{"id":780,"date":"2025-05-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/?p=780"},"modified":"2025-05-13T02:12:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T02:12:40","slug":"the-fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-of-2025-new-data-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/06\/the-fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-of-2025-new-data-3\/","title":{"rendered":"The fastest growing social media platforms of 2025 [new data]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are people still using Facebook? What about Threads? And is TikTok\u2019s volatility driving users away? Just <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/state-of-marketing\">54% of brands say<\/a> they\u2019re confident they can keep up with new social media platforms.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re in the other half, I dove into the latest industry data and spoke to social media experts for you to uncover the fastest-growing social media platforms in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"cta_button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/cs\/ci\/?pg=3dc1dfd9-2cb4-4498-8c57-19dbb5671820&amp;pid=53&amp;ecid=&amp;hseid=&amp;hsic=\"><img class=\"hs-cta-img \" style=\"height: auto !important;width: auto !important;max-width: 100% !important;border-width: 0px;margin: 0 auto;margin-top: 20px;margin-bottom: 20px\" alt=\"Download Now: The 2025 State of Social Media Trends [Free Report]\" height=\"58\" width=\"616\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/3dc1dfd9-2cb4-4498-8c57-19dbb5671820.png\" align=\"middle\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow along as I break down which platforms are the biggest, which are growing, which are shrinking, and which are worth your time in 2025. Here\u2019s what I learned.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#social-media-usage-in-2025\">Social Media Usage in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#top-10-most-popular-social-media-platforms-in-2025\">Top 10 Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#which-social-media-platforms-do-people-spend-the-most-time-on\">Which social media platforms do people spend the most time on?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#which-messaging-apps-are-most-popular-in-2025\">Which messaging apps are most popular in 2025?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#breakout-stars-the-fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-of-2025\">Breakout Stars: The Fastest Growing Social Media Platforms of 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-to-choose-the-right-social-media-platforms\">How to Choose the Right Social Media Platforms<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Social Media Usage in 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Unsurprisingly, <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\">5.24 million people use social media<\/a> today \u2014 that\u2019s 63.9% of the world\u2019s population. Social interaction is the number-one reason people aged 16 to 34 use the internet (and the second-most popular reason for older generations). But which platforms are they using most?<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the TL;DR according to the latest data from <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\">DataReportal Digital 2025<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The most popular social media platforms in 2025 are <strong>YouTube<\/strong> with 3.9 billion monthly active users (MAU), <strong>Facebook<\/strong> with 2.1 billion MAU, and <strong>Instagram<\/strong> with 1.6 billion MAU.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Threads<\/strong>, <strong>TikTok<\/strong>, and <strong>Instagram<\/strong> saw the highest user growth (MAU) in the most recent quarter.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Threads<\/strong> and <strong>Bluesky Social<\/strong> saw the highest app download growth in the most recent quarter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Top 10 Most Popular Social Media Platforms in 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>First, let\u2019s take a look at the titans of the industry. Unequivocally, these top 10 apps capture the most attention from the largest number of people. These are the platforms with the highest number of active users, thanks to data from <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/\">DataReportal<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/top-social-media-platforms\">SEMrush<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/social-media-users\">Backlinko<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>1. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/\">YouTube<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>There is always debate about whether YouTube is a social media platform, but I count it as one for its social features like content creation, subscribing, and commenting.<\/p>\n<p>YouTube is the second most-visited website in the world, second only to Google.com. It has 3.9 billion monthly active users (MAU) and 72.8 billion monthly visits, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/top-social-media-platforms\">SEMrush<\/a>. People spend a whopping 24 minutes, 15 seconds each time they visit. It\u2019s also popular for brands, with 81% of B2C brands and <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">73% of B2B brands on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>2. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>While it is no longer growing explosively, Facebook still earns its throne at the top of the social media empire.<\/p>\n<p>If Facebook were a country, it would be the fourth-largest after China, India, and the United States. It boasts 3.07 billion MAU and 12.7 billion monthly visits as the world&#8217;s third-most visited website in 2025. One in five marketers is planning to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">cut their investment in Facebook in 2025<\/a>, indicating that its ROI for some brands is waning.<\/p>\n<h3>3. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/\">Instagram<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Despite being an elder of social media platforms, Instagram still grew by 3.47% from 2024 to 2025 to reach two billion MAU. The app was the fifth fastest-growing app in 2025, adding an estimated 40 million users in 2024 with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessofapps.com\/data\/most-popular-apps\/\">759 million downloads<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n<h3>4. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/\">Reddit<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Want feedback from strangers on your hobbies, work dilemmas, or relationships? There\u2019s an app for that. Thread-based forum Reddit exploded in popularity in 2024 and 2025, reaching 1.1 billion MAU and 5.97 billion monthly visits.<\/p>\n<h3>5. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/\">TikTok<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Can\u2019t get enough of short-form videos? Neither can anyone else, apparently.<\/p>\n<p>Despite legal challenges in the U.S., TikTok reached 954 million MAU and 2.49 billion monthly visits in 2025. The platform where marketers said they <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">planned to increase their investment<\/a> the most in 2025? You guessed it \u2014 TikTok.<\/p>\n<h3>6. <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/\">X<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>X (formerly Twitter) has been on a roller coaster ride since 2023, when billionaire Elon Musk bought and rebranded the platform. Though it has seen a user exodus, a stronghold of users remains. By the latest estimates, X still has 586 million MAU and 4.29 billion monthly visits.<\/p>\n<h3>7. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snapchat.com\/\">Snapchat<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Creative filters, streaks, and lenses keep Snapchat users coming back time and time again.<\/p>\n<p>DataReportal estimates Snapchat\u2019s monthly users have reached 850 million, up from <a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.snap.com\/800-million-mau-and-counting\">800 million<\/a> the brand announced in 2024. That tracks with 22 million downloads reported in December and 15.67% <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/website\/snapchat.com\/overview\/\">traffic growth<\/a> between September 2024 and February 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Snapchat was ahead of the curve with private messaging between small groups of friends. Its disappearing messages and privacy focus lend it continued popularity in 2025.<\/p>\n<h3>8. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/\">Pinterest<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>While still a somewhat niche platform, Pinterest remains popular for visual and lifestyle content. Pinterest reported <a href=\"https:\/\/investor.pinterestinc.com\/overview\/default.aspx\">553 million MAU<\/a> in 2025, an increase of 6.75% since 2024. Between September 2024 and February 2025, its website traffic grew 16.9%.<\/p>\n<h3>9. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>LinkedIn has 386 million MAU. While it has a lot of users, those users don\u2019t spend significant time on it, with a daily app open rate of just 24% and just 48 minutes per month spent on the mobile app.<\/p>\n<h3>10. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.threads.net\/\">Threads<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Meta-owned <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/twitter-x-vs-threads\">Threads<\/a> cracked the top-ten ceiling this year with triple-digit user growth. As of January, it had more than 320 million MAU and is averaging one million signups each day, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/zuck\/posts\/pfbid02oRRTPrY1mvbqBZT4QueimeBrKcVXG4ySxFscRLiEU6QtGxbLi9U4TBojiC9aa19fl\">according to Mark Zuckerberg<\/a>. X\u2019s woes contributed to its growth in 2023 and 2024.<\/p>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Which social media platforms do people spend the most time on?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Just because a platform has a lot of users doesn\u2019t mean people are opening the app every day or spending significant time on it. When evaluating platforms, I recommend looking at which apps are \u201csticky\u201d \u2014 that is, which apps engage and retain users.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\">Digital 2025<\/a>, people spend the most time on TikTok, scrolling for 34 hours, 56 minutes per month. Next to follow is YouTube clocking in at 27 hours, 10 minutes, then Facebook at 17 hours, 17 minutes, then Instagram at 16 hours, 13 minutes each month.<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-2-20250505-8822009-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Data shows that people tend to have less frequent, longer sessions on YouTube. With TikTok, on the other hand, people open the app more often for shorter interactions. Video apps, including TikTok and YouTube, command the highest consumer spend.<\/p>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Which messaging apps are most popular in 2025?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While they aren\u2019t traditional social media platforms, it\u2019s impossible to talk about social media in 2025 without discussing messaging apps.<\/p>\n<p>As I see it, the growing popularity of messaging apps shows that consumers are sick of the algorithms and privacy concerns of large platforms and are looking for smaller, more direct settings to connect.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>WhatsApp Messenger<\/strong> was the third-most downloaded app worldwide, ranking fourth for MAU and time spent. With 571 billion MAU, it\u2019s the second fastest-growing app by time spent, with 112% search growth over five years.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Telegram<\/strong>, now with 900 million MAU, ranks ninth in the world for global app downloads and tenth for total time spent. According to SEMrush, Telegram\u2019s five-year search growth has grown 367%.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Facebook Messenger,<\/strong> with 1.01 billion MAU, was the ninth most popular app for total time spent.<\/li>\n<li>Newcomer <strong>Google Messenger<\/strong> is the second fastest-growing mobile app by MAU.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s WeChat<\/strong> is the <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/top-social-media-platforms\">fourth-most popular social app<\/a> in the world, with 1.38 billion MAU.<\/li>\n<li>Japanese messaging app <strong>Line<\/strong> has grown to 178 million MAU, with a high daily open rate of 64.2% and almost seven hours a month spent on the app.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With that, let\u2019s take a deeper dive into the fastest-growing social media platforms of 2025.<\/p>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Breakout Stars: The Fastest Growing Social Media Platforms of 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>So, which apps grew the most between 2024 and 2025? While these five apps may not be the biggest, they\u2019re seeing explosive growth. Both brands and legacy apps should keep an eye on these breakout stars in 2025.<\/p>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-3-20250505-1368495-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Threads<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"threads, fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-4-20250505-6489253-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/about.fb.com\/news\/2023\/07\/introducing-threads-new-app-text-sharing\/\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>According to the latest data, Threads is the fastest-growing platform in 2025 by number of users and the second-highest by download growth, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessofapps.com\/data\/most-popular-apps\/\">322 million downloads<\/a> in 2024. The Instagram-owned text app <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/threads-users\">more than doubled its user base<\/a> from 2024 to 2025, from 130 million to 320 million users.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Brands Should Know About Threads<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>While users are up, the data suggests that engagement on the platform is lagging. People report a daily open rate of 26.2%, with just 39 minutes<em> per month<\/em> spent on the platform. That\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-global-overview-report\">25 times less than Instagram users<\/a> spent using the Instagram app, and 7.6 times less than X users the X app during the same period.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting Started:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/how-to-use-threads%23what-to-post\">How to Use Threads and What to Post<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. TikTok<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"tiktok, fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-5-20250505-6602619-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ads.tiktok.com\/business\/en-US\/inspiration\/olivia-and-kate-tiktok-smb-case-study?acq_banner_version=73412989\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>TikTok was the most downloaded app globally in 2025, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessofapps.com\/data\/most-popular-apps\/\">773 million downloads<\/a>. Growth metrics from DataReportal show that TikTok had the fourth-highest MAU growth and the highest increase in time spent on the platform in 2025. These huge numbers don\u2019t even include Douyin, TikTok\u2019s Chinese version.<\/p>\n<p>Users flock to TikTok for videos and entertainment, whether that\u2019s parodies, challenges, skits, or commentary on pop culture.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Brands Should Know About TikTok<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/tiktok-ban\">Legal challenges<\/a> in the U.S. raise serious red flags about whether brands should continue to invest their time and energy into developing a following on the platform. About half of brands currently use TikTok and many plan to increase their investments this year, but the long-term sustainability of the platform is uncertain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTikTok is not dead yet. But if your brand has an audience on a platform like TikTok, that is a little bit in flux,\u201d advises <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/emilybrungard\/\">Emily Brungard<\/a>, Senior Growth Marketing Manager for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rossmanmedia.com\/\">Rossman Media<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of people are realizing that they need a backup. Platforms like YouTube are not new, but they\u2018re building so many tools for short-form video. They\u2019re seeing what\u2019s working on TikTok and adapting that so people are willing to spend more time on YouTube. I feel like YouTube&#8217;s a no-brainer for brands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting Started:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/how-to-use-tiktok\">How to Use TikTok: A Step-by-Step Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/best-tiktok-ads\">10 of the Best TikTok Ad Examples (+ Why They\u2019ll Make You Click)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/tiktok-ban\">No One Really Knows What To Expect From TikTok &#8230; But Here&#8217;s What Marketers Should Know To Stay Alert<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>3. Reddit<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"reddit, fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-6-20250505-4111925-1.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/t\/animals_and_pets\/\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Reddit will turn 20 in 2025, but it\u2019s experiencing a growth spurt.<\/p>\n<p>Reddit acquired <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/reddit-users\">27% more active users<\/a> from 2024 to 2025, with five-year <a href=\"https:\/\/explodingtopics.com\/blog\/top-social-media-platforms\">search growth up 140%<\/a> according to SEMrush. With high visibility in search results, it\u2019s no surprise that Reddit has captured users\u2019 attention with its forum-style discussions.<\/p>\n<p>Reddit is the sixth most visited website in the world in 2025, with traffic growing 14.7% between August 2024 and January 2025 \u2014 topping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/website\/reddit.com\/overview\/\">six billion monthly visits<\/a>. Two-thirds of users access Reddit from their mobile phones. Almost one in three users open the app daily, spending nearly three hours a month on the platform.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Brands Should Know About Reddit<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>21% of B2C brands and 19% of B2B brands <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">use Reddit to reach customers<\/a>. But if you want to join, be advised that users aren\u2019t always open to brands butting into their conversations. Be prepared to build trust and be helpful and transparent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you can do it right, if you can do it naturally, and not in a super salesy way but instead listening and transparent, I think that&#8217;s an interesting approach for brands,\u201d says Brungard.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting Started:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/who-uses-reddit-anyway-a-deep-dive-into-reddit-users-and-what-they-think-of-marketing\">Who Uses Reddit Anyway? A Deep Dive Into Reddit Users and What They Think of Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/reddit-marketing\">Reddit Marketing \u2014 How to Make Content Niche Audiences Actually Engage With<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>4. Tumblr<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"tumblr, fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-7-20250505-8102846-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tumblr.com\/\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tumblr.com\/\">Tumblr<\/a>, launched in 2007, is a microblogging site where users can share text and multimedia posts. It\u2019s grown <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tumblr.com\/press\">17.9% since 2024<\/a>, with 612 million live micro-blogs. Its users \u2014 of which 48% are Gen Z \u2014 say they use the platform to find entertaining content (28%) and keep up with news\/cultural trends (28%).<\/p>\n<p>So, 18 years in, how is it still going so strong?<\/p>\n<p>I think Tumblr is so popular because it is a community-based platform. You\u2019re almost 100% guaranteed to find people who share your same interests, and to be able to fill your feed with content that only speaks to your interests.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also a personality-driven platform, which gives users the advantage of feeling like they can be themselves, especially if they\u2019re heavily involved in the communities they\u2019re most interested in.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Brands Should Know About Tumblr<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Tumblr is essentially fandom central\u2014 a judgment-free zone for people to find their people. People like Tumblr because it\u2019s more peaceful than other platforms. Photos, GIFs, and storytelling or community-based content do well on the platform. Just one in 10 brands is active on Tumblr, so the platform can be an opportunity to stand out if your audience hangs out there.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting Started:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/tumblr-how-to-build-community\">A Conversation with Tumblr: How To Build a Strong, Connected Community<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Bluesky Social<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"bluesky social, fastest-growing social media platforms 2025\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fastest-growing-social-media-platforms-8-20250505-9083643-2.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/\">Bluesky Social<\/a> is a newer platform that bears a striking resemblance to the old Twitter. Many users are drawn to Bluesky as an alternative to X if they\u2019re seeking less toxicity, more privacy, and decentralized, curated communities where genuine conversations thrive.<\/p>\n<p>Bluesky started 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/bluesky-statistics\">with 27.44 million MAU<\/a>. That may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to larger platforms, but compare that to the 10 million users the app had in September 2024. That\u2019s an incredible 174% growth in just five months.<\/p>\n<p>Bluesky clocks in at the fourth fastest-growing app by downloads in 2025.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Brands Should Know About Bluesky Social<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The app presents a unique opportunity for brands to connect authentically with smaller, engaged communities. The platform\u2019s customizable algorithms make it easier to target specific audiences, while features like custom domains for verification help build trust.<\/p>\n<p>Like on Reddit, Bluesky users tend to have a knee-jerk reaction to overtly branded content.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon, I\u2019m seeing a push away from brand social like in the early days of Facebook and Instagram,\u201d says Brungard. \u201cRight now, Bluesky is for the people, not for the brands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think brands just should proceed with caution if they do decide to join, but social media managers and marketing professionals should definitely be on the platforms at least observing. That\u2019s what it comes down to: just watch and learn,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting Started: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/bluesky-is-open-to-the-public\">Bluesky is Now Open to the Public. Should your business be there? [Expert Interview]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve covered some of the fastest-growing social media platforms, here are the ones slowing down in 2025.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Which social media platforms are losing steam?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In 2024, we reported <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lemon8-app.com\/en-US\">Lemon8<\/a> as our fastest-growing social media platform. In 2025, Lemon8 simply isn\u2019t a part of the discourse on top social media platforms and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/website\/lemon8-app.com\/overview\/\">has lost significant traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are still gaining users, their percentage growth remains in the low single digits.<\/p>\n<p><a><\/a> <\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to Choose the Right Social Media Platforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">85% of marketers agree<\/a> that building an active online community is crucial. After digging into the data and hearing from social media experts, I\u2019m convinced that the social media landscape is more fluid and changing than ever.<\/p>\n<p>While giants like YouTube and Facebook still command massive audiences, their growth is slowing, and newer platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and even messaging apps are picking up speed.<\/p>\n<p>As a marketer, it\u2019s tempting to chase every new platform that makes headlines. But what I\u2019ve learned is that it\u2019s less about being everywhere and more about the content quality and knowing your audience.<\/p>\n<p>Consider first which platforms your audience uses most. Then ask yourself which platforms you would be comfortable using and creating content for. If you aren\u2019t comfortable in front of the camera making videos, then TikTok and Snapchat likely aren\u2019t for you.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few tips for marketers choosing where to invest their time and ad money in 2025.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re building an audience from scratch, start small with three platforms where you can execute platform-specific content strategies. Mature brands can scale up to six or seven platforms.<\/li>\n<li>Brands should be active on at least one of the top three platforms: YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.<\/li>\n<li>Use a mix of paid and organic posts to build an audience.<\/li>\n<li>Choose at least one platform for a video strategy: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are good choices.<\/li>\n<li>Research at least one emerging platform where your audience spends time to invest in.<\/li>\n<li>Consider ways to leverage messaging apps for customer service or other uses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ultimately, staying ahead in 2025 means staying curious. I\u2019ll keep experimenting, testing, and checking the data to see where things are headed \u2014 and I hope this breakdown helped you feel a little more equipped to do the same.<\/p>\n<p>For even more social media insights, I recommend diving into the 2025 State of Social Media reporting or these other helpful resources:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/hubspot-blog-marketing-industry-trends-report\">The State of Social Media in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/state-of-consumer-trends-report\">The State of Consumer Trends in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/marketing-channels%23:~:text%3DAccording%2520to%2520HubSpot&#039;s%2520survey%2520of,YouTube%252C%2520Instagram%252C%2520and%2520TikTok.%26sa=D%26source=editors%26ust=1746480498577749%26usg=AOvVaw1u3_1s32XrAXP9ncqre_b1\">The Top Marketing Channels in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Check out our 2025 Social Media Trends Report for free below.<\/p>\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: This post was originally published in March 2023 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" style=\"min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/track.hubspot.com\/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fmarketing%2Ffastest-growing-social-media-platforms&amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fmarketing&amp;bvt=rss\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are people still using Facebook? What about Threads? And is TikTok\u2019s volatility driving users away? Just 54% of brands say they\u2019re confident they can keep up with new social media platforms. If you\u2019re in the other half, I dove into&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=780"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":807,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780\/revisions\/807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shaneyphotography.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}