Sowing offline relationships with UrbanSeeder
UrbanSeeder is an Israeli company that seeks to help people create real world connections easily and safely. Their strategy is relatively unique for social websites in that it seeks to help you make offline contacts rather than moving your real-world friends online. With UrbanSeeder you create a “Seed”, a mini-site where only you and the one person you give a Seed code have access. This eliminates the need to give a stranger your phone number, email address or have them see all your embarrassing (lack of) friends on your favorite social networking site. Your Seed is a custom page used to convince that other person that you’re awesome enough to be seen in public with. However, first you need to convince that person to go to urbanseeder.com and have them enter in a one-time-use 9 digit code. That’s all on you, buddy.
Currently UrbanSeeder is in private beta, but you can go out now and sign up on their waiting list… unless someone at a bar tries to hit on you with a Seed code in the meantime, lucky you.
The first time you visit the site you should create your “My Look”, a representation that can be seen by the people that visit your Seeds. You start off by identifying a favorite color and your gender. After that you create your personal icon: think Mr. Potatohead meets a Nintendo Mii, only weirdly abstract, but remarkably cool. In fact the entire site has a pleasing aesthetic, aside from the “floating eyeball things.”
Now it’s time to plant a Seed!
There are three ways you can get a new Seed to share. The easiest is an anonymous email… I imagine this is perfect for the unrequited love, somebodylikesyou.com crowd where you already know the person’s contact info… or for the cute but possibly insane person you met at the club last night who scrawled their email address on your arm. I’m not sure you should go ahead and give them your actual email address, yet.
The second option is to print out a predesigned seed code from the website. Each has your customized Look on it , some small UrbanSeeder branding and comes in a couple of different form factors… I think the circular invites are only for those who excel with scissors. The rest of us will stick with the square or strips.
Finally you can just get the code to use however you want to. Each is code is single use though, so don’t go out and start printing moo cards or anything. To limit abuse you’re limited to 12 active Seeds at any time.
Now your Seed is created, now you just have to pass along to the code and wait until an email pops up letting you know that your special someone has taken a look at the Seed. Oh, you should probably have something waiting for them, so lets see how you can pimp that Seed.
For each Seed you can add blocks of content like text for a mini bio, photos, music, and events. UrbanSeeder has integration with your Flickr and Upcoming.org accounts to easily add existing items. Each of these blocks are automatically saved off into a personal library so you can create your own “palette of sexy/suave”.
When the recipient of your seed code visits the Seed they’ll also have the options to add their own text, pictures, etc so you can get to know them in an environment that’s as anonymous as you want to make it. Use it as a chance to get to know them (and judge their level of sanity).
From here on the choice is yours. If the person you share your Seed with doesn’t think that you’re a complete creep and you dig them, then you can move things to the next level by including a link to your kickass MySpace page or email address. You can then archive (freeze dry!) your Seed and reminisce when you and your new contact are married and churning out kids. However, you’ve most likely met a complete psycho and you’ll click that Seed’s “Delete forever” link in order to never deal with them again. Good thing you can send out more Seed codes to find Mr. or Mrs. Right.
For more information check out the company’s hilariously named blog, Seeders Digest, and their amusing Web 2.0 Supermarket video.
If you’re itching to try out UrbanSeeder then leave a comment on this post and I’ll send out a Seed to the first 7 people.
Good times, UrbanSeeder, Good times.
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