With academic deadlines, career responsibilities, and in-between errands, many find it challenging to pause, relax, and unwind. As such, many seek solace in easy-to-reach entertainment provided by the Internet and online platforms.
The combination of the Internet and online platforms has revolutionized the way people seek entertainment and have fun. From sharing moments to engaging in virtual communities, trendy online platforms have significantly influenced people’s leisure activities and changed the landscape of modern entertainment.
In the past few years, the digital landscape has witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of emerging online platforms, specifically influencer marketing platforms and those that are geared toward niche markets.
Accordingly, it is through this article that we will explore and discuss some of the most prominent emerging online platforms that have captivated users worldwide and the role of influencer marketing that made it possible for these emerging platforms to widen their user base.
#1 Twitch
Considered to be the face of streaming gaming content, Twitch is a popular live streaming platform that has since branched out its streaming capabilities to other creative content.
Launched in 2011, Twitch was created mainly for the purposes of providing gamers to broadcast their gameplay live and interact with their viewers in real-time. Accordingly, the concept gained traction and since its launch has become the go-to destination for live-streaming a game.
Consequently, the booming popularity of E-Sports and casino gaming has played a major role in propelling Twitch as a rising platform. Through Twitch, major E-Sports events such as League of Legends and International Dota championships are easily broadcast live not only within the country but worldwide.
Similarly, it is also through Twitch that livestreaming rounds of casino gaming from real money online casinos in Australia, the UK, and the US became popular. Most streamers often play in reputable and safe online casinos featured from legitimate gaming review sites so that they can provide their unbiased review as to the game, the online casino’s money bonuses, and payment options.
In 2020, online casino gaming streams accumulated over 224 million hours of views, firmly establishing their position as highly-watched gaming content alongside video gaming.
As a result, Twitch took a step forward by introducing an update that protects streamers from unreliable online casinos. They even took the initiative to establish a blacklist of banned online casino sites on their platform.
With its exceptional characteristics and proactive approach to creating a secure atmosphere for gamers, Twitch remains truly triumphant as one of the most prosperous emerging online platforms in the digital realm.
#2 Discord
A popular communication tool initially designed for gamers, Discord is a free-to-use voice and text communications platform.
This multimedia messaging platform created in 2015 is designed specifically for gamers and functions similarly to Slack. It offers gamers a safe space to coordinate their gameplay and forge strong bonds while playing.
With Discord’s ease of use, gamers only have to join a gaming community and then start talking to meet gaming mutuals. Accordingly, it expanded its user base and from there Discord grew to new heights as it began partnering with gaming titles such as Fortnite and Rocket League.
From there, Discord grew so quickly that it transformed from a mere place where gaming communities hang out into a place for gaming influencers to engage with their fans. Currently, Discord records more than 140 million monthly active users with over 19 million weekly active servers and shows no definite signs of slowing down.
With its ongoing enhancements and the addition of new features for server customization, Discord seems unstoppable in its quest to expand its user base.
#3 Patreon
Co-founded in May 2013, Patreon is a membership platform that empowers artists, musicians, writers, and other content creators to connect with their fans and monetize their work.
Patreon has evolved into a powerful tool for creators that provides them with a range of features designed to enhance their creative journey and sustain their passion. This platform also facilitates the expansion of a creator’s reach allowing them to connect directly with their fans around the world through its communication tools such as exclusive posts, comments, and direct messaging.
One of the key features that sets Patreon apart from its competitors is the flexibility it offers in different membership tiers. Through these customizable membership tiers, creators can structure their content in a tiered system allowing them to provide different amounts of exclusive content, perks, and rewards in different levels of support their fans give. Accordingly, the membership tiers allow creators to diversify their offerings and cater specifically to the unique preferences of their fans.
Of course, the platform is not a stranger to hiccups and bumps therefore, its creators and developers are striving hard to keep its current users and somehow attract new ones to it.
As such, Patreon introduced direct video uploads to the platform. Later on, they have also introduced a more direct e-Commerce option for its creators making it easier to offer exclusive digital files to their fans. Often, these updates are initially acknowledged but are sometimes abandoned or subsequently refined in order to ensure the continuous growth and success of Patreon.
#4 Threads
Crafted to rival of Twitter now known as X, Threads is the newest innovation introduced by Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
This social platform has a very similar structure and purpose as that of X and is gaining more momentum as it offers its users the ability to share text, images, and videos. For most new users of Threads, it offered them a breath of fresh air as some were getting tired and annoyed of the antics and attitude of X’s current owner.
The vision for Threads was to create an option for a more friendly public space for conversations and a creative space to express ideas of its users. Accordingly, it seamlessly integrates with Instagram allowing users to share their stories, photos, and reels enhancing the functionality and its reach while ensuring a cohesive social experience.
With its user-friendly interface and novelty, it undoubtedly has the potential to take over Twitter, now X’s, dominance in the social media landscape.
#5 Clubhouse
Once hailed to be the next big thing, Clubhouse was created in 2019 and popularized social audio rooms and is considered to be a call-in radio show in modern times.
When it was first released, Clubhouse generated a ton of publicity partly because of the exclusivity it offers since you actually have to be nominated to join. Accordingly, this social media platform was the reason why Twitter now known as X had its ‘Spaces’ and Facebook had its ‘Live Audio Rooms’.
However, Clubhouse has seen a massive drop in popularity but has officially reinvented itself as an audio messaging app offering a wide range of rooms and topics ranging from professional networking, and industry-specific discussions, to casual conversations.
Consequently, this app has finally ended its ‘invite-only’ feature but in 2021, Clubhouse now allows anyone to download the app— no invite required. Despite its waning popularity, it still continues to attract new users as it now encourages people to do voice chats rather than broadcasting live to larger audiences.
Read Also: Best Influencer Marketing Agencies for Brands
#6 Lemon8
TikTok’s sister app, Lemon8, is a video and photo-sharing social media application that shares similarities with Instagram and Pinterest.
Dubbed to be a lifestyle-based platform, Lemon8 gives creators the opportunity to curate their content. Created in 2020, this app allows its users to create long blog-style posts that place heavy emphasis on content about food, fashion, health, and travel.
With its tagline, ‘fresh discoveries every day’, the app entices new users with the chance to find worthy recommendations related to their favorite lifestyle content topic. Although it has been available since 2020, Lemon8 has only recently gained massive traction in the US and UK.
Consequently, the reason why many young people are drawn to it is due to its extremely aesthetic-driven features. In Lemon8, its users get to use labels, stickers, and effects to make their photos in a slideshow format as visually stimulating as possible.
Similar to almost all apps these days, it also features a ‘For You’ and a ‘Following’ tabs allowing its users to get acquainted with creators that possess the same interests.
#7 Mastodon
Created in 2016, Mastodon is an innovative microblogging platform that describes itself as a ‘free, open-source decentralized social media platform.’ Unlike Twitter, now X, Mastodon operates on a decentralized network of independent servers owned by different individuals, providing a unique and independent alternative to traditional social media online platforms.
Thriving on the collaborative efforts of a global community, Mastodon offers a generous 500-character limit allowing its users to get into in-depth discussions among diverse communities. Additionally, it empowers users with greater control over their post visibility and content accessibility.
Interestingly, since Mastodon is independently operated, the platform is not reliant on advertising revenue. This allows users to fully experience the platform without the messiness of ads. Moreover, it does not follow an algorithm; rather, it has a chronological feed that shows posts in the order they are published.
As a result, these features drew in hundreds of thousands of new users in 2016 and seem to be steadily gaining popularity among current Twitter users, now X, who are considering leaving the platform.
The Role of Influencer Marketing in These Emerging Online Platforms
With all the enumerated emerging online platforms minus Mastodon, each of them has been instrumental for brands to reach their target audiences. Accordingly, this cannot be achieved without the combination of contemporary advertising strategy and authentic connections forged by influential personalities with their followers.
In addition to the impressive features that these emerging online platforms offer their users, it is influencer marketing that plays a crucial role in driving these online platforms toward relevance and widespread popularity, and to further success.
Amplifying Reach and Visibility
Influencer marketing provides social media platforms with an avenue to amplify their reach to a broader audience.
By partnering with influencers who have a substantial following and high engagement rates, online platforms can tap into a pool of users who may have been previously unaware or unsure of their existence. Influencers act as influential connectors, bridging the gap between the platform and their followers, indirectly introducing and recommending the platform to a vast new user base.
User-Generated Content and Engagement
Another factor why influencer marketing is effective in bringing in new audiences to emerging online platforms is its capability of fostering a sense of community and engagement.
Influencers encourage their followers to participate in challenges, contests, or discussions related to the platform, thus sparking interest and involvement from potential users. The creation of user-generated content further fuels the visibility of the platform, as it is shared and discussed among the influencer’s community and beyond.
As such, this organic promotion heightens curiosity and entices new users to join the platform and become part of the vibrant community.
Final Thought
The main takeaway in this article is that a number of social media online platforms are created and launched and it will require effort and the necessary contemporary advertising and marketing strategy to make them stick and widen their current user base.
It is acknowledged that user behavior changes quickly in the digital space and as such, each platform must be unique and has something more to offer than all the other existing platforms considering also that competition has become more and more ferocious.
Consequently, most online platforms often instinctively think that reaching out to celebrities to promote is the best thing to do. However, the staggering price of the fee for hiring a celebrity plus the growing importance of influencer advertising and marketing in the digital landscape will tell you the opposite.
With emerging platforms recognizing the immense potential of leveraging influencers, they can effectively promote and align with their platform values and target audience to drive engagement, reach, and conversions.
Overall, with the right approach and the proper understanding of the dynamics of the platform combined with the power of contemporary advertising and marketing strategies, these emerging platforms will definitely be able to acquire significant results leading and establishing a stronger online presence in the digital sphere.
FAQs
Q1. Is Social Media an Online Platform?
Yes, social media refers to online platforms and websites that allow users to create and share content, connect with others, and engage in social interactions. These platforms typically enable users to post text, images, videos, and other forms of content, as well as interact with others through likes, comments, and shares. Examples of social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and many others.
