Today, there is no shortage of social platforms. Almost every niche attracting a global audience has a platform for its audience. From gaming and dating to finance and business, there is a niche-focused social platform for almost everything. As more and more people congest the social space, digital creators and brands are now turning their focus to more niche-focused platforms. 

In this article, we’ll explore some new social names creating a buzz in the market, the fastest-growing app in 2022, and how new social media platforms are impacting the social world. 

WHAT IS THE NEWEST SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?

Launched on March 4, 2022, Sunroom is the newest social media platform to hit the market. It is a women-centric social space. It launched in Sydney, Australia, with a $3.6 million seed round. Run by a former Bumble Australia Executive, Michelle Battersby, and Hinge Head of Design, Lucy Mort, the platform seeks to empower and support women entrepreneurs and content creators worldwide. 

Still in its early stages, Sunroom rivals apps like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It aims to create a space free from censorship and content theft. The platform provides creators multiple options to monetize their content, including monthly subscriptions.

Perhaps, the most extraordinary feature of Sunroom is their anti-screenshot add-on ‘Sunblock.’ Thanks to it, the app content creators can rest assured their content’s originality is preserved and keeps the feed fresh with only the original content. 

The online creator economy is on its way up and will generate over $100 billion annually in years to come. Targeting a global market with a niche-focused app, Sunroom is worth an install for womenpreneurs and women striving to become entrepreneurs. 

WHAT IS THE FASTEST-GROWING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM IN 2022?

TikTok

• Launched in 2016 
• Developed by Chinese Software Company Byte Dance in mainland China

On all fronts, TikTok has beaten all other social platforms in 2022 for the second year in succession. As per US Social Media Usage 2021 report, the short-video sharing app grew its user base to 87.1% in 2020. In 2021, it attracted another 18.3% and now has over a billion active users. 

Per The State of Social 2022, TikTok was the top choice for brands and creators to market their products. The app received 40% votes from 3,000 participants, beating mega apps like Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. 

Initially called ‘Douyin,’ TikTok was launched in 2016 as an alternative to Instagram and Facebook. The two social platforms are banned in China. Thanks to its fast growth, the platform hosted more Gen Z US users in 2021 than its rival Instagram and will have more US users than Snapchat by 2023.  

NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO CHECK OUT THIS YEAR

Polywork

Polywork, launched in April 2021, is a new social platform to help people build professional connections. Like LinkedIn, it lets users curate a feed, connect with global clients, and expand their reach. However, it is different.

Polywork, launched in April 2021, is a new social platform to help people build professional connections. Like LinkedIn, it lets users curate a feed, connect with global clients, and expand their reach. However, it is different. 

In contrast, Polywork lets users create multiple headlines and highlight their side gigs, roles, and specialties. It also features a ‘Space Station’ that connects service providers with recruiters and clients worldwide.

Tim Brown’s Page

Supernova

Supernova claims to be an ethical alternative to Instagram and Facebook. Launched in December 2021, it’s a social media app on a mission to change the world. 60% of the revenue generated through ads from the platform goes directly to charities. 

Supernova creators get to choose the charities they support, ensuring their shares reach help inspire the desired change. To keep the platform free from haters and menaces, it has employed human moderators to assess the content and ban the troublemakers. 

Spotify Greenroom/Spotify Live

In June 2021, the Swedish digital music app launched Spotify Greenroom, famous worldwide as Spotify Live. It is an exclusive app for podcasts and audio talks. However, unlike other competitors in the audio conversation space, Spotify Live solely targets music artists and athletes. 

Any Spotify user can log into the app with their credentials and listen to artists and athletes talk about all things music, sports, and entertainment. In just a month, the app hit 100,000 downloads on Android and 141,000 on iOS.  

Clubhouse

Another audio app on the list, it won’t be wrong to say that Spotify Live took inspiration from Clubhouse. Released on iOS in March 2020 and Android in May 2021, the app entails chatrooms where people can talk with friends and listen to live conversations. 

By December 2021, Clubhouse had over two million active users, still in beta mode. An invitation-only app, at first, it reached its peak in February 2021. In the early stages, the app invites were selling at $400 per code, and when it opened to the general public in July 2021, 10 million fans eagerly waited to join the fun.

Among the very first audio-only app, it somewhat sparked the revolutions for similar apps like Spotify Live and Twitter Spaces.

Twitter Spaces

Twitter stepped into the audio-only scene with Twitter Spaces in November 2020. At first, it only allowed users with 600+ followers to host live chats. However, soon the feature opened up for all users in October 2021. 

Besides enabling users to indulge in audio-only conversations, Twitter Spaces also permits hosts and creators to monetize their sessions through entry fees.

Public

Public is a social network for people interested in cryptocurrencies, investments, and all things finances. Launched in 2019, it is an investing app that lets users manage their portfolios, indulge in discussions, and chat with fellow finance enthusiasts. 

Unlike other audio-only apps, Public live chats are hosted exclusively by vetted experts to ensure only the most accurate information and insights reach the audience.

Substack

Founded in 2017, Substack is an email newsletter platform challenging the ‘attention economy’ with long-detailed content. Unlike other platforms where sensationalism rules, it aims to provide more value to its users with long-form content. 

Thanks to its content type, the post requires deep engagement and strives to inform rather than entertain. Users can curate their feed with the content they like from top creators and writers. Still relatively small, the app only had a million paid subscribers in November 2021 but is on its way up. 

Discord

Launched in 2015 as a niche-focused app, Discord didn’t take long to go from a gamers-only social platform to an all-inclusive app. By September 2021, the app had over 150 million active users and is still predominantly used by gamers to stream games and chat. 

Unlike other social platforms, Discord doesn’t sell ads. However, businesses and brands often use the platform to build relationships with new clients and expand their reach across a global audience. 

Locket

Locket is less an app and more a widget for Apple users to have personalized social experiences on the web. A social app that allows users to transform their Apple widget system into a personalized social platform populated by users’ closest family and friends.

The social app allows users to add up to five close friends and stay in the know with their photos, videos, and posts. Users can then reshare the shots in their circle or react. The app topped the US App Store and has +1 million global installs. 

Instagram Reels

At number 10 is Instagram Reels. Not a social platform but worth a mention. Launched in 2020, it added a new dimension to the world-famous social platform. Reels enable users to post and edit short clips, much like stories, yet they don’t vanish after a day. 

Reels get updated to a dedicated tab on your live feed and enable users to merge two clips, edit the layout, or even add AR effects.

THE IMPACT OF THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

The emergence of new, unique social platforms on the internet promises to improve the quality of digital experience for all users. With more options available than ever before, it is possible for users to now choose and switch to ones where they can find other like-minded users.

In addition, brands and creators must evolve with the changing trends and jump aboard new, more niche-focused platforms before their competitors do. 

WRAP UP

Gone are the days when the internet was only populated by a handful of social networks and forums. Nowadays, there are hundreds, if not thousands of social media sites peppered throughout the world wide web. While only some of these platforms will make it to 2022, here is a list to keep an eye on.

To learn more about the impact of emerging platforms on the social world, explore our article on The Rise of Kittch: A New Streaming Platform for Cooking Influencers.