April 3, 2008
Internet Market Research
In the last post you may recall we spoke about researching your market. This is vital if you want to succeed. You could have the most brilliant web-site in the world, but if it is in a very crowded market then you are going to have to fight hard to make any headway. Sadly, that is where many 'would be's' fail. They try to enter a market that is already well occupied by heavyweights and they just don't have the time or resources to go head to head with in what many cases, can be quite large corporations with even larger ad budgets. It's all about INTERNET MARKET RESEARCH. {TIP}
Even if you have an existing web-site, a much better solution is to look for the juicy crumbs that the monoliths leave behind. It is in those niches where the low hanging fruit hangs. But where to find those niches? Well, let's take a measured look at the market:
Jot down on a piece of paper three potential web-site subject ideas from each of the following eight categories i.e. you will have a total of at least 24 ideas for your web-sites.
CATEGORY 1. Your Passion - What are you passionate about? What is your favourite hobby or pastime? What are you knowledgeable about?
Potential web-site subjects: knitting, cooking, gardening etc.
CATEGORY 2. Maslow's Needs - What the? Actually there's a full explanation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs
A guy called Abraham Maslow figured out that humans are pretty simple creatures really. They all have, you and me included, a fundamental hierarchy of needs. This is what motivates people on a daily basis. Your web-site from this category will need to satisfy at least one of these needs. They are, working from the bottom up:
CATEGORY 1. Your Passion - What are you passionate about? What is your favourite hobby or pastime? What are you knowledgeable about?
Potential web-site subjects: knitting, cooking, gardening etc.
CATEGORY 2. Maslow's Needs - What the? Actually there's a full explanation here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs
A guy called Abraham Maslow figured out that humans are pretty simple creatures really. They all have, you and me included, a fundamental hierarchy of needs. This is what motivates people on a daily basis. Your web-site from this category will need to satisfy at least one of these needs. They are, working from the bottom up:
a) Physiological needs, for example, the need to eat, sleep, have sex, exercise etc. Potential web-sites: Diet, dating, relationship advice, exercise plans etc.
b) Safety needs, for example, security of employment, physical safety. Potential web-sites: Computer safety, virus protection, home security, judo, health
c) Love/Belonging needs, for example, to be loved Potential web-sites: How to {insert phrase here}, relationship sites, intimacy, family themes, loneliness, social anxiety and depression etc.
d) Status (Esteem needs), for example, gaining respect and recognition. Potential web-sites: How to {insert phrase here, for example, gain respect and recognition, fit in, be the life of the party etc.}
e) Being needs, for example, growth of the individual towards purpose or spirituality. Potential web-sites: Religion, spirituality, self improvement, philosophy, creativity
CATEGORY 3. Emerging - What's hot? What's new? Let's get on at the front of the wave. Potential web-sites: bebo, skype, ipod, youtube, facebook, social bookmarking etc.
Warning: Using registered trademarks such as Bebo or Skype may lead to your site being closed down. You could try and use something like 'voice over internet protocol' or VOIP as your target word (or try and create a really useful site for bebo i.e. bebo useful tips and hope they look kindly on you)
CATEGORY 4. Self Help - We want to help and do some good, here's another chance. Potential web-sites: time management, stress management, health,
self improvement
CATEGORY 5. Out There - Here's your chance to speculate. Go on create something really wacky. Finish this sentence, wouldn't it be a good idea if there was a site that ………………..
b) Safety needs, for example, security of employment, physical safety. Potential web-sites: Computer safety, virus protection, home security, judo, health
c) Love/Belonging needs, for example, to be loved Potential web-sites: How to {insert phrase here}, relationship sites, intimacy, family themes, loneliness, social anxiety and depression etc.
d) Status (Esteem needs), for example, gaining respect and recognition. Potential web-sites: How to {insert phrase here, for example, gain respect and recognition, fit in, be the life of the party etc.}
e) Being needs, for example, growth of the individual towards purpose or spirituality. Potential web-sites: Religion, spirituality, self improvement, philosophy, creativity
CATEGORY 3. Emerging - What's hot? What's new? Let's get on at the front of the wave. Potential web-sites: bebo, skype, ipod, youtube, facebook, social bookmarking etc.
Warning: Using registered trademarks such as Bebo or Skype may lead to your site being closed down. You could try and use something like 'voice over internet protocol' or VOIP as your target word (or try and create a really useful site for bebo i.e. bebo useful tips and hope they look kindly on you)
CATEGORY 4. Self Help - We want to help and do some good, here's another chance. Potential web-sites: time management, stress management, health,
self improvement
CATEGORY 5. Out There - Here's your chance to speculate. Go on create something really wacky. Finish this sentence, wouldn't it be a good idea if there was a site that ………………..
Don't worry about how you're going to build it or do it.
You just want the name at this moment i.e.
cash printers for the home .com or instant orgasmatron .com or
spell check .com or
meet my firstlove .com or
all the fonts .com or
feedback .com or
your name .com
For example, the inventors of www.bebo.com had the idea and just picked the name because 'it was available and memorable'. Estimates now value their site at around £1B. The important thing here is to have the idea, worry about the detail later.
CATEGORY 6. Expensive - This speaks for itself, big ticket, expensive items. There are some big dollars to be won here but be warned, the competition is fierce…Potential web-sites: digital cameras, plasma TVs, jewellery, computers, software, mortgages, debt, credit, plastic surgery, diamonds, cars, travel etc.
CATEGORY 7. Teenagers - Yes, they are turning off their TVs and tuning onto the Internet, in their droves. This is where tomorrow's market is going to be. You need to speak to a teenager and between the grunts see what they are into: Potential web-sites: computer games, teenage dating, chat, music, CDs, DVDs
CATEGORY 8. Internet Marketers - Along the way we will uncover a lot of secrets and tools that other Internet marketers will want to know about. I think it will be a good idea for you to tell them and show them these. In this category we may also include those people who are looking for money making ideas and get rich quick schemes. So in short create a web-site that is specifically aimed at other webmasters or people looking to make money.
Potential web-sites: internet marketing, make money online, get rich quick, affiliate schemes
Potential web-sites: internet marketing, make money online, get rich quick, affiliate schemes
Okay, you should now have a decent list of ideas and a minimum of 24 potential subjects. Now, we need to sort the wheat from the chaff.
Niche marketing is an overworked term but that is indeed what we now need to do, we need to find our niche. Remember, we're looking for 2-3 words so not just 'pet', more like 'pet bling' or 'pet designer clothes'…
I think that will do for today, in the next episode I'll show you the tools that you need to further refine your lists and then seek out those domain names that will make you b-i-g m-o-n-e-y.
Until then,
All the very best,
Allen Jesson
Internet Marketing Specialist
http://www.internet-marketing-sense.com
Making Sense Of It All (in 366 F-REE Internet Marketing Tips AND Secrets)
Internet Marketing Specialist
http://www.internet-marketing-sense.com
Making Sense Of It All (in 366 F-REE Internet Marketing Tips AND Secrets)
Poet and Intrepreneur
Unique Gift Poetry - A Gift of Poetry
Tell A Friend - In A Frenzy!
Internet Marketing Secrets - 366 Free IM Tips AND Secrets
Spread the Word!
Filed under Blog, Internet Marketing by allenjesson
Leave a Comment