Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Perhaps you could do a travel site about Montauk?
If you dont offer something out of the ordinary, useful, interesting then forget it!
Rehashing something that already exists on the net is a waste of time.
When adsense is factored in though you get people trying to develop sites around the program (looking for high paying keywords etc).
Let's say you are interested in caves. Find out about caves in your area. Visit them and take pictures with a digital camera. Research them at your local historical society. Create a section of your site with sprelunking equipment. Review books about caves and spelunking.
And so on.
Building interesting websites requires a mix of skills but being able to write like a journalist helps! As does search engine optimisation, being able to build websites and photography, and having good ideas.
Personally I have the opposite problem. I have 15 small hobby type sites on vastly different subjects. And I have plenty more ideas and no time! These sites existed from 95 to 99 - well before adsense. They have never needed to be updated since because they are a mine of useful and interesting info that is simply not available on the net or in books anywhere else.
They were built long before advertising was thought of as a resource for like minded people. They get better traffic year on year because PEOPLE naturally link to them, and search engines like this.
If this isnt for you you might do better with a shovel? or whatever. The fact that you have to ask even means you think that you can just "post a few pages of text" and make money. Not every job suits everybody. The idea of adsense was to be able to match ads to content on existing successful sites easily. Not as a get rich easy scheme. You should start with a website first not adsense first!
It comes down to your desire to BECOME the authority in whatever subject you choose. Be mindful that some subjects because it may be hard to become this authority maybe impossible - this does not mean you can't make a living or have a following in those subjects.
Also keep in mind that you don't have to be totally original - you simply market differently. Coke and Pepsi are in the same market. Although they taste different they actually have different categories in people's mind. Coke - old generation - the real thing Pepsi - new generation.
So if there is other sites that are in the same market - simply do it differently. Present yourself differently, create a new category in people's mind. This can be done many ways but can be done easily by being the opposite of your main compeditor.
Dominos and pizza hut. When dominos entered the market - there was clear leaders already. But dominos did something a bit different. They were opposite. Instead of taking forever to deliver pizza they did it in less than 30 minutes or you get it free.
The example above is exactly how a niche works- It is not something you find. It is something you create. It does not have to be a "more" specific market segment. It does not have to be something you are good at. Dominos pizza actually tasted like crap at that point in time but still became a huge company (#1 for a while) just because it's niche was being FAST.
When determining your niche think category. You can enter in an existing category but if you cannot enter at #1 or #2 then it will be difficult almost impossible. You are best to create a NEW category in people's mind. This way you are automatically #1 and stand a better chance at survival.
Example Burger king and Mc Donalds. Burger king for years have been competing in the same mind category as Mc Donalds. It hasn't helped burger king any. They haven't gained any market share. Actually they have lost. Wendy's is in the same market but entered under a DIFFERENT category. Guess what. They are increasing market share.
Walmart - Kmart - Target. They all are competing in the same market. Kmart tried to compete with Walmart in the same category. Guess what. Kmart went bankrupt. Target however is competeting under a different category. Their category is the "chic" category as walmart is "low prices".
Just get out there and look around. Find out what interest you sure. But mainly look for entry points. Categories that are unclaimed or you think can be created that people would respond to. IF you create a category that people respond to - it is like a natural BOOST in the PR department.
Google has claimed the category as the most relevant results. They created the category and built a brand on it. That is hard to beat. Regardless if they are most relevant or not. They will have to maintain that to keep market share though.
But who is a clear #2 in the search market. Who has the stongest search brand category. Yahoo brand is saturated. Yahoo is not known to be a search engine. They OWN the portal category. MSN is also saturated but known and used more as a internet service provider. Can you see why neither has made much headway on google?
We know why people use Google - for the most relevant results. But why do people use MSN and Yahoo...just because they have a search feature. Not very strong in my opinion. So who is going to create a different category here and claim it?
How do i find a niche?
Here's a little experiment I'm about to run, after much internal (and external :) dialogue:
1. Look inward.
2. Answer: What interests me?
3. Write about that until you can't write any more. Write 1 long piece.
4. Break that down into smaller pieces.
5. Do some web research for authoratative info you can link out to.
6. Publish your website.
7. Next.
After much soul searching the inevitable answer emerges - time and time again: The answer is IN you, not OUT there.
Start with what you know. Work with that and see what follows.
The niche you are "looking for" likely resides within you and it is far more likely to "be interesting to others" IF it is interesting to you: If you write about it with some evidence of personal knowledge, personal concern, personal experience and maybe some small measure of evident passion.
Do NOT underestimate yourself. Do NOT undervaluue your unique life experience.
Now, go a start writing about something that you know about from your own life experience: Interaction with parents. Interaction at school. Issues that matter to people of your age, where you live.
I think it would be a far more interesting world if people wrote with some evidence of a passion for what they are writing about, instead of another blog that details the gaseous trivia of life. MOST of US share 99.5% of the same "live a day" stuff of life.
What on earth are YOU passionate about? Right now?
If you cannot find anything in your life that lights you up then 1) stop spending hours on MySpace or playing videogames; 2) Stop drinking RedBull or any other sugar and caffeine drink; 3) Emerge from your cave and interact with some real live, real time, real here and now human beings. Go to a park, find someone who looks to be about 70, and talk to them about how to live a human lifetime.
I'll bet after that you'll have something to write about.
Any yes, I just wrote this on the fly, because 1) I can write, because I do write and writing itself helps to hone writing skills - so get wriring; 2) I find life itself fascinating, so it's easy to write because it's ALL so very interesting and it's a shame a lifetime doesn't last 700 years; 3) I tend to be a bit pedantic, so when someone asks . . .; 4) I care a great deal about people and life on this planet and everyone winning, so I write to share what I may know from experience that might make a difference.
You?
Let your inner voice speak. I'm sure it's a good one. Some of the best journeys in life begin with a question and you just asked one. :)
Ask yourself: (Write down your answers)
1. What interests me? What do I know that would help others? What would I like to know more about? What unique life experiences do I have that can help others? Write down everything you can possibly think of.
2. Of the answers above which 5 are the most interesting to you?
Take these 5 and ask yourself: (Write down your answers)
3. What about each of them SPARKS your OWN interest? WHY?
4. Would other people be of interest to the subject as you? Why would they be?
5. How do these subjects affect other people lives? In what way?
Look around at potential compeditors then ask: (Write down your answers)
6. What category are they in? - again see my previous posts
7. Is there something about the subject that they fail to address? Is there a need (think dominos - Question 4 & 5 can help also) that they fail to satisfy?
8. Is there a different category I can create?
9. What is good and bad about those sites? What can I better bring to the table on the subject?
10. What unique ways can I present my materials that will add greater quality and interest?
Try putting yourself in different different standpoints on the subject. Such as a beginner or an expert. Go back through question 4 through 10 until you exhaust all possibilities.
Visit forums and blogs. Get in the mind of those who are interested in the subject. Note complaints they have and things they look for and cannot find. Look for things they most want to find. These can also help give you advantages.
When you are done with the five you can do further research in profitability or you can just pick the one you feel you have the most opportunity or most interested in. Just get in there and try. The great thing about the internet is that it does not cost much to get started so try and learn. Hey if it does not work you got a list of alternatives to try. The average entrepreneur goes through at least 5 business before hitting "the one."
well i dont really know a lot about anything! just little bits of loads of things if you catch my drift!
im feeling a little stuck now
Well why would I be interested in anything you could write? If you REALLY dont know about anything?
The stuff I write about is stuff that ONLY I can write about! And I explain to others what I know. This is to them useful, and interesting. Thats what brings links and traffic. The ads are an afterthought.
But most people know a lot about something!
Don't scare or turn others off when you just say unique. The subject DOES NOT necessarily have to be unique...
If I were to say:
"Hella cool be zoo dog vern butt cat litter clip nose boogers!"
This i s a unique statement. Not very usefull or interesting is it. This is the key. To make whatever you talk about useful and interesting with a unique perspective. Perspective being that you don't have to be the only person who took a trip to Disney Land! But you are the only one with your unique perspective/experience of Disney land. -or- Experiences with a certain brand of digital camera.
Wikipedia talks about stuff that has been talked about time and time again. It is real popular. BECAUSE they created a new CATEGORY of interest! A free encyclopedia where many people can add to it. This is just or even more important to do. Create a new category.
Precicely we all learned from somewhere. We all created our own experiences. So...the same with finding your niche. Find an interest and keep learning about it and sharing what you learned.
Not everyone is a writer.
This is a forum on Adsense and not website development. If you ask specific questions about adsense you will probably get specific answers.
I think the all of the answers you received were well thought out and time consuming. What do they gain for helping you?
What if you approach a publishing company and inform them that you want to write a novel; however, you have no experience, don't no much about anything and do not know what to write about?
