New age social media apps to consider for your brand in 2023
What is social media marketing?
These days, almost every business has a social media account. It's like the modern-day storefront, but with a virtual twist. Through these platforms, businesses forge relationships and foster brand loyalty in the digital realm.
Social media isn't just a place to showcase products; it's a dynamic space where stories are told, personalities shine, and interactions happen in real time. It's about engaging your audience with valuable content, quick responses, and spotlighting your brand's unique identity.
Why is marketing on social media platforms essential for your brand?
Social platforms have vast user communities that give you a pathway to connect with your intended audiences. Regular and meaningful interactions, coupled with the sharing of valuable content help to boost your brand's visibility and foster recognition.
6 new social media apps to use in 2023
Social media app trends and algorithms are constantly evolving based on new user preferences and rapid advancements in technology. These are some latest noteworthy social media platforms you’ll need to keep on your radar to stay ahead of the times.
TikTok
What: TikTok, founded in 2016, is used by users to craft and share short-form videos, often set to music or featuring voiceovers. Famed for its algorithm-powered content discovery, it has become a hub for entertainment, creative challenges, and expressive content. The platform also boasts the presence of over 5 million businesses, ranging from established companies to numerous small enterprises. You can also check out our take on the 5 useful tips to master your TikTok strategy.
Who: The platform has transformed into a behemoth with over 1.677 billion users worldwide and a staggering 1.1 billion active monthly users as of 2023. The platform’s demographics are relatively spread out and diverse.
10-19 age group: 25% of users
20-29 age group: 22.4% of users
30-39 age group: 21.7% of users
40-49 age group: 20.3% of users
Success stories:
TikTok is extremely useful for creator marketing due to the wide variety of TIkTok ad products and promotions. Hyundai, for instance, harnessed these ad tools to its advantage by using spokespeople of all kinds to tell the story of the IONIQ 6. With TikTok ad products, it witnessed a remarkable 3.2% increase in ad recall, an impressive 242 million impressions, and a notable 3.5% boost in brand awareness. This case underscores how TikTok's innovative features can be harnessed to effectively engage audiences and yield substantial results for brands.
2. Lemon8 by Bytedance
Source: Nurauni Atikah and steffi Lemon8 accounts
What: Lemon8 comes from the same company that brought us TikTok. This platform is centred around visual content, granting users the ability to share images and concise videos. The heart of Lemon8 lies in the exchange of insights, personal anecdotes, and tips among its user community. It is also a direct competitor of Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book app), which we will be explaining more towards the end of this article.
Who: Launched initially in Japan in 2020, its appeal swiftly spread across the globe. In a mere two years, by 2022, Lemon8 gathered an impressive following, attracting over 5 million active monthly users worldwide. It only entered the United Kingdom and United States in February 2023.
3. Threads App by Meta
Source: Wendy’s Threads account
What: Emerging as a direct contender to Twitter and under the ownership of Meta, Threads App has swiftly garnered attention. Unlike its counterpart Twitter, Threads App does not have character limitations, allowing users the freedom to post without constraints. Still in its formative stages, it is gradually expanding its repertoire of features, although some aspects, like hashtag searchability, remain absent.
Who: The app launched on 5 July 2023, and by 10 July 2023, the platform had already secured a staggering 100 million sign-ups. When it comes to user demographics, Threads App exhibits some interesting patterns. With males comprising 68% of the user base and females accounting for the remaining 32%, a clear gender distribution emerges.
The age spectrum further highlights the diversity: 28% of male users fall within the 25 to 33 years bracket, while 5% of females belong to the 18 to 25 years age group. Those above the age of 45 constitute a smaller percentage, with 3% of males and 2% of females falling in this category. With its unique user composition, Threads App has the potential to carve its own niche in the social media arena.
4. Telegram channel
What: Telegram is a powerful platform for communication. Both individuals and businesses can use the platform to broadcast messages, updates, and a variety of content to their subscriber base. These messages can range from disseminating news and making announcements to delivering engaging content.
Who: Telegram has 55.2 million daily active users and a staggering 700 million active users per month.
Success stories: Netflix’s main channel on Telegram has amassed over 430,000 subscribers. Operating on a daily basis, this channel offers a rich mix of content, keeping the public informed about the platform's latest news and developments. Beyond that, it nurtures an exclusive environment for users engaged with the Telegram channel, fostering a dedicated community that thrives on tailored updates and interactions.
5. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book app)
What: Xiaohongshu, also known as Little Red Book, is a vibrant platform where users share fashion, beauty, and lifestyle recommendations. Launched in June 2013, it's a hotspot for influencer marketing and user-generated content in these niches.
Who: The platform boasts over 200 million monthly active users in 2022, primarily from the 1990s generation with 70% of them being female.
Success stories: It’s not surprising that Xiaohongshu is a popular platform for beauty brands to advertise and launch campaigns. Dior's Spring 2021 campaign on Little Red Book set records, garnering an impressive 83.6 million viewers. Focused on the launch of 'Dior Prestige Huile De Rose' in China, Dior devised a tailored strategy, collaborating with travel-related KOLs to reach their target audience. The involvement of five influencers in Dior's Xiaohongshu marketing campaign generated over 3 million views, demonstrating the platform's effectiveness in driving visibility and engagement.
6. Bluesky App
Source: Bluesky’s interface
What: Bluesky, a side project of Twitter, has emerged as an app championing collaborative content creation, curation, and seamless sharing. Debuting in October 2021, it carved out its niche by catering to specific interests and communities, providing a platform where focused engagement thrives around specialised topics.
Who: The momentum has been impressive, with Bluesky celebrating over a million downloads on both iOS and Android by July 2023. Among its global user base, the United States claims the largest chunk, constituting 40% of Bluesky installs, followed by Brazil (9.5%), Japan (8.5%), Thailand (7.5%), and the United Kingdom. This app's distinct approach reflects its potential to foster vibrant conversations and connections centred around passions.
How to choose the right social media app for your brand
Consider your target audience
When stepping into social media marketing, understanding your audience is key. Tailor your content to resonate with their values, challenges, and interests to ensure messaging aligns with their worldview and builds brand interest.
2. Have clarity on your business goals
Define clear business goals behind your social media strategy. These objectives, whether centred on brand visibility, lead generation, or driving sales, should adhere to the SMART principle: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Next, pick platforms that complement your goals – opt for visual platforms like TikTok to showcase products and LinkedIn for B2B networking. Measuring success is crucial, be it through engagement metrics, click-through rates, or conversions. While platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn facilitate direct click-throughs, platforms like Instagram and TikTok lack this feature. Unless you run paid ads, you can only click on links in Instagram and TikTok if they are listed in the bio. Keep in mind that goals should harmonise with the unique features of each platform to leverage their full potential.
3. Crosspost and test on a few platforms
Commence by sharing consistent content across select social media channels. Pay close attention to engagement levels – they'll reveal which platform best resonates with your business. Remember, there's no need to use every available social media platform. What truly matters is pinpointing the optimal platform, crafting content tailored for the right audience, and ensuring your efforts are strategic and impactful.
Should you hop on every new social media platform?
The decision to embrace new social media platforms depends on your resources. For businesses with substantial marketing budgets, the luxury of producing dedicated content for various platforms may be feasible.
Conversely, if you're operating within a tighter budget, you’ll need to optimise your tools and marketing strategies. Rather than chasing every trend, the focus should be on selecting social media platforms that align with your brand objectives. In the dynamic landscape of social media, thoughtful consideration of your resources and goals ensures you navigate this realm effectively.
Managing diverse social media strategies can be overwhelming. At OtterHalf, we've been entrusted by travel and food-tech brands to expertly manage and expand their social media footprint, with particular emphasis on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
If you're looking for a seasoned partner to navigate the social media realm, OtterHalf can be the missing piece to your digital marketing puzzle, working seamlessly as an extension of your team to elevate your social media presence to new heights.