If you’re an online business owner, attempting to use Twitter and other forms of social media to market your business then one key area that you MUST define first is your target market. Without it you will be swimming in an ocean of people who really aren’t looking for what you have to offer.  Wouldn’t it be better to be in a kiddy pool of those wanting to take part in what you are offering than in the ocean of those who could care less?

I think so!  That’s why first you must define your target market.  Ask yourself:

• Who are they?
• What are they looking for?
• What problem can you solve for them?
• What product can you provide for them?

This is what you need to know, then you set out to find those people specifically and to show them that you have what they are looking for.  You will help to “solve their problem” or “provide for their need’.

The, once you know who they are you jump in to their little pool party, wherever it is.  You begin following them to where they hang out and you start participating in the conversations and getting to know them so that they in turn can get to know you and what you have to offer.  It is as simple as that.  So, go get your floaties and start swimming!

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While using social media can be a huge melting pot of things, it can also be a great way to target your “niche” market.  Your niche is your very specific group of people that you are targeting with your business.  An example of a niche is “stay at home moms looking for ways to make money from home”, or “scrapbookers who want to learn how to digital scrapbook”.  These are two very different but very targeted “niches”. 

Using social media in a particularly “targeted” way you can market to your niche.  You simply must be careful to follow and interact with only those who are in your “niche”.  The more ways that you can connect with those individuals the better.

It should also be pointed out that some “niches” will not work as well or be found on certain social networks while they might be found on others.  You will have to find the places where your niche hangs out and join in.  This may be different for every niche out there, though some likely will overlap.  Be careful to find your niche and stay in the places that they are in order to truly target them with your marketing through social media.

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