Get In Where You Fit In
A Case for Niche Social Media Platforms
When developing a social media strategy for your latest endeavor it would behoove you to consider the “big players” as part of your game plan. I’m talking about Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc; the platforms that have user counts in the billions and provide the perfect playground to bring your inbound marketing goals to fruition. You may have heard of them. If used properly, these platforms could help generate a large and loyal following.
Amongst the “big players” there exists an underrated, scrappy squad of niche social media platforms that also deserve your attention. Regardless of what product, service, or message you are peddling, there is probably an existent niche platform or two with the exact audience composition you were desperately seeking on those all-star platforms. And the best part is, this audience won’t need much convincing because the niche platform has created a space where like-minded people can grow in their interests and passions. All you need to do is facilitate that.
You’re skeptical. I don’t blame you. You’re wondering how advantageous social networks with far less traffic than their counterparts can really be. Essentially, it comes down to quality not quantity. Despite the short guest list, you’ll find extremely engaged and enthusiastic followers in these spaces. For these patrons, pull out all the stops. Offer them exclusive products or experiences and make sure they remain satisfied customers because their opinions carry major clout in circles of people just like them. If you succeed you will likely have gained loyal customers for life. If you fail your image could be tarnished to the point of no return, no pressure.
A plethora of niche platforms are available to choose from. Which platform you choose is entirely dependent on what you have to offer. If you are a new brewery on the scene consider reaching out to members of Untappd, a platform used to discover and share beer, bars and breweries. Perhaps you are a video game developer. Lucky for you, Discord and Twitch have put millions of video game enthusiasts within your reach (Staley, 2020; Statista, 2020). Do you flip homes for a living? Then Houzz, an app showcasing beautifully renovated houses, will be your jam. Whatever trade you’re in, there’s probably a niche platform for it.
Highly successful social media strategies take full advantage of their niches. This is demonstrated by the 2017 collaboration of athletic apparel company, Lululemon, with fitness tracking social network Strava. Together they created a 40/80 Challenge where Strava members were encouraged to run either 40 or 80 kilometers within a two-week period. In the end success equated to over 100,000 challenge joins (Iterable, 2019). Through this unique virtual event Lululemon and Strava created a mutually beneficial scenario within their niche where each could grow their engagement and following. As a result of the campaigns success, the two brands have established an ongoing relationship.
So, please; I beg of you. Do not underestimate the power of the niche social media platform. They may be small, but boy are they mighty. If you’re looking to engage with customers who already want to engage with you, I suggest you give Facebook a break and get in where you fit in.
References
Iterable. (2019, September 4). How Strava Learned the Metrics for Campaign Success. https://iterable.com/blog/strava-metrics-campaign-success/
Staley, O. (2020, November 25). Messaging app Discord is the new social life for house-bound teenagers. https://qz.com/1938126/the-discord-messaging-app-is-now-reportedly-worth-7-billion/
Statista. (2020). Number of active streamers on Twitch worldwide from January 2018 to December 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/746173/monthly-active-streamers-on-twitch/#:~:text=Active%20streamers%20on%20Twitch%20worldwide%202020&text=This%20statistic%20presents%20the%20number,active%20streamers%20in%20December%202020.
