- Spill officially launched in January after being created by two former Twitter employees.
- With major changes at Twitter, many Black Twitter users are seeking out Spill invite codes.
Social media users — including celebrities like Keke Palmer — are flocking to Spill in the wake of major changes to Twitter under Elon Musk.
If you're lucky enough to score an invite code, the colorful app will take some getting used to.
Spill co-founders Alphonzo "Phonz" Terrell and DeVaris Brown describe the app as a "visual conversation at the speed of culture." The pair met as Twitter employees before Terrell was laid off in November, he told Insider.
Visuals appear to be a key part of posting to Spill. Most users are getting creative with familiar pictures and GIFs to create their own memorable memes on the platform.
Spill officially launched in January. When Twitter announced it would limit the amount tweets each account could read per day, frustrated users called out Elon Musk, and searched for alternatives to the app.
In the following days, over 100,000 people joined Spill, the company told The Wall Street Journal. The platform now belongs to a list of social networking sites vying to be the Twitter Killer.
Terrell said the platform is a space that allows for the voices of marginalized communities — such as women, queer people, and Black people — to be heard without discrimination.
Such a community was created on Twitter by its Black users to share their culture and inside jokes, and the entity is affectionately dubbed "Black Twitter." However, under Musk's reign, Black Twitter has said their days on the app are numbered.
Spill is currently only available on Apple devices. It took the top spot for a social networking app on the App Store this week prior to the launch of Meta's Threads, which is now ranked number one. Here's how to get started on Spill.
First, you'll have to score an invite code
As of Thursday, Spill is invite-only. Just weeks ago, the app became available to those who have a special invite code. The exclusivity isn't intentional, Terrell said, it's a necessary step to help keep the app on track for development.That hasn't stopped celebrities like Lizzo, Kerry Washington, and singer Victoria Monet from asking for codes to join the platform.
—Victoria Monét (@VictoriaMonet) July 2, 2023
Learn the icons and Spill lingo
Once you've joined the platform, you're a officially a "spillionaire" serving tea to your followers and quoting posts — or spills — from other uses on the app.
Similarly to Twitter, you can create a text or image-based spill, reply to other spills, and give likes to your favorite spills.
You can "sip" or "serve" your Spill network
Once you begin to follow users on Spill, you're officially "sipping" their content. When people follow you, you're "serving" them yours.
Although you don't need to follow anyone to start seeing spills on your feed, those whose tea you're "sipping" will be under your "My Brew" section.
Explore trending topics and popular posts on the Spillboard
By pulling down the "Spill" logo at the top of your screen, you can access the Spillboard – an explore page that includes popular posts and spillionaires with larger followings.
By clicking on one of the various hashtags, you can view related posts made by other users. At the moment, memes are a big part of the platform.
Time to make your first spill
Start up a conversation with your fellow spillionaires by typing up your first spill. The app includes a meme-sharing format that allows creators to place text on top of memes before sharing them. The added context can give funny pictures and gifs a new layer of humor.
Although most of the punchlines may seem like inside jokes reserved for those involved in Black Twitter, Terrell said Spill is expanding in the hopes of reaching a wider audience.
New features are rolling out soon
While you can join in on the fun with an invite code, Terrell said the app is still in its beta stages. There are features — including a Rep Score — that aren't yet accessible to spillionaires.