How to Position Yourself and Find Your Business’s Niche on Social Media

In today’s world, most markets are saturated. As you try to set your company apart, especially on social media, how can you stand out from the status quo? Here is the path to get started.

Find Your Niche
As any business strategist would tell you, it’s imperative to position your company in a way that sets you apart from your competitors and allows you to occupy a unique niche in your customers’ minds. Product and/or service positioning is an essential building block of the marketing plan, and not just when you’re interacting on social media.

Effective positioning allows for your message to resonate with customers through attracting more business, gaining respect in your field, offering your insight, and commanding a strong online following.

As part of your early marketing, you will analyze what your business does best and how you would like the community to perceive you. You will then apply this positioning to create your brand, which we’ve talked about in other posts.

Next, you’ll apply that brand to various marketing approaches. Here are some things to keep in mind when taking it to social media:  

1. Remember your unique value proposition. The online community is going to consult you for what you have to offer, so don’t try to position yourself as a jack of all trades. According to Beth Kantor, there are four specific personalities you can choose from for your online presence. These are the conversationalist, amplifier, content curator, and responder. Decide which of these would benefit your business the most and expand from there. 
2. Select your platforms. Each social media platform or application specializes in promoting different types of content and interacting with different audiences. Don’t be everywhere just to be; instead, choose two or three on which you’ll focus your efforts. Select these based on your audience, your brand, and your team’s interest in managing those accounts. (That last one is no small thing, by the way!)  
3. Interact. Regardless of which of those four personalities sounds good to you, your business must respond to messages, replies, and mentions. Write on other people’s walls. Share photos. Tag companies. Otherwise, what’s the point of being on social media?  
4. Keep an eye on the competition. How quickly do they respond to questions and feedback? Do they attend special events? You can learn what to do (and maybe what NOT to do) by watching. That being said, do not copy successful methods to a tee. (See No. 1.) If you emulate another’s strategy, then you are trying to directly compete with someone who has already occupied this niche, giving you no advantage. 
5. Post often, be consistent, and provide insight. You can only gain and maintain a following through releasing your thoughts and ideas. People want to gain your insight and expertise, which is why your business exists in the first place. By publishing new and interesting content, you are able to connect with your followers on a consistent basis, allowing for strong business relationships to form. Relationships are what works on social; remember No. 3. With these relationships, you are able to position yourself in the minds of your audience.

Over time, you will gain a better understanding of what your audience wants and expects from you and develop your brand’s full personality on social media. Contact us if you need help managing your accounts.