How NOT to choose a niche!
Okay, so I've been here at Wealthy Affiliate since July of 2017. And to say the least I'm enjoying the heck out of it. I can't thank our creators (not the big guy in the sky) enough for this opportunity. The community is great! And I have had some success, I have my website up and running, 7 pages, over 26 posts, 63 comments. I've written over 20,000 words in the content editor. It's ranked number one on at least one Google search, and approaching the front page on several others.
And with all of this success, it isn't doing anything but sitting there. It's like a mantle piece, all shiny and sparkly, but what is it doing. I have come to the realization I dove into the business of choosing a niche a little too haphazardly. Meaning that a good niche is (to use a couple of metaphors), say, a five sided box with a nice light blue color. Or a circle with a mint green tint and paisleys all in a row. My niche is nowhere near that refined. My niche is more like a Van Gogh painting. Half a circle here, two sides of a box there. Some paint splattered all over, and there you have it... My Niche.
Out of those 26 posts, 6 are about the opportunity here at Wealthy Affiliate. One is a local restaurant review that garnered over 400 hits in three days (big pat on the back). Others are about health supplements, a coffee maker, keeping a positive attitude toward life, diabetes, cholesterol, reverse mortgages, etc, etc, ad infinitum. All of which are great niches in and of themselves. Which begs the question... What IS my niche? It started out as helping Baby Boomers, (as if that wasn't broad enough) it has progressed to a hodge podge of various loosely related topics, and I use that word "loosely," rather loosely. All of the feedback has been, "well written, try this," "nice website, but try that," "this could use a little work,"and other good constructive comments. ONE of the inputs hinted at the biggest issue... "What is your website about? What are you trying to promote?" And now I realize, I have no idea what my niche is. I have this beautiful website with great content, great pictures, but no direction... Whatsoever.
When you choose a niche, you're supposed to narrow it down, decide what section of the audience you're trying to serve, promote to, or accomplish, and stick with it. One thing I now know, is how NOT to choose a niche! How NOT to treat that niche! One thing I'm about to learn, is how to take a website idea and turn it into a real niche. Some people move one step back, two steps forward. I've moved three steps back. Period. No forward movement as of yet!
Someone once said there are no failures, only opportunities, and this is a good one! I came out swinging, I just hadn't decided if I was playing hockey or baseball. Now it's time to learn how to salvage a website!
What would you do in the same situation?
Steve
Recent Comments
20
Finding a niche is definitely something that seems easier than it actually is, once you put it in motion.
If you keep working at it, you'll get it just how you need it. Good luck!!
Betty
Hi Steve, ha ha I'm in exactly the same boat! And this little boat is just bobbing around gently but not going anywhere!
Great post! Finding your niche is as easy as finding what brings you joy. What do you talk about most? What gets you to sit down and listen? What gets your motor running?
KISS! Steve!
Think of your niche and a group of folks,
Friends...If they all got together...
What would answer...
I want to help my friends.........?
The only thing that came out was my Unknown
Of the box...years of studying how to help hurts
People...I'm applying knowledge
that Nobody is doing,
breaking down the restrictions...
keeping people from, getting needed, help!!
Folks about shots up, shot others and themselves.
Because they snap...most..
maybe situational, death in family.
Barb
Statements...for alcoholics...
and the heroin addict comes, as it did, last night!!!
No...sponsor, right , now in meeting, Nixed...
Most NA programs, do not have the depth AA, so all
Basic, principles refer the demoralization! Right!!
Tell, him he can sit, but don't say anything???
Grabbed, and got his Mother and father...trying my way!!
My gift, too afraid to even go there!!!It is my mission, and I gathering a whole arsenal of the best...
I can't sell garbage to my friends...Nixed. am I getting some...weird looks, but...I usually do I'm ...I love a mystery...and I have .any books...I don't debate...I had it, God gave it to me, and he's letting me cross every convention!! Now, I'm truly free! And my friends thinks it great!!! Son opinions, save'm for someone who cares!!
My friends are reading, stuff, and when ready !
Must have something that you can do from the heart.
One, last question...what gave joy to do in elementary,
Jr. High...highschool...??
When you grow up..retired?? Whew...Did that help, Steve?
Barb
Wow, Barb, i studied your poem(?). There are some deep thoughts in there! Enjoyed it very much! And yes, it helped!
Steve
Hi Steve,
I love this! It is perfect!!
I was worried when I started my site since everyone said to keep it very narrow. I wanted to be more broad...but never as broad as the myriad of topics you have covered!!! That is an impressive range!
I wanted to focus on cat products. I also wanted to focus on products I actually use. I knew I could not have a whole website just on one type of supplement or food. I would run out of content to write about. So I took the risk of a more broad site that would cover all the products I use and recommend, from foods and supplements to behavior aids. It has worked out pretty well.
I would suggest you look at what you most WANT to focus on and start there. Which of the topics you listed could you picture doing a whole site on? Health issues? Retirement issues in general? You could still do a Baby Boomer site that delved into many of those areas you mentioned above but it would need some core to tie it together (in my humble opinion).
Maybe you would be interested in this post I did on choosing a niche and domain name? Generalization vs specialization in choosing a niche and domain name. And this one on what seems to sell better: My experience with Need vs. Want in our product choice and marketing. I would not normally presume to put two of my own links in someone else's comment but they are about the topic at hand!
I would love to know what your thoughts on them are too!! You are an entertaining writer!
Jessica
Jessica, really good information! I read both of your posts and both are extremely relevant to the situation at hand. Although I do have a large niche, it might be beneficial to focus on a few products that fill a need, not just a want! Which coincidentally i am doing just that, as we speak.
I think that's an astute observation that a NEED is what we should be promoting, whether it be information or a product, especially with my particular niche! I think it will always be easy to stray within that niche and get off track as to the goal here, which means I'll have to be careful to stay on track, specialize with some posts, and generalize with others. it's good that I do have that flexibility!
Also, my domain name is fairly short, easy to remember other than using a dash in it. You really have a lot of good information that's helped! Thanks for the info! Funny how we sometimes feel the problem at hand is a mountain, and then find out other people have the very information needed to make it a mole hill!
Thanks Jessica!
Steve
Find theeee, thing, within the Niche...
Mine easily fits under, Spiritual...Really!?
Flooded...nobody as even attempted, this
But I'm gathering pearls...Approached,
obvious, she, lost 2 kids, on on a railroad,
track!...when, I said, I'm opening the program,
Without the labels!! Message still the same, ...
You, Better have GOOOD!...Recovering, Catholic
FEAR, of change...they don't want to think of it!!
The BBof AA...is all youn need!! BS..
the big book days... SShh...
don't to wake the ignorant,
Do not hesitate to get
outside professional or spiritual depth!..
Contempt, prior to investigation!
The real yardstick is this...attraction..Hmm
Do I want, what they have?? NAH!!!
First, 5 years, God's, was an BTW...Still is!!
Numero, Uno!...I had arrived!
I have my understanding of Higher Power!
Nobody, will ever comprehend...so, I duck or
Field dirt balls...happy, joyous and
free!Another, great line..."Remember, some are sicker than others."
we , should give then the same consideration, as we would a dying man!! Really?? HAAA!...
Barb
Thanks Steve,
I am really glad it helped! I always feel awkward posting links to my own posts!
You just need a unifying theme...Baby Boomers could work still.
Or you could break it out into additional websites. Is your goal informational, or to sell products? I think the more it is focused on sales the more narrow it should be...not sure why I am thinking that, it seems to make sense.
Jessica
Jessica, you feel, badly
about sharing the link, right?
If, it's asked for, it's not promoting,
it was attracted, granted, many are cluenss
About the rudeness, of this!
Had to spend, valuable, getting themselves,
Send a how dare, you! Delete.. Why have to bother!
I followed...who, cares,
if you don't know what my stuff, about Bam!
Out, of our sandbox!
Barb
I am a know-it-all all, in my field!!
are you saying you don't want to admit your gifts!Don't deny the gifts, God, gave you Jessica...he didnkt give those same ones to others..
Gosh, Jessica..this is why I'm working on the bes program yet!
God's...making it all happen if you've following my challenge...Out of the ball park!! Why!! Only, because Leading the path..Have no other before me...People are sick and do bad things! Fact!
We respond...second person tonight, miss any opportunity of a life time because you'll miss your team...
One of the best things I learned from the 12 Steps??
What, you think, of , me...Is, none of my Business!!
Jessica... let's play spittle game, here! From what you know of me, can you see something different than others...If, it's different and you like it...oh..not loved by the massed, pulled form Primetime!
Where'd my show go??? Take you, out of the equation. View, as a shrink listening to you..You have creative tension, some no from pretty places. I know I'm the best....Nobody's seen what propels,
God...first whatever he is to you...I'd will never be mine... that's the beauty of it.
Tensions not expressed, lead to illness! Get it!
Jess! I'm saving lives, and I don't give rat's ass whether you approve our not!! And you, don't ask much of the guy, grabbing off the edge of a cliff!! Sorry, only catholics..mget my point.
You've shown me Jess..how I need to get away from the water cooler and get my site built..people, are not living...they are just dying, slowly..No, dreams, No God!! All I have LOOK at me...like the kid that dresses himself. the first time...Really?
Never be so arrogant to think anyone does it on their own!!
I really hope you'll new open, to checking it out...but I don't have to promote and thing...Build the field and they will come!
Sorry, long...but, I hear Pain...blocked, by nature and themselves.
Later, it's late and I still need to write, check it out!
Barb
Good evening Stevo,
This is really not an easy question and I dare not give you much advice on this. When I was reading all the different things/niches you have on one website the first thing that came to my mind was to make 3 websites with the existing material.
I do not have an idea if this is possible, a clever move or however you would like to call this.
Let's see what the other readers of your post come up with.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Good to hear from you, Taetske! Thanks for the bit of advice! I was just thinking a little earlier that I could from now on focus the site to one of the many niches I have going. And it would be easy to rewrite the front page for one of those, leaving the many and varied posts as is.
My website is not yet as developed as yours, but I have had a lot of fun creating it so far. I do have a feeling that my niche may not be specific enough, and I am trying to think of ways to narrow it down over time. Great blog - got me thinking!
Hey, I'm having fun at this! And a speed bump once in a while, only makes it interesting!
Steve
"If, people, saw, no, fun In it...why would they want to come back?"
"We are not a glum, lot! We insist on having, fun!
Are we having, fun, YET!?? Big Book AA!!
Barb
See more comments
If I had a broad website, I would go back and pick the posts or pages that are of the most interest to me, and that have low competition - and then buy a domain name and build a site around that narrow topic.
Baby Boomer topics are huge and are going to get even bigger as they age. Solutions to health problems is an evergreen niche. So if you pick diabetes, maybe a site built around "How to reduce diabetes symptoms with the right food choices." Something like that - the specific niche is up to you.
Just pick something you enjoy writing about or it will get very boring very quickly. And make sure it has good keyword results.
Good luck, sound like you're well on the way to a successful website.