A website builder called Straw Page (straw.page) has been attracting new users and viral attention on Twitter / X, TikTok and other social media sites this year.

The red and pink posts that come from the site, which are being shared online, are forming a curiosity gap between those who know and those who don't know what the Straw Page platform is and how to use it.

Straw Page's features, mission statement and overall purpose are what we want to explain here. So, where did Straw Page come from? Who created it and why has it become so popular? Let's take a look.

What Is 'Straw Page?'

Straw Page, which operates on the URL straw.page, is a custom website builder, catered towards mobile users. It's designed to create personal or professional websites and blogs.

Each Straw Page site ends in the "straw.page" suffix, which is similar to website builders of yore like GeoCities. Straw Page is also similar to Tumblr in many ways, but it lacks social media aspects like a search bar and hashtags.

Making a Straw Page website is free, but a paid subscription is also offered, which costs $49 a year. On a free plan, a user can create two sites with five pages each. With a paid plan, they can create up to 25 sites with unlimited pages.

a website builder but for goofy ahh sites!https://t.co/lTiJOJqQyt pic.twitter.com/HpashPSwgW

— osman (@okozzie_) January 18, 2023

Who Created 'Straw Page' And When Did It Launch?

A London-based developer named Osman Ahmed is the creator of Straw Page. Ahmed goes by "osman" or @okozzie_ on Twitter.

Ahmed has previously launched similar blog spots like Notepin.co, which launched in 2018.

The Straw Page was first created in July 2020, per the ICANN Lookup. However, the home page wasn't added to the Internet Archive until January 2021. By that time, over 10,000 Straw Page websites were active, according to the Wayback Machine screenshot.

At the time, it was advertised as an Instagram alternative.

What Are Some 'Straw Page' Features?

Straw Page allows users to create custom websites and blogs with special fonts, headers, layouts and media. Straw Page is especially easy to use on a mobile device, making it stand out from other website builders like Cargo and Neocities.

What Is The 'Send Anonymously' Feature On 'Straw Page?'

Perhaps the most well-known Straw Page feature is the "Send Anonymously" widget, which is a question-and-answer box that a site creator can add to their layout.

Visitors to their site can answer the question with text and in-site drawings. Popular prompts are, "Ask me something," or "Draw me something." The messages are displayed in red and pink tones.

How To Create A 'Straw Page' Website

It is "extremely simple" (as advertised) to create a Straw Page website. First, visit straw.page. Then, click "Get Started for Free."

That will take you to the Straw Page "Editor" where you can add elements, a theme and a menu, which can link to other internal pages on your site.

As already stated, Straw Page is catered to mobile users, so feel free to use your phone or tablet browser.

Why Is 'Straw Page' Viral?

Since the start of this year, many Straw Page users have shared screenshots of messages they've received from their "Send Anonymously" prompts. It's part of the reason why Straw Page has seen an uptick in monthly users. SimilarWeb estimates that it peaked at over 10.7 million visits in April.

The red-ish, pink-ish screenshots are quickly becoming iconic on sites like Twitter, especially in fan art communities. The "Send Anonymously" feature is perfect for commission-based artists to both receive commissions and send anonymous, spontaneous artwork to their favorite mutuals.

This has resulted in viral moments online, like one from January, when a "Picasso" level drawing of Dr. Wilson from House M.D. saying, "Hawk Tuah bro ❤️," went triple-platinum on X.

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For the full history of Straw Page, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.