You may post Facebook updates daily, tweet about the latest TV shows every evening and post DIY tips on Pinterest every month and think yourself the social media master. But there are a lot of new and upcoming social media sites that may prove to be essential platforms for both casual bloggers and serious businesses alike, whether you’re hoping to connect with friends or reach out to a niche audience of consumers. If you’re tired of Instagram and LinkedIn, here are some of the newest games in town, and which types of people they’re most likely to attract.
Medium
Bloggers are taking over the world one article at a time, and Medium, founded by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, is here to push forward the best quality pieces that result. Medium takes long-form blogging posts and uses an algorithm to determine which ones are the most fascinating to others. These posts then get shared across all other platforms, from Twitter to Facebook, for the greatest exposure. Medium is open to the public, so businesses hoping to drum up interest should consider writing (or hiring a writer) to craft some high-quality bog content related to their field.
Nextdoor
People are moving away from purely digital interaction with strangers and moving towards real-life meet-ups and local networking. For small businesses like restaurants, Nextdoor is the perfect way to reach out locally and encourage patronage. Nextdoor allows subscribers within predefined communities to share recommendations and local news, request services and sell items. Privacy is paramount, and the website places a premium on protecting sensitive information.
Sportlobster
TV is dominated by sports coverage, from public broadcast stations showing Monday night football to ESPN offering 24-hour play-by-plays on everything from basketball to table tennis. But online it’s a different world, and sports don’t yet have their own designated social media forum. That’s all going to change with Sportlobster, which allows users to interact with fans, follow live-streaming events and predict outcomes. It’s easy to use and after a quick signup you can jump into the action. While it’s easy why sports enthusiasts will enjoy this service, sports-related brands can also utilize this technology to find customers.
Impossible
A freelancer’s dream come true, Impossible is a platform for people with needs and people with skills to meet in the middle. It’s basically like a responsive Wikipedia or Quora. Users can request help for just about anything, a homework question or assistance with craft jewelry making, and someone with skills in those areas can respond. For the most part it’s all about kindly offering your knowledge to someone in need, but there may be opportunities for commercial endeavors down the line. After all, if you’re showing up at someone’s house to debug his downloaded software, one hopes you’d be compensated for it.
We Heart It
If the routine bullying on social media has lowered your opinion of humanity, We Heart It is hear to change how you see social media and how people treat each other online. Visually appealing, heartwarming and definitely warm and fuzzy, We Heart It promotes itself as a place where people can inspire and get inspired, to express their feelings and encourage others’ expressions. It’s a wonderful safe place for exploration, and businesses can use the site not only to inspire their work, but also to see what makes people happy in their everyday lives. It’s a wealth of information at the tips of your fingers, all helpfully presented in beautiful images and moving quotes.
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While there are dozens of social media sites currently attracting millions of users, there’s always room for the next best something. The future of social media seems to be turning away from majority interest towards niche programs for smaller communities, but all them rely on fantastic design. Businesses and personal bloggers can take advantage by finding the sites that suit their plans and joining in.
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I'm a recent graduate of the University of San Francisco with a degree in Biology and a passion for the creative arts. I love building websites, trying new things, and I have a passion for social media.
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