Due to my FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) on new trends in various sectors, I’m wondering if there’s an application to download or Newsletter to subscribe to where I can get concise information on various topics.
Something similar to Google Alerts, or Flipboard, but with more concise info.
Reasons the aforementioned applications don’t necessarily work is because ‘Google Alerts’ sends info on everything Tom, Dick and Samson (Not Harry, Samson) writes on the topic.
For example, I’ll like to be updated every time Vic-O drops a new banger. I don’t want updates on anything BUT new bangers. On the same platform, I’ll also like to be updated on new topics regarding the plastic bags which we have been importing from China and selling as basmati rice here in Nigeria (This is true, btw. Not a joke ting.)
I’ll also like updates on new policies from CBN. Policies only. Not the governor, or anyone else in the organisation, just the policies.
I also want to know about any conferences or networking events in the Digital Marketing space.
Think about your Twitter timeline.
Tweets: Instead of tweets, you see new topics you’re subscribed to.
Lists: The Lists can be Categories of topics you’re subscribed to (Such as CBN Policies, Vic-O Bangers, Fake Basmati, Mannequin Challenge Clips, FX Rates, etc)
So think of a Timeline where you only receive info on specific topics you’re subscribed to.
Amongst the list of categories, you can also have “Trending Topics”. Self explanatory.
There’s a lot more to it, but I don’t want anyone feeling inundated with all the details.
This sounds like a pretty good idea. Correct me if I’m wrong but what you seem to be explaining is a smarter and personalized google (i.e. web crawler, data acquisition, text analysis and even though I really hate this phrase, possibly some “machine learning”). If I’m correct, this would be super expensive to collect all that data on a global scale but a more localized application (e.g. regions, countries, topics) is definitely doable.
I built a much simpler version a few months ago which collects news from a lot of African new publications and filtered on business news and then sent alerts to me for all news on the companies (plus company directors) on my list. I’m currently working to add twitter as a ‘news source’ as well so that I can track mentions as well (hopefully Q1 2017)
I’d love to hear more about what you envision in more detail. DM me and we can talk
Say I was able to get all the data I need from various sources, how would I categorize them? What you’ve mentioned here are only your own topics or interests, other people may have other interests that are also as specific as yours. So creating a “Fake Basmati” category won’t work.
The solution would have to allow for a personalized categorization, where the user creates their own categories and won’t get any other information about any other thing but the category they’ve put in. But then it won’t be a category, more like a search term.
This would basically be like creating a search engine with specific and sort of static parameters. I guess I could build something close in a few days {which would be very crappy}. It would take your “categories” and save them as your search term, so when you put in “Fake Basmati” as a category, it will simply fetch from various sources all posts that remotely resembles “Fake Basmati” and keep them for you to read up on later.
I wonder how accurate and useful the results of “Fake Basmati” would be?
Exactly. My initial thought was to actually build it for just music updates. So updates on artists, or genres. The idea was that when these artists release a new song, you receive a notification. Further down the line, when you have the music thing sorted, you can then diversify the functions of the application in terms of topics. The name I had in mind was ‘infoPal’, and it was meant to do what the name implied. A source for all your information.
This is great! This kind of software/application can only be developed through a gradual process, due to the plethora of functions you can integrate in it. I’ll like to see what you come up with when you’re done.
Yeah that’s the whole point. To create your own specific topics/categories. These categories aren’t necessarily public, but can be as well. Same way you can make your ‘Lists’ on twitter private, and name it whatever you want.
For example, if I create a category titled ‘Fake Basmati’, you (as just another user) will be able to see a brief of the Category I created, and if you’re interested, you can subscribe to it and get all the info I’m getting.
It’s all about personalisation. Your personal news source.
What you can actually do is leverage on the existing platforms/applications I mentioned above, and then filter information based on the requirements of the user. For example, assuming there’s no fancy data collation software/API involved, and you’re the one the backend; if I create a Term/Category/Topic about ‘CBN Policies’, what you can do is just subscribe to ‘CBN’, ‘CBN Policies’ and other relatable words on Google Alerts, then when you receive the ample articles and news on these topics, you then break it down and filter those that only have to do with ‘CBN Policies’, and then send them to me. Whereas this is a VERY VERY arduous method, it’s one way to do it. Manually filtering the topics, stripping it down to meet the specific requirement of the user. By doing it this painful way, you can actually build this for users via WhatsApp and/or Email. As strenuous as it may be.
Exciting. Google Alerts doesn’t have an API so that’s a wall and I just searched “Fake Basmati Rice” on FlipBoard and got no relevant results. The only way to use Google Alerts would be to figure out a way to receive and digest the RSS feeds {XML} and feed a database.
My best bet would be to be more niche focused when starting out so you know where exactly to find the data you are looking for. Then later on expand to other niches or maybe just randomly pick various niches with a place to get the data from. With the data you find, then you can go into deeper filtering, which will then narrow the results to something like “Look how this new CBN Policy in affecting the agricultural sector”. Then you may also want to get only new news so the user doesn’t see something that happened in 2004.
Seriously I have no idea of what I am saying. Trying to build my problem solving skills as I am just a beginner web developer and a beginner Human.
I understand most of it. Basically, it’s not easy work. I’m not a developer at all, so I’m not too sure what the backend would look like or even the algorithm required to make it happen.
Starting out with a niche is definitely the first phase though. Don’t wanna spread too thin.
Mehn, having this kinda app for something like music would really make sense cos I personally have a weakness for music and I dnt wanna miss out on any of my favorite artiste’s latests…
Buh have anyone here heard about Free Basics powered by facebook. That app seems to be bringing together all your favorite websites into one app. (although I must say ur idea is a bit different) buh it’s still the same get_me_all_i_need_in_one_place kinda app
My main issue is compromising on the quality (speaking from Three Percent here).
As in, what is the point of sending you that new D’Banj track if the song is subpar? I know, I know, music taste is subjective. But all that info does is to let you know he just dropped new music that you don’t like- which to me seems redundant.
The compromise I came up with is… Let users know when their favourite artist made it to this month’s playlist. Again stay tuned.
This way also encourages users to listen to other artists other than the ones they already know.
Anyway, the simple answer is for you to follow your favourite artists on Apple Music/Spotify. That way you will get updates on their new stuff.
Other than music, I don’t have any suggestions. Essentially what you’re requesting for is tailored essential passive information but with the flair of the Inside Team.
This may require A.I. tbh. Worth checking Product Hunt.
Btw, Vic O banger is a contradiction but you never know…
Don’t forget that you won’t get music updates from D’Banj if you didn’t ask for it, you get what you ask for. So if you ask for “Latest D’Banj Singles” for example, then you probably are interested in what D’banj sings.
How would you tell if the song is up to par or not, since the song may have just been released a few hours ago?
