Below is a comprehensive, structured inventory of social media platforms by category, intended as a practical reference rather than a trend list. It covers global incumbents, regional leaders, niche networks, and emerging formats. The objective is completeness and categorization clarity.

1. General / All-Purpose Social Networks

Broad social graphs, multi-format content, mass adoption.

• Facebook

• Instagram

• X (Twitter)

• TikTok

• Threads

• VK (VKontakte)

• Odnoklassniki

• Weibo

• MeWe

• Nextdoor

• Mastodon (federated)

• Bluesky (decentralized)

2. Short-Form Video Platforms

Algorithm-driven discovery, vertical video dominance.

• TikTok

• Instagram Reels

• YouTube Shorts

• Snapchat Spotlight

• Likee

• Kwai

• Triller

• Vigo Video

• Chingari

• Lomotif

3. Long-Form Video & Streaming

Creator-centric, monetization-heavy ecosystems.

• YouTube

• Vimeo

• Dailymotion

• Twitch

• Kick

• Rumble

• Bilibili

• AfreecaTV

• Trovo

4. Photo-First & Visual Sharing

Image-centric identity and storytelling.

• Instagram

• Pinterest

• Flickr

• 500px

• VSCO

• Behance

• DeviantArt

• EyeEm

• SmugMug

5. Messaging & Chat-Based Social Platforms

Private or semi-private social graphs.

• WhatsApp

• Facebook Messenger

• Telegram

• Signal

• LINE

• WeChat

• KakaoTalk

• Viber

• Zalo

• Discord

6. Professional & Career Networks

Work identity, recruiting, thought leadership.

• LinkedIn

• Xing

• AngelList (Wellfound)

• Behance (professional creative focus)

• Dribbble

• Polywork

7. Community, Forum & Discussion Networks

Interest-based, conversation-centric.

• Reddit

• Quora

• Stack Overflow

• Stack Exchange (network)

• Kaskus

• VozForums

• Discourse-based communities

• Lemmy (federated Reddit-style)

8. Blogging & Long-Form Writing Platforms

Idea-centric, narrative-driven networks.

• Medium

• Substack

• WordPress.com

• Ghost

• Tumblr

• Blogger

• Hashnode

• Dev.to

• Steemit

9. Audio-First & Voice Social

Live or asynchronous voice interaction.

• Clubhouse

• X Spaces

• Discord Stage Channels

• Spotify Live (formerly Greenroom)

• Stereo

• Spoon

10. Creator Monetization & Fan Economy

Direct creator–fan financial relationships.

• Patreon

• OnlyFans

• Fanhouse

• Ko-fi

• Buy Me a Coffee

• Gumroad (community-driven creators)

• Fourthwall

11. Live Streaming (Non-Gaming & Mixed)

Real-time engagement beyond gaming.

• Twitch

• YouTube Live

• Facebook Live

• TikTok Live

• Bigo Live

• LiveMe

• Nonolive

12. Gaming-Centric Social Platforms

Player communities and live interaction.

• Discord

• Twitch

• Steam Community

• Xbox Network

• PlayStation Network

• Faceit

• GamerLink

13. Dating & Social Discovery

Relationship-oriented social graphs.

• Tinder

• Bumble

• Hinge

• OkCupid

• Badoo

• Coffee Meets Bagel

• HER

• Grindr

14. Local, Neighborhood & Hyperlocal Networks

Geographically constrained social interaction.

• Nextdoor

• Neighbors by Ring

• Yelp (community component)

• Google Maps (local reviews/social layer)

15. Interest-Specific & Niche Communities

Focused identity or passion-driven networks.

a) Travel

• TripAdvisor

• Couchsurfing

• Polarsteps

b) Fitness & Health (non-medical)

• Strava

• MyFitnessPal (community layer)

• Nike Training Club

c) Books & Knowledge

• Goodreads

• StoryGraph

d) Music

• SoundCloud

• Bandcamp

• Audiomack

e) Fashion

• Depop

• Lookbook

• Polyvore (legacy concept)

16. Decentralized & Web3 Social Networks

User-owned identity, protocol-based.

• Mastodon

• Bluesky

• Lens Protocol

• Farcaster

• Minds

• Diaspora

• Steemit

17. Enterprise & Internal Social Networks

Workplace collaboration and social layers.

• Slack

• Microsoft Teams

• Workplace by Meta

• Yammer (Viva Engage)

• Mattermost

18. Q&A, Knowledge Sharing & Learning

Structured knowledge exchange.

• Quora

• Stack Overflow

• Brainly

• Zhihu

• ResearchGate

19. Review, Rating & Opinion-Driven Social Platforms

Trust-based social proof systems.

• Yelp

• Trustpilot

• Glassdoor

• G2

• Capterra

20. Emerging / Experimental Social Formats

New interaction models, often early-stage.

• BeReal

• Poparazzi

• Nostr clients

• Hive Social

• Airchat

Summary Perspective

Modern “social media” is no longer a single category but an ecosystem of social layers applied to content, commerce, communication, and identity. Any serious strategy—whether for product development, marketing, or research—should evaluate platforms by category relevance, not popularity alone.

If you want, I can:

• Map which platforms matter by industry

• Create a “must-have stack” for brands or creators

• Identify platform gaps for new startup ideas

• Rank platforms by growth, monetization, or audience type

State your objective and constraints, and I will tailor the list accordingly.