What began as a simple Korean-made app that quickly grew to 70 million users across Asia has now bloomed into a mobile digital publishing platform, according to TechInAsia.com. KakaoTalk, a free one-to-one or group messaging and gaming app, has now launched KakaoPage, which allows users to publish content directly to mobile devices, much in the same way that companies already send content to customers via existing social media platforms.
KakaoTalk is starting out small, but some predictions for it are that it will quickly grow into a digital magazine portal, offering monetization and paid-content that helps it rival some existing digital magazine options. While still only available in Korean, that is quickly changing, too, as more users via for more content.
The interesting thing about KakaoTalk’s launch is the optimization for publishers of material, who have the option to use the web-based creation page or the app itself to create and market directly to consumers. While this platform seems to be aimed at larger publishers, KakaoTalk has already launched KakaoStory, a more personal-feeling, consumer-aimed product that lets its users create story pages and enhanceable photo walls about their day-to-day lives and then post those stories to their KakaoTalk groups.
Both KakaoPage and KakaoStory are essentially digital publishing platforms for a variety of users with different needs and skill sets. While KakaoStory isn’t monetized–yet–the content is no less publishable and author-centric than any other digital material, in essence turning all of its users into digital publishers from the moment a story is created, uploaded, and shared with readers.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.