5 little known social networks ready to take off in 2015

Facebook has 1.4 billion registered users. 190 million tweets are sent every day.It’s hard to remember a time before Facebook and Twitter ruled the internet… but everything starts somewhere.

Here are 5 social media sites that could gain mainstream popularity in 2015! 

1. Yik Yak

Yik Yak is essentially a location-based anonymous chat room. Unsurprisingly It’s already gained controversy on college campuses and high schools for potentially being an easy vehicle for hazing and bullying.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Who doesn’t love gossip? Yik Yak provides an outlet for live local discussions where users can post their thoughts, complaints and comments. Anonymous chat rooms have existed before, but Yik Yak’s combination of limiting chat by geography and anonymous posts make it stand out.

Why it could fade away in 2015: YY is in danger of suffering too much from anonymity. After the initial novelty, where’s the real value in a site like Yik Yak? There are no selfies in the world of anonymous user-ship, can an anonymous site really establish itself when social network users are obsessed with self-promotion?

2. Ello

Ello, which has positioned itself as the anti-Facebook is an invitation only social network that prides itself on minimalism. One of Ello’s biggest selling points is that it features no ads of any kind, and promises to stay that way.

Why it could be huge in 2015: The major social media players all seem to be jumping on the advertising bandwagon. Facebook has had them forever, and Twitter has been vamping up their sponsored tweets program. Offering an ad-free experience could be enough of a draw by itself to launch Ello into success.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Lack of features and lack of commercial interest could keep Ello from being anything than a club of folks who want a pure experience.  Sure Ello’s minimalism looks great,  but users could experience a “lack of information shock.” Not to mention Ello is competing with PR departments of companies fully invested in the advertising on social media model.

3. Tumblr

Tumblr’s probably the most familiar name on this list. Since it was founded in 2007, you might think that that if it were ever  going to be a major site it would already be one by now, but surprisingly In 2014 Tumblr showed that it belongs in the big time social media discussion when it overtook the top spot as fastest growing social network, from Instagram.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Rapid Growth, Versatility. It’s not easy to say why Tumblr is growing so fast, but it is.  Tumblr does a good job of providing a multi-media platform, by allowing users to post video, blog, photos or audio files.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Facebook and Twitter are so popular in part due to their addictive nature. Tumblr does not seem to share this characteristic.

this chart from Techcrunch.com is a perfect illustration of Tublr’s biggest weakness.

“Habit forming” that seems to be the key to a great social network. But who knows? Maybe Tumblr can be hugely popular without creating a compulsive need to check impulse.

4. Reddit

A home for communities is probably a better description of Reddit than a social network.  Reddit basically allows user submitted content to be judged by the entire community based on up and down votes. One of it’s biggest strengths is its ability to be used as a platform for different niche communities.

Why it could be huge in 2015: It’s already huge and has a lot of momentum behind it, Whether or not it gets recognition as a “social network” or is talked about in the same circles as Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin is another story.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Same reason as above, Reddit itself will continue to grow steadily, but it’s success as a “social network” is based on public perception.

5. Quora

Quora is a social question answering site. Users are able to ask questions and get community generated answers from experts. One of its key features is allowing potential question answerers the ability to establish themselves as experts on a subject, as judged by other users.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Novelty, usefulness and giving users an outlet for their knowledge. Quora’s key difference from other social network’s is its narrowly defined purpose. It’s simply a way to get questions answered using crowd sourcing. This level of focus might be a breath of fresh air from the somewhat open ended experience of Facebook or Twitter.

Why it could fade away in 2015: User interface and too much user input. The site looks old, it just doesn’t seem like a cutting edge, modern social media platform. It also provides real input and skill from the audience, if you don’t have answers or expertise in a particular area, this might not be for you. On the other hand, people love to express their opinions even if they are ignorant of the subject!

What little-known social media sites would you put stock in for 2015? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!