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The latest installment in our Youth Website Profile is tween social network Everloop, currently launching at the DEMO conference in Palm Desert, California.

What it is… According to their own description, “a new class of C.O.P.P.A.-compliant social networking technology tools, targeting tween girls and boys ages 8 to 13. Everloop provides a world-class social networking experience for the tween demographic, who are deemed too young for sites like Facebook, MySpace and other major social networks or utilities.” Translation: Facebook with training wheels, i.e. different degree of parental controls and heightened security measures including a patent pending Privacy Panel that makes sure members’ privacy is protected

Who it’s for: As mentioned, the site is targeted towards 8-13 year old boys and girls who aren’t eligible for older sites like Facebook or MySpace [though 13-year-olds can join MySpace and Facebook]. Parents are involved by setting the security controls at either the high, medium or low level and then, at 13 (assuming the tween doesn’t graduate to Facebook?) can make the choice to stop monitoring altogether.

What works for us… From the bright, splashy blue homepage to the simplicity of the Everloop logo, nothing about the site itself screams “kids!” or worse yet, “kidz!” in the way that some tween platforms do. Instead, with profile customization options like themes and stickers (enter brand involvement from the likes of Nike among others) the site allows its users to determine how sophisticated they want the environment to be…or not if they choose to indulge in the sillier features like interactive Goobs that allow users to pull virtual pranks like T.P’ing each other’s profiles and whatnot. By only slightly embellishing on the MySpace and Facebook models with offerings like an original tween hosted web series (“Top 10 with Dani”), universal currency (Evercredit) and an arcade, the site makes gestures to its tween users without condescending to them.

Challenges: As refreshing as it is to see an inclusive online space for tween girls and boys, the main challenge I see is drawing them there in the first place without a clear hook. This isn’t the first independent under-13 social networking site to set out to conquer the tween market (Imbee, anyone?),  and like CEO Hilary DeCesare notes in her video interview on Venture Beat there is “always the next one that comes out tomorrow that has cooler features” and “the things that kids want today.” Although I can see the logic in countering those flash-in-the-pan niche sites with a more blank slate approach that offers “everything Facebook has.. and more!” without crossing over into virtual world territory , I wonder how many tweens might prefer to either wait or just lie about their age to get on to the real Facebook or MySpace instead. My sense is that it depends on who gets turned on to the site in the first place (parents vs. peers), and who starts spreading the word.

For more coverage of the tween space, check out the Ypulse Tweens Channel.

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Categorized under: Tweens

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