What should I do now? Change my niche?
So.....this is how I am feeling right now. Like that guy with his hands covering his face. All I keep thinking is.....What should I do now?
OK....let me back up. I casually mentioned to Kyle in a post that I was feeling a little down because...well...maybe I needed some encouragement regarding my selection for a niche.
I decided on my niche because someone *in one of the top spots* on WA actually told me that it was a great idea. They supported my idea. So...now...I don't get it. After posting my comment...I received a post back from Kyle mentioning that I should change my niche because it is too broad.
Saying that I feel devastated is an understatement. I have spent hundreds of hours at the computer already. Do I abandon my site and all my hard work?
Kyle says to narrow my niche to....maybe...organic soaps. Again...I felt like someone popped my balloon. I thought that I had great purpose to help others with my site. I knew what products that I would like to offer. But, why bother sticking with this niche....if I am simply not going to make any money?
So...now...here is where I need your help. Without taking down my whole website and starting over....(and this thought makes me sick after all the work that I have done.) Who has a clever idea of what I can do with my site without totally dismantling the whole site?
Any and all feedback...comments...and suggestions are very kindly appreciated.
Thank you very much....(sad and somewhat confused) *Melanie*
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Hi Melanie, I agree that you should not abandon your site. I think what you have there is awesome. Very attractive home page. Organic is very broad but someone here also said never pick a niche that you will run out of things to talk about. You have two nicely populated "Pages" now you should start posting "Blogs". Blog on smaller niches inside your niche. Someone here also coined "micro-niches". Your site will get found if you use good keywords on your blogs that are less competitive than "Organic Food"
I think what you are doing is great and also a very "hot topic".
That's what I would do.
~Matt
Hi Melanie,
First of all, I want to say that your site is beautiful. Your hard work is evident, and I wouldn't take it all down and start from scratch - unless that's what YOU want to do.
You mentioned in your post that you had already been feeling a little down about your choice of niche before Kyle made his suggestion. So if you're considering something else as a niche, because you're unhappy with your current choice, stop reading here and get to work on a new niche.
If you're still reading, I assume you want to stay with Organic For Living as your niche. OK, it is broad, but not uncontrollably. You have a good foundation in your three pages to focus on one area for a while and then later you could expand on it.
For instance, your 3 main pages cover the main things most people think of when someone says "organic". So you could certainly focus on one area, and build your site out that way. Maybe it's what you're growing in your garden as a starting point. Growing a site is a lot like gardening. You have to plant different things at different times of the season, and cultivate them all to their specific needs.
I think your site has a great start and you can still stay with exactly what you have but start to cultivate one area of it for awhile. When that area is bountiful, incorporate some more from another area.
That's my 2 1/2 cents. Good luck to you.
Marcel
Wow...Marcel....All I can do is to thank you profusely for your fabulous insight and suggestions. I love your 2 1/2 cents worth of info. It is very valuable to me. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to actually look at my site and offer suggestions. This is what I really need. I did read all of your advice because I do want to keep Organic For Health and I see no reason why not. Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for being a friend...*Melanie*
Well Melanie, I started with a health and wellness for the over 50's site which I was totally enthusiastic about, I also spent a lot of time building it but the bottom line is I want a successful profitable website and if it takes me out of my comfort zone then I don't mind because I want success. My site getoutofthechair.com is gathering dust, but the learning that I got from building it and learning from my mistakes, also the writing efforts etc. are priceless. Sometimes we outgrow things, especially things we get attatched to. You can still keep your organic site, for personal pleasure. Now get your business head on and make a killer money site. I actually have 5 websites 2 of them serious, but only one in the spotlight at the moment. I'm going on a bit here, but don't worry keep your first site like a hobby thingy and build a new dynamic money raker.
My dear Derek...*smiles* My business head has never left my body! *ha ha* I never loose site of it. I appreciate what you say... and I am going to take some of your advice, but I am not going to abandon the site. And, I am going to try to make money from it. If others can do it....why can't I? But, I will tell you...I am going to start another site as well. :)
It's just a matter of "specializing " your niche. In other words, like Kyle said, you look for a niche embedded in your broad niche, Later on you can use your basic site to target another smaller niche inside your broader niche. This will make use your basic sit more times. I guess I gave you some ides. Anyway, wish you the best, your friend, JAIME
Hi Jaime, Thanks for your kind words, my friend. That is what I intend to do. I am not throwing away a good web site. It hasn't even had a chance yet. Great ideas! *Melanie*
I would think, that if Kyle took the time to advise you, you will not get many people who would contradict him. Personally, I like your site, but I have learned that when the top person makes a suggestion, listening is really not an option, but good advice. I wish I could say differently, I really do. Can you niche down around something your really love?
Hi Terea....Well...you know...that is why I took it to heart. If it were someone else? I probably would not think much about it. I understand that he is always just trying to help. But, I do believe in myself and what I love. Actually, I think that we always have options. I value Kyle's advice....but so many others disagree. I am keeping my site, but I will try to re-work it. Thank you for taking the time to write. *smile* Have a great weekend!
I think it could be a matter of adding and subtracting. Add more relevant things, inserting them in the overall structure you can keep.
Mske your first page the most relevant one, saying you are going to broaden the scope in the next pages. Make your posts relevant to the narrower nuche, but also add there are wider possibilities. I hope I have been of help. Think of the Prologue in Romeo and Juliet... The story is all there, but it makes you want to know the rest. Good luck!
Hi Donatella....You are so kind. I love your analogy of Romeo and Juliet. Who wouldn't want to know the details? *smile* Thanks for the advice. I will take it to heart. Have a wonderful weekend. Melanie
Hi Melanie! Oh, don't be so down on yourself! You've got a lovely site! Do you have all the social plugins? Also would advise to put some affiliate links on your site. I would say, organic farms that people can go to; organic retailers that you can use for affiliate links. There are many things you can add to your site that will make Goggle happy. I too have a broad niche however; it is working well, getting good feedback and getting sales. Sometimes you can't get it niched down too far. That's okay! You don't need to start over my friend! Smile and go to www.linkshare to see if they have any affiliates you can use. Or just got to Goggle and put in organic - affiliates. If you want to PM me for more, I'm right here for you! :-) -------Sharon
Oh...Sharon...Sharon...I don't know. Can you even imagine how I felt? I think that you can. I am honestly not getting down on myself....well, maybe feeling a little sorry for myself...but that never lasts for long. I do not have all the social plug ins. And...my site is not ready yet. As we all say...it is a work in progress. But, I wondered after hearing Kyle's advice...should I bother to continue with that site? After further consideration? My answer is YES....I will continue. I understand what Kyle is saying. But, I was still astounded because the person that suggested this is someone close to them. (go figure...everyone thinks differently!) I will try to PM you over the weekend. (If real estate is not out of control...*lol*) If I don't chat with you...do have a wonderful weekend...and thank you...you are my friend. *Melanie*
I am no expert at this by any means. However, would you be able to offer something that would appeal to a narrower niche on your current site. What I mean is say your niche was homemade soap. Couldn't you add a page that promotes something narrower such as organic homemade soap. You have less competition getting people to the organic homemade soap page and they are also exposed to your other products. Just a thought. Don't know if its a good one or not but I put it out there nonetheless.
Hello Gpoppa....Well, you may be "no expert" *and neither am I* but, your advice is sound. And....I will try to incorporate some new things into my site. Thank you kindly...Melanie
Hi Melanie.My advice to you would be to keep your website what have you got to lose by keeping it running.Also just for security make another site on something completely different,what things inspire you in life;what you enjoy doing whether it,s reading or sports or travelling maybe its cooking or baking there are so many niche,s just pick something specific and something that you know a bit about.
Hey Tom.....Thank you for taking the time to reply. You are right. I will keep the site going. I just don't know...I guess that I will also start something new. Just trying to shake off the frustration right now.
Have a great weekend....Melanie
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Below is Kyle's answer to Nicole about niche. I hope Kyle won't mind this, but this should encourage you Melanie to keep on doing what you enjoy.
"The niche you choose is the most lucrative niche. :) Absolutely any niche can be a full time business, there are 2.8 billion people online Nicole. The opportunity is vast, so choose something that you enjoy!"