Niche Platforms are on the Rise

A niche platform is a site that caters to a dedicated community on a specific topic or shared interest. These platforms continue to be successful and thrive due to their ability to target particular audiences effectively. By concentrating on a niche platform, you can enhance your social strategy because these platforms are designed to engage users based on topics, location, interests, and other factors. Utilizing a specific niche platform benefits your social strategy through increased engagement and targeted decision-making. Niche platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are used by all different types of brands and influencers for their campaigns and marketing strategies. In contrast, LinkedIn is primarily used for networking and job search-related activities. Depending on the platform, authentic content is key. Niche platforms are said to “give brands the unique opportunity to interact with and understand their most engaged audiences, making them important considerations for any social media strategy” (Brandt & Crouse, n.d). The notion of authenticity may vary depending on the platform and its intended use by the brand.

As social media continues to evolve, the rise of new niche platforms is increasingly common. Threads, launched in 2023 by META, is designed for users to “share ideas and connect through conversation” (About Threads, n.d.). Threads competes with Twitter, now known as X, as another conversational social media platform. Brands that are already active on Instagram would particularly benefit from Threads due to the integration between these platforms. When a user or brand creates a Threads account, it “prompts them to follow accounts they already follow on Instagram. This allows brands to leverage their existing audience rather than starting from scratch” (Roy, 2024). Threads serves as an engagement tool for brands, helping them establish a presence and tailor their content to their target audience. By focusing on Threads, a brand can refine its Instagram audience into a more specific group on Threads.

One brand we see using Threads is Ooni. Ooni is an outdoor pizza oven company, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. On the platform, Ooni shares photos and videos of recipes using their high-temperature oven and engages with their audience through text posts and questions. They achieve significant consumer interaction through reposts and comments. Ooni successfully aligns broad strategies with authentic content, continuing to advertise its products while connecting with its audience. They engage with users by responding to comments, effectively blending fun with their marketing efforts, and advertising their products. Ooni uses Threads well but also has fun with the new platform.

While many brands use both Twitter and Threads due to their similarities, some approach these platforms differently. Marvel Entertainment, for example, uses Twitter primarily for reposting content from other Marvel accounts, such as Spider-Man. However, on Threads, Marvel adopts a more personal and humanized approach by posting comic scenes, fan clips, and behind-the-scenes moments. This strategy differentiates their content on Threads from what they share on Twitter, providing a fresh perspective on a similar platform. This approach reflects Marvel’s strategic use of each platform to achieve distinct goals.

In summary, as niche platforms gain prominence social strategies will continue to change and be leveraged by many individuals and brands. “Niche social platforms have seen user engagement rates that are up to 60% higher than those of mainstream social media” (The Rise of Niche Social Media, 2024). Through this, we will see the digital world change towards the niche it’s targeting, depending on the platform being used or the new platforms developed. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and X will continue to hold the reins in the media world but we will continue to see the rise of these and other niche platforms.

References:

About Threads. Instagram. (n.d.). https://help.instagram.com/788669719351544/?helpref=related_articles#:~:text=Threads%20is%20an%20app%20from,or%20any%20combination%20of%20them.

Buckley, P. (2020, July 20). Consider niche social networks in your social media strategy. D Custom. https://dcustom.com/blog/amplification/2018/02/consider-niche-social-networks/#:~:text=Ultimately%2C%20niche%20social%20networks%20give,your%20brand’s%20overall%20digital%20goals

The rise of niche social media platforms: Finding your flock in a crowded space. LinkedIn. (2024, June 3). https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rise-niche-social-media-platforms-finding-your-flock-crowded-space-6fvrc/

Roy, A. (2024, May 6). What is threads? should brands join in?. Forge Apollo. https://forgeapollo.com/blog/what-is-threads/#:~:text=Threads%20and%20Instagram%20are%20intimately,building%20one%20up%20from%20scratch

Smith, A. (2024, May 30). 5 brands on threads putting their own spin on the platform. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/brands-on-threads/