10 important social media platforms you've never heard of

Struggling to keep up with the fragmentation of social media? We're not surprised. Writing posts for any combination of Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, BlueSky and Threads can be pretty exhausting. And if you've also been shooting short videos for TikTok and YouTube… well, you must be pretty exhausted.

Maybe, though, your efforts could be better directed. Because there are hundreds of millions of people around the world whose eyeballs are looking in a completely different direction. In short, a world of opportunity exists on platforms you might never have encountered.

These aren't small startups or niche networks – they're important platforms that have evolved in parallel to the social channels you're probably more familiar with. Many of them originated in Asia and have yet to make significant inroads in Western markets, but their large user bases and/or innovative features make them well worth checking out.

You may not end up using them (especially as some aren't in English). But it's always good to expand your horizons and realise there's not one way of doing things. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the big social networks you're probably unaware of.

1. Lemon8: the visual storytelling platform

Imagine Instagram's early days mixed with Pinterest's discovery features, and you'll get a sense of Lemon8. Launched in Japan in 2020 by ByteDance (TikTok's parent company), this image-first platform has slowly but surely gained traction in Western markets since 2023. Today, it's primarily used in Japan, Thailand, the US, and the UK.

As of January 2025, Lemon8 had over one million daily active users in the United States and 12.5 million global monthly active users. For photographers and visual artists, its clean, uncluttered interface and focus on high-quality imagery provide a refreshing alternative to ad-heavy mainstream platforms.

Most notably, the platform excels in lifestyle content, making it particularly valuable for commercial photographers and design professionals working in fashion, food or interior spaces.

2. Kuaishou: the authenticity champion

With 685 million monthly active users, Kuaishou was China's first short-form video platform. Launched in 2011, it celebrates authenticity and real life, making it particularly appealing for documentary photographers and creators focused on storytelling.

More generally, the platform is known for its deep community engagement and strong presence in rural areas and tier-3 Chinese cities (whose populations lie between 150,000 and 3 million).

3. Telegram: the privacy-first network

Here's one app you may have heard about from reports of the war in Ukraine because it's used by soldiers on both sides of the battlelines. Yet Telegram is far more than that.

Launched in Russia in 2013, Telegram has evolved from a secure messaging app into a powerful social platform with over 800 million active users across Russia, India, the US, Brazil, and Africa.

Its Channels feature allows creators to share content with unlimited audiences, and its commitment to privacy and absence of algorithmic feeds mean content reaches followers organically, though this can make initial audience building more challenging.

4. LINE: the Japanese giant

Launched in June 2011 by NHN Japan, LINE has evolved from a messaging app to a comprehensive social platform with 224 million monthly active users, dominating Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.

For creative professionals, Line's extensive sticker marketplace offers an interesting opportunity, with some designers earning substantial income from creating and selling these in-demand assets. More broadly, the platform's strong integration with local services and payment systems makes it valuable for creatives looking to establish a presence in Southeast Asian markets.

5. Damus: the decentralised alternative

Damus was launched in 2023 with the support of several figures in the Bitcoin world, including Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and William Casarin, the project's creator and developer.

Damus is a decentralised, end-to-end encrypted platform that aims to put control in the hands of its users and is strongly anti-censorship. The platform's tipping feature, integrated with Bitcoin's Lightning Network, provides an interesting alternative monetisation model for creatives.

The app's user base is currently limited (it's estimated to number hundreds of thousands, although its decentralised nature makes it hard to pin an exact figure on it). Those users are spread across various regions, including the United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Latin America.

6. Weibo: China's creative hub

With 605 million monthly active users, Chinese social platform Weibo combines Twitter-like microblogging with rich multimedia features. For creative professionals, its integration of stories, live streaming, and long-form content provides multiple ways to showcase work.

The platform's strong emphasis on visual content and its sophisticated hashtag system make it particularly valuable for photographers and designers looking to reach Chinese audiences.

7. Kick: the streaming underdog

Though primarily known for gaming content, Kick has rapidly evolved into a viable platform for creative streamers.

Launched in Canada in 2022, it now has 50 million active users and a generous 95% revenue share model. This makes it an attractive alternative to Twitch for creatives who incorporate live streaming into their practice. The platform's more relaxed content guidelines also allow for more experimental creative work.

8. QQ: an oldie but goodie

Despite being one of the oldest social networks, China's QQ maintains 558 million monthly active users and continues to evolve. In particular its gaming and social features make it popular with younger users, offering opportunities for designers and artists working in gaming-related fields.

The platform's integration with QZone, another massive social network, provides additional exposure opportunities for creative content.

9. RTRO: the anti-algorithm platform

RTRO is a Gen Z-focused social app launched in 2023 by the New York marketing firm TH Experiential. It's not to be confused with the trading platform of the same name run by Librex Holdings. Positioning itself as 'non-toxic' social media, RTRO deliberately avoids the algorithmic approach of mainstream platforms.

For creatives, this means more control over who sees their work and how it's distributed. The platform's emphasis on real connections and unique styling features—including the ability to format messages like physical mail—offer the potential for presenting work in novel ways.

Note, though, that presently, we're only talking about a few hundred thousand users. While the app has users worldwide, including the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and India, its main focus is on close-knit friend groups and families sharing private photos.

10. WeChat: the everything app

Westerners mainly know WeChat as a messaging app, but it's actually a comprehensive ecosystem that serves over 1.3 billion monthly active users. For creatives, WeChat's 'mini-programs' – essentially apps within the app – offer unique opportunities to showcase and monetise work.

The platform's integrated payment system and robust e-commerce features make it particularly valuable for designers and artists looking to tap into the massive Chinese market. However, it's worth noting that, as with all Chinese apps, content must comply with Communist Party regulations, which can be restrictive.

Conclusion

These are just 10 of the platforms engaging hundreds of millions of people around the world right now. And there are plenty more we could add to the list.

From Xiaohongshu (aka RedNote) with its focus on lifestyle and beauty content to Douyin (China's version of TikTok) with its sophisticated e-commerce features to South Korea's Kakao Talk with its extensive creative marketplace, there are endless possibilities for reaching new audiences. And while breaking into these networks requires extra effort—from translation to understanding different cultural contexts—the potential rewards are great indeed.

We're not trying to add to your workload, though! The secret to social media is to take what you want and leave the rest. Indeed, you may even be better off ignoring it altogether and instead follow our tips on how to how to raise your profile beyond social media.

Alternatively, you could head directly to where "your people" are by joining our own new platform, The Studio. The choice is yours.