Using Alternative Social Networks
Choosing the right social network to reach your target market can be challenging. Most business owners pick the bigger ones by default because that is where the greatest number of people can potentially be reached. In the United States, the top social networks are Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, and X (Twitter).
Staying on top of where your audience is interacting online helps you reach them with your marketing messages. Even though each social network tends to reach a particular demographic, their user bases are prone to change over time as people age and their preferences and habits change.
Other factors, such as a change in a social network’s ownership, a shift in political climate, or the launch of a new social network can affect where your audience is spending their time. Before you consider adding alternative social networks to your social media marketing mix, make sure they fit some or all of the following criteria based on what is most important to your business:
- They attract and engage your target market.
- Their communication style and community culture are a fit for your brand.
- They provide demographic data and engagement insights.
- They provide paid advertising opportunities.
- They offer features and tools that streamline or enhance your social media marketing.
So which social networks should you consider using, if any, in addition to the biggest ones? Here are some alternative social networks that might suit your needs.
Yelp – This network started as a review site for local brick and mortar businesses and eventually expanded to be more “social,” with opportunities for companies to engage with customers and prospects. You can claim your business for free and then interact with customers who have reviewed or “check in” at your place of business. Yelp offers advertising opportunities as well.
Nextdoor – If you’re looking for hyperlocal marketing opportunities, Nextdoor focuses on neighborhoods rather than cities. In addition to posting jobs or selling items, users can comment about local businesses and review them. Nextdoor users also exchange informal referrals and recommendations about local companies. Advertising on Nextdoor can give you a very targeted reach.
Reddit – Often ranked as one of the Top 10 social networks online, Reddit is a discussion and news aggregation platform with a rating system where the community votes content up or down. Conversations cover a wide range of topics and if you monitor the conversations, you can glean information that could be useful for your marketing efforts. Once you get the hang of how Reddit works, you could host an AMA event (“Ask Me Anything”) where you are on hand to answer questions from the Reddit community. Reddit also offers advertising opportunities.
Discord – This discussion-oriented social network is popular among gamers and creators. Worldwide, the Discord community is dominated by Gen Z and young millennials (25-34). For businesses, “advertising” means creating a Discord “server” and setting up custom channels to build your community and to interact with users.
Quora – This site is considered a “knowledge sharing platform” where people “in the know” can share their expertise with others, offering answers to questions posed by users. You can also ask questions and get consumer insights. Quora has a blog-like publishing platform where you can post longer-form content and showcase your expertise. Quora also offers advertising options.
Eventbrite – If you host events, you should not only market them using event pages on popular social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn, but also list them on an events platform like Eventbrite. Eventbrite is like an events directory and posting to it can give you additional promotional power. Eventbrite also lets you interact via email with anyone who has RSVP’d or purchased tickets to your event. The bigger social networks do not allow this kind of direct access to your audience.
Substack – If you send a regular email newsletter to subscribers, you may want to explore Substack. This platform began as an email subscription service but has grown into a community platform that invites your subscribers to join in the conversation. You can also publish content like a blog or podcast and charge a subscription fee for your content to generate income.
Other Alternative Social Networks
When Twitter changed ownership and became “X” and the environment on the platform changed, a slew of newer social networks jockeyed for position as a replacement including:
Bluesky – If you’re looking for a very close alternative to Twitter, this “microblogging” platform was started by Twitter’s co-founder, Jack Dorsey, although he is no longer with the company. Bluesky looks almost identical to Twitter and operates in a similar fashion. Bluesky is currently ad-free.
Threads – Another contender for a “replacement” to X, Threads is owned by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Threads is automatically integrated with your Instagram account so setting it up and building a following is a little easier than on other social networks. As the platform matures, expect this social network to have the same advertising options as the other Meta properties. In the meantime, you can cross-post your Threads posts on Instagram and gain additional attention for your Threads account.
Mastadon – Another microblogging platform, Mastadon is open source, has a more “alternative feel,” and is known for being decentralized, inclusive and community-oriented. This network tends to be favored by gamers, artists, techies, and other creatives. There are no advertising options on this platform.
As you can see, there are many alternative social networks out there, some of which could prove to be useful to your company for marketing and sales.
Pro Tip: Reserve your account on all the platforms you can, even if you aren’t planning to use them. By claiming your company’s name, you can prevent others from setting up “squatting” accounts that could hamper your ability to have a branded presence if you decide to use those platforms in the future.
Keep in mind that there will be a learning curve in terms of how to use a new social network. You may need to modify your messaging or communications style. If a platform is still in beta, you may need to endure bugs and glitches until the platform stabilizes. Adopting a new social network takes patience, creativity, and agility but could eventually reap some viable rewards.