Do you really know what a niche is?
You might be surprised to learn that many aspiring marketers have the wrong idea about what a "niche" actually is.
And if you're making the same mistakes, it could be holding you back.
A niche is not a product, a range of products, or an industry. It's not just about selling things.
A niche is about solving problems and offering solutions. It's about identifying a specific group of people with a specific problem or need, and then creating content or products that help them solve that problem or meet that need.
But it's not just about being specific. A niche is also about being authoritative. People want information from sites they consider "go to" or "authority" sites.
So just because you're focused on a niche doesn't mean you can ignore being an authority site.
And a niche is not the same thing as a business model or income source. Affiliate marketing, eCommerce, authority sites, and blogs are all just ways to make money. They're not niches in and of themselves.
So if you want to succeed in business and marketing, you need to understand what a niche really is. It's not just about selling products or being specific.
It's about solving problems, being authoritative, and offering real value to your audience.
Examples of niche topics:
Online Marketing for Stay At Home Moms who want to earn an income from home to provide for their families.
Home Cooking for Busy Female IBS Sufferers who want to eat meals that don't affect their intolerance.
Bodybuilding for Arab Guys who want to get ripped and meet women.
Prepping / Survival for Single Dads who want to protect their kids from upcoming disasters.
Alternative Medicine for Diabetics Over 50 who want to live a healthy life / not die without using prescription medicine.
Home Fitness for Disabled People who can't get outside much or easily use a gym.
Dating for Older Divorced Men who want to date younger women.
Let's paint a picture, shall we?
Imagine you're standing in front of a massive canvas, paintbrush in hand, and an infinite array of colors before you.
You can paint anything you want, but you're not sure where to begin. Do you want to create a masterpiece that everyone will love or do you want to paint something that will make a select few go absolutely wild with delight?
Well, if you want to build a successful online business, the answer is clear: you must focus on a specific niche.
A niche is like a tiny brushstroke on the canvas, a specific topic with a specific type of person in mind, and a common reason why they are in this niche. It's not just "fitness" or "dating" or "online marketing" for anyone and everyone, that's too vague and not going to appeal to any specific person.
To create something truly amazing, you must get specific, get focused, and focus on a core group of similar people.
Think of it like carving out a slice of the market all for yourself from an already established market instead of going head to head with all the existing players and brands in the field.
By doing this, you're making it easier for your target audience to resonate with you and your brand over the generic advice they can find everywhere else that doesn't cater exactly to their needs.
This is the only way a small, one man, player like yourself can succeed in a competitive and cutthroat online world. It's like standing out in a crowded museum with your beautiful painting, while everyone else's blends into the background.
Still, despite a 20+ year head start, most online brands, businesses, media companies, and marketers have yet to drill deep down and get specific with their target audience. They're still trying to appeal to the mainstream and the masses.
But those individuals who do go "niche" see jaw-dropping success compared to their generic competitors.
So, if you want to create something that will leave people breathless, find your niche, and get painting.
Here's some real life examples of niche specific sites:
Nerd Fitness, fitness advice to nerds and geeks who want to get fit and bulk up, that makes 6 figures (Source).
Making Sense of Cents, a personal finance blog aimed at showing students how to pay off their student loans and make money. It makes over $100,000 per month (Source).
Imagine your niche like a unique puzzle piece that fits perfectly into the larger puzzle of the market. It's specific, it's distinct, and it's essential to complete the picture.
Just like a puzzle, if you try to force a piece that doesn't fit, you'll only end up frustrated and with an incomplete picture. The same goes for your niche.
Trying to appeal to everyone will leave you spinning your wheels, with no real progress to show for it. Instead, focus on a specific topic that resonates with a specific type of person. It's like a laser beam, cutting through the noise and clutter of the market to reach your ideal audience.
And just like a puzzle piece, it needs to offer a solution to a common problem or need. When you can do this, you'll not only stand out in a crowded online world, but you'll also dominate your niche and be the go-to source for your target audience.