Choose your Perfect  Website Niche Ideas

This is part of an email conversation between Wendy and Rose Stone from Western Australia. Rose is a boomer at 64 years old and ready to start her own new website with SoloBuildlt (SBI).

These coaching emails are provided with Rose's permission to show you, the reader, how to consider different topics for your own blog. At first, it seems you have the perfect niche idea, but research may prove that won't work out later.

SoloBuildlt/SBI Rocks.  Rose is using the SBI Brainstormer tool to find great keywords. That's how I get free traffic to this website... unlike many business owners, I've never ever paid for traffic. My pages rank well (most of them) and get listed in Google and other search engines. Retirees search for something and find me!

JANUARY 2015 conversation

ROSE:   Happy New Year to You and Your Family.  I had a good Christmas and lovely break over new year.  I topped it off today with collecting the first dog I have ever owned - a black pug.  He is as yet unnamed but even after being with him for just a few hours I can tell he is quite a character.  I met his Dad Elvis Pugsley and he was hilarious as you would be with a name like that.  His Mum Black Betty was asleep - feeling the heat it was 44 in Perth yesterday and 35 today - way too hot.

I have a question before I buy more credit with SBI.  A friend and I have come up with a web page that is about 60s/70s music, memorabilia, tribute bands in Australia and so on.  When I do the brainstorm what words would you suggest I put in.  I am still somewhat confused about how to get the best result.  We would like the site to give people a list of live bands playing music in Australia and allow people to swop/sell vinyl records again in Australia.

We are both passionate about the topic both having lived through the 60s and 70s, worn the clothes and until fairly recently worked in a retro shop.

Hope this isn't too painful please tell me if it is.

WENDY:    First, would you mind me using this long email conversation on my site? You have the best questions and what I'm telling you I'd love to share the discussion with other retirees considering a site.

It's perfect to see all the ideas from the beginning to when you finally discover your perfect niche.... I will  link to your site and follow you as you move along, as a case study of sorts -- so others can both follow your progress AND visit the site to get interested. What do you think?

Sounds like you found a niche -- woo hoo!

Most of us buy lots of brainstormer credits, I know you are new and don't want to spend more, I get that, but this is the way to find the free traffic, seriously.

When you find some with great monetization numbers (not to heavily used already, etc), you might put THAT keyword into the brainstormer to see what else people look for in that specific SUB-Niche:

70s music, 70s rock, 70s classic, 70s australia, 70s memorabiia, 70s memories... whatever.

As you go along, you might want to drop the records swap and do all 70s, or wherever the keywords take you (records swap and 60-70 music really don't go together.. you will confuse the serach engines and not get the traffic you should).  After you get lots of traffic, then add record swap -- to the same site OR a cheap Wordpress site that is linked to the bigger site.

Heck, records might be a better niche than 60-70s... I don't know.  I can't give good 60-70s music keywords as I don't know that much.... I LIVED it too but don't know the keywords someone would use,  but with a few brainstorming searchs, you'll become familiar.

While searching -- consider what the sub-niches will be --- called TIer 2 for Navigation Bar) in SBI --

70s music  (can have you tube videos on pages and sell Amazon music)

70s clothing  (Bet there are amazon 70s stuff for this subniche too)

70s memories  (great for interaction on the site, using the Content 2.0, which is how I built up my retirement site with many many retirement stories written by retirees who visited and shared).

Hope this helps! You are NOT wasting your time considering the niche... soooo important and will lead to your success later.

ROSE:  Thanks again for the help I will buy more credits and get on with my searching when not puppy minding.If you want to link me up to another site(s) please do - I didn't think I was that interesting especially considering I am clueless on the SBI site - clueless but still determined.

I have told my son to have a look at the site - he and his partner are among other things divers. I'm sure there is a niche there for them.  I don't mind you using my name - no pressure on me to succeed! Do you want me to continue writing to you as I do now with questions and hopefully progress or would you like some other format?  Cheers Rose

WENDY: I hear you loud and clear, I am quite the same, I needed soemthing to keep busy and feel fulfilled... and my websites totally do the trick for me!

SBI  is a totally amazing website builder.... they have videos for every single step of the way, they really do hold your hand nicely :) .There are forums where you can ask questions --- soo many there, with new ideas daily.  I've used them for sites since 2004... my oldest site is still out there.You can also use a Wordpress site, lots cheaper, but there are no instructions like the SBI site has... though many do teach Wordpress. SBI is really TOPS in my book.

If you decide to register today, look at the bottom of the page for the risk free guarantee, just in case you want back out (you won't, I assure you, but look anyhow)....

SBI has brainstorming tools that will help you pick a niche... and a good one that will bring income too. :)

If you'd like me to help you find a niche, write back.  I have a short course to do just that... and I have lots of great ideas. I'm an Idea Lady.. too many and no time to do them all! :) THAT is what happens when you come to an online business.... so many possibilities!

Best Wishes!  Wendy

ROSE:  Hope you don't have to do much more hand holding with me.  I have had a good look at SBI and it is looking good.  I have a couple of questions though that you can probably assist me with.  I have just read lots of your ideas and also listened to Lynn Terry. I've read so much I am ultra confused!

My question really is: I am not an "expert" on anything but know a lot about a lot of things.  I am, for instance, an avid traveller and it concerns me that solo travelling is so expensive.  I am the sort that just books flights and goes but there are a lot of ladies and may be a few men who would feel unsafe doing just that but the alternative seems to be either pay exorbitant prices to go solo, share with a stranger or stay at home.

My 60th birthday present to myself involved my daughter and me driving a small car in the "Mongol Rally".  We drove, with no support or back up, from Southern England to Mongolia - 15 countries, 5 weeks on the road and 15 thousand kilometers.  I look back and think - how did we do that?  Last year among other things I spent time in the Amazon Basin and the group I was with was all Mexican!

I am now fast becoming an expert on retirement and the pitfalls when no plan B is put into place.  I have had a good look on google at retirement in Australia and the only pages that come up seem to focus on how much money you need to retire - lots in my opinion!

If I buy SBI and start a blog on retirement in Australia and gradually build it to include travel, financial advice, hobbies, volunteering and so on will it eventually produce and income stream for me?  At this stage the income is not the most important thing but like you if I am going to live another 22 years and 8 months, according to government statistics that is how long I will live, then I may well need some supplementary income.

Thank You Again for your help.  Rose

WENDY:  Thrilled you are taking this niche selection seriously, so many don't.  A few ideas based on your email:

Avid Senior Traveller

-- Write about places you travel, from a senior traveller perspective

-- Lots of photos (that they can pin, brings you more traffic), very visual!

-- Might write instead about travelling IN Australia, photos, help people who want to visit your country (completely different angle) 

Avid Solo Traveller

-- Talk about Solo travel, how to do it safely, where you've been,

-- How to find a travel partner

-- Photos galore again

-- could be Solo Senior Travel, another perspective...

Retirement in Australia

-- similar to mine but focused on benefits in Australia

-- how to save money so you can spend on FUN

-- living expenses in different areas in Aust.

-- what to do (cheap fun, day trip  ideas, volunteer, creativity fun, etc.)

 Those are three great possible niches -- and some of my quick ideas on each. With SBI, you'll use a niche tool,  and will enter a few ideas... then grade them on different levels to look at your passion for each, knowledge, etc... just another way to help you think out the niche proces

The 3rd could really be a winner -- some you can write off the top of your head, other topics will require research then writing, but with all the Boomers out there -- many need help over and above the financial aspects which is over covered out there...  BUT are you REALLY interested? Will you get bored? So many start with excitement and it quickly fizzles out...

All websites can have a personal blog that you can write about ANYTHING on, like your trips, it helps people to get to know you better -- builds the Know-Like-Trust factor...

P.S.  that is the beauty of SBI, you can go there alone, no other outside interferences.... until your site grows some. Otherwise, you'll buy product after product from many selling business solutions, and end up confused, like the rest of us.. :)  SBI takes you methodically through the process...

Gotta run! Just DO It.. if you get no great feedback once you are there on niches, nothing feels right, then ask for the refund... and think more.

ROSE:  Just to let you know I've taken the plunge and my head is awash. It has taken me several days to even begin to understand Brainstorm It! but hopefully my head is gradually getting around it.

I don't believe for a minute I shall get bored with it.  I'm both inspired and enthused at the thought of having a purpose to get up for.  I am planning on spending any extra income on travel.

I am going to write a retirement page along similar lines to yours but in Australian language and about retiring in Australia.  I figure I can't be the only person here who is bored after one year of retirement. There must be a lot like me.  I will need to do research and possibly (hopefully) some trips within Australia to find out what is happening in other parts.

I've searched extensively and can't find a web site that brings all "retirement" things together which is what I am aiming to do.

 WENDY:   WOW.. Good for you! So happy for you -- its a whole new adventure,  and really is fun when you get to networking with online businesses.

If you get stuck, just ask!  SBI has absolutely wonderful resources, better than I've ever seen, AND everyone works on the same platform, SBI -- where other places they are all using different resources so hard to learn from many different avenues at once.

Rose, DO send a link when you are up and running! I will watch your progress with excitement! Go Girl!

ROSE:  I'd like to tell you I have been powering on but I'd be lying!  I have, however, spent time everyday on my SBI programme - it is a lot to take in especially when you are completely green as I am.

I have researched retirement in Australia and associated words but the demand is very low.  The only keyword that came up with a good demand and low supply were Planning for Retirement but there were no other keywords with any depth to develop the site.  It is back to the drawing board.

I am now thinking that funerals (a depressing subject) but one that has not got a site that covers all aspect and is easy to negotiate.  I shall brainstorm it tomorrow.

WENDY:   Rose, one of my SBI friends did a great funeral site... not depressing at all. She did it with the idea on how you can do funerals that are more uplifting, life celebrations and all that.  Forgot about her until you mentioned this...

Did you try searching different combinations for retirement, like:

Austrialia + aging, or A + seniors, or A + boomers, retire + A, retired + A, .... maybe you do senior living in A, or senior services, or aging in A?  Just more ideas to try...  another idea is simply to use the word Australia with a "how to", or just A, and click on the first column so those with the biggest searches come to the top... do any of those seaches hit home with you?

SBI is LOADS when you are new.... but they do take you by the hand to go step by step. If you started with a cheapWordpress site, you'll have the site, but just start writing... and may or may not (probably the latter) grow or make income. I love SBI for the many ways they've helped me over the years. You are on the right track --  considering your niche, not just jumping in and failing like SO MANY do. Can't wait for the next update -- you'll find a niche! I just know it!

ROSE:  Thanks so much for your help so far.  I went back into my site yesterday and had another look.  Retirement Australia was mainly what I was looking at and I knew there was something missing or that I had missed something.  There had to be more as the keywords I found were so shallow. I will follow up on what you have suggested - there has to be a niche around retirement I just haven't found it.

I also think that funerals including different ways to have funerals - green, cheaper, uplifting and so on could well be a follow on site from retirement.  I shall keep looking.  I feel SBI has really got to me and I really don't want to be beaten by it.

I understand how the site works in that I understand I've missed something I just haven't quite worked out what I have missed. I am still only on day 2 after a fortnight so haven't been rushing through.  I have, thus far, put it down to the fact that Australia has such a relatively small population but surely retirement has to have more 20,000 demand and 5000 real supply?

Thanks again, Rose.  I will keep you posted on progress.

ROSE:  SBI should come with a government health warning - I feel as though I have an itch I can't scratch.

I used the words relating to age, seniors etc with + Australia and got similar results to the searches I had done previously.  I have now brought in the big gun and just put in Australia but after a seed generating brainstorm it only produced 289 keywords

I have several theories as to why my searches produce such low numbers.  The first being the low population, the second being an extraordinarily low level of the Australian population using computers (can't believe that) and the third and my favourite is that computers are much smarter than we think and any computer that knows I am at the controls will immediately do all in its power to make me feel like an idiot.

SBI has, however, got to me and I refuse, at least at this point, to be beaten.  I shall trawl through the 289 keywords and see if any of them tickle my fancy and are do-able.  If not it may be a case of taking a punt on some angle of age, seniors, retirement etc and assuming that it is a growing market, therefore, low numbers are not so important. More and more baby boomers will retire in the next five years and more and more of them will be computer literate.

I won't bore you any further but will let you know if and when I find a niche.

WENDY:  Haaaa... Rose, You've got the SBI Bug. It's quite the same if you start a  blog, but SBI forces you to consider everything more strategically. I love it too...

You also don't have to do Australia... thats where you were headed, but maybe looking at retirement keywords, or aging, something will click.

If not, what about your location... is it somewhere tourists go?  Do you vacation somewhere specific each year?  Have a hobby you'd love to share with people around the world?  Could you do Austrailian recipes? Do you or a family member have a specific long term illness you'd do a site around? Aging brains?  Aging and Staying at Home?  Aging and Natural Health?  Look at the books in your home... what are your natural interests??

ROSE:   I've used up all 25 of my  brainstorming credits on SBI but am not done yet.  I refuse to be beaten on this and I know that eventually, as you said, something will click.  I am not past day 2 yet so have a way to go and think before buying more credits I may plough on and get a feel for what is to come.  I will then double back and buy credits and see if I can execute the finding of a topic with some knowledge behind me.

May I wish you and your family compliments of the season and all the very best in 2015.

Best Wishes, Rose