9gag.com
In today's hyper-paced age of information, the amount of content that we share with one another seems to be getting shorter and shorter by the day. Whereas once upon a time, we would invite friends over to watch a movie together, today the same sentiment can be expressed with nothing but a quick 2-second gif.
I just wanted to make sure that you know that our content is getting quicker to view, and this makes it easier to socialize online.
With so many other places to share and view video content, it is hard to say which website or platforms are currently the best resources. YouTube, for instance, used to be a popular site for watching videos, but now there are many other places where people can find that type of content.
However, I think that it is fair to say that most YouTube videos are probably longer than a couple of minutes in duration, right? Watching a YouTube video, in other words, is sometimes something of a commitment - compared to viewing a quick gif or, say, a Tik Tok video. You are likely going to be watching for at least a few minutes on YouTube.
There are newer alternatives to YouTube that are not as focused on lengthy or even complete video content. Such sites have taken the social media components of YouTube, though (and arguably the general idea behind a free video-sharing platform), in order to create enormous databases of shorter media content: gifs, memes, and things like that.
When I think of sites that are social media hotbeds of gifs and memes, the first thing that comes to mind is 9GAG. 9GAG is a site that takes aspects of both social media and the ability to share user-created content and combines it into one place. What this means is that a majority of the content that is shared on 9GAG falls under the umbrella of ?meme? or ?gif? culture. This newer platform has quickly become popular due to how well it integrates these two forms of content sharing.
History
9GAG was founded by a group of people from Hong Kong in 2009 and 2010. Their shared vision was to create an alternative online platform where people could share humorous pics and videos. The name, perhaps the most elusive aspect of 9GAG, remains a mystery. In 2012, CEO Ryan Chan declined to explain its origins.
I'm guessing that 9GAG's recent change in direction has something to do with the company's use of the word "gag," which implies jokes or antics. The startup was founded with a "just for kicks" mentality, and used it primarily as a resume builder during its 500 startup accelerator program this summer. During this time, the team also worked on more serious projects such as Startup Quote and Song Board.
Upon completing the summer program, the 9GAG team received a warm welcome into Y Combinator's incubator. This is where 9GAG's userbase skyrocketed to 70 million unique monthly visitors around the globe. It quickly became abundantly clear that this little joke site was where their fortunes were hidden. So, they abandoned all other projects and devoted themselves full-time to 9GAG. They were nice enough to give 500 Startups a portion of equity for their help and mentorship.
In July of 2012, 9GAG raised $2.8 million from Silicon Valley investors. The following month, they matched that amount from venture capitalists. Today, 9GAG is one of the most promising sites to keep an eye out for, and its operations are split between the company's two homes: Hong Kong and Silicon Valley.
Design
If I had to describe the design of 9GAG, I would say that it looks kind of like YouTube, Reddit, and Instagram all put together. Honestly, these sites aren't terrible by any means and their designs are appropriate for 9GAG to be associated with. I have my complaints about YouTube's design but at least it is recognizable; which makes navigating 9GAG a familiar and easy experience. That being said, just for the record, I do think 9GAG's design is better than YouTube's â it is much more user-friendly and has a more intuitive layout.
That's where Instagram's influence comes in. The main page of 9GAG is kind of like Instagram - a constant feed of picture, short video, and gif content shared by other users. Below each post, you can comment and "like." To the left, you are able to browse the site by Hot, Trending, Fresh, or by category (Funny, Animals, Anime, Cosplay, Gaming, etc.).
It reminds me ever so slightly of Reddit insofar as users can upvote or downvote any post they see. Doing so, of course, affects that post's visibility. So, similar to Reddit, 9GAG uses a sort of democratic voting system in order to decide which content deserves the most visibility on the site.
Content
If you're looking for memes, gifs, and short funny videos, 9GAG is the site for you. There's a lot of humor and comedy on the site, which is likely to appeal to people who like anime and manga, cosplay, and gaming. Each site has its own sort of culture which I think is really important to highlight - gaming, anime and humor are 9GAG's bread and butter.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
I think that the website is, overall, very intuitive and organized. I had no real complaints when accessing it on my laptop. The only thing that I didn't love was an unmarked, constantly refreshing feed of content to the right of the main feed. I found it distracting and unprofessional-looking, but maybe that's just me.
The app, too, provides an excellent user experience. Perhaps even better than that of the desktop browser site. It looks more like a legitimate social media outlet - the app does. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it has a more professional air about it. The layout of the app almost resembles that of a news app - that is probably where I am picking up on that professional vibe from. Either way, in my opinion, the app provides a superior experience. And other users seem to agree - 9GAG has an average rating of 4.5 stars (out of 5) on the Apple App Store
Pricing and Plans
Is 9GAG free to use? Yes, it is completely free to use and sign up for. However, you will still have to contend with a few ads. But hey, that's pretty much par for the course for free services these days, right?
Suggestions that I have for 9GAG
I would like 9GAG's website to have a similar clean and streamlined feeling to their app. I love the sleek look of the app, and I wish the website looked this good. Other than that, 9GAG does a great job of what it does- maybe offering a paid subscription service could help them cut down on ads.
Conclusion
If you're a fan of funny pictures and videos, 9GAG is definitely worth checking out. You might be surprised at just how much laughing you can do for free!
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