Social Media Audiences & Strategy

Niche social media platforms and apps that cater to hobbies and smaller communities are seeing a jump in active users as more and more people seek a smaller internet experience than the likes of Facebook and Instagram can provide.

What’s going on?

According to Bloomberg – which quotes figures from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower – there has been a notable rise in how many people have subscribed to hobby-based platforms such as Letterboxd (for movie enthusiasts); Strava (fitness and running app); and All Trails (a hiking app). These platforms have seen a rise in active users in the last year of 55%, 20%, and 10% respectively.

Speaking to Bloomberg earlier this year, Michael Martin, CEO of Strava, said growth rates are 2x in countries like the UK and France. Letterboxd, meanwhile, had over 14 million users this year, up from 1.8m in 2020, according to the company.

Martin, from Strava, ascribes some of this trend to people getting “tired” of traditional social media networks such as Facebook. He told Bloomberg that he sees signs in the data that people are seeking “real connections”.

Small communities, new opportunities!

Some see big social media platforms catering more to creators than regular users. Julia Alexander, a former reporter at The Verge who now blogs at Posting Nexus, argues that people want connection but big tech firms want scale, as this drives advertising and profits. As a result, people are posting less on social media, pushed out by professional creators and frustrated that their feed no longer is about their friends.

And it’s a trend seen at Creator Ventures, an investor in internet technology. Managing partner and co-founder Sasha Kaletsky told Fortune that social media networks are increasingly “distribution platforms rather than follower platforms”.

As people seek more control over their content, they are heading over to smaller communities such as Letterboxd, where they can share experiences. The app for movie buffs organises screenings ahead of a film’s release for members. These advanced screenings can be useful for capturing sentiment and “for figuring out a more targeted marketing campaign,” Gemma Gracewood, Letterboxd’s editor-in-chief, told Bloomberg.

Why hobby-based platforms matter!

As more people seek connections with people who share a passion, there’s an opportunity for brands to build relationships with a committed community of users. Strava, for instance, has partnered with Mexican food chain Chipotle and Brooks, a maker of running shoes.

According to a best practice article for WARC, content makes community, and community creates opportunity. “If brands want to reach their audiences, they need to fish where the fish are.”

Sourced from Bloomberg, Fortune, Posting Nexus, WARC