from to ensure it is a safe and inclusive space for all. “This is an important step in ensuring that our entire community feels accepted and included when making new friends on the app, providing our LGBTQIA+ users with a variety of genders so they are able to represent themselves authentically,” Lazimi stated.
It recognizes its responsibility to help young people develop a positive identity, both online and in real life. It utilizes industry-leading safety tools and implements measures against reports of hate on the platform. The live social discovery app teaches users about online safety best practices, accountability, and respectful online behavior. It advocates for establishing a positive identity online with these three tips: Be proud. Be Kind. Be vigilant.
The app wants users to feel comfortable and safe and know that they don’t have to pretend to be something they’re not or filter out any aspects of their life on Yubo. It encourages users to think before they post to reduce inappropriate comments. The app advocates for racial justice and enables users to report any issues with harassment or discrimination so that it can take appropriate action.
According to the app’s team, “At Yubo, our belief is that we can make a difference, but only if we stand together.”
