21 Mar 4 Niche Social Networks To Keep An Eye On
Social networks are pretty inescapable for most of us these days – and in this industry, people just don’t know what to do with anyone who isn’t already on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest… need I go on? If you’re like me, you’re usually a bit hesitant to jump on the bandwagon for the next new thing – OMG, I have to create content and engage with people on another social network? – but there are a few niche social networks you should take notice of if you fit the demographics.
Foodie
Do you love food? That’s what I thought. Foodie is a social network for chefs, sommeliers, food critics, food bloggers, food critics, and – oh yeah – anyone who loves food. The signup process was painless; I was given the option to sign in with Twitter or Facebook, and my applicable personal info was filled in on the registration form for me.
Admittedly, I'm not as high brow about my food as other Foodies are...
You can post photos, recipes, and status updates that you can also share on Twitter or Facebook. Foodie is still in beta, so there are a few minor annoyances – like losing the status update you wanted to also tweet because you have to authorize Twitter first or photos still showing up on your profile feed after you deleted them – but it looks like the promising young love child of Twitter and Pinterest…for food. But what Foodie can offer that these other networks do not is the ability to browse restaurant guides and recommended menus – both features that say “coming soon” – just some of the magazine-style offerings users can look forward to.
If food space is the place for you, be sure to respect the class of users on Foodie…this isn’t the same sort of rabble you’ll find on Yelp. And for the love of prosciutto, make sure any photos you post would fit in better on Zagat than a Chinese food menu board.
Cowbird
If you have a thing for storytelling, Cowbird may be right up your alley. Currently invite-only, my invitation came directly from someone at a cowbird.com address. If you ever used LiveJournal, Cowbird feels like LJ’s younger, better-looking, more sophisticated cousin.
Beautiful images are at the heart of Cowbird’s storytelling structure, and the idea is that you only upload your own photographs – they have an entire page about etiquette. You can also choose your own copyright licenses, so you retain control over your content.
Don’t come looking to promote anything on Cowbird, though…yourself included. How they enforce the “no self-promotion” thing could determine the success of the platform. Cowbird is a place to go deeper into the stories you have to tell, so if you want to represent a brand on here, you’re going to have to do it as an individual who happens to be associated with the brand. Human interest is the key, so tell a story about the kids your office bought presents for last Christmas or the winner of the charity 5k race you sponsored – but check anything about your products and services at the door.
Fancy
Fancy calls itself a combination of store, blog, and wishlist. You can “fancy” products you like, earning promotions (think: Foursquare badges) and unlocking deals from your favorite online retailers. (I managed to unlock a deal from ThinkGeek while checking out the site for this post. Score!) The layout of the site is very minimalist.
Whereas something like Pinterest lets you share anything you like, Fancy is all about the products – and they prove that by including a “Buy it” and “I want to sell it” link with everything that gets fancied. If you want to get your products featured on Fancy, despite the “deals” feature, realize that you’re not targeting the discount crowd. Popular fancies tend to be more upscale, and often offbeat. That doesn’t mean people won’t appreciate a deal offered through the site, but you’re selling cool here, not value.
Gentlemint
I’ve seen Gentlemint touted as “Pinterest for men.” Although I (understandably?) wasn’t able to score invite-only access to check it out as a member, Gentlemint isn’t hidden behind a login wall. The gentlemen at Gentlemint seem to have a sense of humor, boasting a testimonial from the American Mustache Institute on the front page.
Instead of pins, Gentlemint lets its manly users tack things to the site. Popular tacks often include one of the following things: alcohol, pictures of the man your man wants to be (i.e. Bruce Lee, Brad Pitt, the most interesting man in the world…), food, geeky things many wives and girlfriends would relinquish to the man cave, and more alcohol.
If you get a kick out of things that are stereotypically male, Gentlemint is the place for you. Keep a sense of humor if you enter the Gentlemint space, and be sure you don’t try to push any lady-things on the community.
Find Your Niche
If you haven’t found your niche in Foodie, Cowbird, Fancy, or Gentlemint, don’t despair – there are new social networks cropping up all the time. There are even some out there right now that we couldn’t check out because the invite-only community is hidden behind a login (*cough* Pinwheel *cough) and I apparently didn’t rate high enough to get in yet. And if you still can’t find a good fit? You can always start one of your own.
(Did I miss anything good? Let me know below.)
