Finding Your Social Media Niche

I recently read a great article on Techcrunch titled “Beyond Facebook: The Rise of Internet-Based Social Networks” which highlights the growing number of “interest-based” social media websites.

Most social media novices are aware of well-known social media sites, such as; facebook, twitter and LinkedIn but there are a whole host of smaller, highly active, networks out there which can be equally as valuable.

So, what’s the value of finding your social media niche?  Well the members of these networks have already indicated they are interested in a particular subject area by joining the site; unlike say facebook where the use is primarily catching up with friends and family – people you already know and are not necessarily interested in the same things as you.

As with most marketing techniques, it’s better to apply a “targeted” approach rather than a scattergun effect, and by this I mean finding where people are talking about your subject area online, what they are interested in and tailoring your posts with this in mind.

I’ve picked a few of my favourite niche social networks for you to explore:

Food spotting – find and share dishes and see what others have recommended too.

GetGlue – “Check in” when watching your favourite TV programs/films and chat with others doing the same.

Vimeo – share videos based on interest.

Etsy – a site specifically for selling your arts and craft items online.

NB/ A lot of these sites can be accessed by logging in with your facebook or twitter accounts too, so no need to remember countless usernames and logins.

This is not to say of course that you can’t grow a niche following on facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest etc – because you most certainly can – rather that when looking to grow your social presence online not to forget about the smaller, interest based networks and forums.

If you would like help  growing your social media presence online, please get in touch.