Big Dollar Niche: Which one?

One of the most puzzling questions I had to resolve after joining WA was, "Which niche will I choose for best results?" While I am not at all one-hundred-percent-certain that I have selected the niche containing the pot of gold, I at least understand somewhat more about what constitutes a successful website--and it's not all about the niche!

Don't get me wrong. NIche is important. I mean, I love Eugenia's books, but I am not sure I could get much traffic on a website dedicated to her memory. (Well, I might be surprised, of course.) We agree that careful selection of a niche is important. Other equally important factors are how well the author can manage and popularize the subject, and how effectively one can monetize the website and attract a following.

Recently, I noticed conversation about masters of website development who can turn just about any niche into a wealth-generating website. Most of us are nowhere near that level of expertise, even with help from WA. We need a little more in our favor--like some superior knowledge of our subject matter. Looking around at different websites, I am grabbed most often by those who can speak fluently and expertly about their subject. I can be persuaded to try a different brand of tea, or decide to try that brand of nutritional supplement because the information is presented in an attractive and convincing way.

The first mandate of writing is, "Write what you know." If you don't know, and you want to write about it, then you have some researching to do. If you try to build quality content with a thimble full of knowledge about the subject, it is doubtful your site will ever make any money.