Back in the late 70’s, the first messages were exchanged on an early online bulletin board and voilà — social media was born. The term may not have been coined quite yet, and a couple decades of evolution were still required to produce what we now refer to as ‘social media channels,’ but the framework was there: communication.

Communication is still the heart of a successful social media network, whether it’s a brief 140-character update or a full-length blog post, but not all of these conversations are happening on Facebook, Twitter, and the like. Social media encompasses a broad universe of individual communities, each as unique as the passion it’s built on. An article from Clickz.com uncovers several niche platforms with discussions ranging from craft brewed beer to challenges facing oil and gasoline rig professionals. These communities are ideal incubators for lead generation.

Why invest time (and potentially dollars) in these vertical sites? Here are 3 good reasons:

1. Online communities are for passionate people. Take sports fans for example. Not the casual “I’ll watch the game if it’s on” followers, but the die-hard, rain-or-shine, knows-every-player’s-stats-by-heart enthusiasts who could easily talk at you for hours about last night’s epic play. These fans truly are in a league of their own and their dedication, if fed and nurtured properly, can become your brand’s greatest asset – maybe even a brand evangelist. This kind of passion transcends sports. Gourmands, world travelers, crafters – if there’s a passion for it, there’s a community for it.
2. Passionate people talk to other passionate people. Frequent fliers, the business or pleasure travelers who spend 26+ weeks of the year flying around the globe, live a unique lifestyle. An extra half inch of legroom on aisle 8B might go unnoticed by the occasional passenger, but to someone who spends the majority of his time crammed into a seat, it’s like gold. And as soon as he lands (maybe even before), you can bet this frequent flier will share his discovery with others. If he’s flying your airline, you’ve just gained a new spokesperson who really knows his stuff.
3. Community members thirst for knowledge. Experts seek to learn everything there is to know about their field. The same goes for members of online communities who use networks to explore and fuel their passions (see #1). If there is a new app for viewing local homes on the market, members of a real estate sales community are already talking about it. What better place to introduce your own app or product, provided it doesn’t overstep the community’s commercial guidelines?

There are countless other reasons to get your brand involved with an online community. These sites are generally well organized and searchable, enabling users to easily find individual topics of interest, or even other users. Many sites also support banner advertising, giving your brand a level of exposure that would likely not be allowed on a forum post.

Like any social media network, building a profile and relevant content takes time. If you’re not familiar with the community, do your research before diving in. Which conversations, or ‘threads,’ are most popular? Is there any terminology you need to learn before starting a conversation? Who are the forum leaders and do you need to contact them prior to joining? Once these steps are sorted out, you’ll find that these communities offer rich insight into niche markets where your message can flourish and spread to potential customers – the right ones.