The sheer number of social networks that exist in today’s socialsphere is quite overwhelming for the social media OG (yuck). But for the uninitiated, it can be a nightmare to figure out which to join. While naturally, the advice of joining what is proven (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram) is solid, do you really want to be the small fish in a big pond? If you are interested in breaking from the pack and adopting a new set of social networks that are rapidly gaining traction, this post is for you…
We Heart It
We Heart It is an image based social network, similar to Pinterest, where users collect, share and connect over images that inspire and encourage each other. A user can create his or her canvas where they share things they heart, or simply follow other users they find interesting. While there will definitely be comparisons to Pinterest, there is one huge difference between the two: demographics. Pinterest and We Heart It are both skewed towards women, but while Pinterest’s user base is 80% over the age of 24, We Heart It has an audience that is 80% under the age of 24.
Jelly
Jelly is a mobile-based social network started by Twitter cofounder Biz Stone with one mission: crowdsourcing questions and answers. Jelly, recognizing the power of images in a social network, requires its users to submit a picture with their question. From there, their following can give them an answer. The intent is for the image to relate to the question (ie. “What is this flower/building?”) but that’s not always the case. To boil it down, Jelly is a mix of Pinterest and Quora.
Medium
When 140 characters is not enough, but you also do not want to set up your own personal blog, Medium fits the bill. Medium is a new medium that allows you to share whatever is on your mind quickly without the worry of coding, formats and design. Medium is a minimalist’s dream, with a very simple layout and easy to read text. In addition, the website is built with audience building in mind, as your posts directly connect with others who write similar content. A perfect mix of social media and content for those with a love for words.
Now that you are empowered with knowledge of these three social networks that are gaining traction, you can set out to master them. There are certainly hundreds of other social networks that have emerged in the last year, but these three standouts have the greatest potential to become as big as the mainstream networks.
Are you on any of these new social media networks? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.