Are you looking for the hottest social media apps for teenagers? Many teenagers have found that the most traditionally popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter aren't as interesting as they once were.
Indeed, the concept of "social media" has branched out well beyond its original barriers. Let's take a look at some of the hottest social media sites that teenagers enjoy.
1. Snapchat
Snapchat has exploded in popularity over the last few years, mainly thanks to its younger users. It started as a simple service that let you share self-destructing "snaps" with friends. But unlike many social media apps that have a set purpose, Snapchat evolved.
It now offers a blend of news, messaging, following public figures, and adding filters to photos. While it's only available on Android and iOS, Snapchat packs a ton of features for teenagers to enjoy.
You can take photos as on Instagram, but a variety of lenses let you add stickers, funny faces, and more. Stories let you capture what you're doing and share them for 24 hours. Send your friends text or picture messages, or even call them using the app.
And Snapchat's Discover page lets you check out public events and the like so you always know what's going on. There's a lot to dive into, so check out our beginner's guide to Snapchat and brush up on Snapchat tips for newbies to make the most of it.
Download: Snapchat for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
2. Twitch
Twitch is a live streaming platform primarily built around video games. Jump onto the homepage, and you'll see a selection of the most popular streamers available to watch now.
Searching for your favorite games allows you to look for streamers who are playing them, or you can pick from always-popular choices like League of Legends and Fortnite.
You'll discover popular streamers who do this full-time as well as hobbyists in various gaming niches. If you like, you can also use Twitch to live stream your own gameplay.
If you don't care for video games, the site hosts "IRL" (in real life) streamers too. The activities include cooking, art, and more.
With communities built around streamers, the ability to sponsor your favorites, and the general "hangout" atmosphere of the site, it's a great place to relax. And there's no denying that Twitch has changed gaming forever.
Download: Twitch for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. Tumblr
Tumblr is a blogging social media website that allows you to post short updates. It gives you more room to expand than Twitter, but doesn't require as much upkeep as a proper blog. Plus, it has more social functions than a blog.
With some HTML, you can customize your blog's theme. Aside from running your own Tumblr page, you can follow other blogs you're interested in to see their latest posts in your feed. Like other social sites, you can use hashtags to categorize posts and make them easier for others to find.
For further social interaction, Tumblr also lets you submit questions to others (anonymously if you like) that they can answer on their blog publicly. Check out our tips for using Tumblr for more help getting started.
It's important to note that Tumblr has garnered controversy for having a large number of blogs devoted to adult content. Some have also criticized Tumblr for being a place where issues like depression and eating disorders are glorified and not dealt with properly, so it's important to stay smart about who you follow.
Download: Tumblr for Android | iOS (Free)
4. Discord
Another video game-related tool that has expanded beyond its original purpose, Discord allows you to chat with friends and other users. It's quite similar to Slack: after you join a Discord server, you can talk with others in the various channels for both text and voice chat.
The developers of Discord created it as a simple solution for voice chat in video games, as apps like Skype are fairly resource-heavy. If you're a gamer, Discord is a great way to connect with fellow players. You'll find official Discord servers available for many of the biggest games.
For non-gamers, Discord is still valuable as a communication platform. Many online personalities (such as YouTubers) have their own Discord servers for fans to chat on. You'll just need to find the right communities for you.
Download: Discord for Android | iOS (Free)
5. TikTok
The newest app on this list, TikTok is a social network based around music videos. It launched in late 2016, and exploded in popularity in 2018. You can watch videos from other users and shoot your own 60-second clips using all sorts of different background music.
If you love music, enjoy shooting videos, or just want to be part of one of the hottest social platforms, this is the app for you. While not exactly the same, it's also a good replacement if you miss Vine.
Download: TikTok for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
What New Social Media Apps Will You Join?
In this article we have covered a handful of social media apps for teenagers that are way more exciting than Facebook. There's many more obscure social media apps out there. Whether you want to use these apps to connect in different ways or just make sure you're on the coolest apps around today, these are the platforms to check out.
For more on social media use amongst teenagers, read our investigation into why kids love Snapchat, Instagram, and YouTube.