With new startups jumping into the fray, the social TV space is suddenly very competitive. But one site is celebrating its third anniversary today with two big milestones. The internet TV guide Yidio said it hit 1.5 million registered users and 500,000 Facebook fans, making it the most popular social TV guide on Facebook. (See an infographic here with more.)
Central to Yidio’s success is virtual currency, which can be redeemed into free downloads on Amazon Video on Demand. You earn credits by letting Yidio know which TV shows you like — and by liking shows on Facebook. The more Yidio learns, the better recommendations it provides. Yidio says the top 25 shows generate over 150,000 social activities a month, from liking and sharing to commenting.
“Undoubtedly Facebook is the place where, over and over again, people are sharing TV recommendations and experiences with friends in a way that drives streams on Yidio and and tune-ins,” Yidio CEO Brandon Eatros tells Lost Remote. “We see enormous crossover from our Facebook postings for episodes and streams on Yidio, particularly for our top 25 shows.”
Yidio says its most popular shows this month are Jersey Shore, True Blood, Glee, Vampire Diaries, and Gossip Girl. That will give you an idea of the Yidio demographic, which the company says is squarely in the 18-34 year-old bracket.
While Yidio has seen success online, it will soon expand to mobile devices with the “second screen” in mind, Eatros says. He says tighter Facebook integration is coming soon, as well — we can only guess that will bring your friend’s recommendations into the experience. We’ll keep you updated.