Socializing has been around for millennia (longer if one includes animal socialization) and media has been around for hundreds of years, but social media has been around for hardly more than a decade — nonetheless, the advanced October 2017 social media trends make it seem as though the young form of communication has been around for eons.
Indeed, social media is so influential that it has begun to permeate even traditional media landscapes. Elle, the old and venerable magazine, has recently designed a cover for its Russian edition to look like an Instagram post, with tags printed onto the cover and the familiar Instagram post banner along the bottom.
Social media platforms themselves have gotten more complex as well, with new features that help them to stand out in an increasingly crowded environment. Snapchat, for example, has implemented Bitmoji into its posts through the use of AR, turning the Bitmoji into 3D avatars that react to the real-world environment.
Top 45 Social Media Trends in October
From GIF-Printing Polaroid Cameras to Gen Z Cosmetics Stores:
Joey Haar — Oct 29, 2017 — Social Media
45
Mini Social Media Cameras
The Conceptual Snapchat 'Snapshot' Offers Impressive Functionalities
44
Gen Z Cosmetic Stores
'Riley Rose' is Forever21's Newest Conceptual Beauty Store
43
Daring Celebrity Runway Shows
Rihanna's Fenty X Puma Show Featured Motorbikes and Pink Mountains
42
Corporate Motif Weaponry
Tom Galle's Artistic Designs are Inspired by Iconic Company Logos
41
Repurposed Popstar Streetwear
H&M Will Retail Justin Bieber's Leftover Stadium Merchandise
40
Party-Inspired Outdoor Runways
Alexander Wang's Spring 2018 Collection Shut Down a Bushwick Street
39
Vlogger-Created Fashion Lines
YouTuber Jenn Im Launched an Affordable Clothing Collection
38
Social Media-Style Magazine Covers
This Elle Russia October Cover is Styled Like an Instagram Post
37
Connectivity-Boosting Power Banks
The Skyroam Solis Offers a 4G LTE Hotspot and a Power Bank
36
Psychedelic 90s-Inspired Sneakers
Lisa Frank is Only Making Two Pairs of These Colorful Reeboks
35
Thought-Provoking Conversation Apps
'Party Qs' Helps You to Become the Most Interesting Partygoer
34
Social Media-Inspired Signage
'Signs of the Times' Introduces Internet-Like Suggestions Offline
33
Predictive Social Media Aids
'LikelyAI' Will Predict the Popularity of Your Instagram Posts
32
Chromatic Cobbed Corn
Mason's Den's Colorful Cobs Turn Elotes Bright
31
Awkward Swan Pool Floats
The 'Ridiculous Inflatable Swan-Thing' is Adorably Unattractive
30
Automated Social Marketing Services
Startup Foll. Provides Smart Twitter Automation and Marketing
29
Livestreamed Entrepreneurial Pitches
'LOI: Live Pitch' Is an Exclusive Program for Facebook Watch
28
Personalized AR Cartoons
Bitmoji on Snapchat Can Now Be Manipulated in Augmented Reality
27
Intimate Social Card Games
'You Think You Know Me' Challenges Perceptions of Friendships
26
POV Drive-Thru Ads
This Burger King Advertisement Was Shot Entirely on Snapchat Spectacles
25
Spiced Latte Livestreams
The Arrival of the Seasonal Starbucks PSL is Being Teased with Live Video
24
GIF-Printing Polaroid Cameras
Abhishek Singh's 'InstaGif' DIY Polaroid Camera Prints Short Videos
23
Cookie-Flavored Iced Coffees
Dunkin' Donuts is Asking Fans to Vote on New Iced Coffee Flavors
22
Emotive Weather Filters
These Instagram Face Filters Use the Weather to Reflect One's Mood
21
Face-Tracking Emoticon Features
iOS 11 Will Let You Send Face Expression-Based 3D Animated Emoji
20
Crowdsourced Decision-Making Apps
'Deemr' Lets Users Provide Input on Others' Decisions
19
Star-Studded AR Magazines
W Magazine Utilizes AR to Bring Katy Perry's Image to Life
18
Social Media Sports Shows
#NFLBlitz is a Football Talk Show Airing Exclusively on Twitter
17
Mature Beauty Vloggers
'Korea Grandma' is a 71-Year-Old YouTube Sensation Who Shares Beauty Tips
16
Social Media Aggregation Apps
'Thread Reader' Collects Tweetstorms Into a Single Page
15
Drag-and-Drop Shopping Apps
'Thinkover' Makes It Easy for Users to Save and Purchase Items on Sale
14
Virtual City Scavenger Hunts
Volkswagen’s Rule the Road Campaign Engages Instagram Users
13
Auto-Swiping Dating App Devices
The 'Tinda Finger' Swipes Right on Over 6,000 Profiles an Hour
12
Social Media-Based TV Series
'Humans of New York' Will Be Turned into a 12-Part Docuseries
11
Multigenerational Telecommunication Ads
Vodafone India Released an Emotional Ad for Fathers Day
10
R&B Legend-Inspired Cosmetics
The New MAC Aaliyah Collection Was Pushed by an Online Petition
9
Group Video Chat Apps
Facebook's Standalone Bonfire App Also Has Special Effects Features
8
Intrusive Response-Prompting Apps
ReplyASAP Triggers an Alarm to Prevent Ignored Text Messages
7
Connected Sports-Viewing Glasses
Snapchat Will Be Dispensing Its Spectacles at the 2017 US Open
6
College Football Stickers
Rivalry Stickers Turn College Mascots Into Cute Graphics for Text Chats
5
Invisible Promotional Films
'Invisible World' is a Two-Hour Production from Old Spice
4
115-Degree Supermarket Ads
This 10-Second Sainsbury's Ad Was Shot with Snapchat Spectacles
3
Anticipatory Seasonal Beverage Trackers
This Website Will Reveal When It's PSL Season
2
Facial-Recognition Social Sites
'Polygram' Registers and Records Users' Facial Reactions
1
Streaming Alert Apps
'Stream Time' Helps Users Keep Tabs on Upcoming Live Videos
Related Ideas
Doll-Like Selfie Generators
The Barbie Selfie Generator Turns Fans into Favorite Characters
Social Post-Catered Editing Platforms
Adobe Express Rolls Out the Text to Template Function
Expressive AR Fashion
Innovation Metaverse Design Story is a Digital Collection from H&M
Gen Z IRL Campaigns
Hinge's Phonebook Encourages Gen Z to Connect IRL for Global Day of Unplugging
Color-In Photo Cameras
The 'Potto' Toy Camera Concept Encourages Kids to Color in Prints
Uplifting Gen Z Fashion
Boohoo & Pantone Created a Collection for Mental Health Awareness Month
Emerging Technology Publications
New Society Has Launched Its Inaugural Book About Technology
Dedicated Social Media Devices
The Conceptual Twitter 3D Gadget Features Mechanical Buttons
AI-Generated Topic Art
'The Art of Trending’ Creates AI Artwork From Topics Trending on Twitter
Algorithm-Free Social Media Apps
'RTRO' Connects Users in a More Positive Online Environment
Anti-Filter Beauty Campaigns
Dove is Inviting Social Media Users to Fight Digital Distortion
AI Social Media Managers
Friz is an All-in-One Tool for DTC Brands on Social
Sticker-Creating Social Tools
Instagram Releases a New Sticker Creation Feature for Creators
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Gen X Influencer Campaigns
L’Oréal Paris Taps 10 Influencers for Its Age Perfect Rosy Oil-Serum
Social Media News Updates
Meta's Threads Update Features a 'Trending Now' Feed for Relevant News
AI-Powered Beauty Filters
The TikTok Bold Glamour Beauty Filter Uses Machine-Learning
Digital Streetwear Collaborations
The Fabricant x Highsnobiety Dropped During Paris Fashion Week
NFC-Enabled Face Stickers
Shu Uemura's Limited-Edition Stickers Create Digital Content
Mental Health-Protective Films
Dove's Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film Protects Teen's Mental Health
Gen Z Dating Campaigns
Tinder's 'It Starts with a Swipe' Shows Celebrates How Gen Z Connects
Visualized Social Streaming Features
Spotify and Snapchat are Launching the Share Track Lens
Digital Holiday Dresses
Bershka x DressX Digital Going Out Collection Targets Gen Z Customers
Lifestyle Activity Tracking Apps
The 'Timeline It' App Tracks Virtually Any Activity or Event
Fashionable Phygital Coats
Private Policy AW23 Took to the Metaverse
Decentralized Social Media Platforms
Meta Launched Threads, a Decentralized Alternative to Twitter
Gen Z-Centered Health Apps
RTRO Lauches with ChatGPT with a Focus on Mental Health
Gen Z-Focused Coachella Campaigns
Pinterest Partners With Coachella to Connect With Gen Z
AI-Aided Social Networks
Why Be Real Online when you can BeFake
Social Commerce Apps
GIST is an App-Based Social Platform for Sharing Purchases with Friends
Gen Alpha Social Media Apps
'SendIt' is Designed for Youth to Socialize through Games and Chatting
Emotive Smartphone Camera Covers
Yifan Hu Designs the Emoji-Inspired Smartphone Accessories
Community Commerce Pop-Ups
TikTok Shop UK Opened a Pop-Up on London's Oxford Street
Travel-Focused Marketing Guides
TikTok Debuts a Playbook for Travel Marketers to Foster Engagement
AI Advertisement Additions
Meta Introduces a New Suite of AI-Powered Advertising Tools
Social Commerce Platforms
21 Buttons is a Social Fashion Shopping Network
AI Beauty Shopping Apps
Trendio's Video Shopping App Shares Personally Curated Content
Realistic Chat-Based Avatars
Whatsapp Partners with Tems for the 'Say More With Avatars' Campaign
Text-Based Social Medias
'Artifact' is an Upcoming Article-Focused Social Media Service
Phygital Fashion Retail Experiences
Macy's mstylelab Digital Shopping Platform is Immersive
Product-Integrated Filters
NYX and Snapchat Launched the 'Beauty Bestie' Shopping FIlter
Communication-Based Immersive Exhibitions
Intuit Mailchimp and Design Museum Present Email is Dead
Shoppable Hybrid Apps
Lemon8 is a New Social Media App Combining Aspects of Instagram & Pinterest
Forward-Thinking Wedding Pop-Ups
Anthropologie Weddings x Pinterest Shares Emerging Styles
QSR Gen Z Campaigns
Chipotle Targets Gen Z with Wellness Snapchat Lens and Menu Items
Interactive Phygital Hoodies
Beyond's Phygital Fashion Capsule Can Be Tried on with AR
Syringe-Based Billboards
Dove's Injectable Billboard Addresses Toxic Beauty Standards
Invite-Only Social Medias
'Lapse' is a New Invite-Only Social Media Service for Photo Sharing
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Personalized AI Emojis
Emojifyer AI Turns Your Selfies Into Emojis
Life-Logging Digital Journals
The Apple Journal Life Tracker Was Unveiled at WWDC 2023
Retro Family Photoshoots
Blue Bunny is Inviting Families to Pop-Up 90s-Themed Photoshoots
Digital Avatar Cosmetics
e.l.f. Cosmetics & Snapchat Debuted the First Bitmoji Beauty Drop
Secondhand Fashion Editorials
Vinted Styled a Shoot Exclusively with Vinted Finds
Visualized Social Media Data
InstaGraph Visualizes Social Media Data Through Unique Graphs
Luxury Avatar Outfits
Valentino Created Digital Fashion Looks for Meta Avatars
Instagram Hashtags Generators
TwoOrbits' Tool Uses AI and Machine Learning to Help Creators
Image-Based Alternative Social Medias
'Noteit' is a Snapchat-Inspired App for Gen Alpha Users
Social Media Political-Content Limitations
Meta is Reducing Political Content Recommendations
CGI Beauty Avatars
A New Maybelline Mascara is Being Launched by the Brand's First Avatar
AI-Generated Selfies
DreamBooth Creates Realistic Images Based on a Set of Photos
360 Photo Booths
PhotoboothTO Introduces the Future of Event Photography in Canada
Social Marketplace Updates
Instagram Launches a Marketplace to Better Connect Brands and Creators
Interactive AR Experiences
The Sendit App Engaged Gen Alpha on Valentine's Day
Social Shopping Features
YouTube Introduces a New 'Shopping Collections' Feature for Creators
Retro-Tinged Social Logos
Twitter Blue Unveils a New Logo that is Inspired by 80s Styles
TikTok-Inspired Music Features
Spotify Showcased a Redesigned Homepage for its Mobile App
Life-Size In-Store Countdowns
Toys R Us Asia and Craig & Karl Created an Advent Calendar for All
Professional Short-Form Video Feeds
LinkedIn is Testing a TikTok-Like System on its Platform
Conversational Campaign Creators
Creating Google Ads Campaigns is Simpler with AI Chat Features
Customizable Content Effects
Google Introduces New Editing Features to the Photos App
Miniature Collectible Campaigns
The World’s Smallest Lines are the Focus of Influencer Marketing
Social Media Music Festivals
TikTok 'In the Mix' is a First-of-Its-Kind Music Festival
Image-Sharing Social Applications
Lapse is a New Image-Sharing App Loved by Gen Z Consumers
Spooky Street Ad Experiences
These Fanta Halloween Projections Took Over a Busy Stockholm Street
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Retro Social App Devices
Edwar Banquet Designs the Retro Instagram Gadget with a Console Shape
AI-Indicating Content Labels
Meta is Preparing to Roll out Labels Depicting Content Made with AI
Social Media Forecasting Tools
WGSN TikTok Analytics Harness Data, Insights and More
Social Media AI Chatbots
Instagram Plans to Incorporate its Own AI Chatbots in the App
Private Social Photo Apps
The 'Retro' App Focuses on Mindful Sharing with Select Others
Social Reading Apps
Fable is a Social App for Readers That Goes Beyond Book Clubs
Gen Z Advertising Tools
YouTube Launches a New Music Tool to Connect Advertisers with Gen Z
Celebrity Social Feeds
BeReal Introduces the Celeb-Exclusive 'RealPeople' Feed on its App
AI Social Media Generators
Snowball FATG Can Help Create Viral Social Moments in Seconds
Parental Social App Controls
Meta Debuts a Series of New Features Across its Social Media Apps
Authentic Ambassador Campaigns
BeReal is Looking for "The Realest Person on Earth"
Decentralized Social Apps
Meta is Developing a Decentralized Text-Based App Codenamed "P92"
Social Media-Integrated AI Lenses
Snapchat Launches the New AR Lenses with ChatGPT
Digital Social Sharing Spaces
The Shilo App Invites Users to Share and Curate What They Love
Interconnected Messaging Ecosystems
Whatsapp to Introduce Support for Messages Third-Party Apps
AR Voter Campaigns
Snapchat & the Dutch Ministry Engaged and Inspired Gen Z Voters
Empowering Visual Content Campaigns
Getty Images and Hiki Launches #AutisticOutLoud
Limited Political Social Medias
Meta's 'Threads' Allows Users to Limit Political Content Shown
Marketing Mentorship Platforms
Sprout Social Launches as a New Business Mentorship Network
Photo-Organizing Apps
Journeys Simplifies the Process of Organizing One's Photos
Social Media-Limiting Apps
Elqi Intervenes with Meditation to Limit Social Media Time
Stigma-Reducing Period Brands
August Relies on Playful and Wholesome Branding
Animated-Photo AI-Fueled Chat Apps
EmbodyMe Unveils its New Xpression Chat Platform
Authenticated News Apps
Digital Trust Network 'Click' Challenges the Threat of Misinformation
Automated Social Media Posting
PosterGPT Uses AI to Post the Latest News Stories to Your Feed
Social Sun Care Challenges
Cosrx's #LayerYourSPF Campaign Reached Milestone Views on TikTok
Social E-Commerce Platforms
TikTok is Launching a New E-Commerce Platform for Consumers
Video Conferencing Avatar Features
Meta is Presenting a New Cartoon Avatar Feature
Social Media Star Brands
Toddy Smith Introduces His GothicMochas Clothing Brand
Modern Digitized Bookshelves
September is a Digital Bookshelf Where You Can Display Achievements
AI-Powered Creative Services
WePost Saga Helps Businesses Enhance Their Online Social Presence
SaaS Influencer Marketing Tools
Beeing Social Launches 'Buzz Bee Buzz' for Influencer Marketing
Localized Networking Platforms
Presence Connects Users with Like-Minded Individuals Nearby
Secondary Social Media Features
Instagram is Rolling out the Flipside Feature On User Profiles
Halloween-Inspired Retail Capsules
Target Debuts a New Private-Label Halloween Capsule for October
Uplifting Virtual Influencer Collabs
The Lennnie x Dove Collab Promotes Body Positivity
Pro-Community Social Media Apps
Take Creates Real Life Interactions Through a Social Network
Professional Community Platforms
LinkedIn is Targeting Gen Z Professionals with its New Campaign
Virtual Self-Expression Summits
göt2b's Virtual Metaverse Experience Uplifts Millennials & Gen Z
Social Engagement Platforms
Perspik Provides an Online Space for Thoughtful Engagement
Social Telegrammed Messaging Features
Instagram's Broadcast Channels Will Soon Launch Globally
Social Posting Platform Features
Threads Launches the New Send on Instagram Feature
Music-Focused Social Media
Musicboard is a Place for Music Lovers to Unite
Niche Interest Social Networks
Spiral Social Was Inspired by Wikipedia Topics
Cartoon Avatar Digital Meetings
The New Zoom Avatars Add a Playful Personalization to Meetings
Personalized Holiday Newsletters
Pics & Wishes is a Line of Multi-Media Greetings
Social Media Silencing Features
Instagram Quiet Mode Helps Users Take a Scheduled Break
Social Media Expansive Features
Twitter Blue Adds New Perk Features Through Uploads
Private Social Media Services
Instagram Now Allows Posts and Reels to be Shared with Close Friends
Secondary Social Profile Features
Instagram Previews a New Flipside Feature for Private Posting
Social Sticker-Making Features
WhatsApp Launches a New In-App Custom Sticker Maker
Social Media-Connected Links
Instagram Expands its Amount of Links on User Profiles
Privacy-Enhancing Social Features
Pinterest Launches the New Safety Features for Young Users
Long-Form Content Social Platforms
X Allows Premium+ Subscribers to Create Long-Form Articles
Magazine Content Features
Magazine App Flipboard Adds a New Notes Feature for Personalized Content
Paid Verification Social Services
Meta is Preparing to Launch Meta Verified Subscription
Bite-Sized Gen Z News
Mata.Today Offers Quick Insights for Gen Z to Easily Digest
Daily-Prompting Social Journals
Journal. Invites Users to Share Their Thoughts and Feelings
Notification-Silencing App Features
Instagram Debuts 'Quiet Mode' to Encourage Users to Disconnect
Location-Based Photo Sharing
Harbor Creates Personalized Picture Albums Through location Sharing
Crowdsourced Fact-Checking Features
Twitter Launches the Fact-Checking 'Community Notes' Feature
Broadcast-Like Social Channels
Meta is Launching New Broadcast Channels to Instagram and More
Presidential Note Campaigns
Joe Biden Launches a New Boomer-Focused Campaign Using the Notes App
Novelty Polling Websites
Funnypoll Gives Users a Quick Laugh in an Often Overwhelming Online Space