#239: Building communities: Stream’s approach with Kenzie Wilson, GTM Lead - AI Moderation at Stream

Business of Apps Podcast

How is your summer so far? I hope you’re listening to this episode lying somewhere in a shadow on a beach, and with a breeze keeping you relaxed. I also hope that you are in a company of people you love to hang out with - be it your family or friends. Why? It’s because we all belong to a community, right? Yes - this is the moment when I’m tying in my intro with this week’s episode’s topic 😊

So here we go - today we’re featuring one of our latest App Talk interviews. This time, Peggy Anne Salz interviewed Kenzie Wilson, GTM Lead - AI Moderation at Stream - the platform that helps apps build real-time experiences that scale.

Kenzie talks about why community is the key to app stickiness and how Stream’s APIs power real-time chat, feeds, video, and AI moderation for millions of users. You’ve heard it right - millions!

Today’s topics include:

• Why in-app communities matter: Building social features directly in your app boosts retention and gives users a reason to return.
• Strava’s evolution: A case study in transforming utility apps into thriving communities.
• Flexible, fast integration: Stream’s API lets even mature apps easily add chat, feeds, and video—with AI-powered moderation tailored by industry.
• Unexpected use cases: From HR tech to field ops and Telehealth, community tools aren’t just for social apps.
• Real engagement uplift: Apps typically see up to 50% more engagement, especially if they already have an external audience.
• Trends and tools: Live-streaming with chat, audio rooms for gaming, and embedded features like schedulers or activity maps drive stickiness and insight.
• Focused, niche social: Users now prefer smaller, purpose-driven communities over noisy platforms.
• Stream’s future: Expanding video offerings, deeper moderation tools, and positioning as a one-stop platform for in-app communication.

Links and Resources:

• • Kenzie Wilson on LinkedIn
  • Stream's website
  • Strava app
  • Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry

Quotes from Kenzie Wilson

“If you already have kind of that cult following of your app, and then you give them a place where they can actually talk to each other, your engagement is going to go through the roof.”

“Every app is a community. You have users, you can have a community—and it’s actually pretty simple to do.”

Host

Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012