How to find social media niches for marketing

One-size-fits-all marketing is no longer the name of the game, especially on social media platforms. To keep up with consumer preferences, marketers must understand their audiences on a deeper level and tailor content according to people’s increasingly nuanced interests.

Today, social media is full of niche topics with highly engaged users. This presents a great opportunity for brands — as long as they can crack the code to break into the right niche topic with the right audience.

Learn why niche content should have you rethinking your marketing strategy and get practical tips for finding niche topics where your brand can take part and get value.

Niche marketing involves advertising to a small, hyper-defined audience. The good news for marketers? Many of these audiences already exist online, and are highly active on social media channels. With 53% of social media users worldwide using social media platforms to connect with like-minded individuals, there’s no shortage of niche topics and groups brands could take part in.

Social media niche topics can take on various forms, from dedicated Facebook groups to Reddit subreddits. Some niche groups even have their own social media networks. In essence, social media niches provide an online space for users to connect, share content, and engage in conversations around a specific shared interests — think Korean skincare, sustainable fashion, or even dog owner groups of a certain breed.

Engagement rates are higher on social media for niche content than for general content, according to influencer marketing agency Obviously.

In contrast to mass marketing, there are things marketers should consider when targeting a social media niche, like developing specific, hyper-targeted messaging likely to resonate with a considerable proportion of people participating in that topic.

Members of a niche social media community have the potential to significantly influence others’ purchase decisions. Therefore, choosing the right niche to target is crucial. Additionally, 54% of social media users use social media to research products before purchasin as consumers are more empowered than ever to share their positive and negative brand experiences on social media, according to Talkwalker.

By having a voice in social media niches, brands can directly position themselves within the conversation and influence its sentiment, for example, giving expert advice and processing first-hand consumer feedback before competitors do.

Finding the right social media niches that your brand should get involved with can happen in just three steps:

Conduct a high-level search for social media niches around your brand or industry. Khoros’ Strategic Services team recommends you start by exploring branded hashtags or social media groups on some of the most popular social platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, but also platforms with fewer, more engaged users like BeReal, Reddit, and Discord. Don’t forget to consider up and coming platforms too!

Once you’ve gained a high-level understanding of relevant social media niches, dig deeper with a social listening tool like Talkwalker. Enterprises especially struggle to consolidate large amounts of online information related to their brand or industry, but with Talkwalker, loads of online data can be quickly distilled into actionable insights. For example, marketers can monitor brand reputation, analyze conversations about competitors, and identify influencers within niche topics.

Congratulations, you’ve pinpointed social media niches your brand can lean into! Now, it’s time to craft your content and messaging in these areas.

Start tailoring your content and products to resonate with your niche audiences. We recommend you collaborate with influencers in your niche to help advocate your presence with this audience.

If you need inspiration, explore these two examples of popular social media niches and how brands could get involved with them.

Members of the ‘Snacking’ niche are interested in finding the best snacks for the occasion. With Talkwalker’s Conversation Clusters, marketers can dig deeper to see various sub-topics emerge within this niche. For example, the Fitness community is often interested in snacks that support an exercise regime, whereas the Gaming community seeks snacks that enhance the gaming experience.

Khoros example: How a grocery company could leverage the Snacking niche

To target the Fitness community, a grocery company could create in-store promotions for healthy snacks that highlight their fitness benefits. For example, setting up a curated list of the best post-workout snacks available.

For the Gaming community, a brand could instead enter online collaborations with popular video game streamers to promote a ‘midnight snack’ selection.

The Cottagecore niche centers around art, antiquing and vintage designs. Once again, using Talkwalker, marketers can learn more about the members of this social media niche — seeing it predominantly attracts an audience of people identifying as she/her with an interest in antique furniture.

Khoros example: How a furniture company could leverage the Cottagecore niche

A furniture company could create a limited-edition product line with vintage-inspired clocks, tables, benches, and more to test its influence within the Cottagecore niche. As part of a marketing campaign, it could send products to popular influencers within this social media niche to promote the line.

Social media niches are a powerful opportunity for marketers to influence online discourse around their brand and industry, and spur potential purchasing. By following the three steps above along with social listening tools like Talkwalker, you can tap into social media niches, ensure your brand stays ahead of trends, and forge meaningful connections with relevant audiences. Find your niche today, and take your marketing strategy to the next level!

For more on niche communities and topics on social media, paired with critical insights that marketers should know about the changing digital landscape, read our Social Media Insights Report featuring Talkwalker and our Strategic Services team.