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New Video Review Platform Released in App Store

Using apps to check in at businesses, locations and events is extremely popular. But most apps don’t provide a platform that is trustworthy in terms of real reviews. Some allow reviews to be posted from across the country, the user may never have set foot at the location, and it is difficult to trust a review that is not authentic. Others require memberships in order for reviews to be shown.

Which is why Orlando, FL resident and PR Maven Bree Goldstein saw the need for an app that brings transparency to the marketplace without filters or private messaging and thus UpDog was created.

Targeted to Millenials and Generation Z – the highest users of online check-ins, videos and selfies – UpDog is unique in that it is unlike it’s competitor Yelp, a service that uses an algorithm to promotes it’s reviews. On UpDog, all reviews are seen.

Why Video?

In 2014, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg predicted that in five years, most of Facebook will be video. Other platforms know this too and video is quickly climbing up the social media ladder.

“Men and women 35 years and under did not have a simple platform to view a review of a business or event before investing their time or money,” says Goldstein. “The generation that UpDog is targeting take more than 93 million selfies per day, comfortably shares their opinions with businesses on Twitter, and love to check-in wherever they can. Though Yelp exists to fill this gap, they have fallen short when appealing to the younger demographic because of their unethical business practices and complicated mobile platforms. The opportunity exits to create a streamlined, socially connected platform where they can do all three activities quickly.”

Goldstein, an adjunct instructor for Digital Media Marketing at the University of Central Florida had issues with online review platforms that allowed the user to leave a review from anywhere, including their couch. They may never have visited the location or have an authentic review to post. With UpDog, check-ins are required.

The video review platform empowers consumers to share 15-second selfie video clips of their experiences. They don’t have to rely on professionally done photos. These reviews are then shared with their social network including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and more are in the works. Busineesses can post as well, promoting their events and features as well as interacting with reviewers

It is an ideal platform for people looking for a good referral for a place to eat, a doctor, an entertainment venue and more, and is free for both the users and the businesses.

So Why UpDog?

The name came from a joke that a friend pulled on her. He asked her:

* Do you smell that?

– Smell what?

* That Up Dog

– What’s Up Dog?

* Nothing. What’s up with you?

Bree knew she was going to make use of the humor someday and the product name was born.

UpDog as been used successfully around the world and across the United States by Beta Testers and the iOS version is now available in the App store. An Android version is planned for future development.

For more information check out www.updog.reviews