Chatroulette Alternative ChatRandom Soars Past Predecessor by Not Changing a Thing

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- If there's one truth that ChatRandom's Allen Fox has learned over the last year, it's "don't mess with a good thing." As co-founder of ChatRandom, the top video chat alternative to Chatroulette, Fox has remained true to the company's original business model and captured a growing market share of video chat users. Above all else, these users appreciate the anonymity and other signature features ChatRandom upholds -- so much so that they have fled other leading video chat sites to join ChatRandom's global group of fans. 

"In 2012 alone, we doubled traffic, and users showed great loyalty to ChatRandom," Fox says. "Since our debut, I've been monitoring the key events taking place in the video chat industry, particularly those related to big names in the game, and over the past 12 months, these big brands have made some risky moves, forcing their users to decamp. Many have come to us because we've never wavered from our promise to offer 100 percent user anonymity in a secure, safe, user-friendly environment."

The video chat industry saw its fair share of headlines during the past year. Most notably, Facebook launched its Airtime social networking site, and no one knew whether it would soar or sink. Airtime's formula, based on connecting people with friends they already know by video, failed to gain solid traction as a vehicle for meeting new people.

"Despite all the buzz, Airtime went bust after initially curious users decided it wasn't what they wanted after all," Fox continues. "They then went looking for something different -- a site offering fresh rather than familiar faces. They found us, and soon after Airtime's debut, ChatRandom experienced a surge in visitors while Airtime's numbers tanked."

Another big kink in the video chat chain of events was Chatroulette's decision to initiate protocols that essentially eliminate user anonymity. Introducing user fees, requiring a login process, and instituting invite codes felt like over-the-top changes for Chatroulette loyalists. Rolled out in the final quarter of 2012, these new requirements killed the site's anonymous feel, sending webcammers fleeing for a new video chat home.

"Our numbers skyrocketed during this period, and they haven't stopped," Fox comments. "It's been a good reminder that if you undermine anonymity, your chat room audience will depart in droves."

Meanwhile, video chat became a hot 2012 trend. People everywhere saw it as a refreshing new way to meet strangers, while others found it a risk-free, easy medium for meeting that special someone. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher, The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Nicole Richie and Snoop Dogg also took to the video chat space, connecting with fans without the risk of stalkers and paparazzi. Offering Gay Chat, Straight Chat and Multi-Chat features, ChatRandom worked in 2012 to foster the safest, most exciting chatting environment available today.

"On ChatRandom, people can just be themselves, which is probably why even celebrities find video chat so inviting," Fox says. "Random chat's star continues to rise, and ChatRandom is leading the medium into a stellar 2013."

About ChatRandom (http://ChatRandom.com)

Founded in early 2011, ChatRandom is the only free webcam-based chat site of its kind. An inspired Chatroulette alternative, ChatRandom delivers a safer, simpler platform for random video chatting with strangers in a multi-dimensional format. Users must be 18+, and the site upholds a rigorous user terms of service. Users video chat worry-free and can focus on meeting new people. ChatRandom boasts over 350,000 daily users, 10+ million monthly users and over 30 billion connections -- and counting.

SOURCE ChatRandom