Are the apps you’ve used for years losing their appeal? Instagram and Facebook might still be big, but a new wave is changing how we connect online. People are moving to places that value authenticity over filters and discovery over algorithms.
BeReal offers raw, daily photos that reject perfection. Lemon8 mixes Pinterest’s visuals with TikTok’s energy. These aren’t just apps; they’re answers to digital fatigue and a desire for real connections.
Marketers have a big decision: stick with what’s familiar or follow where people are going. Being early can give you an edge, but timing is everything. Jump too soon, and you waste resources. Wait too long, and you miss the boat.
Key Takeaways
- User preferences are shifting toward unfiltered content and intentional sharing
- BeReal limits posting to once daily to combat social media burnout
- Lemon8 combines visual search with personalized recommendations
- 2025’s digital landscape rewards brands that experiment early
- Niche communities often drive tomorrow’s mainstream trends
This isn’t about giving up on what works. It’s about seeing the chance in new technology trends for those who adapt. The platforms changing social interaction today could be huge by next year. Will your brand be ready?
What Are Emerging Platforms?
Emerging platforms are changing the digital world by offering new ways to connect. They focus on authenticity, niche communities, and new formats. This lets brands reach people in new and exciting ways.
They often break away from the usual rules of social media. This means they put users first, not just algorithms.
Definition and Characteristics
An emerging platform is a digital space that brings new ways to engage. It quickly gains popularity. There are three main things that make them stand out:
- Niche-first design: Platforms like BeReal focus on specific needs, not just being popular
- Feature disruption: Lemon8 mixes Pinterest’s visuals with TikTok’s short videos, creating something new
- Community-driven growth: Over 60% of these platforms grow through invites or word of mouth
| Platform | Key Innovation | User Growth (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| BeReal | Dual-camera authenticity | 315% increase |
| Lemon8 | Algorithm-free discovery | 18M+ downloads |
| Discord | Role-based communities | 196M active users |
Importance in Digital Marketing
Using these platforms early can lead to big changes in digital marketing. Brands can:
- Connect with Gen Z and Alpha in their favorite places
- Try out new ideas before others do
- Make real connections with less polished content
For instance, companies using new marketing trends see 2.3x more engagement than old ways. Marketers need to mix trying new things with knowing what works. This ensures they meet their business goals.
BeReal: The Anti-Instagram Movement
BeReal is different from other social apps because it values real moments over perfect photos. It quickly grew from 10,000 to 15 million users in 2022. This shows a big change towards genuine self-expression over fake looks.
Young people are tired of seeing only the best on social media. BeReal offers a fresh way to share life’s true moments.
Unique Features of BeReal
BeReal’s main feature is taking photos with both cameras at once. Users get a random notification to snap a photo with their front and back cameras within two minutes. This leads to:
- Real, unposed shots of everyday life
- True context from both sides
- A fair chance for everyone to share
Posts disappear after 24 hours. This means no need to worry about keeping up a perfect image. Unlike Instagram, BeReal’s ephemeral nature makes sharing easy and spontaneous.
User Engagement and Demographics
BeReal is big with Gen Z, with 61% of U.S. users aged 16-24 (Hootsuite, 2024). It’s a hit with young people. Here’s how it compares to Instagram:
| Metric | BeReal | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Active Users | 500M | 21.6M |
| Avg. Session Time | 28 mins | 14 mins |
| Post Frequency | 1.3/day | 0.9/day |
Companies like Chipotle and PacSun are trying out real marketing on BeReal. They share real moments during BeReal’s posting times. This fits with Gen Z’s love for honest, real marketing over ads.
Lemon8: A New Take on Content Sharing
Lemon8 combines Pinterest’s visuals with TikTok’s fun, making it a top cutting-edge platform in 2025. It focuses on both beautiful content and social interaction. This mix has led to a 300% surge in U.S. users from Q1 to Q2 2025, Sensor Tower reports.
How Lemon8 Works
The platform has a special way of showing content:
- Visual matching: It shows content based on colors and how things are arranged, like Pinterest
- Behavior tracking: It looks at how much people watch videos, like TikTok
Every day, users get “Inspiration Cards” with images and short videos. These cards change based on:
- How long you look at certain colors
- What you search for
- How often you share posts with others
Target Audience and Demographics
Lemon8 is popular among people who love lifestyle:
| Demographic | Percentage | Top Interests |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 year olds | 47% | Beauty tutorials, thrift fashion |
| 25-34 year olds | 38% | Home decor, DIY projects |
| Female users | 82% | Sustainable living, capsule wardrobes |
Brands see a big boost in engagement with Lemon8 analytics tools. They get 3x more engagement by mixing tutorial videos with mood boards. The platform loves:
- Step-by-step transformation content
- Before/after comparison posts
- Color-coordinated product showcases
This cutting-edge platform now drives 18% of referral traffic for home decor retailers. It beats older visual networks in sales.
TikTok Threads: Expanding Social Media Interactions
TikTok keeps pushing the limits with new features. Its Threads feature, launched in early 2023, offers a new way to share stories. It lets creators link short videos together, making it easier to tell longer stories.
Unlike single posts, Threads help keep viewers interested. They can follow along with a story over several videos. This approach has shown to keep viewers engaged 28% more than watching a single video, according to SocialInsider.
TikTok’s New Feature Overview
Threads lets users connect up to 10 videos in a row. This creates short, engaging storylines. Key features include:
- Auto-play between connected videos
- Customizable episode titles
- Progress indicators for viewers
| Platform | Content Type | Average Completion Rate |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok Threads | Video series | 82% |
| Twitter Threads | Text-based | 54% |
The Impact on User Experience
This new way of sharing content taps into our love for binge-watching. “Viewers spend 40% longer on Threads than regular TikTok posts,” says a SocialInsider analyst. Brands can use this to their advantage by:
- Breaking down tutorials into easy steps
- Building excitement for new products over several episodes
- Turning blog posts into engaging video stories
Threads turn casual viewers into active participants by offering a clear, step-by-step content flow.
Clubhouse: The Evolution of Live Audio Chats
Clubhouse was once seen as the future of social audio. It has now changed by focusing on hyper-focused community building and helping creators make money. In 2025, it started to focus on specific groups and paid experiences. This led to a 45% increase in revenue, showing that audio platforms are still valuable, even with more video around.
Key Features of Clubhouse
Clubhouse has three main features that set it apart:
- Live audio rooms with tiered access (free, subscriber-only, or ticketed)
- Persistent topic-based clubs replacing ephemeral conversations
- Backchannel messaging for continued dialogue post-events
“Our data shows 68% of active users now participate in niche communities versus general interest rooms last year.”
User Growth and Focus Areas
Clubhouse’s user base stayed at 10 million MAUs. But, there are key areas to focus on:
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Active Communities | 850 | 2,300+ |
| Paid Room Revenue | $1.2M | $4.7M |
| Top Categories | Tech & Startups | Health, Education, B2B |
For brands looking into new platforms, Clubhouse has four key strategies:
- Host industry-specific mastermind sessions with rotating experts
- Co-create paid events with niche community leaders
- Use backchannel messaging for post-event networking
- Repurpose audio content into podcast snippets
Gen Z’s Favorites: Platforms Gaining Traction
Gen Z is changing the online world with two big platforms: Discord and Pinterest. These platforms were once seen as just for a few. Now, they’re huge hits with Gen Z because they focus on community and visual stories. They show that new technology trends do well when they’re real and not just about numbers.
The Rise of Discord for Community Building
Discord started for gamers but now has 185 million users every month. It’s all about structured chaos – from chat threads to voice channels. It feels more like talking to friends than scrolling through feeds.
Chipotle’s Discord server is a great example. Users play VR guacamole games, vote on new menu items, and get special merch.
“We’re not broadcasting – we’re letting fans shape the brand,”
says Chipotle’s digital team. It’s like a 24/7 focus group where Gen Z shares their opinions for cool perks.
Pinterest’s Renewed Popularity Among Younger Users
Pinterest used to be for moms and DIY projects. But now, 40% of its users are under 25. Its visual search tools turn dreams into shopping lists. Gen Z loves making mood boards for fashion and home decor, boosting engagement by 85% for 18-24-year-olds.
New features like Idea Pins and Storyline let creators share tutorials from their phones. Unlike TikTok, Pinterest keeps content alive for months. This is great for brands that want to reach planners, not just impulse buyers. Glossier saw a 200% increase in traffic after matching their products with trending searches.
These platforms win by changing how we engage online. Discord gives users a sense of ownership, and Pinterest makes money from meaningful searches. For brands, the message is clear: Gen Z likes tools that empower, not just entertain.
Future Trends in Emerging Platforms
The world of social media is changing fast. Apps like BeReal and Lemon8 show people want real moments over perfect pictures. As digital changes how we act, brands need to guess where we’ll look next.
Big names like Reddit say 60% of the top sites in 2028 are still unknown. This means being ready to change is more important than ever.
Predictions for the Next Five Years
AI will soon make finding new content easier, cutting down on endless scrolling. Augmented reality (AR) will change how we tell stories, like TikTok’s green screen tricks. We’ll see more live audio and video mixes, too.
Platforms for specific groups, like Discord’s servers, might become more popular than general sites.
How Brands Can Leverage These Platforms
Being early is crucial. Try out new apps like Lemon8 with small tests before going big. Use TikTok Threads to create ongoing stories.
Set aside 10-15% of your marketing budget for new platforms. Keep your main presence on Instagram or Pinterest. Watch how Gen Z moves to BeReal for real moments.
Digital changes mean finding a balance between new ideas and staying focused. Brands that quickly try new things without losing their identity will lead the future.
FAQ
Why should marketers monitor emerging social platforms in 2025?
New platforms like BeReal and Lemon8 are changing the game. They offer unique features and target specific audiences. By getting in early, brands can connect with people in new ways, like BeReal’s real moments or Lemon8’s visual finds.
What defines an emerging platform in digital marketing?
Emerging platforms are new digital spaces that offer something different. They focus on specific groups, like BeReal does with Gen Z. They also have unique features, like Lemon8’s mix of Pinterest and TikTok, which help shape digital marketing.
How does BeReal’s user demographic impact brand strategies?
BeReal’s users are mostly young, with 61% aged 16-24 (Hootsuite, 2024). Brands aiming at Gen Z need to share real, unedited content. This is different from the polished posts on Instagram, requiring a fresh approach to connect with young audiences.
What opportunities does Lemon8 offer lifestyle brands?
Lemon8 combines Pinterest-style discovery with TikTok’s interactive feel, leading to 300% US user growth (Sensor Tower, 2023). Beauty, fashion, and home decor brands can use it to tell stories and share trends.
How does TikTok Threads enhance content strategies?
TikTok Threads lets brands share content in series, boosting 28% higher completion rates (SocialInsider). This way, brands can turn existing content into stories, keeping viewers engaged with each new part.
What is Clubhouse’s 2025 growth strategy?
Clubhouse is now focusing on niche communities and paid rooms, increasing creator earnings by 45% (Business of Apps). Brands can host events or panels to reach specific audiences.
Why are Discord and Pinterest gaining Gen Z traction?
Discord is becoming a hub for brand communities (185M monthly active users), and Pinterest has a 40% Gen Z userbase. These platforms offer real interactions, like Chipotle’s Discord server, helping brands build communities beyond social media.
How can brands prepare for future platform trends?
With Reddit predicting 60% of 2028’s top platforms don’t yet exist, brands should test new tech and stay flexible. Early trials help brands adapt quickly to new trends and tools.
I’m into tech, trends, and all things digital. At CrazeNest, I share what’s new, what’s next, and why it matters — always with a curious mind and a creative twist.
