Locals.org — The Meet, Do Good & Have Fun Social Network
Let’s be honest; Social media isn’t very social anymore. My feed fills up with useless information. Mostly videos of cats, surfing (which I approve of) and the occasional worldie. Even LinkedIn, has started to feel like a barren wasteland of useless content that burns a hole in my time and productivity.
Is your social media, delivering real social value beyond the likes? maybe locals.org is the answer.
What is Locals.org?
Imagine if Meetup met up with a dating app and then had a surprise baby, that baby would look something like Locals.org; Real, cool people, doing exciting activities in person.
During COVID, the world appeared to be taken over by introverts, people who enjoy being by themselves and the platforms we resorted too were also created by introverts. I was at risk of becoming an introvert in the first lockdown and became an actual introvert in the last lockdown. My social skills evaporated and I felt empty inside. This is me when I’m in my element.
In London, Locals.org has become ‘the community’ to meet new friends and reconnect with friends from a pre-COVID era. The community has grown from a couple of hundred pioneers to over 2,500 Locals.
The demographics of a locals.org members is a young professionals between 25–35 years, usually at mid-senior level or doing something exciting in entrepreneurship.
Everyone has an interesting story.
Extroverts Coming Out Of Hibernation
As with the prediction of the start of spring by the humble groundhog. Extroverts start venturing out, making new friendships and rekindling old friendships. The art of finding friends is hard. It takes bravery, guts and gumption… finding best friends is almost as difficult as finding ‘the one’. Once you’ve met them, you know you’ve met them.
COVID has taught us to how to spend time alone with one’s thoughts, but its’ now time to get out of your den and get socialising.
Meeting strangers is fun, but meeting weird strangers isn’t fun. So if you’re not weird, but want to meet cool professionals doing amazing things and that doesn’t include selling your latest NFT then Locals.org is for you.
Why locals.org will be big?
Locals.org, isn’t about collecting friends like Pokémon cards; For those with a need to connect, it’s a great place to find, meet and make friends with people who’re passionate in the things you’re passionate about.
I’ve created experiences for surfing, food and pubs.
Who’s on Locals.org?
Locals.org is what you make of it. I would split users into four categories;
Organisers — People who love organising events.
Secret Extroverts — Introverts who looking to expand their network and are looking to find a new passion
True Locals — Extroverts who turn up to events, come rain or shine.
The Just Arrivals — People who’ve just arrived in the city and are looking to meet new people.
Should You Join Locals.org?
Locals.org has a small community of committed users who are engaging, fun, passionate and, as you can see, very smiley. It’s all about making new friends and doing good in the process. The Difference Group has already raised £295 for Shelter in January alone.
While many technologists and futurists will tell you that the metaverse is the next big thing, I see Locals.org and the community that surrounds it almost as a counter to this. Nothing is more human than meeting in person and getting to know someone over something you both love.
About The Author — Alex Lawford
I unlock the potential of your SME, startup or scale-up; building and scaling brands. I work directly with founders, CEOs and senior leadership teams to craft strategies, implement marketing and unlock opportunities utilising technology.
