Last week I shared the first 5 of 10 social media apps you NEED to know, and this week we’re concluding our series with the final 5!

Whether your brand is serious or fun-loving, local or worldwide, you’ll discover the perfect fit for your target audience in this list.

Let’s start with one for brands that just wanna have fun!

6. Houseparty

Brands that relied on events to build their communities and attract influencer attention have had to rethink their strategy in the wake of the pandemic, and Houseparty offered a great solution. Houseparty functions as a more fun version of Zoom- sort of a virtual happy hour where your top clients, highly-motivated followers and influencers can come together to play in-app trivia or word-association games. Use it as an opportunity to build brand loyalty or even offer some after-hours fun for your team!

7. Medium

Medium functions more as an online magazine or blogging platform, and it’s awesome for brands that want an outlet for publishing upscale, intelligent content. Brands with a strong social conscience or brands whose mission focuses on making a difference in the world would be a great fit for Medium. If writing is one of your strengths, and you’ve got a compelling think-piece, this is the perfect place to try it out.

8. NextDoor

If you’re looking to build your client base in your geographic area, NextDoor is where you should start. You might not realize it, but more than 25% of the conversations on NextDoor are about local businesses. Community members often turn to it for recommendations on all types of services, and smart entrepreneurs are using that to their advantage! You can include NextDoor in your marketing strategy by running ads, engaging with community members, and sharing special offers through the app, or build your local reputation by asking satisfied customers to leave a recommendation for your business.

9. Discord

Discord started as a group chat app for gamers. If you know a teenage gamer, chances are they’re VERY familiar with this app! But Discord has grown and diversified since its start and turned into a place for people to come together to share their love of every topic under the sun!

It’s been described as a combination of Slack, Skype, and Facebook groups, and it uses video, voice, and text communication to bring people together based on common interests. It’s easy (and free) to make a Discord server for your brand and use it as a place to connect with customers, answer their questions directly, offer exclusive deals, and share important information that might get lost in the constantly changing newsfeeds of other platforms.

10. Twitch

Twitch, much like Discord, started as an app for gamers to livestream themselves playing video games, but it has evolved since its inception, as these things tend to do, and livestreamed gaming became livestreamed anything! One of the best features about Twitch is that it offers users a chance to engage with their audience in real time. Content creators livestream through the app and chat with viewers via Twitch Chat. Imagine the opportunities!

Listen to this week’s episode of Building Your Empire with SophieZo to discover more tips and tricks for incorporating the top 10 up-and-coming apps into your marketing strategy!