5 Social Media Platforms to Check Out in 2021
Social media platforms are a dime a dozen. And this makes it hard to know which new social network is worth your time.
If you've been using Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for a while, you may want to spread your wings and try other platforms. Does that sound like you? If so, you've come to the right place.
In this article, we'll take a look at some of the hottest social media platforms that you may not have heard of yet but should keep an eye on in 2021.
1. Clubhouse
Clubhouse is a new social media network that rapidly gained popularity in late 2020 and early 2021. What makes it different from other social media networks is its unique offering as the first audio-only social media platform.
Clubhouse is in 2021 what TikTok was in 2020---the most-talked-about new social media platform. The app’s unique features and its massive growth rate has also attracted the attention of bigger tech companies who are now working to build potential rivals for the audio social media platform.
How Does Clubhouse Work?
Clubhouse enables you to create and join audio chatrooms to discuss topics of your interest. Speakers are in charge of conversations and listeners can occasionally chime in, like in a live podcast.
When you open the app, you’ll see active chatrooms to join. You’ll also find an option to create your chatroom that you can invite other users to join.
Clubhouse is leaning towards the Snapchat approach of not storing any content. No playback is saved on Clubhouse; you can only listen to live conversations.
Currently, Clubhouse is only available to iOS users on an invite-only basis. The app’s co-founder, however, revealed in March 2021 that the Android version will be available in a "couple of months".
Download: Clubhouse for iOS (Free)
2. Parler
Parler (pronounced the same as parlor) is a social network that gained popularity as a free speech-driven platform. The app gained popularity when right-wing activists either banned or suspended from other social networks went onto the platform.
The platform was blacklisted by major tech companies following the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021, and banned from both the Apple and Google Apps stores. Amazon also kicked the app off its web hosting service.
But all that was in 2020. Parler is staging a comeback and given its already-sizable userbase, it qualifies as one of the new social media platforms you should keep an eye on.
How Does Parler Work?
Using the Parler app can seem a bit confusing. You can think of it as a hybrid of Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. You choose the people and topics you wish to follow from the Discover tab, and your News Feed is curated based on that.
You can also post “Parleys” which can be photos, GIFs, or links to webpages and text, upvote posts, and “echo” posts you wish to re-share on your feed.
The Parler app is yet to be restored to the Apple and Google app store, but Android users can sideload the app from its official website.
Download: Parler for Android (Free)
3. Houseparty
Houseparty is a not-so-new social media network that has been getting some buzz at the beginning of 2021. The social media platform allows up to eight participants to interact in a live video session.
Although it was launched in 2016, the Houseparty app became very popular during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been growing since then.
How Does Houseparty Work?
Houseparty is similar to Instagram Live. You can invite friends to join you in a live chat. The difference is that, unlike Instagram, you can invite up to seven friends to join in on a live conversation.
Thanks to its owners, Epic Games, the app also has some free in-app games you can play.
Download: Houseparty for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases)
4. Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a social media network that allows neighbors to interact and share information. The platform's strength is its hyperlocal nature.
Like Facebook, the platform has a News Feed. But unlike Facebook, where you can see posts from almost anybody, you can only see updates from your neighbors.
You can also use the app to find nearby restaurants, buy used furniture, report a lost pet, share a safety concern, and lots more.
The app’s success is credited as the inspiration behind Facebook’s new Neighborhood feature, which is in its testing phase.
How Does Nextdoor Work?
The Nextdoor app has an interactive map that enables you to find your neighbors on the platform and a News Feed where you can see their posts. You can publish an event, ask for recommendations, and sell to your neighbors.
You can also use the Urgent alerts feature to alert your neighbors of imminent threats.
Download: Nextdoor for iOS | Android (Free)
5. Vero
If you're looking for a social media network that's like the original Instagram, Vero is what you need. Vero is an ad-free, photo-sharing platform that is increasingly becoming the photo-sharing platform of choice for many privacy-conscious people.
The platform, which has most of the features of the popular social media platforms, stands out because it doesn’t use an algorithm to rank its posts. Instead, all content is shown in chronological order.
Because it doesn’t earn money from ads and the sale of data, the platform hopes to thrive on a subscription model. However, the platform is offering a free lifetime subscription for its first million users.
How Does Vero Work?
Vero works much like Instagram, but without the ads. You can upload and edit pictures, choose who can see your posts, and classify your connections (the platform’s equivalent to friends) into acquaintances, friends, or close friends.
Download: Vero for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases)
Do We Really Need Another Social Network?
If you search on Google, you’ll find that there are over 100 active social media platforms. This begs the question: do we really need all these social media platforms?
While it’s easy to conclude that we already have more than enough, the recent successes of new social media platforms like TikTok and Clubhouse calls that conclusion to question.
In the end, it seems like there’ll always be room for an extra social network. It just has to be unique and innovative enough.
source https://www.makeuseof.com/social-media-platforms-2021/
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