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.