The Evolution of Social Media - Next Trends

It is no secret that social media giants like Facebook are losing appeal with younger and not-so-younger generations. Many users are tired of scrolling through feeds full of short videos and pictures of food. That's why niche social networks are growing in popularity. 

Many social apps are emerging to address these changes. Users are turning to social spaces where they can connect with people with similar interests. 

So, what's the future of social media? Here are the trends you should look for in 2023. 

5 Social Networking Trends

1. Interest-based networking 

There is more to social networks than Facebook and Twitter. In recent years, there has been a growth in social networks built around specific interests. These networks build communities, typically have a high rate of engagement and activity. 

Interests-bed networks vary. For instance, for food lovers, you have Yelp and FoodTribe. You can find reviews, recommendations and tips from other users. Travellers have apps like Couchsurfing, which allows people to find hosts in foreign cities, and Worldpackers, which connect travellers and hotels in a work for accommodation agreement. There are interest based networks for hobbies, for learning languages and more. 

2. Hi, neighbour

Neighbourhood social networks offer feeds for neighbours that want to chat with locals, share stories, recommendations and tips. These apps are not only useful to meet your neighbours or make new friends. You can find local businesses, which makes these applications a great tool for social search. 

3. Social Search

Over the past years, we've seen changes in the way users consume social media and new social media functionalities that help local businesses to connect with their communities. Networks like Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are jumping on the wagon and actively adding features to boost social search. 

Instagram's new immersive map allows you to discover local businesses. The new feature enables users to scroll around a map and exploring local businesses, and upload stories tagged on the location. Users can filter the locations by what they want to find, such as a restaurant, a hotel, a bar or a park. 

4. Private messaging apps 

Social messaging will become the main channel for external communication. This is especially true with business communications. For instance, most customer support these days is done through chats and messaging. Social messaging‌ is becoming the primary method for brands to communicate with their customers and vice versa. Now, customers are more likely to ask a question on the company website chat than to email the company.  

5. Talk to strangers' apps 

Making new friends will be easier with the help of apps. Popular social media platforms don't meet the expectations for the new generation to connect one-on-one. While technically social media offers you the possibility to keep contact with people on the other side of the world, it may make it harder to find and cultivate local friendships.

In recent years, apps for meeting people started to proliferate. There are several types.  Meetup, for example, enables users with similar interests to meet and connect in real life securely. Nearify is similar, letting you know about events near you. Other apps, like Skout, use preferences and proximity to meet people even if you are visiting a new city. There is even an app for planning dog playdates, where you can share photos of you and your dog and meet people with similar pups. 

Current Most Popular Social Media Outlets

The current social media landscape has long-time leaders, like Facebook, and strong newcomers, like TikTok, all competing for the attention of more than 5 billion social media users worldwide. Here are the leading social media apps in 2022 and some to watch in 2023: 

The top 5 most popular social media platforms in 2022 are Facebook, YouTube, Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and TikTok. Facebook leads with 2.91 billion users, followed closely by 2.56 billion YouTube users. 

Some platforms are worth checking out in 2023: 

1. TikTok is the fastest growing platform on the Internet. It features sub-communities and niche audiences. The videos connect people to subcultures, and help people find others with the same interests. 

2. Discord has developed to more than a chat for gamers. It has grow, gaining popularity thanks to its simple interface and seamless integration with Whatsapp groups or Slack teams. What I like from discord is that you can organize a community around a topic of interest. 

 3. Shuffles by Pinterest. Although it is only available now on iOS and by invitation only, it features an interesting proposal. This mobile-only app allows users to create collages together. Thi offers creators the opportunity to partner with brands currently on Pinterest and create collages based on specific topics. 

What's Next? 

Social media is evolving. Technological advances and shifting cultural dynamics are transforming the social media landscape. Facebook and Instagram will have a hard time keeping up with younger generations and maintaining their relevance if they do not attend to the new trends.