5 New Social Media Platforms You Should Watch

It seems like just about every day now there are new social media platforms or features. Online social tools are being created and updated rapidly and keeping up with them all can be difficult. Being an early adopter of new social media platforms or apps can give you an advantage over your competition and expose new audiences to your brand.

More and more apps are starting to expand their services to retain users and stay relevant. You can get your news on Snapchat now, attend therapy through BetterHelp, and get career or financial advice through TikTok. These new social media updates, features or platforms can prove incredibly lucrative in the long run for early adopters.

New social media channels feature new algorithms that tend to favor users instead of advertisers in the beginning. This might connect you with interested audiences that you haven’t been able to reach before.

Today’s social media trends allow businesses to market themselves more authentically, and these types of posts perform better organically than what can be achieved through paid advertisements.

Here are a few apps and tools that we think business owners should watch (or at least be aware of) in 2021:

Clubhouse

This new social media channel brings together the features of Instagram live while being audio-only, like podcasts. Right now, there are plenty of social media trends for businesses, but the live nature of this app makes it easy to get your message to users while humanizing the brand.

The best part? There is no need to create visual assets to market here. The app is free, and the community has already established the market for a variety of niches. However, the app is also currently invite-only.

It’s also totally live, which can increase the engagement with your audience if you have the time to dedicate to the app.

Pros:

• -Live audio-only, which requires zero audio editing
• -Targets users during times they wouldn’t usually be able to engage with social media
• -Promotes collaboration

Cons:

• -Invite only
• -Live audio conversations that are not easily scripted
• -Can be chaotic with many speakers able to talk at once

Dispo

Created by prominent social media star David Dobrik, this app will undoubtedly feature a social media savvy audience of his fans. Currently, this app is invite-only, but the overall concept is that of a digital version of a disposable camera.

You take photos, but you can’t edit them, and you can’t even see them until after they “develop” at 9 AM the following day. You can then share the whole album or “roll” or just single photos with other users. The images stay stored in your library.

This app is less social because there are no captions and no in-app ability to edit however the nostalgic feel of Dispo and the popularity of its creator is sure to bring in a thriving community of users.

Pros:

• -Unique and nostalgic platform
• -No need to write captions
• -Appeals to a younger audience

Cons:

• -Still in beta versions
• -Invite only
• -No photo uploading or editing

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Caffeine

 In a world where live streaming has become the norm, Caffeine is making a splash. With investors like 21^st Century Fox and Disney, this platform is sure to be a heavy hitter in the streaming world. Its most notable competition is Twitch, but Caffeine is aiming at having vastly different entertainers and content.

This new social media platform targets younger audiences in a way that television no longer can. There will be a chat function, but it will mainly prioritize comments from your friends for a more interactive watching experience. The app is built with a focus on social discovery but will, of course, include a promotion aspect where companies can pay to have their content pushed out more prominently.

Pros:

• -High-quality streaming
• -Well financed and set up for success
• -In demand service

Cons:

• High-quality content only
• Paid advertising will be expensive
• No mobile broadcasting

Instagram Reels

In direct response to the popularity of TikTok, Instagram has rolled out new functionality called Reels. Right now, the Instagram algorithm is primarily rewarding accounts with high Reel engagement, which means you can leverage your current platform in a new way to reach new audiences organically.

Many social media trends are born from Reels and can be easily used for business promotion and organic growth. If there is already a following on Instagram, Reels might be the perfect way to launch more video-based content in a low-pressure setting. Videos are shot and edited right in the app.

Pros:

• -Rewarded by Instagram’s algorithm
• -Leverages an existing platform and audience
• -Trends allow for easy content ideas

Cons:

• -Less user friendly than TikTok
• -Very few analytics
• -Business accounts can’t add music to their reels

Twitter Spaces

Twitter Spaces is a feature that is available to users with more than 600 followers. It functions much like Clubhouse because it is a live audio feature. The similarities between the two include the ability to bring on guests or request to speak and the ability to hold your own “room” or “space” to talk about a specific topic.

If you don’t feel ready to start over on a new platform like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces allows you to leverage your existing following in a new way and grow on that platform. It’s possible you could then replicate that success on Clubhouse later.

Pros:

• -Leverage existing followers in a new way
• -Easily continue Space conversations in tweets after the live audio has ended
• -More overall users than Clubhouse

Cons:

-Less overall engagement than Clubhouse

-Only available for accounts with more than 600 followers

• -Listener numbers are limited

New Social Media Platforms Are Always Popping Up

While there is no need to hop on every emerging app, utilizing new social media platforms and social media updates is a great way to expand the reach of your current online marketing tactics.

2020 saw incredible growth in social media spaces, and advancements and trends suggest that this growth will continue throughout 2021 and beyond.

Are you interested in including any of these platforms or features as a part of your social media marketing strategy? I can help create a marketing plan that is right for your business, niche, and goals. Schedule a complimentary consultation with me and let’s talk about your social media marketing.