ONL is creator behind Facebook phenomenon ‘Secret London' which is now launching as a website.
After attracting 195,000 members in just three weeks as the Facebook group, secretlondon -- an online directory of Londoners' tips on the hidden secrets of the capital -- is now a website:www.secretcities.com
Tiffany Philippou (ONL 2006) started the group secretlondon on Facebook in January after returning home from Bristol University and finding that she had lost track of the best places to hang out. At around the same time, she heard about a competition organised by top advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, which challenged entrants to set up a social networking group that would grow as quickly as possible. secretlondon was born and became a Facebook phenomenon within days. It is now the most popular Facebook group about London -- and continues to notch up thousands of new members daily.
Due to its over-whelming popularity and the need for better search facilities, Tiffany and her volunteer team of over 50 designers, software developers and editors, all part of the group, have turned secretlondon into a new website, secretcities.com
"I've been blown away by how the Facebook group took off within days," said Tiffany. "It took me completely by surprise but made me realise we could take this idea to the next stage and make it into something bigger and better. People were asking me to make a website where they could sift through all the secrets people were sharing.
I want secretcities.com to be a place where Londoners can inspire Londoners. It's about sharing, not just the physical places you've visited, but the experiences they offer too. People can share fun and unusual sights, as well as cool, new, independent businesses like a new record shop, or where to go for a great night out. We want the new website to maintain the spirit of the Facebook group and to make the wealth of shared insider knowledge more accessible and searchable to open the city to a wider audience. We've built it with the help of Londoners coming together to share their knowledge."
About secretcities.com
Whether you're looking for an unusual place for a date, the most interesting graveyard or even an unusual wedding venue, secretcities is the place to look.
It offers a searchable space for Londoners from across the city to share all the insider knowledge of the quirky, the curious and unique experiences the city offers.
secretcities can tell you where to find:
- a club night combining ten-pin bowling and a top-notch DJ set -- both completely free;
- a bar based in a former public toilet, in the shadow of an 18th century church;
- a lighthouse located a stone's throw away from King's Cross railway station;
- the best graffiti in London -- and not just Banksy...
For more information, visit the website at http://secretcities.com or contact Tiffany on tiffany@secretcities.com.