::Creating A Niche Site-Step 1::
Begin choosing your niche* by asking yourself some questions about you, your skills and your interests:
- What do I currently do to earn a living?
- What clubs, groups, or associations am I involved in?
- What problems do people come to me looking for help with?
- What comes naturally to me?
- What subjects have I studied in high school, college, or on the job?
- If I had to write a how-to book, what subject would be easiest for me to write about?
- What is it about my past or upbringing that makes me unique?
- What do others say I’m really good at?
- As a child, what was my favorite subject at school or past-time?
- What skills or talents do I have?
*Another great resource for developing a niche site is the BOA Blueprint
Once you have identified a few ideas and topics that you could develop as a niche site go to Google.com and SEOBook.com to do some searches using words and phrases related to your ideas.
Google.com
Do 3 types of searches:
1. BROAD = keyword phrase
2. EXACT = “keyword phrase”
3. RELATED = ~keyword phrase
Start with a broad niche search term. Look at total number of results listed, how many pages are shown, and how may sponsored links are shown. Adwords sponsored links mean that the niche is probably profitable. Take note of likely niche keyword phrases.
If you have a Google Adwords Account…
ADWORDS Keyword Suggestion Tool
Enter Keywords into tool. Check results for keyword phrases with no competition with searches, or low competition with medium searches. Record likely niche keyword phrases. The video for this technique can be found on Google Video “Using Googles Keyword tool to find good keywords”
SEOBook.com:
Use Keyword suggestion Tool to find more related keywords. Record likely niche keyword phrases. The video for using this tool can be found on Google Video “SEO Book Keyword Research Tutorial Video”
When selecting a Niche start with broad terms then ‘drill’ down to more narrow sub-niches. Eg.
Pets >> Dogs >> Breeds >> Labradors >> Breeding >> Puppies >> etc.
As you find more keywords for your niche, put these through the keyword suggestion tools also.
Future-proof your niche by thinking inclusively, instead of exclusively. What I mean by this is ask your self; “Can this niche be developed into a ‘hub’ (collection of niche related sites) or included in a ‘portal’ site (gateway to many niche sites)”.
“Pets” is an easy example of how to see to do this but don’t try it yet as it is highly competitive. Remember you want to be a big fish in a small pond - not a small fish in a big pond.
