If you’re finding that your particular niche isn’t much of a niche at all, it’s time to look a little closer and dig a little deeper.
If you’re focusing on something to broad like “dog training”, you’re forced to compete with the glut of other “me too” experts out there, offering a broad range of products and services related to getting your pup to behave.
Even specific breed training like Dog Training for Poodles isn’t really a niche anymore (but it’s better than dog training alone), because you’ll still find a great deal of gurus touting their experience with the more popular breeds.
So what do you do? The answer is micro-niching.
Essentially, micro-niching takes two areas of focus and combines them. Let’s say you want to get into the dog training business but you’re not sure what area to specialize in.
What about dog training for busy working people? Not everyone has hours of time to spend training their pets – if you were to specialize in a niche that makes it quick, easy and less frustrating for working professionals to get their pooch to sit, stay and shake – you’d be able to reach an eager audience (that has money to spend) and you’d be able to do so without as much competition.
But remember that a little competition is always good – it’s a sign of money being spent in that niche.
The point to remember about micro-niching is that it combines your own personal expertise, authority and experience in an area of specialization that few people can compete with you in.
Another example (that perhaps you’re more familiar with) would be search engine optimization. It’s likely something you’ve done, and maybe done for others so you’re pretty good at it. But SEOs are a dime a dozen on the web. What do you do?
Look at SEO for specific groups. For instance if you have experience working in a doctor’s office, you already know what gets patients involved in their care and well-being, so you can leverage that experience into traffic for doctors’ websites and more inquiries about their services.
Nearly everyone can use their previous job experience, general life experience, travels and education to specialize in a certain area where your know-how vastly outperforms your competitors.
If you’d like some actionable steps to put micro-niching to work for you – try this simple exercise. Get out a stack of index cards. First, write all the different things you’re interested in – one word per card. Then in another set, write all the things you have experience with.
You’ll be amazed at the different points where they intersect, and you can create a micro-niche to dominate, get traffic, and earn from.
Please share your opinion on micro-niching by leaving a comment below.
Thanks.
Comments 15
Great idea with using the index cards, Alex. I’ve certainly had moments of perplexion and frustration trying to drill deeper into a niche. Never seen this suggestion before but love the practicality of it.
Best,
Michael
Author
Hi Michael,
Yes, the index card exercise if a real frustration killer, when it comes to looking for micro niches.
That’s funny Alex, I already did that. When I started working as a web designer, I got a few projects for artists, more exactly singers.
At that point I wanted to become “the singers’ webdesigner”. Unfortunately the singers that were just starting didn’t had much money and the ones that were somehow famous were working with record labels that were really enjoying delaying payments.
Even if that experience was not very profitable for me, I learned that is really easy to get new clients when you have a portfolio related to them.
So yes, this type of mixing niches does wonders. Thank you for putting it into this light with your post.
Hi Alex,
Great post as always. I do have trouble finding sub-niches sometimes even though your software has been a big help. I am still loving Stealth Keyword Competition Analyzer. I use it nearly everyday.
Haven’t tried the index cards, might give that a try.
Herschel Lawhorn
Author
Thank you Herschel
Awesome post Alex. (as always)
Thought I’d add one thing to your card idea exercise.
Don’t forget to write down things your friends or associate’s might be good at, or have knowledge in. I have a buddy that is into repelling. (going down a cliff on a rope).
He helps me with blog posts and equipment reviews on one of my blogs. What’s it about? You guessed it. Repelling. (with holding the micro niche,,sorry guys)
I make sales every week from something I know nothing about. So no excuses, follow Alex’s advice and start banking.
Author
Great advise! – thanks Dan
Great post Alex. Actually your software helps me find these unexpected intersections and microniches and proves there’s search volume.
So writing about best computer for Graphic designers becomes less risky and a better bet than trying to write about computers for the general population.
These surprise sub-niches hardly ever disappoint. 😉
Funny you should write about that Alex…I’ve kind of been heading that way as of late.
It’s just starting to make more sense these days.
Thanks Alex,
David in SC
The cards are a good idea – reminds me of the observation that there are no new ideas, just combinations of existing ones.
Author
Exactly 🙂
Hi Alex,
Very nice post. I use qualifiers such as “for men”, “for pregnant women”, “at home” to dive deeper within populations for keywords your tools find. With your suggestions I can come up with very specific micro niches, thanks a lot.
Turan
Hi Alex,
Another useful post with a simple but practical solution to niche selection agonising!
I like politics, law & order and justice for victims of crime but the only way I can think of to monetise this group of “Niches” is by promoting self defence?
All my other experiences in life are related to telecommunications, overhead & underground repair and maintenance and technology which can now only be seen a museum!
Internet marketing, a more recent activity in retirement is still dependent on robots, thousands of backlinks and spun rubbish (SpinGlish) that is being pumped out regularly versus Exact Match Domains (EMD) with real handwritten content that has been researched and SE Optimised.
My own affiliate websites all suffer from traffic that does not convert on the vendors websites! But I will tryout your index cards suggestion.
Thanks Alex!
I think with the advent of social media it is easier to break into the bigger niches if you give solid quality content. But when you first start out there is so much to learn and people just want to earn money as quickly as possible. So I think the suggestion of micro niches is an awesome idea for everyone to jump in quickly. I know when I first started out years ago. I probably bought loads of keyword tools and just typed in Gout and hoped for the best lol Big thumbs up to micro niches therefore and a great post Alex thanks.
awesome point ALEX,