Hello everyone.
I guess this is an introduction / question in one post.
Quick background information on me.
I've been studying and reading about affiliate marketing for about 1 and 1/2 years now. I wouldn't call myself a complete newb but I have never set up and established a presence in the affiliate marketing world. I'm pretty much filled with information but so far have not been able to put it to good use. I am facing two problems currently that has just stumped me to no end and I fill like it is time for me to just ask for help instead of struggling to find my own answer.
I know the type of marketing I would like to do. I'd like to promote some form of informational product using email marketing which I plan to promote via articles and "bum marketing" until I have some profit to reinvest into some PPC or other form of advertising. However, I cannot for the life of me find two core pieces of information that would set my whole idea in to motion.
Firstly, finding a niche market is extremely tough for me. Especially something I am actually interested in. I've read all the stickies regarding how to find a niche market and many of the posts relating to the same exact question. However, I am unable to break it down into an "equation" if you will. Not to say that I haven't found a few markets I believe to be viable, because I do believe I have ( which leads me to my second problem ), but I am unable to find a niche that I am mildly interested in that isn't A) Over saturated or over competitive B ) Or is not profitable. Basically what my problem is, is that I cannot for the life of me break down finding a profitable market in to some kind of process that works for me.
Now, my second problem basically has stumped me and repeats the same process over and over again. I finally get to do some real in-depth market research. It may take me a LONG while to settle on market to get in to but when I finally think that I have found something worth getting in to there are hardly any DECENT products to promote. Especially if I want to keep with my email marketing plan. I'll need plenty of GOOD SOLID products to promote as back end products but unfortunately there are basically no products that are worth advertising.
I've read many reports, articles, e-books, watched videos, you name it on finding a niche and they make it seem so easy. Go to click bank - click on a category I want to promote - look at products - promote. Clickbank seems pretty useless in the product department because many of the products aren't worth sending out to an email list they are all pretty much rehashed garbage or I just have too high of standards. Or use Google Keyword or Wordtracker with a broad term I'm interested in and keep narrowing it down until I find a "niche". I've tried all these techniques... I'm just unable to do it. Or maybe I'm just too picky as to what people want. I've seen people use Google Trends, Ebay, Directories, eHow, Wikihow, Yahoo Answers, Search100, Aol Top Search, etc all kinds of different ways to find a niche marketing but I just can't seem to do it myself.... and again like I said even if I did find a niche to dig into... there just isn't enough outstanding products out there to provide to an email list.
Whew! Now that took a load off. I've honestly felt over stressed and hopeless because like I said I know what I'd like to do but I am unable to find the two key components that will let me do what I'd like to do. Pretty much I feel like I'm in front of a HUGE brick wall and I'm unable to bypass it... and since I can't do it myself I was hoping for some help.
Sorry for such a long post, but I've spent 1 and 1/2 years of my life trying to understand the business and I feel as if I'm putting that 1 and 1/2 years to waste being unable to do these two things.
Thank you for these amazing forums they have helped a lot!
Maybe they can help me finally get on my way.
I guess this is an introduction / question in one post.
Quick background information on me.
I've been studying and reading about affiliate marketing for about 1 and 1/2 years now. I wouldn't call myself a complete newb but I have never set up and established a presence in the affiliate marketing world. I'm pretty much filled with information but so far have not been able to put it to good use. I am facing two problems currently that has just stumped me to no end and I fill like it is time for me to just ask for help instead of struggling to find my own answer.
I know the type of marketing I would like to do. I'd like to promote some form of informational product using email marketing which I plan to promote via articles and "bum marketing" until I have some profit to reinvest into some PPC or other form of advertising. However, I cannot for the life of me find two core pieces of information that would set my whole idea in to motion.
Firstly, finding a niche market is extremely tough for me. Especially something I am actually interested in. I've read all the stickies regarding how to find a niche market and many of the posts relating to the same exact question. However, I am unable to break it down into an "equation" if you will. Not to say that I haven't found a few markets I believe to be viable, because I do believe I have ( which leads me to my second problem ), but I am unable to find a niche that I am mildly interested in that isn't A) Over saturated or over competitive B ) Or is not profitable. Basically what my problem is, is that I cannot for the life of me break down finding a profitable market in to some kind of process that works for me.
Now, my second problem basically has stumped me and repeats the same process over and over again. I finally get to do some real in-depth market research. It may take me a LONG while to settle on market to get in to but when I finally think that I have found something worth getting in to there are hardly any DECENT products to promote. Especially if I want to keep with my email marketing plan. I'll need plenty of GOOD SOLID products to promote as back end products but unfortunately there are basically no products that are worth advertising.
I've read many reports, articles, e-books, watched videos, you name it on finding a niche and they make it seem so easy. Go to click bank - click on a category I want to promote - look at products - promote. Clickbank seems pretty useless in the product department because many of the products aren't worth sending out to an email list they are all pretty much rehashed garbage or I just have too high of standards. Or use Google Keyword or Wordtracker with a broad term I'm interested in and keep narrowing it down until I find a "niche". I've tried all these techniques... I'm just unable to do it. Or maybe I'm just too picky as to what people want. I've seen people use Google Trends, Ebay, Directories, eHow, Wikihow, Yahoo Answers, Search100, Aol Top Search, etc all kinds of different ways to find a niche marketing but I just can't seem to do it myself.... and again like I said even if I did find a niche to dig into... there just isn't enough outstanding products out there to provide to an email list.
Whew! Now that took a load off. I've honestly felt over stressed and hopeless because like I said I know what I'd like to do but I am unable to find the two key components that will let me do what I'd like to do. Pretty much I feel like I'm in front of a HUGE brick wall and I'm unable to bypass it... and since I can't do it myself I was hoping for some help.
Sorry for such a long post, but I've spent 1 and 1/2 years of my life trying to understand the business and I feel as if I'm putting that 1 and 1/2 years to waste being unable to do these two things.
Thank you for these amazing forums they have helped a lot!
Maybe they can help me finally get on my way.