- Why should I try Airchat?
- Comparing Airchat and other Popular Social Networks
- Airchat vs. X (Twitter)
- Airchat vs. TikTok
- Airchat vs. LinkedIn
- Airchat vs. Clubhouse
- What You Should Know When You’re Getting Started
- 1. Ask for a Welcome Chit:
- 2. Toggle Between Audio and Video
- 3. Be Brief (or Create Threads)
- 4. Set a Descriptive Bio
- 5. Converse More Than You Broadcast
- 6. Change the Playback Speed
- 7. Tag People You Want To Converse With
- 8. Join Channels
- 9. Invite Your Friends
- 10. Don't Overthink It
- Three Powerful Use Cases for Airchat
- 1. Exploring Truth Around Shared Interests
- 2. Finding Collaborators and Advancing Projects
- 3. Staying Informed and Connected with Influential Thinkers
- Appendix
- Who should I follow?
- How should I introduce friends who I invite to Airchat?
- What’s the deal with Airchat channels?
- What’s my relationship to Airchat?
- How do I download Airchat?
Why should I try Airchat?
If you're wondering why you should try Airchat despite the abundance of social networks, it’s the only place online with an extremely high density of top 1% builders who are willing to dialogue with other builders in real two-way conversation.
These builders span crypto, AI, hard tech, deep tech, design, media, film, music, and more. Top entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, VCs, angels, government officials, cultural icons, and more are active on the platform and excited to connect with aligned individuals.
Comparing Airchat and other Popular Social Networks
Here's a breakdown of how Airchat compares to some of the most popular social networks:
Airchat vs. X (Twitter)
Perhaps to state the obvious, Airchat requires users to express themselves through brief audio notes instead of text. But beyond the audio vs text distinction, the platforms specialize in different kinds of communication.
X is perfect for broadcasting official statements and updates, which can then be cited by traditional media. It's great for making powerful statements that reach a wide audience. However, while X is decent for dialogue, Airchat is superior in this regard. This isn’t a surprise, since Airchat is specifically designed to be great for meaningful two-way conversations.
Airchat vs. TikTok
TikTok specializes in the creation and distribution of short form videos, especially entertainment, educational, and opinion content. There’s no better platform today for spreading viral cultural memes to a mass audience than TikTok.
Airchat’s basic unit of media is a two or more person conversation. It’s much less about broadcasting and traditional virality, and more akin to a platform that facilitates dialogue that anyone can jump into.
Instagram is more about friend-to-friend relationships than TikTok, but is designed for sharing photos/videos versus facilitating dialogue.
Airchat vs. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is great for connecting with people in more traditional roles and corporations. It has been widely adopted across countries, and you're likely to find most people representing traditional corporations on LinkedIn. However, there may be influential people on Airchat who don't use LinkedIn at all. I predict Airchat will be why so many deals are made between companies and individuals most on the bleeding edge of innovation.
Airchat vs. Clubhouse
The old Clubhouse was the inspiration for X Spaces, which is livestreamed synchronous talks/broadcasts.
The new Clubhouse is a platform for creating “huge group voice message groups.” It’s not about discovering new creators / thought leaders anymore.
Airchat is distinct from both the old and new Clubhouse. Airchat is most similar today to X, something like a town square, except where the default medium of communication is a voice note instead of a typed out tweet.
One thing I love about Airchat is that Airchat conversations are asynchronous. Compare this to how the old Clubhouse forced people to be in a particular place at a particular time. The asynchronous nature of Airchat empowers people to meet, connect, and coordinate without having to be present simultaneously, respecting people's time and allowing them to connect at their own pace.
In summary, Airchat offers unique advantages compared to other social networks, particularly in terms of facilitating asynchronous dialogue and connection. While other platforms have their strengths and will stay relevant even with the introduction of Airchat, Airchat fills a distinct niche in the social media landscape.
What You Should Know When You’re Getting Started
Here are 10 tips on how to effectively use the simple and powerful functionality of Airchat:
1. Ask for a Welcome Chit:
Request the person who invited you to create an introduction chit. This way, you'll have something to reply to rather than just posting into the void. It's a reasonable ask for the person who invited you.
2. Toggle Between Audio and Video
While audio notes are the default for Airchat, you can switch between audio to video easily using the bottom toggle (you’ll see ‘Audio’ and ‘Video’ buttons).
3. Be Brief (or Create Threads)
Since you need to hold the record button while speaking, you’ll naturally be more mindful about keeping your messages short. This is by design. Aim for no longer than 20-second chits. You can thread chits like an X thread if you need to elaborate on a single point.
4. Set a Descriptive Bio
Help others know who you are without having to stalk you on social media. Make your bio informative and engaging if you want strangers to know whether it makes sense to follow you. Here’s mine from 2024-04-13:
5. Converse More Than You Broadcast
AirChat is more about conversation than broadcasting. Start discussions, and ump right into chats that capture your interest. AirChat is like a scalable, open-space house party. And don't worry about interrupting, as the beauty of this technology is that the person can choose whether or not to reply to you.
6. Change the Playback Speed
You can adjust the playback speed of messages by long-pressing the play button. After you long-press, you’ll see the ability to toggle 1x 2x and 3x.
7. Tag People You Want To Converse With
If you want to start a conversation with another Airchatter, after you create a chit, click the ‘+’ icon and search their name and click their name. You can tag multiple people in a chit.
8. Join Channels
There are topic channels like Bitcoin, Longevity, Astrology, War, and more which can help you find likeminded individuals who care about the same topics. Chits in these channels are by default viewable by people outside the channel.
See “What’s the deal with Airchat channels?” in the Appendix to learn more.
9. Invite Your Friends
Airchat is more fun with friends. Have conversations with these friends that you wouldn’t mind other smart people jumping into. That’s the beauty of Airchat. You step into serendipity when you use the platform
10. Don't Overthink It
Imagine you're at a house party with people you trust and want to know better. It might be anxiety-inducing, but that's part of the experience—it's like a giant house party. Just be yourself!
Three Powerful Use Cases for Airchat
Here are three key use cases for AirChat that stand out to me:
1. Exploring Truth Around Shared Interests
Airchat is an ideal platform for curious individuals who want to explore truth around a specific topic. Whether you're interested in the best use cases for crypto, wellness and longevity interventions, new patterns in filmmaking, or even the perfect creme brûlée recipe, you'll find like-minded people excited to engage in dialogue on mutually interesting subjects. If you're looking for others who share your passions, Airchat is a great place to find your community.
2. Finding Collaborators and Advancing Projects
Think of Airchat as a giant, scalable house party or innovation conference. Just as people often find collaborators, seed investors, co-founders, and thought partners at such events, Airchat attracts a caliber of individuals who can help advance your projects. By sharing information about yourself, your work, and the opportunities you offer, you open the door to potential collaborations. Don't hesitate to ask for help or extend invitations to collaborate – you never know who might be out there, ready to contribute to your endeavors.
3. Staying Informed and Connected with Influential Thinkers
Airchat provides a unique opportunity to stay informed about the thoughts and ideas of people you admire. The platform's culture encourages sharing unfiltered, not overly polished streams of consciousness. This means you'll have access to the genuine thoughts of influential individuals, from top TikTok stars and YouTube creators to Grammy winners and industry leaders like Garry Tan. By engaging with their content on Airchat, you can gain valuable insights into the collective consciousness of future innovators and stay connected with the minds shaping our world.
Appendix
Who should I follow?
A diverse range of individuals from various fields are active on Airchat. For example, if you're interested in startup ecosystems, people like Garry Tan are great follows. If you're into Bitcoin, people like Anthony Pompliano are worth following. For those passionate about design, Dylan Field, the founder of Figma, is someone to consider.
But beyond going out of your way to search notable public figures, here are some other tips related to curating your feed:
- Take Advantage of the Home Feed Recommendations The home feed will showcase conversations from people you're not already following. This means you don't need to have a pre-existing network to start discovering interesting discussions. If you come across a conversation that piques your interest or resonates with you, click on the person's bio. If you'd like to continue following their future conversations without relying solely on the algorithm, simply click the follow button.
- Utilize the Channels Feature Airchat is actively developing a feature called channels, which helps users find people interested in specific topics. Whether you're into longevity, Bitcoin, design, astrology, or any other subject, more and more channels will be rolled out to help you identify individuals who share your passions. Keep an eye out for these channels, as they will serve as a valuable tool for discovering new people to follow.
- Connect with and Invite Friends Don't forget to follow your friends on Airchat, as many of them may already be using the app. You also have the ability to invite your friends. Connecting with people you know can help you build a strong foundation for your network and make the app experience more engaging and enjoyable.
In genreal, the key to finding the right people to follow on Airchat is to explore, engage with conversations that interest you, and leverage features like channels to discover individuals who align with your passions and curiosities.
How should I introduce friends who I invite to Airchat?
When inviting someone to Airchat, provide them with a thoughtful introduction to make them feel welcome and give them an immediate opportunity to engage. Here's a guide on what to include in your introduction:
- Who is the person? Introduce the individual by sharing their name, background, and any relevant information that helps others understand who they are.
- Why did you invite them? Explain your reasoning for inviting this person to AirChat. What makes them a valuable addition to the community?
- What are they working on and/or why might they be fun to talk to? Share details about their current projects, interests, or endeavors that other members might find intriguing or relevant. You could also highlight the person's unique qualities, perspectives, or experiences that could lead to enjoyable and insightful conversations.
By crafting a comprehensive introduction, you not only provide a hook for the person you're inviting to reply to but also give other members a reason to follow them based on their work and conversation topics.
What’s the deal with Airchat channels?
Airchat channels are a feature designed to help users create focused, topical sub-communities within the app. This helps users engage with content and discussions that are more relevant to their interests (while still enabling the most interesting content from these channels to be surfaced in the main feed).
Currently, there are two types of channels:
- Permissionless channels: Users can freely join and post in these channels without an invitation.
- Invite-only channels: Users can only join and post in these channels if they receive an invitation.
As of April 13, 2024, the channel system is still in the testing phase, and only the Airchat team has the ability to create channels and assign admins. However, I predict that in the next few weeks, the platform will introduce application-based channels and allow users to create their own channels.
I see the channel system as a really promising feature for Airchat, drawing inspiration from the success of similar systems on other social media platforms like Farcaster.
Additionally, I expect the introduction of group DMs—which will enhance the user experience on Airchat of groups that want a little privacy.
Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting developments!
What’s my relationship to Airchat?
I've been a friend and supporter of the Airchat team since April 2023 when I participated in the Zuzalu Montenegro experiment, a two-month event in Montenegro. The Airchat team asked if I wanted to invite the future-focused builders at Zuzalu to try out their early-stage app. I loved the idea, so I onboarded numerous Zuzalians and more to the app, and it has been an ongoing journey of helping beta best the app ever since.
As someone who loves audio as a medium and believes in the team behind AirChat, I've witnessed the app's evolution from less user-friendly iterations to the version you see today. The team's hunger and understanding of the gap in the social media market for a deeply human, authentic, voice-first, and asynchronous platform are truly remarkable.
From the very beginning, I recognized Airchat's potential to fill an important gap in human connection and help people rediscover their humanity and ability to engage in meaningful dialogue. Watching the Airchat team persist through launches that didn't gain significant traction, and then being willing to go back to the drawing board and develop an entirely new app with a completely different UX, has been deeply inspiring to me.
It's been amazing to see this new app take off, and it's well-deserved. If you're not on the app now and want to be immersed in a digital builder culture, I highly recommend joining Airchat very soon.
How do I download Airchat?
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/airchat-just-talk/id1469462351
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wooshinc.getairchat&pli=1
As of 2024-04-13, you need an invite from an existing user.