Finding a niche is hard, and there are arguments for many seemingly contrasting philosophies.  Most of us have heard some version of advice trying to persuade you in one direction or another:

“Choose a niche that is popular because there’s SO MUCH DEMAND– all you need is a little slice to get rich!”

Or maybe…

“Find a micro niche with no affiliates in it so you can be the dominant player in the space.”

The fact is, there’s no one right approach. And there are no more “gimme” niches to be found. So – what’s the best way to identify your niche? It all depends on your skill set, your chosen method of acquisition and ultimately your audience’s expectations.

If you have strengths in a particular area of digital marketing or acquisition, use them to your advantage by employing them as an affiliate marketer.  If your background is in PPC, it would make sense that you consider what keywords you may be able to make profits for a specific affiliate product.  This isn’t to say you shouldn’t diversify your channels, only that, ultimately, the channel you’re most knowledgeable about is often positioned to potentially be your most profitable.  Once you determine the channel you’ll rely on most heavily, consider where in the funnel you’re engaging with your target audience.  Make sure your keyword, calls-to-action and messaging appropriately reflect their intent-to-buy with the niches you consider.

Your skillset will help determine the acquisition methods you rely on.  Remember – the length of the customer journey will be impacted heavily by the price of the product you’re selling and where within the buying funnel you engage your audience.   The better your acquisition channels accommodate the most natural path-to-purchase, the more successful you will be.

Make sure, to begin with, research so that you have some understanding of what your audience’s expectations are.  Somebody interested in a “5 Star Restaurant Home Recipe” cookbook will have vastly different levels of knowledge, intent-to-buy and attention-to-details than somebody looking for “Norwegian Eagle gauntlets” – so familiarize yourself with potential niches in advance to help see which niche will require the level of dedication and immersion you’re willing to commit to. 

Luckily for all of us – there are endless varieties of niches to explore.  The folk at NicheHacks have come up with a formidable list compiled to help kick off your brainstorming and research.