Quick, how many social media networks are there? Three? Five? Eight? After researching this post, I now know of at least 116 to add to the big, famous networks.
Why niche sites matter
The trouble with only concentrating your social media marketing on networks like Facebook and Twitter is that you ignore passionate, engaged audiences waiting for you on specialist, niche social networking sites.
Suppose you want to get your message across to, let’s say, photography fanatics, environmentalists, food buffs or writers. Why not give yourself a head-start and go straight to a social network that focuses solely on those interests – rather than create a Facebook page or Twitter channel and try to make users go to that?
Marketing is hard enough as it is. It’s always easier to go where your audience is, than to try dragging them to where you are.
The List
All the sites below are currently active, busy and have social interaction as their main – or at least substantial – focus.
There are many sites that have “community” sections strapped precariously to the side of what’s basically an ecommerce enterprise. They tend to be lackluster, quiet or a spammer’s heaven, so they’re not listed here.
Got a favorite I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments.
This list came about because while researching for a new book on generating web traffic I found that existing site lists were hopelessly out-of-date.
The book is out soon and if you’re getting my updates you’ll be able to get a free pre-release copy.
Arts & Artists
3dvia
3D Modelling
Behance
Community for visual artists.
Gaia Online
“The best place on the web to discuss anime, games, comics, sci-fi, fantasy”.
Books & Reading
Library Thing
Cataloging and social networking site for book lovers with a million and a half members.
Shelfari
Owned by Amazon.
Business & Entrepreneurship
Biznik
Communities grouped by location – local, national and international.
Project Eve
Network for women entrepreneurs, both online and offline.
ecademy
UK focus.
Eurocircle
For “Europeans, Europhiles & expats”.
Lawyrs.net
For lawyers.
PROskore
If LinkedIn and Klout had a baby.
Ryze.com
Picky business networking site started by Adrian Scott, a founding investor of Napster. Invitation only but they do allow you to beg.
Spoke.com
Curated content with a business focus.
Xing
Big in Europe, especially Germany.
Cars & Bikes
BikerOrNot
The social network for biker boys and girls.
Car Gurus
Question and answer site for car and automotive aficionados.
MadWhips
Not sure what role the whips play but this is a car photo site.
Velospace
Bikes, the manual kind.
Hobbies
Burda Style
For sewing enthusiasts.
Curbly
The name? Who knows. But it’s a site about DIY.
Instructables
Making and sharing electronics and other DIY projects.
Raverly
Another knitting network. Famous among knitters, it currently has over two and a half million users.
Environmental, Social Good & Sustainability
Wiser.org
Social network for sustainability
Food, Cooking and Wine
Adegga
Wine network.
Wine Societies
For collectors of fine wines.
Games
Kaneva
Virtual World
Second Life
Virtual World, used to be famous.
Health & Medical
Baby Center Community
Pregnancy and the things that arrive a few months later.
Daily Strength
Support for getting through physical and mental health problems.
Live Strong
Food, fitness and health.
RareShare
Concentrates on rare medical conditions.
Tudiabetes
Diabetes support site.
Music & Cinema
Film Affinity
“Find your movie soulmate worldwide”.
Hip-Hop.net
Indie Hip-Hop artists and fans.
Jaman
Movies.
Jamendo
Music.
Pets
It’s the law, every pet site must end in ster.
Photography
500px
Pro / Semi-professional photographers hangout.
Productivity & Self-improvement
43 Things
Getting things done by going public with your goals.
Superviva
Things to do before you die.
Shopping
DealDigg
Social bargain hunting.
Etsy
Hand-made products site with active community of buyers and sellers.
Judy’s Book
More bargain hunting.
Sports
ActionProfiles
Action sports.
Athlinks.com
For “endurance athletes”. I’m guessing that’s as horrific as it sounds.
Bouldr.net
For climbers.
Takkle
For high school athletes.
Travel
BootsnAll
One of the oldest indie travel social networks.
WAYN
WAYN = Where Are You Now?
Tango Diva
Ladies who travel.
Woophy
Travel photography.
Women’s Interests
Circle of Moms
Hugely popular network about motherhood.
Raising Them
Kids.
Writers & Writing
Book-in-a-week.com
“Where writers write together”
Gather
Bills itself as a place for writer’s but it has a more general scope than just authors and writing.
Trigger Street Labs
Screenwriting.
Linda Blatchford - November 20, 2012
For shopping handmade, you can add http://www.artfire.com. I have a shop there.
Caimin - November 20, 2012
Nice, thanks.
Ana Hoffman - January 21, 2013
Nice collection, Caimin; I might have to steal it for one of my posts…
Caimin - January 21, 2013
I’d be honored :)
rakesh - February 7, 2013
Great Arrangement of site list with their category …keep writing like this
Caimin - February 10, 2013
Thanks :)
Joshua Quintana - March 23, 2013
I will be working through this list for the next hour or so. I wanted to quickly mention sortfolio.com for web designers. We get about 10% of our hits through them. Keep up the great posts!
Caimin - March 25, 2013
I’ll try :)
Thanks for the tip about sortfolio.com.