So, I’ll be honest here. A few months ago, I was not sure that a Cameo celebrity app would be such a big hit that even Facebook would consider making a Cameo app clone. That’s right! Facebook, the granddaddy of everything social media is cloning an app. Now that’s big news!

For those not in the know, here is a little background story about Cameo:

In Cameo’s own words: “Cameo’s mission is to create the most personalized and authentic fan experiences in the world. We’re a marketplace where users can book personalized video shoutouts from their favorite people. We currently partner with thousands of talent across all verticals. Cameo’s offices are in 1871 and we are proud to be part of Chicago’s thriving technology and startup community.”

Imagine waking up to a happy birthday message from Snoop Dogg on your birthday. Okay, maybe you do not like Snoop as much, but what about Ernie Hudson, Shamita Shetty, Raghu Ram, Tom Arnold… the list goes on, and on and on. Cameo is exactly as the name suggests—a video message for you from a celebrity that

you’d love to get an autograph from—on video! Cameo celebrity app was a sort of an experiment by a group of college friends who thought that video selfies would be the next big thing after autographs.

How does Cameo earn money?

With a valuation of over $300 million, Cameo has turned from an after-college idea to a full-blown organization. Featuring thousands of artists that Cameo calls Talent who are willing to make a short cameo appearance for a fixed amount that they choose. The catch? Cameo makes 25% of the artist’s earnings, which is what keeps them afloat, and the world cannot get enough of it. From actors to athletes to musicians and comedians, Cameo is the next best thing to standing in a pushy line and waiting hours to get an autograph. And I will not lie, I love it!

Do people even like it?

Did I mention that Facebook was cloning the idea under a new name? Well they are, and that is enough For the recipient, it is a near-real-time interaction with a celebrity for a fan.  Now isn’t that a hoot? Well, for my girlfriend it was. I got Bryan Fletcher, the Olympic Nordic skiing champion to wish her on her 30th birthday—now how cool is that? She is his biggest fan and considers him an inspiration—making it the perfect birthday gift for her. She said it was the best birthday gift she ever got, and the closest she has ever been to Bryan.

Now that made my day—actually my year! I am officially the boyfriend of the millennium (I was the best boyfriend ever already, but I am now officially the boyfriend of the millennium). Also, thousands of Cameo talent and the innumerable number of videos made by celebrities for Cameo users cannot be wrong, now can they?

Is it worth making an app like Cameo?

Well, if it is being developed by Facebook’s NPE team, it is! Cameo is an immensely popular platform that has helped people around the world become amazing boyfriends, girlfriends, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers…you get the drift, right?

The reason why I wrote this blog is that I recently got contacted by a former client who wanted to create a Cameo-like app. He had a LOT of questions but still appeared to be confused about what the app should be like, the features, and the approximate cost of the app for him. I thought that a blog that addresses all his questions and concerns would be immensely valuable for other prospective customers who might hear the news about Facebook’s recent intent to create Super (a Cameo-like platform) and want a Cameo-like app of their own.

This is an introductory blog about how to build an app like Cameo. The next blog from this series will provide more details about all the features the app should include, and much, much more. Stay tuned!