OnSugar is a new blogging platform. I’m not sure that the world and its web need another one, and my days of taking every opportunity to try out new blogging services are behind me. But Mashable Doriano‘s use of terms such as sweet-looking and social somehow persuaded me to head over to OnSugar.
Hence the new blog, Sweeter Way. My initial reaction to the service itself was that it reminds me of Six Apart’s Vox, in that it emphasizes connection with other users of the service, and it encourages multimedia.
So, why launch OnSugar, in these difficult times and into the crowded social blogging space? The space is crowded, not just by already-there services such as Vox, but also by the social direction that “traditional” blogging platforms such as WordPress are taking.
Part of the answer is that OnSugar “only” needed to be launched, rather than developed. It is the in-house blogging platform for Sugar Inc., which has 17 sites. More, it has 8 million monthly unique visitors, and so there’s an “engaged community” of potential OnSugar bloggers there at launch.
The Sugar Inc. vision is to be the definitive online media company for trendsetting, passionate women ages 18-44. Once I found that, I shared Doriano’s view that OnSugar “might appeal more to women.” But whereas he sees two reasons, “look and feel,” I see 8 million. That said, I’m not sure how Sugar Inc. plans to make money from OnSugar; I’ll leave that open for comments, and perhaps for future posts.