Social media is at all times evolving to fulfill the wants and pursuits of its customers. New social media platforms emerge to serve particular audiences or to supply one thing totally different. In 2016, just a little app referred to as TikTok reworked the social media panorama via its quick movies and informal, spontaneous aesthetic; it’s now the most-downloaded app in the world.
In fact, not all new social media apps will blow up like TikTok. However they do reveal how social trends and consumer expectations are evolving over time. When you’re not already maintaining a tally of the platforms beneath, it’s value checking them out to see how social media is altering in 2023.
Download our Social Trends report to get data from over 10,000 marketers that you can use to plan a viral-worthy social strategy in 2023.
New social media platforms to watch in 2023
BeReal
If you’re tired of the “Instagram Reality” of filters, photoshop, and faked photo ops that dominate social media, then BeReal may very well be for you.
However what is BeReal precisely? Created in France in 2019, the mission of this app is to create “a brand new and distinctive option to uncover who your mates actually are”. Right here’s the premise:
On daily basis at a random time BeReal sends you a notification that it’s time to be actual. You then have 2 minutes to snap a photograph of no matter it’s you occur to be doing. (It’s truly two images directly, utilizing your cellphone’s back and front cameras.)
No filters. No enhancing. And you may solely do a re-shot inside that 2-minute window.
Instagram has taken word, launching its personal two-camera filter to copy the BeReal look inside its personal app.
In 2022, BeReal’s utilization was up 312%, and downloads had been up 1,000% from the earlier 12 months. (It’s been downloaded simply shy of 30 million times since its launch.) In different phrases: this app is sizzling, sizzling, sizzling.
Clubhouse
Clubhouse is an audio app, that includes chat rooms the place customers can drop in to take heed to stay conversations.
Clubhouse made an enormous splash when it was launched in March 2020 for iOS. An Android model adopted in Might 2021. In between these two dates, the app exploded in recognition, buying two million active weekly users by December 2021.
That is particularly spectacular contemplating the app was technically nonetheless in beta-mode, and restricted to invitation-only. (Or perhaps that exclusivity was why curiosity was so excessive? Within the early months that invite codes were reportedly selling for $400.) In July 2021, when Clubhouse opened up to everyone, there was a ten million individual waitlist.
However, alas, it seems like Clubhouse’s shine has pale, peaking in recognition in February 2021, when massive names like Oprah Winfrey had been internet hosting chats, and declined from there. Since then, energetic customers have declined greater than 60%.
Clubhouse is staying sharp by offering new features and partnering with TED, and nonetheless hosts greater than 3.5 million active users, primarily within the STEM area. You even have to provide credit score the place credit score is due: Clubhouse did encourage greater gamers to their very own audio-only apps (LinkedIn, Spotify, and Twitter, for a time), so whether or not it carries on previous 2023 or not, its legacy can be felt for years to come back.
Instagram Reels
Like Twitter Areas, Instagram Reels will not be a brand new social media platform a lot as a brand new function. However it’s nonetheless value listening to.
Reels launched in 2020 as Instagram’s reply to TikTok. Whereas short-form video was already part of Instagram posts and Tales, Reels added some new capabilities.
Instagram Reels are quick movies (as much as 90 seconds) that can be edited right in the app. In contrast to Tales, they don’t disappear after 24 hours. They stay in your feed beneath a devoted tab.
Reels provide extra subtle enhancing choices than Tales: you’ll be able to edit clips collectively, modify the structure, or add AR results. The outcomes are enjoyable and inventive, which is why Reels are so well-liked on the Explore page.
And curiosity in Reels is certainly rising over time:
Ought to your model be making Reels? We ran an experiment to see if Reels would boost our engagement, and general we noticed a small enchancment. However Reels could be a highly effective option to join with audiences, and Instagram has configured the app to showcase high quality Reels content material.
And should you’re already creating video content for Stories, it’s undoubtedly value exploring Reels to increase the attain and lifespan of your content material!
Spotify Stay
In June 2021, Spotify launched their new app for stay audio conversations (sound acquainted?) referred to as Spotify Greenroom–in April 2022, the branding was changed to Spotify Live.
The twist is that Spotify focuses on musical artists and athletes, leveraging its current consumer base of podcast and music followers.
Whereas a Spotify account isn’t required for Greenroom, you’ll be able to log in to the app together with your Spotify credentials. You may tune in to Spotify Stay chats through your favourite artist or creator’s web page (search for the “Live on Spotify” function), and if you wish to be a part of within the dialog, you should use the devoted Spotify Stay app to chime in on a dialogue or begin your individual Stay room.
A month after launch, they’d 141,000 downloads on iOS and 100,000 on Android, although Spotify has been cagey with newer numbers. Whereas this new social media app hasn’t taken off in an enormous approach (but?), Spotify has the benefit of constructing on a platform that’s already audio-focused.
Discord
Simply as TikTok was as soon as merely “the dance problem app,” Discord was launched in 2015 as a distinct segment app for the gaming neighborhood. Since then, it’s grown into a significant participant amongst chat-focused social media platforms. In March 2022, Discord secured $995 million USD in funding, and in July 2022, it welcomed 522 million visitors. With cash and recognition on its aspect, it’ll be fascinating to see the place the chat hub goes from right here.
Discord continues to be well-liked amongst players, who can stream video games on the app. However different communities use the video, audio, and textual content options to talk about all types of subjects, from dating shows to sports activities. The NFT and crypto neighborhood are likely to congregate on Discord servers, too.
Whereas Discord doesn’t promote advertisements, manufacturers can nonetheless have a presence on the app by creating their very own channels or servers (collections of associated channels on a subject). The emphasis on real connection and dialog affords an opportunity to construct deep relationships and achieve useful buyer insights.
Twitch
Based in 2011, Twitch is likely one of the oldest platforms on this listing. And though it has 26.5 million active users daily, until you’re within the recreation area, you’re in all probability not aware of it.
Right here’s the deal: Twitch is a video streaming platform the place creators stream stay content material to their audiences. As of October 2022, there have been 7.1 million active streamers.
Whereas video games nonetheless dominate the platform, streamers create all types of content material: cooking exhibits, make-up tutorials, and musical performances. In a single quarter, Twitch customers watched 6.1 billion hours of streaming content.
As Twitch continues to increase its attain past the gaming neighborhood, manufacturers have extra alternatives to achieve audiences via the app. Corporations can create their very own branded channels, accomplice with Twitch influencers, or purchase advertisements on the platform.
Wish to study extra about Twitch? We’ve created a guide to Twitch marketing for you.
Patreon
Based in 2013, Patreon permits content material creators to earn cash from subscriptions. In alternate for his or her monetary help, subscribers obtain entry to unique, common content material and might work together with content material creators. Since its inception, Patreon has grown to more than 250,000 creators and over eight million paid subscribers.
For creators who’ve developed a following on different platforms like YouTube or Instagram, Patreon can present extra possession and management over income. Patreon affords two fashions: a month-to-month subscription or a plan that permits you to pay per submit.
Substack
The only option to describe Substack is as an electronic mail e-newsletter platform. Based in 2017, Substack is a publishing platform that leverages the facility of particular person creators over media shops. Every creator has their very own publication, which permits them to attach instantly with audiences with out the oversight of a writer.
There’s additionally Substack for Podcasts, a comparatively new software that permits audio creators to publish and develop their podcasts. In early 2022, Substack additionally began beta-testing a video participant for creators, that means the potential for content material creation is barely rising.
Creators can provide paid tiers (beginning at $5 USD/month) in addition to free content material. Like different social media platforms, Substack depends on influencers to construct its viewers and has supplied six-figure advances to entice well-known writers to publish on the platform.
Comparatively talking, Substack continues to be fairly small: as of November 2022, it had greater than 1.5 million subscribers. Nonetheless, that’s a dramatic enhance over the 250,000 subscribers it had in September 2020. And curiosity in Substack is continuous to develop:
Substack represents a departure from many different social media platforms, which reward novelty and fast gratification. Creators on Substack usually produce long-form, in-depth written content material, which requires deep engagement with topics and subjects. Substack prides itself on deviating from the “consideration financial system.” Every Substack features as a neighborhood for its viewers, who can submit feedback and work together with posts.
Substack additionally represents a shift away from conventional publishing, as customers flip away from bigger shops in favor of curating a customized collection of writers and creators. Its rising recognition means that, regardless of rumors of declining attention spans, customers are very keen to have interaction with in-depth, high quality content material.
Telegram
Messaging app Telegram was based in 2013 as a privacy-focused various to greater platforms like Fb and Instagram. Customers can alternate information, images, movies, and extra via chats via group chats that may embody as much as 200,000 folks. There are additionally public Telegram channels, which may appeal to tens of millions of followers.
Telegram has grown quickly in recent times: it now boasts 550 million monthly active users, and in December 2022, reached 1 million premium subscribers. Just lately, it has attracted much more consideration for its role in the Russia-Ukraine War.
Telegram added advertising to the platform in October 2021. Advertisements are restricted to public channels, and Telegram has promised to not give advertisers entry to private knowledge or monitor whether or not customers click on on advertisements. As an alternative of focusing on particular consumer demographics or pursuits, advertisers can select the subjects, channels, and languages for his or her advertisements. Manufacturers may also attain audiences organically by beginning public channels or creating chatbots to help prospects.
Polywork
Does LinkedIn lastly have a challenger? Polywork, launched in April 2021, is a brand new social media platform targeted on skilled networking, the place customers can create profiles, curate a private feed, and attain out to different customers to collaborate and work collectively. It raised one other $28 million in September 2022, so it doesn’t seem like it’s going anyplace.
In contrast to LinkedIn, the place customers have a single headline describing their present position or specialty, Polywork designed for the hustle-culture era, permitting customers to spotlight a number of roles, aspect gigs, ardour tasks, and specialties.
Along with profiles, Polywork goals to attach people for collaboration with beta options like a digital area for group work referred to as Golf equipment.
It’s thrilling to see somebody lastly shaking up the skilled networking area with a extra Gen Z-friendly platform. It’ll take so much to unseat LinkedIn, which has 875 million members. However Polywork is value maintaining a tally of, because it represents an thrilling evolution in skilled social networking.
Yubo
Launched in 2015, Yubo is a live-streaming app with a give attention to friendships and connection, with 40 million users (up from 25 million in December 2021). Although it was based in France (bonjour!), 60% of its customers are primarily based in Canada and the US. And throughout the early months of COVID, when everybody was caught at residence, Yubo tripled its daily user base.
Yubo customers can create video chats, the place the streamers can work together with viewers. Customers can add one another as pals, which permits them to start out particular person chats.
Amongst new social media apps, Yubo is especially teen-friendly, with a devoted neighborhood for customers 13- to 17-years-old. And Yubo has invested important assets in making the platform a protected area for customers.
Advanced age-verification technology is meant to mitigate abuse, and there’s a Security Hub that customers can entry 24/7 to report issues or ask questions. There’s additionally human and algorithmic monitoring of content material to swiftly tackle any breaches of the neighborhood pointers. And customers who share private info in a chat, equivalent to their cellphone quantity, will obtain a pop-up security alert to teach them about danger.
This focus is refreshing, given what number of platforms have turn into unsafe areas the place users (particularly women and people of color) face harassment and threats. Whereas Yubo doesn’t provide promoting or alternatives for model partnerships, it’s an instance of how consumer expectations round security and privateness are altering.
Mastodon
Downloads of Mastadon jumped 6,000% within the wake of Elon Musk’s buy of Twitter Whether or not customers keep there stays to be seen, but it surely’s undoubtedly a Twitter various that must be on entrepreneurs’ radar. As of November 2022, Mastodon had a million month-to-month customers. (For comparability, Twitter is predicting it’ll attain 335 million global users in 2023.)
Mastodon is a free, open-source platform and social networking app, launched in March 2016, the place customers can share textual content, picture, and video updates with followers. In contrast to Twitter, nonetheless, Mastodon is a decentralized social community: customers can begin their very own in-app networks with rules of their selecting. Folks can then be a part of servers which are related to their curiosity
Like Twitter, Mastodon customers can observe one another and interact in dialog with replies and likes. However in contrast to Twitter, Mastodon’s newsfeed is only chronological (no algorithm to appease right here) and at the moment has no promoting choices. This might present a problem to entrepreneurs in search of paid-placement alternatives, however should you’re trying to attain a distinct segment viewers with some natural engagement techniques, the correct server may very well be ready there for you. Plus, Mastodon may be an excellent place to do some social listening.
Be taught extra concerning the up-and-coming Twitter alternative, Mastadon, here.
Locket
Launched in early 2022, the Locket widget is designed to show images out of your BFFs proper in your cellphone’s residence display (whether or not you’ve obtained an iPhone or an Android). Your friends add photos utilizing the Locket app, and so they’ll seem in your finish all through the day.
Developer Matt Moss created the widget to share images together with his girlfriend, however the idea intrigued so lots of his pals that he made the software right into a public app.
@locketcamera
Inside a number of weeks of its launch, Locket skyrocketed to the highest of the U.S. App Retailer charts, with greater than two million users signing up in simply two weeks. Although it was developed as a little bit of a micro-social community supposed for partaking together with your 5 or 10 closest pals, it just lately raised $12.5 million in funding… so clearly, somebody on the market within the enterprise world thinks there’s potential right here for branding.
For entrepreneurs, the large lesson right here is that there’s a rising curiosity in additional private digital experiences, and constructing high quality connections, not simply racking up large likes.
Tribel
Tribel payments itself as a “bigotry-free social community the place kindness and intelligence flourish” and is owned by the activists Rafael and Omar Rivero, who run the information web site Occupy Democrats.
Tribel claimed to have 400,000 customers as of October 2022. The structure and performance look fairly much like Twitter, however as you may think, Tribel’s small however energetic viewers leans left. You’ll discover a whole lot of political memes right here. Customise your profile and feed, or be a part of a public or personal group.
There doesn’t at the moment seem like a option to promote on Tribel, but when a vocal, left-leaning viewers is your jam, becoming a member of this community to start out some dialogue may very well be worthwhile.
Learn more about identifying your target audience here.
Hive Social
Hive Social was first developed by a mysterious founder named “Raluca” again in 2019; In November 2022, the community hit 1.5 million customers.
The mobile-only social media app is much like Twitter. Comply with different customers, like, and repost content material. One key approach that Hive Social is distinct from Twitter, although, is that its feed is chronological; Raluca, so says the About Us lore, was impressed to create Hive as a result of she was bored with her posts not being seen by pals.
One other differentiator: there are not any character limits for posts on Hive Social. There’s additionally no option to confirm customers at this level or to spice up posts.
However what there is is a variety of the way to customise your profile, too — join your account to your Spotify to play a tune when folks go to your profile, and add your astrological signal and pronouns should you’d like.
Fuel
Gas is at the moment solely accessible in 12 states however is dominating excessive faculties wherever it goes. Between August 2022 and November 2022, it was downloaded 5.1 million times. The social media app permits customers to submit ballot questions on their pals and gather nameless solutions. (Assume “Who ought to DJ each social gathering?”)
The questions all skew optimistic, which is sensible, provided that the identify “Fuel” refers back to the purpose of “gassing up” pals with compliments. Customers earn cash for taking part in polls, which they’ll then commerce in to disclose who answered questions on them. Juicy!
In case your best viewers is Gen Z (or youthful), it is a key one to regulate. And these sharing apps are likely to trickle as much as older demographics — take into consideration how youngsters had been the primary adopters of Snap and TikTok earlier than Millennials obtained within the combine.
Dig into our latest Digital Trends report for youth tendencies and up-and-coming social platforms to be sure you’re at all times within the loop.
CoHost
CoHost takes its design cues from Internet 1.0 — you get the retro feeling of being again on a Geocities web page — however the running a blog web site affords some intriguing fashionable options. There are not any character limits, and the choice to make pages with themes for various tasks or random whims; these pages will be collaborative if you wish to workforce up for one thing. The Verge describes CoHost as “the awkward offspring of Tumblr, Twitter, and a touch of Reddit.”
Customers can incorporate CSS into their posts, which makes for some interesting, clickable content with interactivity — an uncommon function for a social media web site.
CoHost continues to be in invite-only mode and is experimenting with monetization through subscription-only CoHost plus accounts.
Alternatives for social media entrepreneurs listed below are at the moment unclear, however hold your eyes on this area. A social community for creativity looks as if a refreshing change of tempo.
Counter Social
The ad-free, chronological information feed launched in November 2017 however finds itself as a part of the Twitter Alternates dialog in 2023.
CounterSocial claims to have greater than 63 million monthly users, although these folks aren’t essentially signing in from all around the globe — the app bans entry to frequent bot-and-troll hotspots like Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria, China, and Pakistan. (A transfer some critics have referred to as xenophobic.)
Funded purely by app customers and based by a hacker named The Jester, CounterSocial is constructed on the precept of no assaults, no advertisements, no harassment, and no disinformation. Followers reward the dearth of toxicity locally and might even apply a filter to see “lighter” content material in the event that they crave extra canine pics and fewer political discourse. Consideration for cybersecurity is in-built all through: uploaded pictures and movies are stripped of metadata.
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