Considering the humble origins of social media, the May 2017 social media trends show just how different contemporary platforms are from their predecessors. In the early days of social media, the majority of activity consisted of text exchanges — if people included any images at all, it would be a single image to make up their profile picture. Today, image-centric platforms dominate the social media landscape, and that shows in the social media trends for the coming month.
Both Facebook and Snapchat are looking for ways to expand beyond even image sharing alone. Snapchat has created an AR video filter in the style of its beloved and massively popular picture filters, and Facebook recently announced a VR hangout space where virtual avatars can meet and converse.
Top 40 Social Media Trends in May
40
Luxurious Crystal Bodysuits
Rihanna Sported Gucci's Unique Runway Ensemble During Coachella
39
Puppy Proposal Photoshoots
The Sebastian Loves Luna Engagement Album Showcases Canine Love
38
Feline Culinary Photoshoots
Maro the Cosplay Chef Cat Combines Authentic Food and Outfits
37
Retro Tie-Dye Nail Art
Creatives are Testing Out New Ways to Bring the Pattern to Their Fingers
36
Feathered Eyebrow Looks
These Beauty Bloggers Have Artfully Transformed Their Eyebrows
35
Tie-Dye Lip Art
Makeup Artists Have Been Revealing Unique Ways to Get the Festival-Ready Look
34
Alien Social Media Models
Gucci's Alien Instagram Campaign is for the Fall/Winter 2017 Line
33
Foodie Fashion Photography
Kelsey Mcclellan's Series Shows Clothing with Matching Food Products
32
Extravagant Food Crown Portraits
Lauren Hom's Images Creatively Feature Different Food Staples
31
Simplistic Silhouette Art
Flavio Salsano Turns Shadows from Everyday Items into Whimsical Drawings
30
Sensitive Content Filters
Blurred Photos on Instagram Will Warn of Possibly Offensive Content
29
Social Travel Networks
'Nomo FOMO' Enables Social Travel Planning by Detailing Trips
28
Emotion-Based Social Networks
The 'Emotely' Social Network Works to Let Users Share Emotions
27
Dreamy Singer-Inspired Social Filters
The Lana Del Rey Filter on Snapchat Features a Flower Crown
26
Customizable Gift-Giving Kits
'Giftkit' Introduces a Modern Way to Shop for Gift Baskets Online
25
Collaborative Social Media Apps
The 'WeClip' Collaboration Platform Involves Everyone
24
Speed-Checking Chatbots
The Infiniti Q60 SpeedBot Instantly Finds Almost Any Car's 0-60 Time
23
Millennial-Focused Health Platforms
'Corevity' is an Online Health Community to Share Stories
22
Dating App-Inspired Portraits
Jiyeon Kim Created Contemporary Renditions of Tinder Pictures
21
A.I.-Powered Restaurant Finders
The Sure Chatbot Uses Instagram to Make Restaurant Recommendations
20
Interactive Social Cinemas
Cinex Lets You Tweet Live on the Big Screen While Watching a Movie
19
Social AR Geolocation Apps
The 'Grifidi' Social Experience App Creates Location-Based Socializing
18
VR Social Networks
Facebook Spaces Lets You Hang Out with Friends Anywhere in the World
17
Happiness-Sharing Bots
Bbc Earth's Chatbot Shares Personalized Videos for "Real Happiness"
16
Quick College Application Videos
ZeeMee Offers High Schoolers an Alternative Application Method
15
Alluring Voice Analyzers
Skyn's Voice Analysis Bot Rates Voices on Sensuality, Mystery and More
14
Augmented Photography Lenses
Snapchat's 'World Lenses' Adapt to Their Surroundings with AR
13
Social Media Fundraising Features
Facebook is Adding a 'Personal Fundraiser' Function
12
Contextless Video Apps
'Yo Stories' Shares Video from Friends Without Additional Details
11
Crowdsourced Decision Networks
The 'WeeAct' Social Network Enables Users to Make Smart Decisions
10
Social Feed Aggregator Sites
The 'MakersFeed' Social Feed Aggregator Organizes Content Beautifully
9
Augmented Reality Table Lamps
Lampix will Change the Way Users Work and Play
8
Crayon Farewell Tours
The Celebrate Dandelion Campaign Encourages Crayola Fans to Say Goodbye
7
Issue Discussion Networking Apps
The 'Blaze' App Enables Social Voting to Gauge Opinions
6
Communal Video-Watching Apps
The Cabana App Lets Users Watch YouTube With Friends Virtually
5
Chinese Video Content Platforms
Alibaba's Tudou Site has Transformed into a Short Content Platform
4
Customer-Created Taglines
Emerald Nuts' New Tagline, "Yes Good," Was Inspired by a Customer Review
3
Data-Saving Social Apps
'Twitter Lite' Offers Optimized Features for Mobile Users
2
Pinboard Theme Park Planners
Walt Disney World Created Specialized Pinterest Trip-Planning Tools
1
Categorical Social Updates
The New Instagram Update Will Allow Users to Sort Their Saved Posts
Related Ideas
Virtual Fashion Contests
Bratz and ZEPETO Launch a Four-Week Avatar Styling Challenge
Location-Based Social Media Features
Instagram Map Connects Friends Who are Nearby One Another
Connection Platform Experiences
Facebook Debuts at Stagecoach to Target Younger Audiences
Video-Editing App Updates
Google Photos Launches a Slew of New Video Editing Tools
Gen-Z-Focused AR Campaigns
American Eagle Launched an AE Jeans Try-on Haul Lens
Social Video Downloaders
Snap Tube Enables Video Watching and Downloading From Social Platforms
Creative Online Social Networks
BuzzFeed Introduces the New BF Island Social Network
Social Media-Inspired Retail Apps
Depop Outfits Lets Users Create Moodboards and Collages
AR-Powered Vending Machines
Snapchat and L’Oréal Made a Gamified Lens to Share Refillable Haircare
Reality-Style Dating App Series
Tinder's Double Date Island Spotlights Creator Friends in Ibiza
AR-Powered Makeup Experiences
NYX Professional Makeup Beauty Bestie 2.0 is Available on Snapchat
Authentic Connection Campaigns
Heineken's Hijack Socialization Encourages Out-of-Home Gatherings
Playful Gen-Z Dating Campaigns
Tinder's 'Crush Feelings' Captures the Essence of Modern Dating
Social AI Video Lenses
Snapchat Brings Photo-To-Video AI to Lens Studio
Interactive AR Storefronts
Spotselfie AR Meta Stores Tie Real-World Places to Virtual Storefronts
Immersive Video Shopping Experiences
ASOS Live Blends Creator-Led Content with Real-Time Shopping
AI-Powered Social AR Apps
The Snap Lens Studio Lets Any User Create Their Own Effects
Cross-Platform Aggregator Apps
Flipboard Surf Aggregates Social Media, And More For Browsing
Reality-Themed Dating Campaigns
Tinder Launches a YouTube Reality Show to Appeal to Gen Z
Personalized Digital Dating Rooms
Dating.com Introduced Customizable Virtual Spaces for Singles
Outfit Transformation Apps
Drippi Lets You Transform Friends' Outfits with Simple Photo Edits.
In-Person Connection Apps
Court is an Empowering New Social App Without Messaging or Swiping
AI Video Insights
Sora Creators Curates Trending AI-Generated Videos from Twitter in Real-Time
Imaginative Fantasy-Inspired Campaigns
Canva Spotlights its Creative Tools Ahead of Halloween
GenAI Social Media Lenses
The Imagine Lens Lets Snapchat Users Type to Bring Ideas to Life
Snapchat Super Bowl Filters
The NFL x Snapchat Creator Program Debuts Ahead of the Big Game
Social Insight Tools
Currents AI Turns Social Media Data Into Actionable Business Insights
AI Kids Coloring Pages
Retro Launches Splat To Turn Family Photos Into Art
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
College-Focused Social Platforms
TikTok's Campus Verification Feature Mirrors Early Facebook
Social Commerce Integrations
Ulta Beauty Launches a Creator-Driven TikTok Shop
Conversation Insight Analytics
Messages Wrapped Turns Texts to Shareable Year-In-Review Summaries
Astrological Dating App Experiences
Tinder Astrology Mode Helps Users Connect Over Birth Details
Digital Well-Being Updates
Tiktok Adds Mindfulness Tools and User Controls Over Ai Content
Social Media Meditation Features
The TikTok Meditation Feature Helps Users Take a Break
AI-Powered Imagery Tools
Snap by Genius.AI Creates Realistic Images Fast Without Photoshoots
AI Avatar Generators
Selfie AI Transforms Selfies Into Personalized AI-Generated Portraits
Social Media Entertainment Apps
The Instagram Reels Fire TV App Turns Content into Entertainment
Shoppable Reel Features
Meta Expands Reels with Product Tagging on Instagram and Facebook
Social Media Backup Platforms
SocialSafe™ Serves Content Creators and Fans
Anti-Algorithm Social Platforms
Buzzfeed’s Branch Office Creates Interactive AI-Powered Apps
Social Content Creators
SmilesFlow Lets You Create Unique, Interactive Content for Sharing
Nostalgic Looping Video Apps
The Divine App Revives Six-Second Loop Video Sharing
Local Social Media Feeds
TikTok’s Local Feed Uses Precise Location Opt-In, Excludes Minors
Secret Friends Social Features
The Secret Friends List Debuts on Instagram with Selena Gomez
AI-Enabled Photo App Updates
Google Photos Brings Artificial Intelligence to the Application
AI-Powered Social Media Lenses
Snap Announced AI Video Lenses for Snapchat Platinum Subscribers
Easy-to-Use Content Editing Apps
Meta Launched 'Edits' for Instagram Creators on Mobile Devices
Roblox Popularity Trackers
Rotrends Shows What’s Popular on Roblox and Why
Emotional Mothers Day Ads
Apple's Mother’s Day Campaign Showcases Spatial Video's Emotional Power
Location-Based Social App Features
Snapchat Home Safe Lets Users Automatically Alert Friends
Offline Dating Experiences
Beyond Debuts Social Club Prioritizing In Person Connections
Branded App Takeovers
TikTok Introduces Logo Takeover Ads That Dominate the App’s Opening Screen
Social Media Insight Trackers
Memenome AI Tracks and Simplifies Tiktok Trends Using AI
Communal Social Video Features
Instagram Blend Create Communal Reel Playlists with Friends
Wellness-First Social Networks
Communia Turns Social Media into Social Self-Care
Short-Form Video Previews
Vertical Feeds Help Members Discover Content on Netflix
Digital Makeup Meeting Features
The Google Meet Makeup Feature Helps a User Get Camera-Ready
Streaming Moments Surge
Spotify’s Wrapped 2025 Engages Users with Personalized Year-in-Review
Proximity-First Friendship Apps
Friending Launched the Friending App to Foster Friendships
Social Media Aggregators
Feed Page Centralizes And Shares All Your Social Media Updates
Youth-Led Holiday Campaigns
Where are You Going? Showcases a Global Portrait of Young Creators
AI-Created Video Feeds
Meta Introduces Vibes as a Social Platform Driven by AI-Generated Posts
AI-Assisted Messaging
WhatsApp Introduces AI Writing Help and Photo Editing Features
Tech-Enhanced Content Platforms
Perfect Corp's YouCam App Suite Taps AI, AR & Agentic Innovation
Music Sharing Games
What Song Lets Friends Share Songs And Stories Together Instantly
Social Media Hubs
Unified Socials Centralizes Management Across Multiple Platforms
Creator Monetization Integrations
TikTok Adds Cameo Video Requests In-App
Viral Face Generators
CrazyFace Generates Fun, Viral YouTube Faces from a User's Photos
Introvert-Friendly Social Platforms
The 'Introvrs' Social App Connects Like-Minded Users
On-Demand Content Creation Apps
Social Agent Connects Users to Certified Content Creators
Tech-Enabled Smart Glasses
Snapchat Announces the Upcoming Arrival of its New 'Specs' Glasses
Emerging Market Insights
Rising Trends Helps Discover Hidden Markets And Business Opportunities
Social Video Beauty Brands
Time Inc. Unveils 'The Pretty' Social Video-Based Beauty Brand
Social-First Beauty Retailers
Sally Beauty Joins TikTok Shop
Digital Journaling Platforms
Moments Helps Users Reflect, Track, and Journal for Personal Growth
Authentic Self-Focused Dating Apps
The Glimr Dating App Places an Emphasis on Authenticity
Social Media-Inspired Streaming Apps
The Netflix App Feed Will Introduce a TikTok-Like Style
Focused Fashion Feeds
Clone Helps You Stay Updated with Fashion Trends Sustainably
Parental Social Media Alerts
This Instagram Alert Will Let Parents Know of Troubling Teen Searches
Personal Deepfake Avatar Features
YouTube Announces Face Swap Avatars in Creator Studio
Social Networking Hubs
Internet Social Café Lets Users Explore Cafés and Build Online Connections
Social Food Delivery Apps
The 'Zesty' App from DoorDash Helps Users Find New Restaurants
Group Chat Insights
Discover WhatsApp Group Trends And Stats With ZapZipped’s Yearly Recaps
Ai-Supported Smart Dating Tools
Facebook Dating Adds an AI Assistant for Swipe Fatigue
Social Media-Inspired Hookup Apps
Grindr Right Now Connects Users on a Real-Time Basis
Memory Tracking Apps
ThenNow Resurfaces Your Photos From This Day in Years Past
Social Media Creator Initiatives
Snapchat Launches its Gen Z-Focused Creator Connect Service
Niche Club Apps
Phictly Connects Fans of Books, Movies & Shows in Small, Engaged Groups
Insightful Short-Form Talk Apps
TED Shorts Allow for Short, Snappy Snippets of Popular Talks
Performance-Based Creator Platforms
Picsart Earn Program Pays Creators Based on Engagement
Creator-Focused All-In-One Platforms
MediaClub.app Serves Creators in the Middle East
Friend-Finding Virtual Hangouts
Strangely Matches Similar Personalities for Live Video Chats
Focused Social Platforms
LastWeekend Prioritizes Sharing Moments With People Who Matter Most
Conversational Streaming Apps
Tubi Launches a ChatGPT App for Easier Content Discovery
Real-Time Nightlife Finders
HotSpot Discovers Trending Nightlife Spots With Real-Time Insights
Real-Time Sharing Apps
MomentsHub Lets You Discover And Share Nearby Experiences Instantly
Expressive App Icons
The Instagram Teen Icons Deliver Vibrant Customization for Younger Users
Conversational Publishing Tools
Will Turns WhatsApp Messages Into Branded LinkedIn Posts
Real Time Film Filters
VSCO Capture Brings Live Film-Style Filters to iOS for Authentic Shooting
Unified Profile Previews
PreviewMyProfile Shows Cross-Platform Social Profiles Before You Publish
Teen Content Filters
Instagram Expands Age-Rated Experiences with Stricter Parental Controls
Social Image Comparisons
Compare AI Enables AI-Powered Photo Comparisons And Social Ranking
Authentic Video Dating
Share AI-Guided Video Stories And Genuine Connections With Vibing
Event-Based Social Networking Applications
The Plus 1 App is Expanding into Florida
Creative Photo Communities
Join the Ad-Free Creative Photo Network Built Into Hipstamatic
Layered Online Content Reports
YouTube Defines Creative Maximalism as the Key Point After 20 Years
Emoji Party Games
Speedmoji Turns Emoji Texting Into A Fast-Paced Group Game For All
Valentine's Day Dining Research
OpenTable Compiles Data on Valentine's Day Dining Trends
Real-Time Video Matching
Call Me Maybe Connects Singles Through Fast, Fun 15-Minute Video Chats
Paired-Down Social Media Platforms
Month Friend Boasts a New Experience in the Hyper-Digital World
Visual Chat Platforms
PicNow! Enables Users to Share Photos and Chat With Strangers
Personal Phone Diaries
Today Has Been Lets Users Keep A Personal Diary Directly On WhatsApp
Social Location Sharing
FriendMap Simplifies Location Sharing To Help Friends Connect In Real Time
Decentralized Social Websites
Surf Enables Creator-Owned Platforms
Editable Comment Features
Instagram Adds 15-Minute Comment Editing Option
Top App Showcases
Discover, Explore, and Vote for the Year’s Top Compose Applications
Group Video Gifting
Folksee Makes It Easy To Collect And Gift Personalized Video Reels
Creative Imaging Tools
Pic 2 Planet Turns Everyday Photos Into Lifelike Planet Creations
Instant Personal Pages
Portrait Lets Users Create Custom Personal Landing Pages Instantly
Private Photo Journals
Memory Helps You Capture Daily Moments In A Secure And Simple Photo Diary
Private Sharing Apps
Waffle Helps Friends Share Daily Moments And Stay Connected Authentically
Engagement Timing Insights
DontPostYet Uses Live Analytics To Optimize Social Media Posting Times
Double Dating App Features
Tinder Double Date Helps to Take the Pressure Out of Meeting New People
Digital Portfolio Builders
Snapbio Creates a Customizable Digital Profile in Minutes
AI-Powered Animation Tools
Facebook Adds AI-Powered Animation And Restyle Tools
Simplified Social Platforms
Happy Feed Is A Minimalist Twitter Experience With Fewer Distractions
Social Media Filters
Stop Reels Removes Addictive Video Feeds For Focused Social Use
Smart Content Aggregators
Smashing’s Personalized Article Discovery App Helps Users Stay Informed
Video Repurposing Tools
Video To Social Converts Videos Into Optimized Content For Social Media
Visual Timelapse Apps
SelfieStory Creates Seamless Timelapse Memories From Daily Photos
Privacy-First Queer Dating Apps
The 'Throb' App Supports Expiring Private Photo Albums and More
Profile Photo Enhancers
Dating Photo AI Boosts Your Dating App Matches with Optimized Photos
Group Challenge Apps
Challenge Friends Lets Users Complete 30-Day Self-Improvement Challenges
Event Branding Tools
Frame Me Lets Event Managers Share Branded Photos For Viral Marketing
Life Event Portfolios
Build and Share Life’s Key Moments With Milestones’ Curated Event Portfolio
AI-Powered Scam Alerts
Meta Launches Scam Protection Features Across Its Social Platforms
Data-Comparing Social Apps
The Mutually App Matches Users Based on Their Digital Footprint
Social Sharing Tools
Social Plus Expands Your Reach With Shared Posts Across Platforms
Phone Software Updates
Google Launches March Pixel Drop With New Pixel And Android Features