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10 Powerhouse Influencer Marketing Niches

By: Viral Nation | 5 mins read |

The word “niche” has several definitions, depending of course on the context. As it pertains to the marketing world, it’s a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service. When your brand uses niche influencer marketing, you partner with influencers who have carved out their own specialties online and on social media.

What are the most popular niches on Instagram?

While there is a seemingly endless number of different niches on Instagram (and social media as a whole, for that matter), there are are a few that stand above the rest in terms of popularity. If you are looking to engage in influencer marketing and social media content creation, here are 10 powerhouse influencer marketing niches to consider.

1. Beauty

Much to the surprise of no one, focusing on marketing efforts that appeal to women isn’t going to change anytime soon. As the cosmetics industry is projected to surpass $863 billion by 2024, beauty influencers specialize in sharing how-tos, tutorials, product reviews and more. Just look at the #Beauty on Instagram. Accurate as of today, it has over 336 million posts attached to it, and that number continues to rise. And being that it’s such a visual subject, it works exceptionally well with Instagram – whose user base is 50.3% female, ironically.

2. Health and fitness

People want to be the best versions of themselves as they possibly can. So there will always be demand for health and fitness products, services, tools, and content. Everyone is concerned about their health – physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise – and fitness makes up a substantial portion of that pie.

The wellness industry alone was worth $4.2 trillion in 2017. We didn’t miss the “b” there. You read that correctly. Trillion. That’s almost a 13% growth from the 2015 figure of a ‘measly’ $3.7 trillion.

So what exactly applies as a ‘wellness’ niche? The World Health Organization defines wellness as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.” So influencers who focus their brand on supporting, communicating, and contributing to that goal can become very prominent on the platform.

3. Travel

Who doesn’t fantasize about adventures to exotic, far away destinations? Everyone has a “dream vacation” on their bucket list. The travel industry is big money, and popular with virtually every single person. Though the wellness industry (mentioned above) is massive in its own right, travel is even bigger. The industry was worth $5.29 trillion in 2017, seeing growth in international travel for the eighth consecutive year.

Travel influencers often review and recommend places to stay, eat, products, airlines, ways to get around, and often visually captivating photos and videos for their audience in their particular niche. Instagram travel influencers are putting the industry on its head. So much so that data shows over 40% of millennials consider “Instagammability” a priority when considering where to take their next vacation.

However, marketers should also proceed with caution. Due to the remarkable popularity of the industry, you have to be ultra-specific with your niche if you hope to make a significant impact.

4. Fashion

The fashion industry might have a bit of an overlap with beauty, but it’s prominent in its own right and singularity. With the worldwide fashion and apparel eCommerce industry currently valued at almost $500 billion (and predicted to grow to $713 billion by 2022), many fashion influencers are incredibly powerful figures on Instagram.

5. Business/Making money online

You know the old saying. “Money makes the world go ‘round.” So the concepts behind this market don’t need much additional explanation. Entrepreneurs and socially savvy public figures in this demographic often share tips, tricks, hacks, and how-tos about, you guessed it, how to make money.

6. Luxury/Lifestyle

Instagram, in many ways, is not only a place to share your life and express yourself. It’s also a place to gain status. And luxury all but defines status in the modern world. The luxury industry gives us a little glimpse of the sweet life, while the lifestyle industry is perhaps a bit more rooted in reality. Regardless, they’re both incredibly popular and profitable niches with massive audiences.

7. Gaming

If probably goes without saying that the gaming market is worth big bucks. How big? Just last year, it was over $137.9 billion globally in 2018.

People spend on the games themselves, consoles, guides, walkthroughs, and even to watch other people who play and/or review the newest and most anticipated games, often streaming on YouTube or platforms like Twitch (though we may be talking about Mixer more in the near future)

Influencers like Ninja and PewDiePie – who had long held the crown as the most subscribed channel on YouTube (and is currently on the cusp of surpassing 100 million subscribers) and also has 14.5 million followers on Instagram – make jaw-dropping amounts of money to play video games for a living.

8. Animals

C’mon. Everybody loves animals! So it should come as no surprise that the pet care industry is forecast to exceed $202 billion worldwide in the next few years. This type of content (as it pertains to Instagram) usually revolves around grooming products, breed tips. advice on food, toy suggestions, etc. etc. Because of the universal love most of us share for animals, this is another large market, so you must find a particular niche to focus on if you hope to be successful, and not end up in the doghouse with your boss.

9. Relationships

Every one of us has them, but how many of us truly feel like we know what we’re doing when it comes to relationships? With the modernized approach to dating and an ever-changing world, it can be hard to navigate the realms of relationships, and find those who can relate to your personal experiences. “Relationship” influencers are those who do just that, relate to the experiences of their peers and the real world, and offer their feedback and insight in a productive and often entertaining fashion. The demographic for this niche is also clearly large, going back to the fact that most everyone has relationships or is actively engaged in finding one.

10. Family/Parenting

A subset of the relationships market, the family and parenting niche is one that is growing exponentially. Unfortunately, there is no manual when it comes to parenting, and many new parents are afraid they’re doing it wrong and seek the advice, recommendation, and/or products to ease those fears. And it’s big business, to boot. Last year, the global baby care product industry was valued at $73.86 billion.

Influencer marketing that offering tips and services to make it easier? If the answer to that question is yes, there’s money to be made. Influencers like Scary Mommy turned her blog about being an imperfect parent into a successful, full-fledged media company.

How do I find influencers in my niche?

Looking to find influencers within your niche? Sure, you could utilize an influencer database or platform, scouring endlessly to find the right influencers for your campaign and hoping to get in contact with them. Choosing an Instagram influencer network has its benefits. However, you could choose to employ the services of an award-winning influencer marketing agency and let their experience and expertise lead you to the promised land. An influencer marketing agency can do so much for your brand and help your organization build an ROI-driven campaign that produces real results.

Final thoughts

While profitable niches may often have fierce competition, it’s usually because they work. If you find a niche that doesn’t, there’s often a reason for that (though you can sometimes stumble upon a tiny niche on the cusp of success and potentially get in on the ground floor). Match your passion with your niche and your expertise with your market, and you are well on your way to success with your Instagram influencer campaigns.

 

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_About the author
Viral Nation

Viral Nation is a new media innovation group that powers the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. As pioneers in the influencer space, Viral Nation is comprised of a full-service creative agency, a creator and athlete-influencer representation agency, and a technology division creating modern marketing solutions for the social media age.