Why Parler Rocketed to the #1 App

Social media has a rising, new platform that’s gaining traction with consumers. Meet Parler – a social app that feels part Twitter, part blog, and part Reddit. The main difference? The platform claims to grant users the ability to speak freely and “moderate your own world.”

Though the app originated in 2018, its first spike happened in summer 2020 when users became critical of Facebook and Instagram flagging content as misinformation, claiming that to be Big Tech censorship. Since the election, Parler has exploded with more than a million downloads.

Why is Parler gaining speed?

• The promise of free speech and limited censorship. Parler still has community guidelines to ban specific behavior.
• It’s mainly a space for conservatives. Outlets, politicians, and companies with a specific demographic are finding a new way to speak with this very specific audience.

What’s the downside?

• The interface is not intuitive and can be overwhelming with its range of functionality.
• The channel was not prepared for this level of rapid growth, so there have been a handful of glitches.

In terms of size, Parler’s 3-5 million user-base is substantial but not threatening Twitters’ 330 million reach or Facebook’s 2.7 billion audience. If you’re interested in learning more about Parler, their users or outlet projections, read more from Mashable or BBC.