3 New social media platforms to watch in 2023

With so many new social media apps on the rise, it’s hard to know which ones are actually worth paying attention to for your brand. Not only that, but navigating different features and functionalities can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to figure out the best ways to advertise on social media. Khoros’ team of experts is here to keep you informed about what’s new and upcoming.

In this blog, we highlight three on-the-rise social media apps that caught the attention of our Khoros Strategic Services Team: Lemon8, Hive Social, and Mastodon. Learn more about each to determine whether these emerging platforms could be a good fit for your strategy.

Launched in Japan in 2020, this app is known as the child of Pinterest and Instagram. It made its debut in the US and UK in February of 2023, and is already gaining traction in popularity with at least 17 million downloads globally according to Apptopia. The app lets people share images and videos and was inspired by influencers. Today, its user base largely consists of young people in the Gen Z age range.

Source: Teachable

Lemon8 is for people who enjoy creating carefully curated content, with integrations like simple graphic design tools that allow users to edit their content. Contrary to TikTok, this app focuses heavily on photo content rather than video.

With Lemon8, users can create a cultivated feed of aesthetically pleasing, carefully edited photos related to their unique interests. Some users even treat their posts like a microblog — writing extended captions to accompany photos.

Pro: Many users love the app because of its positive and accepting community, and find that it is a good place to find like-minded people outside of their circles.

Con: Some negative feedback about the app claims that it heavily promotes self-improvement, which can be interpreted as putting too much pressure on users to reach goals that might feel unrealistic for them, and feels less authentic.

Hive Social reflects a combination of functionalities found in Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. This platform shows feeds in chronological order and allows users the opportunity to personalize their profiles with music, zodiac signs, and custom colors. The app claims to "bring back what you used to love about social media in a new way."

Source: Hive Social

For those who prefer a more traditional user experience with social media instead of the algorithm-heavy approach most larger apps take, this platform is perfect for them. Users can create polls, share or like photos and videos, and choose what types of content they're interested in seeing. Users also love that Hive Social has done away with verified user checkmarks and the ability to add paid spend to boost to posts, making it feel more raw and authentic.

Pro: This app offers people many of the features of social media they originally loved but that were sorted out by larger social media platforms over time. In many ways, it’s a throwback to the old social media days brought back to life.

Con: As of November 2022, the app had 1.5 million users, which is great, but as Hive Social has a small team, it has been hard for them to keep up with the rapid growth to accommodate its newfound user base.

Launched in 2016 by Eugen Rochko, Mastodon distinguishes itself from centralized platforms by operating on a federated model. Instead of relying on a single central server, Mastodon consists of numerous interconnected servers called "instances," each with its own rules and moderation policies. This decentralized structure ensures that no single entity controls the network, fostering a sense of community and user freedom.

Source: ZD Net

Mastodon is for people who prefer a decentralized, privacy-focused, and community-driven online experience. By empowering users, prioritizing privacy, and promoting community moderation, Mastodon challenges the dominance of centralized platforms and offers a refreshing alternative.

Pro: Mastodon is a good option for people seeking a vibrant community, more control over their data, or simply a departure from the mainstream.

Con: There have been some security concerns in regard to a lack of content moderation on the platform.

Each of these apps has unique features that cater to specific user preferences. For marketers trying to decide if a new app is worth diving into as a business, then evaluating where your audience is, is essential.

To understand what content your audience is consuming and where they're consuming it, tap into the power of social listening and social media management. The Khoros platform allows teams to gather audience insights from all the platforms your audience is using, whether they’re well-established or rising networks.

By unifying the platforms your company has a presence on into a single dashboard, you can identify insights and trends about your audience to help you strategize better and achieve your social media goals.

For more social media insights from our Strategic Services team, check out "Mapping the Wilderness: social media insights for surviving today's Market."