Start with the offer or start with the niche?

[Brandwalla]

I am trying very hard to reign myself in and focus on a single site to start.

I have a broad range of interests and generally go pretty deep into each area. It doesn't take much for me to get passionate about a topic that I'm interested in, and I can write and design for hours.

My question to you experts is, do you normally start with a niche and find offers to match, or start with a good offer and tailer a niche site around the offer?

Thanks for your time and insight,
Bill

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Bill,

I typically recommend starting with the niche and then finding products to match.
I think it usually works much better that way.

Anyone else have feelings about this one way or another?

 

[Brandwalla]

Wow, what a fast response!
So, how does a newbie go about finding offers to fit the niche?
I have one project —mentoring creatives— that I have a whole list of affiliate opportunities, but building it will take a good deal of time to build out, so I need something short-term.

I have another site that's in a specialized health and beauty niche that ranks well now, but isn't monetized. How do I find offers for this? I don't want the spammy 'colon cleanse' offers, that will kill the brand.

Again, thanks for an amazing forum!
Bill

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Bill,

A few options.

1) Google: key phrase "affiliate program" to try to find a certain type of program, like for your specialized health niche. Since I know your site and niche, I'll PM you some ideas.

2) Join a big network like CJ and check out some of the major brand name vitamin/supplement affiliate programs to see if they have specific product categories that would fit your niche. Or just promote one of the health affiliate programs in general.

 

[fernandoescobar]

My experience has been that I work best developing one project at a time, however large or small. It allows me to really focus and come up with ideas that I would otherwise miss if my mind was divided among multiple projects.

Great advice Linda, it certainly pays to be around successful and positive people.

Regards,

 

[Brandwalla]

Thanks everyone!
I've been reading the forums extensively and am ready to start on my first real campaign. I'll take your advice and go deep on one project instead of spinning all over the place.
Great reading here thank you for sharing.
Bill

 

[Lpdesigner]

^^^ Pretty much what everyone said. Starting with the niche is the way to go for me. I usually rotate 3-5 offers to see which one converts the best for that niche.

 

[lexdino]

starting with the niche and then finding products to match and with what you said

I am trying very hard to reign myself in and focus on a single site to start.

, it seems as if you're already doing that so just keep it up.

 

[VRS]

Also make sure it's an offer people want and are willing to spend money on. In other words you can have a niche you're passionate about but they're not buying anything. Make sure before putting massive action into it that you've done your research and know there is a market of buyers for it.

 

[FitGal]

I start with the niche also, however, before selecting a niche I make sure there are plenty of offers.

Not that great of an idea to start with the offer. Offers come and go. I can't tell you how many times I have had a banner disappear from a site or link not work because the offer is gone - very common with CPA offers. So you want to be able to substitute easily not have a site dedicated to ProductXXX only to find it is gone one day.

That said keep the niche broad enough so you have flexibility but small enough so you can become an authority in the field.

 

[Hamiltonlog]

Starting with and focusing on a single niche is much better than serving a general market. You can't please everybody. Not everybody has the same needs or wants. Your job then is to find people who can actually buy your offerings.

Besides, this make things easier for yourself since you will be serving a specific group rather than the whole world.

 

[Stephen and Jennifer]

I also agree that starting with a niche is always the best way. Starting with a product is wrong because how do you know if anybody wants or has a need for it or where they hang out?

Also almost nobody buys a product except from a very well known public figure or Guru who has been in business several years and has a massive list of buyers within that niche to grab the lion's share of sales. How can you compete if you don't have your own list? The money is in the list so without a list you will receive zero or very little?

What I do is write a blog or articles and find products or create my own to give away as a free gift. Then I send them to my squeeze page or insert an opt in box into my blog where people can sign up to get some free gifts before I eventually follow up with a link within an email to an affiliate product related to the same niche of course.

I am not bothered about the prizes on offer at the launch of a new product because I also never promote anything until I have purchased and tested it because I don't promote trash. Also for the reasons already given.

So Niche first always.

Stephen & Jennifer.