What Is Badoo?

We have Twitter, we have Facebook, we have MySpace, we have Google+, and now we have Badoo: a social networking site for people you don't know. Yet. Although its name sounds like a lyric in a scat song, Badoo is a whole lot more, and it has the potential to make a big impact.

Badoo, launched in London in 2006, is the brainchild of Andrey Andreev, a Russian entrepreneur whose other projects include Mamba, the site from which Badoo was developed, SpyLog, and Begun. But what exactly is it?

Opinion on the matter is divided. Badoo is free to use, but members "pay for prominence," which means that they receive promoted status on the site in exchange for a small fee. The basic goal of Badoo, as explained by the site's tagline, is to "meet new people." Unlike most social networking sites, Badoo is dedicated to forming connections with people you've never met, rather than maintaining connections with people who are already acquaintances.

Despite the site's self-proclaimed status as a social networking platform, however, many think of Badoo as a dating site. Lloyd Price, Badoo's Director of Marketing, is keen to shake off that image, perhaps in an attempt to widen the audience for the site, but it's not leaving without a fight.

In a story for TheNextWeb.com, Paul Sawers writes that he, like many, had heard that the site was "for people looking for romance." "The whole look and feel of Badoo does seem very dating-oriented," he adds. "For example, part of its marketing mantra states: 'Chat, flirt, socialize and have fun!' Okay, it's not overtly about dating, but it certainly leans more towards a candle-lit dinner for two than a game of football with the boys." On the surface, it's easy to see why so many people seem to think of Badoo as a dating site, but a little digging reveals that the site has more to offer.

Aided by mobile apps for Android and iOS, and GPS functionality, Badoo places an emphasis on meeting new people in your area, seamlessly blending social networking, online dating, and location-based technology. Badoo also earned the title of third most popular app on Facebook in February of this year, behind CityVille and FarmVille, though it has since dropped a few positions.

In a world that thrives on connectivity, a site like Badoo, that merges so many different technologies, has everything it takes to be a success. And so far, the strategy seems to be working: to date, Badoo has doubled in size in the past 12 months, and now boasts "121 million members in 180 countries, a turnover of over $100m and a global head-count of 200 people who speak 25 languages."

For more information on this social dating service you can read our review of Badoo.