Social media platforms have become increasingly uniform, showcasing a variety of content from text to short videos, often overshadowed by algorithms that limit creativity. In this saturated environment, it’s challenging to truly grasp someone’s personality before deciding to follow them.
Introducing Shelf, an app that allows users to create a personalized “storefront” showcasing their media preferences and connecting with others based on shared interests in movies, shows, books, games, and music. It also enables users to track their progress while consuming media.
Jad Esber, the co-founder and CEO of Koodos Labs, the startup behind Shelf, explained, “If you observe internet culture, it’s shifting towards sharing deeper aspects of oneself like what they’re reading, watching, or their favorite movies. Shelf aims to provide a platform for this deeper connection.”
Esber, who previously worked at YouTube and Harvard University, identified the need for a platform like Shelf to offer a more meaningful way of connecting through shared interests in media consumption.
How does it work?
The Shelf app, available on both iOS and Android, allows users to link their accounts from various media services like Apple Music, Goodreads, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube. It then automatically generates a customizable “storefront” displaying their media consumption progress. Users can also manually add links to other internet services to personalize their “shelf.”
In addition to expanding its supported services list, Shelf plans to offer new customization options to users, potentially exploring monetization through personalized features and insights.
Unlike other apps that rely on APIs for data integration, Shelf’s technology works seamlessly across platforms, providing users with a unified experience regardless of the availability of official APIs.
Private experience in testing
In addition to its public storefront feature, Shelf is testing a private experience for users who prefer to track their media consumption privately. This dual functionality aims to cater to users’ preferences for either sharing or keeping their media habits to themselves.
With a growing user base and frequent engagement, Shelf has become a popular platform for those seeking to connect over shared media interests. The app has garnered significant investment from notable backers and industry veterans.
