Actor Dulé Hill is known for his roles on "Psych" and "West Wing," but the TV star is now moonlighting as co-founder of a smartphone app.
"What we do as entertainers is we look for ways to engage and entertain our fan base," Hill said on "Squawk Alley." "Social media is becoming more part of our life; our daily lives. It seemed like the logical progression to engage in apps."
Hill recently released Nomino, a photo- and video-sharing social game. It challenges users to identify the subject of a photo or video (posted by users or brand partners) with only a riddle caption as a clue. Users win "coins" that are redeemable for prizes for correct answers and for stumping other players.
The game was built with brand marketing in mind, with launch partners that included Sol Republic, Monster Digital, and USA Network's "Psych."
In turn, "Psych" fans are able to quiz each other, and even Hill himself, on the show's more than eight-year run.
"What I like about Nomino is that it's not just a place for my fan base. It's a place where brands can organically engage with their users to drive further engagement with their customers," he said. "That's where the monetization comes in."
Hill—along with co-creators Rochelle Thwaites and Talitha Watkins—hopes to further monetize the company by bringing on more brand partners. They also plan to make the game "more sticky" by adding additional elements.
—By CNBC's Drew Sandholm. CNBC's David Montalvo contributed to this report.