01 Mar The Others

Social Media is an ever-evolving, fickle virtual world. Platforms disappear almost as quickly as they crop up. Even massively popular social networks aren’t guaranteed to survive with time as we saw with the demise of Myspace. Marketing professional or not, if you want to stay engaged on social media, you have to get comfortable spreading your wings and exploring new platforms. Of course, you still want to maintain an active presence on the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. But establishing a voice on lesser known platforms may keep your brand afloat if a once popular social network meets its end.

Tumblr is a tough cookie to crack, but once you find your niche, you have an audience of content creators for life. A hub for quirky interests and film and television fandoms, this blogging platform is perfect for creative brands or companies willing to get a little creative to engage a new audience. Tumblr allows you to customize your own blog with a variety of templates for beginners or coding for more advanced bloggers. Like with other platforms, you can share posts, create tags to appeal to specific interests, and interact with other users in real time. Tumblr is driven by the diverse interests of its audience so establishing a universal presence there isn’t easy. But if you’re okay with capturing a smaller, but dedicated audience, this eccentric platform may be right for you.

For marketers looking to promote physical products, Wanelo is an online marketplace that cuts to the chase. From anywhere in the world, sellers can upload their stores to the site to be viewed by millions of consumers. Large retailers and small businesses alike can benefit from this platform. Though you don’t need to come up with a new marketing campaign for this platform, sellers are able to create contests to get their customers involved. The biggest benefit of Wanelo is that with a simple click, users are taken directly to a list of your available products and given the option to buy now or save for later. For brands searching for a no fuss social network that boosts sales as an objective, this online marketplace could be worth a try.

YouTube may not seem like a lesser known platform, but brands don’t use it as often as they should, considering the growing popularity of video. This video platform attracts users across all age groups and allows creators to share their videos on other social networks, through SMS, and via private link sharing. Short and long-form videos are supported on the platform enabling you to create the content that suits your needs without the restrictive length criteria of other video apps.

Maintaining a presence on the most current popular social media platforms is undoubtedly important to a successful marketing strategy. Equally as important is the ability to branch out and explore other lesser known, yet valuable platforms. This year, give a new platform a try or dust off an old account with some new ideas. You never know, it might change your marketing strategy for the better.