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15 Niche Social Media Sites to Help You Market to Potential Customers

 

We all know that Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are great marketing tools.  I’m sure by now you’ve developed a strategy to engage and connect with your target audience.  But how is your Quora strategy going?  What do you mean you’re only using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter?

Since their inception, the major social media platforms have gotten so large and have gathered so many users, that it is easy to feel like your message is not being heard.  You may also feel the need to diversify your sources for referrals in case some of these other platforms decide to change their algorithms.  Using niche social media and social networking sites may be the answer.

Niche social networking site are similar to larger platforms but targets a select segment of the population.  Also, these niche sites allow users to connect and engage with smaller groups of people with similar interest, associations, and hobbies.  In this article, we’ll give you 15 niche social media sites that you can integrate into your social media marketing strategy.




 

1. Meetup

Meetup was founded in 2002 as a platform where communities with similar interests can interact. You can use Meetups to discover local events based on your passion. You can even start your Meetup group with the potential to draw in millions of like-minded people. The groups of people you can meet on the platform are endless, from software developers, mountain climbers, travelers, cyclists, and photographers.

 

 

2. BlogHer

BlogHer was initially launched as a conference back in 2005. In 2006, it had grown to include a group blog featuring more than 60 women writing on different subjects. Most of the bloggers base their posts on makeup, food, and parenting. The BlogHer site is quite influential as it draws 92 million readers every month together with its updates on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

 

3. Care2

When Randy Paynter launched Care2 in 1998, he had the aim of connecting activists on a global platform. The social communities on Care2 revolve around different issues including animal welfare, immigration, healthcare, women’s rights, the environment, and civil rights. In practice, any member can launch a petition about a cause and share it to gain support. Care2 also collaborates with non-profit entities as well as mission-based organizations by connecting them with individuals who are enthusiastic about the causes they support.

4. Behance

Behance is among the top platforms for showcasing creative projects. Millions of projects have been published since the launch of Behance in 2006. Behance empowers graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, fashion designers, and other creative professionals to display their portfolios. It’s a platform for inspiration and connection, and as a creative, you can even land your next job. Adobe operates under the Adobe Creative Cloud strategy, where you can add a portfolio for free or for as low as $9.99 every month.

5. Dribbble

Dribbble functions as an online platform for displaying people’s artwork.  It is a self-promotion avenue for people working in fields like web and graphic design, photography, and illustration. The platform, launched in 2009, makes it easier to share photos, as well as helps freelancers get hired. Dribbble works in direct competition with Adobe, and it is entirely remote, without central headquarters.

 

6. Flipboard

Flipboard is an awesome news aggregator and social network aggregation platform that is gaining in popularity.  Imagine having a place where you can create your own magazine rack with your favorite topics.  You can follow categories and people.  When you flip an article, your followers can see the content you share.  For that reason, that makes Flipboard a great place for content marketing as you can share valuable pieces of content from your blog or website.  StartUp Mindset has launched a Flipboard profile recently, come follow us there!

 

7. Peach

The online platform Peach is the brainchild of Dom Hoffman, one of Vine’s founders.  Every posting on the app is supplemented with tags such as the current weather conditions, emojis, or a rating out of five stars. Peach is a light-hearted platform, and it is compared to avenues like Path and Ello. The site typically leaves posting and profiles private, and it is limited to simple postings. The platform relies on the use of Magic Words which highlight the different types of topics on the app.  However, one of the downsides to Peach is that it is only mobile-based and lacks a web app popular with many other social media sites.

8. Quora

Quora is an online avenue for sharing knowledge. It is designed as a question-and-answer site where information is uploaded, edited, and organized by its members. The best thing about Quora is that a user can find topics related to virtually any niche. Also, Quora has a follow feature, and you can use it to interact with other users and businesses in your field of expertise. You can also use it to answer queries on your industry and establish yourself as a go-to resource.

9. Nextdoor

Nextdoor has created for itself a niche as a platform focused on neighborhoods. The site encourages local conversations that empower neighbors to create safer communities. You can use it to find a babysitter, share information concerning natural disaster, notify neighbors about a lost dog, facilitate a neighborhood watch group, and receive notifications from local public agencies.  The site’s popularity is being fueled by the fact that people desire to be well-informed about the situations around them.

10. Untappd

Untappd is a site designed to help people discover and share beers. Users can check in a beer and also rate it and evaluate popular bars and venues. The site recommends beers based on a user’s history. For a business, Untappd is a platform to share your beer menus, maximize visibility to attract customers, and update customers through platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

11. Goodreads

Goodreads was launched in 2006, and the founders envisioned a social networking platform for book readers to interact. The avenue has grown to be the largest website for readers and book recommendations. Goodreads boasts 85 million members and 87 million reviews. Users are able to see the books that their friends are reading and track the books that they are reading as well as those that they plan to read. The book recommendations are tailored to every member’s literary preferences. Goodreads members can additionally share their own books and make contact with authors on the platform. The site has a strong-advertising program where you can target customers who would gravitate to your literary works.

 

12. Steemit

Steemit is among the social websites that are centered around the Steem Blockchain and subsequently the STEEM cryptocurrency. This means that the content on Steemit is submitted to the Steem blockchain and content curators are remunerated with a type of digital tokens called STEEM. Contributing users are rewarded based on the votes generated by their content. Selling on this platform needs a little more creativity than in other avenues because your success will not be based on your followers but on the number of people who vote or comment on your posts. Ensure you are clear on your niche and primary audience.

 

13. Gentlemint

Gentlemintis a social site based on sharing and discussing gentlemanly information. These topics include cars, fitness, architecture, alcohol, and culture. The founders of the site launched it in 2011 as a 12-hour hack. Gentlemit is focused on community and inclusivity, and members are encouraged to make the site a fun and friendly platform. Blog posts on Gentlemint are dedicated to offering educational content that users can apply in their day to day activities.

 

14. WeHeart

WeHeart is a visual platform similar to Pinterest and Tumblr. The site prides in over 20 million users, and it was launched in 2008. The platform is centered around still images, videos, and animated GIFs. It is known for its positive atmosphere since comments are not allowed as in other websites and members, therefore, do not hesitate from posting content for fear of negative comments. WeHeart is ideal for people and business with a focus on visuals. 80% of the members are under 24 while 50% are teenagers. Business with young adults as their target market will especially thrive on WeHeart.

 

15. Reverbnation

Reverbnation was unveiled in 2006 to provide marketing opportunities for artists, musicians, and bands to manage their musical pursuits. Its model can be described as freemium-based where basic features are free and extra features are accessed via paid subscriptions. The features include ‘Promote it,’ where artists can place customized advertisements on the main music websites like NPR music and Pitchfork Media. There are also industry opportunities where members can submit their files to earn live gigs, record deals, blog coverage, and radio airplay. A Crowd Review option lets members submit their materials to reviewers who offer their unbiased criticism. The artists will receive detailed feedback which elaborates on various aspects of their work. Reverbnation also enables its artists to distribute their material on such avenues as iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play. The site’s industry tastemakers evaluate thousands of new songs every month and recommend them to listeners.

Thomas Martin
Tom is a member of the Editorial Team at StartUp Mindset. He has over 6 years of experience with writing on business, entrepreneurship, and other topics. He mainly focuses on online businesses, digital publishing, marketing and eCommerce startups.

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Tom is a member of the Editorial Team at StartUp Mindset. He has over 6 years of experience with writing on business, entrepreneurship, and other topics. He mainly focuses on online businesses, digital publishing, marketing and eCommerce startups.

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