The site will allow users to upload and store lists of their favourite things - from top 10 London restaurants to what they consider to be the best beaches in Asia - and share them with friends and like-minded people.
Moore was inspired to create the website by his frustration with the overwhelming volume of information produced by regular search engines, and the inconsistency of UGC review sites. “Google is good at helping us access data, but it doesn’t yet allow us to evaluate this data effectively,” he says. “Two people’s idea of a ‘good hotel’ may differ substantially, but Google would return the same results to both of them.”
Moore was inspired to create the website by his frustration with the overwhelming volume of information produced by regular search engines, and the inconsistency of UGC review sites. “Google is good at helping us access data, but it doesn’t yet allow us to evaluate this data effectively,” he says. “Two people’s idea of a ‘good hotel’ may differ substantially, but Google would return the same results to both of them.”
By contrast, he explains, Snagsta users will be able to access relevant information quickly and easily by using a filter of people with similar values and interests.
Upon joining, users complete a questionnaire and create their first list. A profile of preferences builds with continued use, which is compared to the lists of other users by a ‘similarity index engine’. “The more you use the site and the more lists you create, the more useful Snagsta becomes,” Moore said. Lists of all topics are welcomed, although the site will be monitored for inappropriate material.
Users are encouraged to ‘snag’ lists that they like, adding them to their own profiles. The author is awarded a kudos point, that Moore says they can wear as “a virtual badge of pride”, each time their list is appropriated.
The site will generate revenue via sponsorship, targeted pay-per-click and affiliate advertising, Moore added. Outlining Snagsta’s main advantage over conventional search engines, he said: “Whereas Google returns the entire haystack, Snagsta returns only the needles.”
