Advertising on Niche Social Platforms (e.g., Mastodon, BeReal, specialized forums)

Advertising on Niche Social Platforms: A Deep Dive into Mastodon, BeReal, and Specialized Forums

The digital advertising landscape is a vast and ever-evolving ecosystem. For years, the colossal platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (now X) have dominated, offering unparalleled reach and sophisticated targeting tools. However, as users grow increasingly wary of privacy concerns, algorithmic manipulation, and the sheer noise of mainstream feeds, a significant shift is occurring. People are seeking more authentic, community-driven, and specialized online spaces. This exodus has paved the way for the rise of niche social platforms and specialized online forums, presenting both unique challenges and unprecedented opportunities for advertisers.

This blog post will embark on an in-depth exploration of advertising on these often-overlooked yet highly potent platforms. We will dissect the nuances of engaging with communities on Mastodon, the authenticity-first approach required for BeReal, and the strategic infiltration of specialized forums. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive, insightful, and actionable guide for businesses looking to tap into these highly engaged, niche audiences, ensuring no blind spots are left unaddressed.

The Shifting Sands of Social Media: Why Niche Matters Now More Than Ever

Before diving into the specifics of each platform, it’s crucial to understand the fundamental shift that is driving the relevance of niche social media. The “attention economy” is fiercer than ever. Users are bombarded with information, and their patience for irrelevant or intrusive advertising is dwindling.

What’s driving this shift?

• Privacy Concerns: Users are increasingly aware of how their data is collected, used, and sold by large social media corporations. Decentralized platforms and those with strong privacy policies offer a refreshing alternative.
• Algorithmic Fatigue: The endless scroll of algorithmically curated content can lead to burnout and a sense of being manipulated. Niche platforms often offer more control over content feeds, or simply a less overwhelming experience.
• Desire for Authenticity: In a world of heavily filtered and curated online personas, there’s a growing yearning for genuine interactions and unvarnished reality. Platforms like BeReal capitalize on this.
• Community and Belonging: Mainstream platforms, while offering broad connections, can sometimes feel impersonal. Niche platforms, by their very nature, foster stronger, more focused communities around shared interests.
• Ad Saturation and Noise: The sheer volume of ads on traditional platforms makes it difficult for brands to cut through the clutter and truly connect with their audience. Niche platforms offer a less competitive advertising environment.

For advertisers, this isn’t just about finding new places to put ads; it’s about understanding a fundamental change in user behavior and adapting strategies accordingly. Advertising on niche platforms isn’t about casting a wide net; it’s about precision targeting, building trust, and becoming a valued part of a community.

Mastodon: Navigating the Decentralized Frontier

Mastodon, a free and open-source decentralized social network, stands in stark contrast to its centralized counterparts. Instead of a single company controlling the platform, Mastodon is a network of independent servers (instances) run by various individuals and organizations. This decentralized structure means no central authority dictates content, algorithms, or advertising policies.

The Mastodon Ecosystem and Its Implications for Advertisers:

• Decentralized Nature: This is Mastodon’s defining characteristic. There’s no central ad platform or “Mastodon Ads” dashboard. Each instance has its own rules, culture, and moderation policies. This means a one-size-fits-all advertising approach won’t work.
• Community-Driven: Mastodon communities are often deeply passionate about specific topics. Users actively choose which instances to join based on their interests and values. This creates highly engaged, but also highly discerning, audiences.
• Ad-Free by Design: Many Mastodon instances are explicitly ad-free and powered by donations. Overt advertising can be met with strong resistance and seen as intrusive, potentially leading to immediate account suspension or community backlash.
• Text-Heavy: While images, GIFs, and videos can be shared, Mastodon remains primarily a text-based platform, emphasizing conversations and sharing of information.

Opportunities on Mastodon:

Despite the lack of traditional ad tools, Mastodon offers unique opportunities for brands willing to engage authentically:

1. Thought Leadership and Content Sharing: Brands can establish themselves as authorities within their niche by consistently sharing valuable, insightful, and non-promotional content. This could include industry news, research, helpful tips, or engaging discussions.
   • Interactive Question: How can your brand become a go-to source for valuable information in your industry? What kind of content could you share that genuinely helps your target audience, rather than overtly selling to them?
2. Community Engagement: Actively participate in conversations, respond to questions, and offer genuine assistance without a sales agenda. Building trust and credibility within a Mastodon community takes time and consistent, respectful interaction.
   • Example: A software company could join an instance focused on open-source development and contribute to discussions about coding challenges, offering advice and insights without pushing their product.
3. Identify Relevant Instances: Research and join instances that align with your brand’s values and target audience interests. For example, a sustainable fashion brand might join an instance dedicated to ethical consumerism.
4. Organic Reach and Higher Engagement: Because there are no algorithms actively pushing content, posts that resonate with the community tend to get higher organic reach and engagement. Authentic, valuable contributions are amplified by re-toots (shares) and replies.
5. Direct Feedback and Market Research: The open and conversational nature of Mastodon provides a direct channel for gathering feedback on products/services, understanding user needs, and identifying emerging trends.
6. Partnerships and Collaborations: Identify influential users or instance administrators who align with your brand. Explore opportunities for collaboration, such as co-hosting discussions, sponsoring community events (if permitted and transparently disclosed), or creating joint content.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them:

• No Traditional Ad Tools: This is the biggest hurdle. You cannot buy ad placements or target users with demographic data.
  • Solution: Shift your mindset from “advertising” to “community building” and “value provision.” Focus on organic strategies.
• Varying Instance Rules: Each server has its own code of conduct. What’s acceptable on one might not be on another.
  • Solution: Thoroughly read and understand the rules of any instance before joining and posting. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and prioritize community guidelines.
• Smaller User Base: While highly engaged, the overall user count on individual Mastodon instances is significantly smaller than mainstream platforms.
  • Solution: Focus on quality over quantity. The aim is to reach a highly relevant and engaged audience, not necessarily millions of people.
• Time and Resource Intensive: Building trust and engaging authentically takes time and consistent effort, unlike simply setting up a paid ad campaign.
  • Solution: Allocate dedicated resources for community management, content creation tailored to Mastodon’s ethos, and genuine interaction.
• Attribution and ROI: Measuring direct ROI from organic Mastodon efforts can be challenging without traditional tracking pixels.
  • Solution: Focus on qualitative metrics like brand sentiment, community engagement, brand mentions, and website referrals (if links are allowed and tracked with UTM parameters). Consider soft conversions like newsletter sign-ups or content downloads.

Best Practices for Mastodon Advertising (or rather, “Presence”):

• Be a Human, Not a Brand: Engage in a personal, conversational tone. Avoid corporate jargon.
• Provide Value First: Every post should aim to inform, entertain, or assist the community, not sell.
• Listen More Than You Speak: Pay attention to what users are discussing, their pain points, and their interests.
• Respect the Instance’s Culture: Adapt your tone and content to match the specific community you’re interacting with.
• Be Transparent: If you are representing a brand, be open about it in your profile and interactions.
• Patience is Key: Building a reputation and influence on Mastodon takes time. Don’t expect immediate results.

BeReal: Embracing Authenticity and Spontaneity

BeReal burst onto the social media scene with a refreshing, albeit somewhat restrictive, premise: share one unfiltered moment a day. Users receive a notification at a random time, prompting them to take a photo using both their front and back cameras within a two-minute window. No filters, no edits, no carefully curated feeds – just real life, as it happens. This emphasis on authenticity, spontaneity, and a genuine lack of polish is what sets BeReal apart.

The BeReal Ethos and Its Implications for Advertisers:

• Authenticity First: This is the core principle. Users are on BeReal to see raw, unpolished moments from their friends. Anything that feels overly commercial or manufactured will be immediately rejected.
• Time-Limited Engagement: The two-minute window for posting creates a sense of urgency and limits the ability for extensive content creation or strategic planning.
• Dual-Camera Perspective: The simultaneous use of front and back cameras offers a unique “in-the-moment” perspective that can be challenging to leverage for traditional advertising.
• No Public Engagement Metrics: Unlike other platforms, BeReal doesn’t display public likes, follower counts, or other vanity metrics, further emphasizing real connection over performance.

Opportunities on BeReal:

While BeReal’s restrictive nature might seem daunting, it presents powerful opportunities for brands to connect with Gen Z and other authenticity-seeking audiences in a uniquely genuine way. BeReal has recently launched an advertising platform in the US, indicating a shift towards brand integration while still maintaining its core principles.

1. “Real” Brand Moments: Brands can showcase the human side of their operations, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or genuine product usage in a way that feels native to the platform. This builds trust and relatability.
   • Interactive Question: What “real” moments from your business could you share that would resonate with your audience’s desire for authenticity? Think beyond polished product shots.
2. Influencer Collaborations (Authentic Style): Instead of traditional sponsored posts, collaborate with influencers who genuinely use your product and can integrate it naturally into their daily BeReal moments. The emphasis should be on genuine testimonials rather than staged endorsements.
3. Product Placement (Subtle & Contextual): If your product naturally fits into everyday life, subtle, non-intrusive placement within a “real” moment can be highly effective. The key is for it to feel organic, not forced.
4. Challenges and Contests (BeReal Style): Encourage users to share their own “BeReal” moments involving your product or a theme related to your brand. The authenticity constraint makes these user-generated content campaigns incredibly powerful.
   • Example: A coffee brand could prompt users to share their “BeReal” morning coffee routine, subtly featuring their product.
5. Community Building through Shared Experience: BeReal fosters a sense of shared experience. Brands can tap into this by creating content that resonates with the daily rituals or relatable moments of their target audience.
6. “Discovery” Feature: BeReal’s “Discovery” feed offers a space for public posts, potentially including sponsored content that blends in with organic user content. This is where the official advertising platform operates. Early results suggest high engagement rates for ads that successfully mimic the platform’s authentic feel.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them:

• Maintaining Authenticity: The biggest challenge is creating content that feels “real” without looking like a traditional ad. Users are highly sensitive to anything that breaks the platform’s ethos.
  • Solution: Focus on low-production value, unscripted content. Show the human side of your brand – employees, processes, genuine usage. Be relatable and spontaneous.
• Limited Creative Control: The two-minute window and dual-camera format offer less flexibility for elaborate campaigns.
  • Solution: Embrace the constraints as creative challenges. Think about how to tell a compelling story within these limitations. Simplicity is key.
• Measuring Direct ROI: Like Mastodon, traditional conversion tracking can be difficult.
  • Solution: Focus on brand awareness, engagement (reactions, comments), brand sentiment, and qualitative feedback. For direct ad campaigns on the “Discovery” feed, standard ad metrics (impressions, clicks, engagement) would apply, but the key is still the quality of engagement, not just quantity.
• Ephemeral Content: BeReal posts disappear after 24 hours, meaning content has a short shelf life.
  • Solution: Consistency is important. Also, consider the long-term brand building rather than immediate transactional goals. The aim is to create a positive, authentic impression that lingers.
• Gen Z Audience Dominance: While this is an opportunity for brands targeting Gen Z, it might be a challenge for those with older demographics.
  • Solution: If your target audience is Gen Z, BeReal is a prime channel. If not, evaluate if their values of authenticity still align with your brand, and if the platform is a good fit for reaching a segment of your audience that values these attributes.

Best Practices for BeReal Advertising:

• Be Human, Be Raw: Ditch the polished marketing materials. Show messy, real-life moments.
• Think Spontaneously: Respond to the BeReal notification with genuine, unscripted content.
• Leverage User-Generated Content: Encourage users to share their experiences authentically.
• Focus on Storytelling: Even in two minutes, a genuine story can resonate.
• Integrate Subtly: If featuring a product, ensure it appears naturally within the moment, not as the focal point of a sales pitch.
• Prioritize Cultural Relevance: Understand what Gen Z values and create content that speaks to those values.

Specialized Forums: Tapping into Hyper-Niche Communities

Online forums, though sometimes seen as a relic of the early internet, remain incredibly powerful hubs for hyper-niche communities. From hobbyist forums to professional discussion boards, these platforms gather individuals with deep, shared interests. While they lack the modern features of social media, their strength lies in the highly engaged, self-selecting audience they host.

The Forum Landscape and Its Implications for Advertisers:

• Hyper-Niche Focus: Forums are typically dedicated to a very specific topic, creating an audience that is inherently interested in that subject.
• Authority and Trust: Users often value expertise and genuine contributions. Building a reputation as a helpful, knowledgeable member is crucial.
• Strong Community Guidelines: Forums often have strict rules against overt self-promotion or spamming. Violating these can lead to immediate bans.
• Long-Form Discussions: Unlike fast-paced social media, forum discussions are often long-form, detailed, and searchable, providing a rich source of user insights.
• Limited (or No) Traditional Ad Features: Most forums don’t offer automated ad placements. Advertising often requires a more organic, community-integrated approach.

Opportunities on Specialized Forums:

The opportunities on specialized forums lie in their unparalleled ability to reach highly targeted audiences with a strong intent.

1. Expert Contributions and Thought Leadership: Become an active, helpful member. Answer questions, provide valuable insights, and participate in discussions. This positions your brand (or its representatives) as an authority in the field.
   • Interactive Question: What specific expertise can your brand offer to a niche forum community? How can you genuinely contribute to their discussions without a sales agenda?
2. Market Research and Feedback: Forums are goldmines for understanding customer pain points, product desires, and industry trends. Listen to conversations to gain invaluable insights.
3. Subtle Brand Mentions (When Appropriate): If your product or service genuinely solves a problem being discussed, you can subtly mention it as a solution, but only after establishing trust and providing value. Avoid blatant self-promotion.
4. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Some forums offer official sponsorship opportunities, banner ads, or “sticky” threads for product announcements. These are often the most ethical and effective ways to advertise directly.
   • Example: A company selling specialized camera equipment might sponsor a section of a photography forum dedicated to specific camera models.
5. Direct Engagement with Power Users: Identify influential members or moderators. Building relationships with them can lead to organic recommendations and positive word-of-mouth.
6. “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) Sessions: If the forum allows, host an AMA session where a company expert answers questions related to your niche. This builds trust and directly addresses community concerns.
7. Content Distribution: Share valuable, relevant content (e.g., blog posts, guides, tutorials) that directly addresses a problem or interest within the forum, ensuring it aligns with their rules and provides genuine value.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them:

• Strict Anti-Spam Rules: Forum moderators are vigilant against overt commercialism.
  • Solution: Prioritize genuine contribution over promotion. Understand the rules of each forum inside out. When in doubt, contact a moderator to ask about acceptable promotional activities.
• Building Trust and Credibility: This takes time and consistent, high-quality engagement.
  • Solution: Be patient, persistent, and genuinely helpful. Focus on building your reputation as a valuable member of the community.
• Time-Intensive: Active participation in multiple forums can be a significant time commitment.
  • Solution: Identify the most relevant forums and focus your efforts there. Consider delegating responsibilities to a community manager.
• Measuring ROI: Direct conversion tracking is often impossible.
  • Solution: Focus on qualitative metrics like brand sentiment, increased brand mentions, direct traffic referrals (if links are allowed and tracked with UTM parameters), and insights gained from discussions. Long-term, this can lead to improved product development and stronger customer relationships.
• Outdated Interfaces: Some forums may have less intuitive interfaces than modern social media, which can be a minor barrier to entry.
  • Solution: Overlook the aesthetics and focus on the valuable audience present.

Best Practices for Forum Advertising:

• Be a Contributor, Not a Salesperson: Your primary goal should be to help and inform, not to sell.
• Read the Rules (Seriously): Every forum has its own unique culture and guidelines.
• Search Before You Post: Ensure your questions or contributions haven’t already been addressed.
• Use Your Signature Wisely: Many forums allow a signature with a link to your website. This is a subtle, compliant way to drive traffic.
• Offer Genuine Help: Answer questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.
• Be Patient and Consistent: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is trust in a forum.

Crafting Compelling Content for Niche Platforms

Regardless of the niche platform, the overarching principle for content creation is authenticity and value. Traditional advertising, with its flashy visuals and aggressive calls to action, often falls flat or is actively rejected in these spaces.

Key Principles for Niche Platform Content:

• Native Feel: Content should blend seamlessly with the platform’s natural user experience. On BeReal, it’s raw photos; on Mastodon, it’s thoughtful text; on forums, it’s helpful answers.
• Value-Driven: Every piece of content should offer something useful to the audience – information, entertainment, solutions, or a fresh perspective.
• Conversational Tone: Engage in a human, approachable manner. Avoid corporate speak or overly formal language.
• Problem/Solution Focused: Address the specific pain points or interests of the niche audience.
• Authenticity Over Polish: Especially for platforms like BeReal, embrace imperfection. For forums, genuine expertise trumps slick presentations.
• Audience-Centric: Focus on what your audience needs and wants, not just what you’re selling.
• Call to Action (Subtle): When a CTA is appropriate, make it clear but not aggressive. On forums, this might be a link in your signature; on BeReal, it might be an implicit invitation to explore your brand’s unique approach.

Measuring Success and ROI on Niche Platforms

Measuring ROI on niche social platforms requires a different approach than traditional digital advertising. Direct attribution can be challenging due to the lack of built-in analytics or the organic nature of engagement. However, success can still be tracked and demonstrated.

Key Metrics to Consider:

• Qualitative Metrics:
  • Brand Sentiment: How are people talking about your brand? Are the conversations positive, negative, or neutral? (Monitor mentions, tone of discussions).
  • Community Engagement: Are your posts receiving replies, re-toots/shares, or upvotes? Are people asking questions or seeking your opinion?
  • Brand Mentions: Are users organically mentioning your brand in discussions where you aren’t directly participating?
  • Feedback & Insights: What valuable information have you gathered about your product, industry, or target audience? This can inform product development and overall marketing strategy.
• Referral Traffic (if applicable):
  • UTM Parameters: Use UTM tags on any links shared to track traffic originating from these platforms to your website. This helps understand how much direct web traffic your presence is generating.
• Soft Conversions:
  • Newsletter Sign-ups: Track how many sign-ups originate from these platforms.
  • Content Downloads: Monitor downloads of whitepapers, guides, or other valuable content.
  • Community Growth (for Mastodon/BeReal): While not vanity metrics, a growing, engaged following on relevant instances or a steady stream of “friends” on BeReal indicates increasing brand presence.
• Direct Inquiries/Sales (where traceable):
  • In some niche forums, direct inquiries about your product/service might occur, leading to direct sales. Track these.
• Time on Platform/Engagement Frequency: While harder to quantify, the sustained effort and consistent interaction on these platforms contribute to long-term brand building.

Calculating ROI:

The traditional ROI formula (Profit / Investment x 100) is harder to apply directly. Instead, frame your ROI in terms of:

• Cost of acquisition (qualitative): While not a direct CPA, consider the value of reaching highly engaged, niche audiences without direct ad spend.
• Value of insights: How much is the market research gleaned from forum discussions worth to your product development or marketing strategy?
• Brand equity and trust: The long-term value of building a trusted reputation within a niche community.
• Efficiency: Compare the cost and effort of engaging on niche platforms versus the cost of reaching a similar audience on mainstream platforms (which might be more expensive and less engaged).

Ethical Considerations and Privacy

Operating on niche social platforms, especially those built on principles of decentralization or authenticity, demands a heightened sense of ethical responsibility and respect for user privacy.

• Transparency: Always be upfront about who you are and if you represent a brand. Deception will erode trust rapidly.
• Consent: If collecting any user data (even indirectly through tracking links), ensure you have explicit consent and comply with all relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA). Many niche platforms are privacy-focused, so respect for user data is paramount.
• Value Exchange: Don’t just take from the community; give back. Your contributions should genuinely add value.
• Avoid Manipulation: Do not attempt to manipulate discussions, create fake accounts, or engage in any deceptive practices.
• Respect Community Guidelines: These are not suggestions; they are rules. Violating them can damage your brand’s reputation and lead to expulsion.
• Authenticity: Especially on BeReal, resist the urge to over-engineer or falsify content. The platform’s success hinges on its “realness.”
• Data Minimization: Collect only the data absolutely necessary and be transparent about its use.
• Moderation: Be aware that moderation on decentralized platforms or forums can be done by community members or volunteers. Engaging respectfully with moderators is crucial.

Case Studies and Examples (Hypothetical & General)

While specific detailed case studies are often hard to come by for very niche, organically-focused efforts, we can illustrate how brands might succeed:

• Mastodon: A small, ethical open-source software company focusing on privacy-centric tools establishes an active presence on a privacy-focused Mastodon instance. Their developers and community managers regularly answer user questions, share updates on new features, and participate in discussions about digital rights. They gain a loyal following of tech-savvy, privacy-conscious users who become early adopters and advocates for their software. While no direct “ads” are run, the consistent engagement and valuable contributions lead to organic mentions, re-toots, and direct visits to their website.
• BeReal: A sustainable clothing brand uses its daily BeReal to show behind-the-scenes glimpses of their production process – perhaps a designer sketching, a team meeting, or a package being prepared. They might occasionally feature an employee genuinely wearing one of their pieces in a real-life context. The authenticity resonates with their target Gen Z audience, building brand affinity and a sense of shared values, rather than pushing a specific sale. Levi’s, for example, has seen success on BeReal by blending in with organic content, resulting in high engagement.
• Specialized Forum (e.g., a “Vintage Audio Enthusiast” Forum): A small business specializing in repairing and restoring vintage audio equipment actively participates in a forum dedicated to vintage audio. Their owner, a passionate enthusiast themselves, regularly shares detailed repair guides, answers complex technical questions, and occasionally posts photos of their restoration projects. In their signature, they have a discreet link to their repair service. Over time, they become a highly respected figure in the community, leading to direct inquiries and a steady stream of highly qualified leads.

The Long-Term Outlook for Niche Advertising

The trend towards decentralized and specialized online communities is likely to continue. As concerns about privacy and control grow, and as users seek more meaningful online interactions, these platforms will become even more significant.

• Decentralized Platforms: The “Fediverse” (the network of interconnected, decentralized servers like Mastodon) is expanding. While direct advertising models might remain scarce, the opportunities for organic brand building, community engagement, and thought leadership will grow. Blockchain-based advertising models are also emerging, promising greater transparency and user control, which could find a natural home in these environments.
• Authenticity as Currency: Platforms like BeReal highlight that authenticity is becoming a crucial currency in online interactions. Brands that embrace this will thrive. The future of advertising here might involve more “native” placements that seamlessly integrate into user experiences, rather than intrusive banners.
• Community-Led Marketing: The emphasis will increasingly be on brands becoming active, valuable members of communities, rather than just broadcasting messages. This means investing in community management, content that serves the audience, and genuine relationship-building.
• Micro-Influencers and Nano-Influencers: These platforms are ideal for collaborating with smaller, highly engaged influencers who have deep trust within their niche communities. Their recommendations carry significant weight.

The future of advertising on niche platforms isn’t about simply porting over old strategies. It’s about a fundamental rethinking of how brands connect with people online, prioritizing trust, value, and genuine interaction over broad reach and aggressive sales tactics.

Conclusion: Beyond the Algorithm, Towards Connection

Advertising on niche social platforms like Mastodon, BeReal, and specialized forums demands a paradigm shift from traditional marketing. It’s not about interrupting, but integrating. It’s not about broadcasting, but conversing. It’s not about vanity metrics, but about genuine connection and building trust within highly engaged communities.

For businesses willing to invest the time, effort, and authentic engagement, these platforms offer a fertile ground for cultivating deep brand loyalty, gathering invaluable insights, and reaching audiences that are often underserved by mainstream advertising. By embracing the unique ethos of each platform – whether it’s Mastodon’s decentralization, BeReal’s authenticity, or a forum’s specialized expertise – brands can forge connections that transcend mere transactions and foster truly meaningful relationships.

As the digital landscape continues its fragmentation, the ability to navigate and effectively engage with these niche ecosystems will become an increasingly vital skill for any forward-thinking marketer. The future of advertising isn’t just about big data and complex algorithms; it’s also about human connection, shared values, and the power of specialized communities.

Interactive Reflection Points:

1. Think about your own brand or business. Which niche social platform or forum seems most aligned with your target audience and brand values? Why?
2. What kind of “value” could your brand consistently offer to a community on Mastodon, BeReal, or a specialized forum, without directly selling anything? Brainstorm specific content ideas.
3. Given the emphasis on authenticity, what aspects of your brand’s operations or team could you showcase on BeReal to create genuine, relatable content?
4. If you were to engage with a specialized forum, what specific expertise could you (or someone from your team) share to establish credibility and become a trusted contributor?
5. What are the biggest ethical challenges you foresee for your brand if it were to advertise on a niche platform, and how would you address them proactively?

We encourage you to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below! What has been your experience, positive or negative, with advertising or building presence on niche social platforms?