The Benefits of Marketing on a Niche Social Media Platform
When we think of social media marketing we think of the big platforms. We want our company to be discovered and loved on the well- known platforms because this is the social norm. Everyone is on Facebook and Instagram, why would we not start there? While these giant social media platforms can be beneficial, there are equally as many positives to marketing on niche channels. Below, I will discuss a few of these benefits and then take a look at some people who utilize these platforms really well.
The first reason why you should be marketing on niche social platforms is because there is a rise in people joining closed and smaller communities. People want to find like-minded people to discuss similar interests. Especially with this pandemic, people are actively searching for belonging in different communities.
It’s also been noted that people are actively leaving Facebook. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 42 percent of Facebook users have taken a break from checking the platform and 26 percent have deleted its app from their cell phone. This research shows that many people are leaving these networks behind and are most likely looking for a network that better suits their interests.
Since so many people have downloaded apps like Facebook and Instagram, we assume that this is the best place to market our products and services. The thing we tend to forget is that our feeds are typically flooded with hundreds of thousands of people which makes it difficult to have our products and services be seen. When marketing from a niche platform, it is easier to promote a product to a smaller platform. Not only are these smaller platforms, but they are also filled with people who share similar interests. In 2018, it was found that only 50% of people follow one business on Instagram. That means that 50% of the 1 Billion active monthly users aren’t necesarily interested in following or learning more about businesses. This statistic confirms that people aren’t necessarily on the major platforms to learn more about products and services you could buy. Now, if you went to Good Reads to promote a new reading tool to the 9 million readers who are there, you will be much more likely to make an impact on that smaller group with a niche interest.
Social channel “Reddit” is considered the The Front Page of the Internet. It is basically the quickest way to find out about anything that you could ever want to know about. All you have to do is a search on Reddit or go to www.reddit.com/r/yourtopichere. By doing this, you have access to all the information you can think of. If your brand or company has a niche community, Reddit could be the perfect channel to market that product under the thread. You can also take out ads as a sure way to get your product seen!
As mentioned by Forbes back in 2017, the MLB had perfected their own social media app, which has been extremely beneficial to the league for a multitude of reasons. They created Infield Chatter as a place for their fans to talk and the MLB can also connect with them. They have also created a team to stop trolling, so it is virtually non-existent on their website. This app is awesome as it gives fans a safe space to talk about their favorite teams, plays, and games. The MLB can also have easy access to see what their fans are talking about and how they can better their own program. Creating this app was truly a win-win for both the MLB and the fans involved.
Even though we are drawn to promote on bigger platforms, there are many benefits to marketing on smaller ones. From smaller, niche crowds and the rise of closed communities — there are more and more reasons to think about joining the niche social media community.
