Social Media is a big part of almost everyone's day-to-day life. Some of the apps which people use are easy to navigate and some are a little bit harder. Ranked below are my top ten favorite social media apps, with my thoughts on the app and the algorithms that are used for each app.
*Disclaimer majority of the ranking is based on personal preference with some facts from the algorithms the apps use.*
Reddit is an app that I use very rarely, but do enjoy it when I am on the app. Although it is a fun app I have a tough time navigating it and finding stuff that I want to read about. I usually research books/book fandoms on this app, but it's also great for crazy out-of-pocket stories.
Discord is not one that people often talk about, but it is an app that I like using when getting involved with a new online community. I often use it when I join an online book club. The university I attended in Australia, also used the app to connect Study Abroad students before we got to Australia which was very nice. Although I do enjoy using the app, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to navigate.
I am not a fan of LinkedIn because I find it very hard to navigate and use. I spend very little time on the app other than to update my job and resume. How the app is also a bit confusing and I’m often afraid to do anything on it, that would cause something to show up on my feed that could affect my future job.
This is the newest social media app I have used, and I am still unsure how I feel about it. It is very similar to X (Twitter) in its setup and feels a bit unnecessary since Meta already has Facebook and Instagram. It is however easy to use and access.
X formerly known as Twitter is an interesting Social Media app. There is much that happens on this app good and bad. I tend to avoid opening it unless something about a specific community I am a part of is posted.
I enjoy using BeReal to look back on memories and see what I was doing at random times on random days. I have recently seen an influx of similar apps being created that have been interesting and become popular for a few months and then slowly die off. It is very easy to use and an app many enjoy.
Snapchat is often a hit or miss for people. I love using the app and keeping up with friends who I do not normally text on it. I however am not a fan of the newer aspects of the app, including the videos and subscribing to different “magazines.”
How the Snapchat app is conducted is easy to use, but the addition of liking videos, AI chats, and subscribing to random posts feels unnecessary. The creators should have stuck with the original aspects of it being an app for simple photo communication.
Facebook is a great app and I often use it for work. The algorithm and meta business suite that they have created for both Facebook and Instagram is amazing and easy to use. It's very helpful for planning and posting at specific times when activity is high.
Instagram is a great app to use for both personal and professional reasons. It has recently been using a similar algorithm to TikTok so when a person likes and interacts with a specific post similar posts are shown more and more often.
The app that I love the most and spend the majority of my time on TikTok. It is very easy to use thanks to the algorithm that the app has created. It constantly catches and keeps my attention with the scroll of my finger.
According to the article “How TikTok Reads your Mind” by Ben Smith, a document explaining the TikTok algorithm was released. The main goals of the algorithm are “user value,” “long-term user value,” “creator value,” and “platform value.” It gives users the chance to create what they want and watch what they want or what the app thinks they want.
Social Media is often regarded as important in today's society and the ease with which people can use an app is very important. People often have their preferences and feelings about their favorite social media platforms, this list is my personal preferences.
References
Crush, O. (n.d.). Social Media Style Guide: What it is and how to get started. Social media style guide: what it is and how to get started. https://99designs.com/blog/marketing-advertising/social-media-style-guide/
Newberry, C. (2023, July 5). Social Media Algorithms: A 2023 guide for every network. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-algorithm/
SEJ STAFF. (2023, November 8). The Top 10 Social Media Sites & Platforms. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/social-media-platforms/#close
Smith, B. (2021, December 6). How Tiktok Reads Your Mind. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/business/media/tiktok-algorithm.html
I liked reading your rankings, and found it a funny coincidence how we focused on very similar things (though my blog was more focused on algorithms). I definitely agree with a lot of these points; Snapchat’s magazine features are definitely something, and I’m all but afraid to start using LinkedIn for my resume and job stuff. I also looked into the article “How TikTok Reads Your Mind” and found it super interesting, it made sense why I was on the app so much, and why I eventually had to delete it for myself.
Glad to see someone else shares the same opinion about LinkedIn. I somehow knew TikTok would be at the top. These days I have gotten rid of most social media apps, but TikTok I can not seem to tear away from.
I am not a big fan of tik-tok just because microshorts in my opinion are really hard to create. that being said I spend way too much time on Instagram. I find it super easy to use.
I love that LinkedIn is on this list but negatively, because honestly, does anybody like LinkedIn?
I’ve seen many tik tok videos, but typically only after they’ve been reuploaded to YouTube shorts. It seems tik tok is rising above its competitors if they are all trying to copy or incorporate it into their platforms.