User:Theeditinator/Ooizit

Ooizit is a social networking website that is based around the promotion and networking of new bands and users looking to discover new music. It is currently in beta with a relaunch scheduled for early 2009; however, has already helped launch several prominent artists including Alex Blood, The Colours, La Rebla Fam and Kashmir Red.

The site was founded in Derbyshire, England (2007) by a social media company named Ooizit p.l.c (UK registered PLC) after which the flagship product is named.

The website is split into two main sections, one aimed at bands who want to promote their music the other aimed at listeners wanting to discover them. Unlike many other social networking sites in the music field Ooizit is not restricted by genre and welcomes DJs and music producers as well as bands.

For Bands and Producers
For new bands the site offers a selection of features, some common to social media websites, some more unique to the product.

The website is free to join as a band and allows you to upload pictures, videos, songs and details about your band which can be publicly accessed via a profile.

The profiles contain an embedded media player for users (as well as the band themselves) to play their music, a blog to keep fans up to date with the bands progress, plus it enables users to upload video and image galleries too. The profile page also gives bands the chance to list gig dates and venues to not only publicize their own events but encourage their networked fans to come along.

The system also keeps track of profile views and song plays and allows other users to become fans of the artist as well as listing the most popular tracks on its homepage.

Just like many social networks the Ooizit system also allows you to make friends and network with like-minded people and actively encourages users to speak to each other through the "Fans" system.

Ooizit also has a few low cost premium services including promotion of your band on the sites homepage with an SMS text messaging system and support/promotion for selected artists who Ooizit see as having particularly large potential, such as Alex Blood and The Colours.

For Music Lovers
Ooizit covers a wide range of genres including dance, rock, grunge, indie and pop and incorporates a specialist music search engine for users to find new artist relating to keywords and genres that they like.

Users can listen to any tracks uploaded by bands for free, without limitation, and leave comments for bands reviewing the music or asking for more tracks.

Users still have the functionality of uploading information to the site for social networking purposes just as many popular social networks offer.

Development
While the website is currently in open Beta significant development has been announced with a new version of the site being released in quarter 1, 2009.

Some speculated changes include;
 * Digital Distribution Services
 * Streaming video and music
 * FaceBook/Myspace tools and widgets
 * Tour and Gig promotion for selected artists as well as support on production
 * New design and user interface for both the front end and members areas
 * Increase database covering 1000's of commercial artists.