Backwards. Confused. Or Just Wrong
My first dilemma is this: will I be able to narrow down a group of people into a niche in order to make my initial efforts worthwhile? In other words, am I "On to something"?
My second question is this: is my ROI for the time and energy I have put into a site (when I subtract my elbow grease and my learning through the certifications) going to give me a good place to move forward from (and I had ending a sentence with a preposition -- the least of my worries)?
Today I just put everything aside and starting listing the arenas in which I have some expertise. And so, my blog is a question:
Should I begin -- now that I have a better idea of what I am doing -- with an arena in which I have some expertise? Should I begin with an arena in which I know there are some great, definitive niches which I know something (actually alot) about? Or should I begin with a problem?
I know, I know...all of this has been covered in the training. And I am going to return to my training so far and see where I have missed something CONCEPTUAL while I was all wrapped up in something TECHNICAL.
Have I been moving backwards? Am I just confused? Or have I just done things wrong -- or the wrong things?
But the office is open for comments.
(And whether you have something to add or not, I just want to say that this WA Community is truly one of the best groups I have been a member of in a very long time).
Bob
Recent Comments
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Bob, I am sticking to an area I have a strong interest in even though I may be experiencing challenges. I know I need to build a foundation on solid ground rather than sand and that takes time and effort. I don't know if this helps but in the end I know that at least I am moving forward and I hope that light I see at the end of the tunnel is not a train. :) Jay BTW... Thanks for asking.
I am seeing that same light, most of the time. I think this tunnel has some curves. Always appreciate your responses.
Bob
This may seem over-simplified but, I'd say, do what you love so you can love what you do.
Sue
That sounds like something "ContentBySue" might say - but I agree with it. I think I am a person of creating too many options. My father taught me "never burn a bridge" and so I keep options open up front as well as behind. Got some discipline to do....on myself....Thanks Sue
Bob
Hi Bob...I'm confident everything will fall in to place as it should and in it's own time.
All the best,
Sue
When I started out on this path, I sadly listened to people advising me to look for niches with 'big ticket' items to sell. These were mostly in areas I knew nothing about and cared even less! I tried to be interested, but I couldn't keep the momentum going in the tough times.
Now I am working in an area I love and have extensive knowledge of, I can talk / write about it 'til the cows come home'! People (my kids!) have been known to ask me to 'give it a rest'! So, I would definitely suggest working in an area that's familiar and where you can help people with relevant problems.
Feeling comfortable with my subject keeps my confidence high knowing that I can do this. Even during the times that I am battling with yet another technical issue that seems to elude my 'anti-techie' brain cells! Good luck, Sue :)
This is both REALLY helpful and REALLY timely. I really appreciate your response. I am just happy for the brain cells I managed to salvage.
Bob
I think you are getting great advice! I would add..passion and interest and solving a problem.For example..I am a baby boomer who did not prepare well for retirement. So I can talk about my own experience, write about other boomers also going through this and then solve the problem by showing how WA can change our predicament. Does that make any sense?
Yes
Loads and loads of sense. I am coming to expect that from a "Harris" - Love it, Know it, Be Passionate About it, Have an Enduring Interest, Be willing to Solve Problems, ....yes, it's beginning to take shape. WA really does give us the tools. Thank you for taking the time to reply.
BH
I get you Mr.Harris.lol. And the tools are there for us to make them our own. Using our voice to be all that and more! I am finding that our passion is the opening of a door to all that we are asking for, and in effect we solve our own problems too! Best of luck. You have this!
The whole concept should be to match up your passions and interests to the group of people most interested in your area of expertise. It's all about THEIR likes and dislikes in the end.
I really do have to keep that in mind. It's not all about me. It's not all about ME????
Thanks, wise one.
BH
And a great suggestion - I am setting aside time to do JUST THAT tonight for 90 minutes - We will see how it looks in the morning.
THANK YOU
BH
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I totally understand your problem Bob. I don't think this was covered very well in the course (at least now when I started).
Perhaps this might help you? It's a blog I wrote on the subject. I have heard more and more since then that the extremely narrowly focused niches are more difficult and restrictive and perhaps it is indeed better to go a bit more broad. I have also seen again and again that a SIMPLE domain name is most important. Don't try to be cute at the sake of simplicity. You can write about anything regardless of the domain you choose. So I chose a broad domain name to cover multiple different directions I may go in the future but all within a broad topic which I know a lot about and care a lot about.
Being laser focused is good but maybe not if you run out of content, ideas and avenues to get sales.
Of course the way I did it is not the only or best way...just what works for me. Generalization vs specialization in choosing a niche and domain name.