25 Comments

  1. As you so clearly illustrate in this post, slicing a niche into further micro niches will provide an opportunity to compete and win in the larger niche as a whole.

    This would explain why I about fell out of my chair yesterday when I experienced a third day in a row of clickbank sales in a very competitive market.

    I sliced and diced this market into a really small group of long tailed keywords who have very specific needs and it’s apparently working.

    Savannahs last blog post..How Any Woman Can Learn To Make Money On The Internet

  2. Good stuff! Two other good things you can do, one of which relates directly to magazines – if you have (or you can start collecting) back issues of a certain magazine, start looking for direct response ads that run month after month (after month) – That’s a great indication of a winner.

    There’s also the Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) – you can buy their books (think they’re several hundred a pop), or better yet, HIE THEE TO A LIBRARY! 🙂 (free is better, in my opinion)

    Find the most recent one available, and it’ll break down markets and lists into very tightly grouped market segments, and will even include how much (and at what price) that list has already purchased things. Not a lot better than KNOWING what a certain market is willing to pay. 🙂

  3. Wendy Little-Yohe says:

    Great tip on magazines, Jen! They are a goldmine of info.

    Consider this: each magazine has a marketing dept and has spent $$ to find out what topics to put on their cover that will likely sell their mags. Why not take advantage of their research – for FREE?? (Or for a measly $3.95).

    Another goldmine I’ve found for niche research: the “Dummies” series of books. If there’s a Dummies book about it, it’s a popular topic. AND have you ever looked at the Table of Contents of a Dummies book? Just a cornucopia of article/blog post ideas!

    Visit Dummies.com and give it a try. For many of their books you can find a printable TOC in pdf format! SWEET!!!

  4. I think you may have just given me an A-ha moment of my own. It is interesting sometimes as I have a friend who has idea after idea on niches while I can rack my brain for hours and not thin I am coming up with anything. Can’t wait to get to the bookstore. THANKS!

  5. Jen! How could you! You let my secret out of the bag on this post. ok, so I admit, I am still a well below average online marketer, but it was just two weeks ago that I looked at my wife’s “Shape” magazine, looked at the headlines, and had a major a-ha moment. I started reading it, and started getting strange looks from her as well….. This is a great tip and I am trying out this strategy with some OWM techniques this week. Oh, and of course, I am not really mad at you at all for sharing this tip….there are MILLIONS of micro niches and thousands of magazines out there. I don’t think the odds of someone ‘stealing’ my niche are real good. Thanks as always for the helpful post and information.

  6. WOW! This whole article just brings it all together, I just spent the past hour and a half trying to absorb all the keyword topics you have for finding those niche blogs.
    I have been a member of Squidoo for a long time and I never have hit a home run for finding the right way to target my lens and how to do the niche research.
    This post on using magazines is a major key to finding hot niches.
    I have been trying to make money online for over two years now and still struggle every day.
    I am so glad I subscribe to your feed. I would have missed this and still be in a fog.
    I have over fifty lenses, hopefully I can tweak a few to make them profitable.
    Thanks so very much.

  7. One thing about using the Magazine approach is that you should probably look in a few version of that particular magazine to see whether the ad keeps showing up. If it is a one time ad it might not be as profitable as you would want.

    Mikaels last blog post..How to Make a Claim with VPI Pet Insurance

  8. HI Jeni,
    Do you really want to confuse your readers?
    Hey it’s not confusing at all, even a totally new person in the field of internet marketing can easliy understand your article. And I think that is your main strength. I am reading lots of articles but don’t know what to comment. So, I don’t comment much. But this time, I want to say you one thing, “Thanks” for giving me some knowledge about SEO & Internet Marketing.

  9. Thanks for this post. I’ve been struggling with the ‘passion v profitable’ thing recently. I’m currently building a campaign in a very popular and profitable niche, but it just doesn’t interest me much. Traffic is starting to pick up, and I’m making some sales, but honestly, it just feels like ‘work’, and I just don’t look forward to doing it (I mean, I’m willing to work, but why make it more difficult than it has to be?). Your post made me realise that there are a ton of magazines available in the areas I really do love, so there’s obviously money to be made there (obvious really, but I didn’t think of it in that way before!) So I’ll finish up the campaign I’m working on now, but for future projects I’ll be focusing on what really interests me most, and will rediscover the excitement that got me into IM in the first place. Thanks again : )

  10. Hi Jen, WOW! Great info. I learn something different every time I read your blog or write to you. You seem to have this endless supply of info, but yet it is something that could be used in most things. My favorite hobbie is woodworking, and giving a tip now and then on my blog I feel would help someone who wasn’t expecting this little treat. Thanks again for waking up a sleepy brain.

    Rose (Lilly384)

  11. I am so thankful for your blog and your book! You make things make sense to me! Reading the magazine example was the first time I actually really understood niche and sub niche, etc etc. Duh! Slowly but surely, thanks to you, I am learning. I appreciate you!

    Joan Adamss last blog post..2008 Giant Squid Award Nomination

  12. Thanks for a great post and for reminding me to be very “specific” and use those long tail keywords! Oh…….I just signed up to follow you on Twitter!

    All the best!
    Candice

  13. I’m a total magazine-a-holic, lol, drives my husband nuts. I can spend hours in the magazine aisle, and I have several subscriptions. I’ve gotten a few free subscriptions in the last year or so… which is even better.

  14. Speaking of strollers, here is a new lenses dedicated to them!

  15. I just love your simple, honest, and straight forward way of putting things. I had heard the word niche before, but now is much clearer to me. The magazine example was perfect. I will follow your lead and find my right niche.

    I believe I learning to trust you. Thank so much.
    I really appreciate your blogging!

  16. Thanks, what a great idea. I can see spending some quiet time at the library with my wireless laptop, a stack of magazines. I have a hunch that people will search for what they see in the magazines. I also like to watch Google Trends for hot ideas!

    Penny Goulds last blog post..De Anza College Summer Camps

  17. Great article, and great ideas on how to find new niches, but one has to be reminded that finding a micro-niche is the easy part (for some), finding and writing good content is the hard part, and that’s what will distinguish your blog from other blogs!.

    Thanks for the great article.

  18. How is the Gary Conn product going? I saw that you purchased his video to set up “deal” blog sites.

    I. like many of us. need to find something that works and isn’t too expensive or complicated to do.

    Thanks

  19. Great article. I often find myself so overwhelmed by the amount of choices and paths you can take into any niche. Going from a niche to a sub-niche and drilling even DEEPER into a sub-sub-niche (sub sub?!) I find myself lost usually.

    While the endless possibilities of marketing whatever you want is a blessing it is also a curse (for me at least!). My brain gets too excited and the opportunities and I hit a brick wall.

    Your pointers have definitely eased my mind though and I feel rejuvinated, as though I can begin to focus and conquer some of these niches!

    Thanks Jen.

  20. Hi,

    This is truly a very informational micro niche resource… Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful article… Yes, i believe Micro Niche Marketing is one of the most profitable income source over the internet. I completely love Micro Niche Marketing…

  21. I’m on my way to the shop now to check out the magazines…

    Probably a good idea to concentrate on the niches where you would actually be prepared to buy the magazine. I always find it easier to create content when I have an interest in the subject…

  22. Kudos Jen!
    Very informative article and what sets you apart is that your writing is actually fun to read!

Comments are closed.