The Luxury of Niche Platforms
In our social media crazed world we live in, it is all about expanding your audience reach and gaining more exposure. Often times, when using a smaller social media platform, there is a better chance at gaining more exposure. These smaller platforms are referred to as a niche platform.
A niche platform is a social networking platform that targets a specific interest group, or demographic. It is easy to get lost on a larger social media platform, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. On these larger platforms, it is harder to gain a lot of exposure or engagement on your post amongst the various competitors. Therefore, utilizing a niche platform with a target audience is more likely to get the engagement, or feedback, you want.
An example that comes to mind when I think of a niche platform is within the luxury community called PurseForum. There is a luxury community that exists among the majority of the social media platforms that we know and love. One thing all of luxury community’s share across the major social media platforms is their love for PurseForum.
What is PurseForum? PurseForum is similar platform to Reddit, another niche platform, but directly focused to all thing’s luxury. PurseForum was created in 2004, as of 2014, the platform has over 700,000 registered users and gets over three million monthly visits, resulting in an average of 25 million page views. You can create a forum, to ask a question, try to locate a “hard to get item”, post your new item, help authenticate an item, or post an item for sale. PurseForum is not only limited to bags, “purses”, but related to all thing’s luxury. On PurseFourm, you can create a forum related too about jewelry, shoes, clothes, gift ideas, etc.
An influencer I follow, @HPLUXE, has transformed her platform and love of luxury items into a business model, with the use of PurseForum. Heidi, @HPLUXE, originally started out on Instagram to share her love of luxury handbags but was having difficulties expanding her reach amongst all the competition she faced. However, after discovering PurseForum she was able to target her specific audience to her favorite brands. Heidi chatted directly with other users, sharing their love of handbags, while also promoting her Instagram account. By doing this Heidi made connections amongst the other users, gaining active followers who also engage on her Instagram posts. Heidi currently has over 40,000 followers now and is quickly growing.
Heidi is now a known and trusted seller/ personal shopper within the luxury community. Through her posts on PurseForum, she has made connections amongst various Sales Associates across the world. Heidi is now able to source special releases in the United Kingdom and Europe, selling them in the United States for a profit. Heidi can source these items and sell them in the US for a fee. She even has a highlight reel showing her positive feedback from a few of her previous clients.
Heidi is also embarking on another business adventure called LikeToKnowIt, which is another example of a niche platform. LikeToKnowIt is a platform where you can share your outfit details with your followers, and they can buy directly through the link on the app. If your following buys your shirt, for example, you linked, then you get a small profit from the app.
As Heidi displayed, with the use of niche platforms she was able to transform her hobby into a business model. Heidi utilized her social strategy on PurseForum to grow her following on Instagram and become a trusted personal shopper, and influencer, within the luxury community
Works Cited
Sherman, Lauren. “Inside the PurseForum: A Safe Haven for Showing Off $50,000 Handbags.” Fashionista, Fashionista, 5 Dec. 2013, fashionista.com/2013/12/purseforum#:~:text=In%20a%20time%20when%20forums,members%20and%20over%20700%2C000%20threads.