Everyone knows about Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but the bigger these sites get, the more lost you may feel. And if you are trying to use social networking to reach a niche market in order to promote your products and services, your business may get lost in all of the noise.
If this challenge sounds familiar to you, here are a few smaller social networks focusing on very specific niches that may be just what you’re looking for.
AllRecipes – A network of food lovers with more than 40,000 free recipes created, tested, reviewed and approved by home cooks worldwide.
DailyBurn – A health and fitness social network that helps members stay in shape by tracking workouts, finding fitness programs, journaling calories, and staying motivated.
deviantART – The largest online social network for artists and art enthusiasts with over 13 million registered members, allowing artists to exhibit, promote, and share their works within a peer community dedicated to the arts.
Dogster – An online source for all things dog, providing knowledgeable and trustworthy expert points-of-view as well as a vast wealth of opinions, advice and wisdom from their large community of dog owners. Cat fan? Check out catster.com.
Eons – An online community for “BOOMers,” born between 1946 and 1964 who want to learn and do more to make the most of every stage of life.
Etsy – A global community of buyers and sellers coming from more than 150 countries, enabling people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.
FanNation – Up-to-date sports information in a community setting with a user-friendly design. Fans blog about anything and everything in sports, network with other sports fans, create groups of interest, track favorite players and teams, and communicate with friends.
GenealogyWise – A social network for genealogists and those conducting family history research. Includes search tools, forums, blogs, groups and videos.
GoFISHn – A network where anglers connect to swap fishing stories and pictures, share fishing tips, and find fishing guides and services.
Motortopia – A network for motor enthusiasts that enables members to share their passion with others.
Ping – A social network that’s part of iTunes for music lovers to talk about, listen to and download their favorite music.
Ravelry – Ravelry is a site for knitters, crocheters, designers, spinners, weavers and dyers to keep track of their yarn, tools, project and pattern information, and look to others for ideas and inspiration.
Threadless – A community-centered online apparel store that allows members to submit t-shirt designs online; winning designs receive a prize of cash and store credit.
Vinivino – A social network for people who love wine. Members can find a wine, a winery or a wine & food pairing, read winemaker notes, get winery directors and leave reviews.
Zillow – An online real estate marketplace dedicated to helping homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents, mortgage professionals, landlords, and property managers find and share vital information about homes, real estate, and mortgages.
Do you use a niche social network? Have you used it successfully to market your business?
Alyssa GregoryAlyssa Gregory is a digital and content marketer, small business consultant, and the founder of the Small Business Bonfire — a social, educational and collaborative community for entrepreneurs.
