22 Jan Emerging Social Channels to Consider in the New Year
It’s 2016, which means we’re now officially closer to 2020 than we are to 2010. The future is all around us, but we at Ignite Social Media are obviously most interested in how that future is going to shape our most cherished environment: Social! Few things move, shift, change, and keep us on our toes more than the perpetually evolving realm of social media. While that presents certain challenges as well as certain thrills, the one thing you’ve got to remember when working in social media is that you must adapt or die, so to speak. There are simply no other alternatives. So, in the spirit of welcoming in another New Year, with all of the change that will accompany it, we introduce 4 emerging social channels to consider in 2016!
Peach
With a name that is both conveniently succinct and literally delicious, Peach might just be the next major social channel to present Twitter and Facebook with any real competition. Designed with simplicity and ease-of-use in mind, this promising new platform offers users a network model built on symmetrical friending rather than monopolistic following, as well as the sharing of minimalist posts rather than expansive web apps. Founded by Dom Hofmann, co-founder of Vine, Peach also has a lineage to revere, or at least consider, as this new app might just blossom into a full-fledged figure in the social sphere. (As of right now, however, Peach only exists through an iOS app, which might strike some potential users as a crippling drawback).
Hyper
You may not be yet, but once you get a whiff of Hyper, you’re sure to get at least a little amped up! Although this new platform is still in its infancy, its general concept is rather compelling. Hyper shares an image-based content focus with its most direct competitor, Instagram, but also incorporates an upvote/downvote system, akin to that of Reddit. This helps users gain recognition based upon the preferences of other users, rather than strictly upon already existent notoriety within the platform. You may not yet be hyper about Hyper, but 2016 could be the year that you see a cataclysmic shift in the pecking order of image-based social channels. We’ll see!
Blab
Ever wish that you were Jim Carey in the Truman Show? Probably not. But how about, more recently, Kristin Wiig in Welcome to Me? Still, probably not. Nonetheless, if you’ve ever dreamed of being the subject, or the object, of your own show, Blab is the vehicle you require! The medium allows 2-4 people to lead a topic driven conversation – with an open seat reserved for guests to “call” in – while a sideline chat runs concurrently, allowing for live audience participation. The model is almost stunningly simply, which, in turn, makes Blab a supremely versatile platform, lending itself to aftershows, podcasts, instructional seminars, interviews, and almost any other kind of open discourse that you might want to broadcast! A mere baby among more established social channels, Blab has nestled into a formidably relevant niche, and, with time, might very well become a major player in the industry.
Raya
We’re counting Raya as a bonus app, giving it an honorable mention, if you will, as there’s pretty much only one thing that you stand to gain by getting involved with this social channel, and we’ll be polite and only allude to it. Hooking up has never been more exclusive than it is on Raya, which permits “accepted” users to mingle, but only after the two individuals have selected one another, much like Tinder. However, unlike Tinder, the two users, as well as every other “accepted” user actively browsing the platform, must be some kind of creative with sufficient clout to justify entry into this exclusive, Eyes Wide Shut-esque party. Needless to say, we won’t likely be utilizing Raya in our next quarter goals, but we thought you might enjoy learning about this celebrity Tinder, if only as food for thought.
Keep an eye out for these and other exciting, new social media channels, as the terrain is ever-shifting, yet always sure to inspire awe. Whether you’re looking to get your brand on Peach, Hyper, Blab or some other, even more fresh and innovative channel, or you’re simply working on increasing your YouTube following in order to be granted entry into the secret order of Raya, we’re sure of one thing: 2016 will be an excellent year for all things social!
