Keek

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This article is about the social networking service. For the invasive weed also known as Keek, see Rorippa sylvestris.
Keek, Inc.
Type Private
Foundation date Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Headquarters Toronto, ON, Canada[1]
Area served Worldwide
Founder(s) Isaac Raichyk[2]
CEO Isaac Raichyk[2]
Key people Isaac Raichyk (CEO)[3]
Lamont Wilcott
(Operations & Business Development)[4]
Geoff Kendall
(Creative Director)[5]
Industry Internet
Total equity $30M (USD) [6]
Employees ~ 40 (2013) [7]
Website Keek.com
Alexa rank Increase 2,238 (Apr. 2013)[8]
Type of site social networking service
Advertising No
Registration Required to post Keeks, follow or be followed, subscribe or be subscribed to, add text comments, add "Keekbacks", add "Kred", and send or receive "private keeks".
Launched July 2011 [7]
Current status Active

Keek is a free online social networking service that enables its users to upload video status updates, which are called "keeks". Users can post keeks to the keek website using a webcam or via the Keek mobile apps for Android [9] or iPhone.[10] Users can also reply back with text or video comments, known as "keekbacks", and share content to other major social media networks. There is also an embed option so users can embed their keeks into a blog or website.[11]

Contents

Origins [edit]

The word "Keek" comes from Middle English and means a look, especially a quick one.[12] Keek Inc. is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and has around 30 employees.[13] Keek launched in early 2011 because it wanted to "create a social network that was more authentic and personal. We are committed to delivering the fastest, most engaging social video experience,” CEO Isaac Raichyk said in an interview.[14]

Reception [edit]

Keek has been described as "the Twitter for video",[2] "Instagram of video"[15] and a "micro version of YouTube".[16] and is often compared to a combination of other major social media networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr and Twitter. "Keek is more like a combination of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter than its direct competitors."[17]

"What makes Keek different is that it focuses on short, personal video uploads. A ‘keek’ can only be 36 seconds long, and is usually uploaded directly from a webcam or smartphone camera. So unlike many of the professional vloggers floating around on YouTube, the content is less polished – but also far quicker and reactive. Think of it like Twitter or Tumblr, only this time focused solely on video."[18]

More recently Keek has been described as a "new wave in social media technology" in reaction to the growth it received in 2012. [19]

Growth [edit]

The Keek community has generated a large amount of original user-generated content. With the launch of the Keek mobile apps for iOS and Android in March, 2012, there has been a significant increase in the community and creation of content.

Keek saw 250 million pageviews and 21 million visits in August of 2012. There has been a total of 6.4 million keeks created as of August, 2012, with 2 million being created in August alone. That equates to roughly 66,000 keeks being created per day. 31 million total social actions (sharing to Facebook, Twitter and/or Tumblr) have been recorded so far with 9 million social actions happening in August, 2012, alone. [20]


Keek increased their user base by two million in the last month alone (August 2012) and is nearing 10 million users in total.[14]


In 2013 Keek increased its user base by adding 6 million new users from December, 2012 through January, 2013. Keek is now seeing traffic at a rate of 1 billion monthly pageviews, 75 million monthly visits, 15 million monthly unique visitors, 4 million monthly user-generated videos, 30 million monthly "follows" and "subscribes", and 8 million monthly comments and "likes". There are 200,000 new users are joining the platform on a daily basis.

Internationally, Keek is experiencing significant growth in the US, UK, Australia, as well as, through Europe, the Middle East and South America. [6]


Recently, Keek launched a new feature for users with verified Keek accounts in March 2013. In response to the rapid growth Keek has experienced, adding over 200,000 users per day, Keek accounts can now apply to become verified and have a verified symbol show up on their Keek account. The verified symbol will help to establish real accounts from falsified ones within the Keek community. Individuals and businesses will be eligible for verification if they are at high risk of impersonation, or if they have large audiences on Keek or other social networks.[21]

Apps [edit]

BlackBerry [edit]

The Keek BlackBerry app is compatible with BlackBerry 10 smartphones such as the BlackBerry Z10. The app is free to download from the BlackBerry World store, listed in the Social Networking category. It is currently an Android port and not a native BlackBerry app. The app was released on March 1, 2013 with version 1.0 and currently has a rating of 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. The app is free to download. The launch of the app for BlackBerry 10 devices marked the first time Keek was available for any BlackBerry device.[22]

iPhone [edit]

The current version of the Keek iPhone app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch running iOS 4.3 or later. The app is free to download in the iTunes store and can be found in the Social Networking category. The current app, version 2.8, has a rating of 4 1/2 out of 5 stars based on 1,923 user ratings. In total the Keek iOS app has received an overall rating of 4 1/2 stars out of 5 based on 5,339 user ratings. The app was last updated to version 2.8 on February 14, 2013. [10]

Android [edit]

The Keek Android app is compatible with various Android devices including smartphones and tablets and can be downloaded from the Google Play store. The app is listed under the "Social" category. The current version of the app, version 2.7.1, has been rated 3 1/2 out of 5 stars based on 9,575 user ratings. Google Play indicates that the app has been downloaded between 1,000,000 - 5,000,000 in the last 30 days (as of March 8, 2013). The app is free to download.

[9]

Funding [edit]

Initial Funding [edit]

Funding was originally provided by family and friends of the founder and CEO Isaac Raichyk.[2]

First Round of Venture Capital [edit]

The first round of venture capital funding was led by three Canadian venture capital firms AlphaNorth Asset Management, Plazacorp Ventures and PowerOne Capital Markets Ltd. for $5.5 Million dollars (US) on October 5, 2011.[23][24]

Second Round of Venture Capital [edit]

The second round of venture capital funding was led by Cranson Capital Securities with participation from Pinetree Capital Ltd. (TSX: PNP) and Whitecap Venture Partners. This round of financing raised $7 Million dollars (US) bringing the total investment financing to more than $12 Million dollars (US) as of September 18, 2012.[20]

Third Round of Venture Capital [edit]

The third round of venture capital funding was led by AGF Investments Inc., Pinetree Capital Ltd. (TSX: PNP) and Plazacorp Ventures, with Cranson Capital also participating. This round of financing raised $18 Million dollars (US) on January 17, 2013 which brings the total investment financing to $30 Million dollars (US). [6]

Trademark [edit]

Keek Inc. filed for a U.S. federal trademark on February 9, 2011 for the term "KEEK" and was designated the trademark serial number 85237909. The trademark was filed in the category "Computer & Software Products & Electrical & Scientific Products , Computer & Software Services & Scientific Services , Advertising, Business & Retail Services , Communications Services , Education and Entertainment Services". Keek Inc. received the registered trademark for "KEEK" on July 3, 2012.[25]

Demographics [edit]

As of July, 2012, 85% of the Keek community was between the ages of 13-25, with 69% female engagement, and two-thirds of those users were active during that month.[17]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Keek.com - Contact Us & Press". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  2. ^ a b c d Evans, Mark. "Keek: Like Twitter, but video". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  3. ^ "LinkedIn Canada - Isaac Raichyk". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  4. ^ "LinkedIn Canada - Lamont Wilcott". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  5. ^ "LinkedIn Canada - Geoff Kendall". Retrieved September 18, 2012. 
  6. ^ a b c "Keek Raises $18 Million; Registers 6 Million New Users In 30 Days". Retrieved January 17,2013. 
  7. ^ a b Dobby, Christine. "Toronto’s Keek raises $18M for social video networking platform". Retrieved January 17, 2012. 
  8. ^ "Keek.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved April 04, 2013. 
  9. ^ a b "Keek". Google Play. Retrieved January 8, 2013. 
  10. ^ a b "Keek". iTunes. Retrieved January 8, 2013. 
  11. ^ "Keek Inc. - Techvibes". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  12. ^ "keek - Wiktionary". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  13. ^ Beer, Jeff. "Toronto start-up Keek nets $5.5 million financing". Retrieved September 14, 2012. 
  14. ^ a b Khan, Humayun. "With 2M New Users in the Last Month, Keek Adds $7M to Expand Video Platform". Retrieved September 18, 2012. 
  15. ^ Issac, Mike. "Keek Raises $7 Million, Fueling the Social Mobile Video App Frenzy". Retrieved September 18, 2012. 
  16. ^ Moreau, Elise. "Mobile Video Sharing With Microvideos On Keek.com". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  17. ^ a b Humphrey, Michael. "A Chat With CEO of Keek: A Micro-Video Site Betting On Youth, Full Engagement". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  18. ^ Summers, Nick. "Social video platform Keek raises $7m, adds a whopping 2 million users in last 30 days". Retrieved September 18, 2012. 
  19. ^ Sheets, Conner. "What Is Keek? All About The Hot Social App For iPhone And Android". Retrieved January 8, 2013. 
  20. ^ a b "Keek Raises $7 Million; Adds 2 Million Users In Last 30 Days". Retrieved September 18, 2012. 
  21. ^ "Keek Growing Rapidly; Rolls Out Verified Accounts". Retrieved April 5, 2013. 
  22. ^ "Keek". BlackBerry World. Retrieved March 1, 2013. 
  23. ^ Berkow, Jameson. "Toronto’s Keek scores $5.5M to become Twitter for video". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 
  24. ^ "Keek Inc. Hits Fast Forward with $5.5 Million Financing". Retrieved September 14, 2012. 
  25. ^ "Keek Inc. on Trademarkia". Retrieved September 13, 2012. 


External links [edit]
Websites
Personal
Tools
General
Applications
User interface
Implications
Related concepts
Protocols
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