Choosing a Niche

Finding a productive niche depends on two factors – a product or service, and finding the right audience to target.

A niche is simply a corner of the market where there is a shortage of supply versus demand. A good way to track down highly searched topics is by using a program to find out what people are searching for. Google has several tools that are helpful in this area. When you add modifiers like how, buy, fix and online to your niche keywords, you will find out what people need and how they are looking for it.

You want the niche you choose to be ripe for monetizing, so you either need strong affiliates or else an advertising base. Once you have found a site or two with good commission rates, you can check how much actual search there is for your keywords.  A high number of results in Google indicates a high demand. You can use the Adwords tool to generate similar terms and figure out how to use long tail keywords in addition to your major ones.

There should be at least 500 different possibilities for optimization, with additional spin-offs.  The more options you have for optimization, the greater chance you have to end up on the front page of the SERPs for one or more of your keyword phrases.

You can also use Google tools to determine potential pay-per-click amounts from advertisers. If the quantity of search and the level of the payout are both large, you have found a potentially profitable niche.

Next, do keyword research in earnest. Develop strong content and a linking campaign. Figure out who your best customers are (hint, the will already be looking for your product / service with checkbook in hand) and target them effectively. Soon your niche site will be up and business will be booming!