Q: Just wondering what your thoughts are on the current state of affiliate marketing, particularly with regard to finding a niche to pursue. Would you say there a still plenty of niches to attempt?
A: I really think the best approach is to go with the topics you really care about.
If you try to build an audience around a popular niche or trend, and it’s not something that interests you, it will likely fade away after a short period of time.
It took me going through the motions a number of times before I realized that a popular topic that doesn’t interest me is a recipe for failure.
You will find it’s a struggle to update it regularly because it bores you. And the early stages of a site don’t typically provide a monetary return, so all you’ve got at that point is your passion.
What I would suggest is to come up with two or three topics that interest you and do some research.
Check the related keywords in Google for each topic to determine which are most popular.
But wait, it’s not necessarily best to go with the most popular, because it will be more competitive with other affiliates. If you zero in on a less popular area, you have a better chance of dominating it.
Either way, go with your heart and not your head.
I discuss this topic in chapter one of Extra Money Answer, my free online book for getting started as an affiliate: Narrow Down Your Potential Topics.
Video: Deciding on a Niche in Affiliate Marketing
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