Do you have a story to tell? If the answer is yes you might want to check out the recently launched Your Truman Show beta. Your Truman Show, a San Francisco-based startup, offers a video platform that aims to make the online personalized diary a dominate online video format. Founded in November 2006, Your Truman Show launched into private beta in April and has recently offered its beta to the public for a test drive.
Your Truman Show offers standard video site features but sets itself apart from the YouTube's of the world is by offering a unique rating system. The system is used to determine which artists are the most popular and puts emphasis on establishing returning visitors rather than viral one hit wonder type traffic.
In speaking with Your Truman Show COO Matteo Fabiano, he had this to say of the current state of the online video space:
"We are contributing to an industry that is going through a disruptive phase. It is interesting because it opens up the doors for business models that were not previously possible."
Since its public launch at Digital Hollywood in June, Your Truman Show has been steadily attracting users interested in telling their story online. Ever hear of Keaton Simon? Your Truman Show has and apparently a few other people have too since he has an album for sale on iTunes. Keaton is an artist that recently started using Your Truman Show to connect with his fans online as he works to develop his fanbase. I expect additional performing artists to jump on to Your Truman Show for an online popularity contest where consistency pays off. Below is an example of one of Keaton's videos.
I found the most interesting feature Your Truman Show offered was a discovery feature involving linking stories together. Users can link their online video storyline with another users' storyline creating a web or network of storylines. This type of linking results in additional interaction as users see that media is connecting them to others so they hop for storyline to storyline discovering new stories within the network.
Bottom-line: Your Truman Show is a well done niche video platform for people that have a story to tell and want to create a following online.
