What is a niche?

Posted by Brett McEllhiney on September 15, 2009

What is a niche?

I hear this question a lot, especially among those new to Internet marketing. So, to put it simply, a niche is a nothing more than a specific group of people with a common interest. For instance, you may be interested in or have a lot of knowledge about boats and boating. While that is more of a broad, general niche, when it comes to niche marketing it really helps to narrow the field down even further, to reach an even more specified group of people.

You need to think of how you could narrow down boating to reach a tighter group of people within the broader boating niche. There are the various types of boats, boating products such as special waxes and cleaners, boating attire and boating gear. You could even narrow your niche down a little further within those categories and sell one specific product from it.

Another good example to help answer this question, is the food industry. While the food industry is obviously extremely huge, there are thousands, if not millions, of products you could sell to a more defined niche.

Niche marketing is marketing to a specified group of people. Some of you may be asking, “Why would I want to target such a seemingly small group of people?”

There are a few reasons actually. First, while it may seem like you’re marketing to a much smaller group of people, what you are actually doing is targeting a very laser focused group of individuals who are specifically interested in what you have to offer.

Being a niche marketer works well because larger businesses don’t bother focusing on one or two specific products. If you do your research before settling on a niche, you should be able to find a niche that not very many other people are reaching with a specific product. This helps set you up as the go to person without having to compete with those larger companies.

So, now that we’ve answered, “What is a niche?” let’s talk about choosing a niche that’s right for you

When niche marketing, it helps to build a business or sell something you’re passionate about. Because you’ll be focused and considered an expert, you also need to have a lot of knowledge about your specific product or service. Think about something you love to do, such as a hobby first. Then think about how you can narrow it down to a more specific group of responsive people. You may need to do some additional research to gain all the knowledge you can, but it will pay off.

The next post will cover this in more detail.

Disclaimer: Some of the links mentioned within this post or posts it may lead to are my affiliate links and in such case I will get compensated for recommending those products. However, I will never recommend something that I don’t personally believe in and I welcome your questions and feedback.

Comments

5 Responses to “What is a niche?”

1. Joel Osborne says:

   September 15, 2009 at 5:21 pm

   Good tips! It is very important to find a niche and understand them. If you don’t know who they are, what they like, and there overall habits, it will be hard to be successful in that market.
   Joel Osborne´s last blog ..The Abundance Stimulus Pack

   Reply
2. Lonnie Minton says:

   September 15, 2009 at 5:51 pm

   Thanks for this information on niche marketing. Understanding the concept is important to success in a narrow market or niche.
   Lonnie Minton´s last blog ..Stop Promoting Uninteresting Products

   Reply
3. Andre Arnett says:

   September 15, 2009 at 7:04 pm

   Some excellent advice for someone wanting to know about niches. It could lead you along to maybe find that one thing that no one else is looking at. Great subject and will be waiting on the next chapter.
   Andre Arnett´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Done The Right Way

   Reply
4. Luca Di Nicola says:

   September 16, 2009 at 8:24 am

   Having a targeted, focused niche will make marketing and sales easier. You may have a smaller prospect base but each of those people are interested in what you have to offer resulting in more sales.

   Reply
5. Doug Champigny says:

   September 19, 2009 at 6:58 pm

   It’s easy for people to forget that competing in the Internet marketing arena pits them up against professional marketers, many with life-long experience. Competing in the niches, however, is more often competing against snowboarders, video gamers, dog walkers or travel agents, depending on your niche.

   While all of the above may be true experts in their fields, few will be trained Internet marketers capable of dominating their niches online.
   Doug Champigny´s last blog ..Affiliate Marketing – Sick Of Promoting Boring Products?

   Reply