That social media marketing is essential for business success today is a well-known fact. But are you doing it right?
Being on all social media platforms is a great digital marketing strategy. The problem however lies in believing in a ‘one-post-fits-all’ approach.
Apart from the obvious differences in the type of content, that these platforms allow you to post, one also has to consider that different types of audience populate different types of social media platforms.
Thus, tailoring your social media marketing strategies to fit the uniqueness of these platforms can be the difference between gaining the audience’s attention and them actually following through and engaging with your work or business.
While giants like Instagram and Facebook have lots of digital marketing strategies dedicated to them, the lesser known sites are harder to tap into. But it is certainly possible, and here is how you can make this happen.
Tumblr
Ideal For – Those engaged in pop culture, artwork and household décor, niche and novelty products, and sustainable and small businesses.
Tumblr is often overlooked in the social media marketing strategies, as its tight knit, casual and anonymous nature makes advertising hard. The platform is also often critical of what it may see as inappropriate business practices.
Still, brands such as Denny’s have successfully tapped into the weirdly wonderful sense of humor that dominates Tumblr.
Strategies –
- The first thumb rule of advertising on Tumblr is to not take yourself too seriously. Funny and weird content can quickly become viral on the platform. Indeed, this is the place to let your creative ideas loose. Experiment with videos, photos, and even funny (but respectful) clap-backs to your customers. Function less like a brand, and more like an individual.
- Tumblr and its users pride themselves on being a protective space. There is really no space for hurtful or insensitive content anywhere on the internet, more so on Tumblr, and the platform is known to very publicly shred insensitive adverts to pieces. Tumblr screenshots also proliferate to platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, so there is really no scope for a misstep. Be sure what you post is not offensive.
- The platform also caters to a lot of ‘fandoms’ – people who follow particular TV shows, movies, and books. If your product is geared towards popular culture, leverage that into your social media marketing on the platform, and you are sure to have success. Keep tabs on what hashtags trend on a particular topic – they are key to getting maximum visibility on the platform.
Ideal For – Skills developers and course creators, artists and small businesses, those with niche products and services.
Reddit is notoriously anti-marketing. Unlike many other platforms, its top and highly followed and respected bloggers are very unlikely to partner up with advertisers and promote their products.
However, Reddit is a platform that many go on to improve their knowledge, awareness, and skills, and discuss interests and discover new things.
If you appeal to them, they are likely to check out what you have to offer.
Strategies –
- Reddit is structured around the system of ‘karma’, which is basically points you collect for asking and answering questions, and for awards that others bestow on you. One also has the option to buy awards and give them out to others. Karma is essential for clout and engagement on Reddit, and some subreddits may not even allow users with low karmas to post, to prevent spamming. The best way to collect karma is to be active on the platform.
- From the start, select a few subreddits relevant to your brand or work. Focus your activity on these platforms – those who frequent such threads will likely be interested in what you have to offer, so making yourself visible to them is a good social media marketing strategy.
- Also, do not forget the formal advertising methods on reddit. These are highly visible, and can also be engaged upon by others on the platform. A good advertisement can thus gain organic traction and even awards and make your brand more visible. Advertisements in the form of small videos tend to do well on the platform.
Ideal for – DIY and decor brands, products and services aimed at aesthetics, beauty and fashion, products and services targeted towards women.
A majority of Pinterest users are women, and most use the platform to get inspiration for their DIY projects. As you can imagine, this opens up great possibilities for digital marketing, especially in ‘raw material’ such as tools and artwork basics.
Pinterest is also often overlooked by many major brands, allowing smaller businesses to flourish with the right social media marketing strategies.
Strategies –
- In order to stand out on Pinterest, you need to have your aesthetics right. Though the website favours a lighter palette, dark and neon-bright colours can be a good way of standing out. No matter what you are offering, it has to be beautifully presented. Pinterest is also the place to break free and display your photography skills.
- Pinterest also provides a variety of ad options. Indeed, its formal advertising options are much more versatile and flexible than those offered by other social media platforms. So make sure to check out these formal advertising options as well. Unlike Reddit or Tumblr, ads tend to be better received on Pinterest, especially if they fit the aesthetics and cater to what a user wants.
- While Pinterest is not as dominated by transient trends as other social media platforms, some amount of research and awareness is important. Keeping tabs on new developments or audience interests and desires in your particular niche can help you keep ahead of the competition by becoming the first to offer something new or different.
With these social media marketing strategies in mind, you can expand your reach beyond the ‘big 3’ of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This will enable you to reach out to new audiences, and gain their attention all without too much competition, and find people who are much more likely to engage with your content.
So the next time you sit down to plan your digital marketing strategy, do not forget about these social media platforms – you might find your next big hit right these niche platforms.
Do you think that such niche social media platforms are worth spending time and advertising on, or should advertisers keep to the mainstream platforms? Are you there on these social media platforms? If yes, what kind of ads do you like to see on these niche platforms? Let us know in the comments below!
