WebMaster Solutions

Niche Markets

Niche Marketing

Reading Your Audience

by Kenneth Catto

Is your website targeting a niche market?

Whether you are following the advice of top Internet Marketers or if you just happened to have a business that caters to a very specific target audience, you must be able to find them, and they must be able to find YOU.

One of the joys of niche marketing is the luxury of tapping into a favorite hobby, occupation or expertise and building a business around it.

If you are expanding an existing off-line business by setting up a webpage you may find your most valuable contacts right in your store. Make some brochures or cards that announce your online presence, or ask customers if they'd like to sign up for your online newsletter.

Now you can contact your customers about new products, industry news or specials with no postage costs or time consuming envelope stuffing.

Invite your subscribers to recommend the site to friends who are interested in the topic. Even better, have a place on your website to 'tell a friend'. Your visitor will enter their own email address and name as the sender of the message to avoid spam complaints. Warning - do not start emailing the invitee unless they sign up personally for your newsletter.

Niche sites will really benefit from a newsletter. Create a small free gift, such as a special report or how-to manual that they will receive with their subscription. By providing valuable information related to your topic you will gain the trust of subscribers. By contacting them at least several times a year - up to once a week if possible - they will always be reminded of your website when looking for information or products in your niche.

Create a website that has informative content. Incorporate the keywords (words or phrases visitors type into their search engines) into the content to improve your place in the search engines.

Write articles that will set you up as an 'industry expert'. If you don't feel capable of writing them yourself you can hire a ghostwriter. End the article with your name, a comment about your business and a link to your website. Submit your article to relevant websites or ask if website owners would like to use your contribution. Be sure they agree to keep your name and website link intact.

You may find discussion groups that cater to your market. Involve yourself in their conversations and attach a signature with your website address if the policies permit. Do not advertise on these groups, however you may be able to offer your free item when the situation allows.

Try to determine where your market is. Are they parents? Retirees? Home owners? Pet lovers? If you are selling art supplies you may find hobby sites will cater to your audience. If you sell information for do-it-yourself projects you should show up in home decorating as well as financial sites ('Save Money on Home Building Projects!' for example).

Always look for new opportunities and offer your best, the rest will follow!

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