5 Characteristics Of Great Online Niches

If you've studied online marketing for any amount of time, you know the frustration involved in finding a great niche market to promote. I've noticed all the gurus can tell you everything you need to know, except what to sell. It makes sense I guess, if they told you the best niches then they'd have to kill you. Well, I'm no guru, but I can give you some tips to help narrow down the sea of possibilities to a manageable amount. First, a couple of thoughts to keep in mind: Think about taking a large piece of a small pie. At least starting out. Once you've mastered a few small markets then you can try to rank #1 for "Los Angeles DWI Attorney". (That's a joke, by the way!) Next, think about being a Specialist as opposed to a Generalist. Consider doctors for example. Which makes the most money, the Specialists or the Generalists? Aim to be the brain surgeon for your niche and you'll have a leg up on the comp. So, here we go:

1. Find a niche with a good selection of merchants. Translation: don't put all your eggs in one basket. Merchants can halt affiliate programs whenever it's convenient for them and they usually don't get your permission first. It's alot easier to switch a campaign to another merchant or network than to start a new campaign from scratch.

2. Try to find niches where it's clearly advantageous to purchase online. Most people prefer Instant Gratification, so find products (ebooks, audios, etc) or services (file sharing sites, meeting software, etc.) where the buyers can have immediate access. Don't try to sell log splitters online (trust me).

3. In line with #2 above, market things that are only available online. You can't get free shipping for an online backup service. And that's a good thing. Remember, IG!

4. Look for a niche that has lead/trial offers. It just makes sense that people are more willing to try a product for free, or give an email address, rather than give you their credit card number. You should expect conversion rates for leads and trials to be around twice that of regular purchases. More conversions, more cabbage!

5. Find products or services that save people money, or even make them money. People historically are willing to pay more for something if they think it will save them money over time. And don't forget, time is money, so emphasize that with your ad copy. This characteristic is the foundation of the "make money online" gurus, right?

So , there's five good ways to filter your niche ideas to give you a better chance at finding a profitable niche from the get-go. Try quantifying your niche by giving it 1 point for each of the 5 characteristics. If your niche scores a 4 or 5, then chances are you can make it work, with the right ad copy and landing pages. If you'd like to find some potential lead/trial niches, go to Commission Junction (cj.com) and click Get Links --> Advertiser List and type "lead" in the search box, then click on the Lead column header to sort the payouts from highest to lowest. But wait!, this works for individual categories also. And in case you're wondering, it's pronounced "nitch" west of the Mississippi and "neesh" on the east side. Happy nitching.

By: Mitch Moville

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mitch Moville explains: "5 Characteristics of Great Online Niches". Find out how to greatly increase your chances of success online, especially if you're just getting started. Learn more at: www.terrydean.org