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Before you invest time and energy into a niche, you’ll need to look at its competitiveness, as well as the breadth of search interest and, of course, profitability.
Qualifying Your Niche
These are the factors you’ll need to assess when qualifying your niche.
Qualifying Your Niche
Step 1: Identify Search Trends
The first thing you should do when qualifying a niche is to identify whether or not there is consistent interest in the niche. You can identify this by looking at the search interest over the period of a year or more.
Qualifying Your Niche
Search Trends
The interest in a particular niche can fluctuate throughout the year. By analyzing data over a year or even two, you can get a better idea of how popular the niche is.
One way to identify search trends is by using Google Trends, a free tool that allows you to analyze the search trends for keywords. For example, if you’re interested in the niche of “running shoes”, you can enter this keyword in the search bar and analyze the search trends over the past 12 months.
By analyzing the timeline at the bottom of the graph, you’ll notice a consistent level of interest in this topic throughout the year.
Another place to look for search trends is by looking into the fastest growing subreddits or even looking at what’s trending on TikTok.
Step 2: Identify and Assess Competitors
The next step in qualifying a niche is to identify and assess the competition. These are sites already ranking for the keywords and topics you aim to target. By understanding what types of sites they are, you can determine whether or not you will be able to compete in the niche.
Assessing Competitors
To assess your competitors, you’ll need to analyze their authority score, backlinks, traffic, and traffic value.
Authority Score
The authority score (AS) of a site indicates its level of trust and credibility. Authority sites have an AS of 40+ and cover broad niches, while non-authority affiliate sites have an AS of less than 40 and may not be well-recognized within their niche.
To check a site’s AS, you can use tools like Semrush’s Bulk Backlink Analysis tool. By comparing the AS of the sites ranking for your primary keyword, you can determine their level of authority.
Backlinks
Analyzing your competitors’ backlink profile can give you an idea of the number and quality of backlinks they have. Backlinks from high authority sites that are relevant to your niche can help you outrank your competitors.
Tools like Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool can help you analyze your competitors’ backlink profile. By checking the number of backlinks and the quality of those backlinks, you can assess your competitors’ backlink strength.
Traffic and Traffic Value
Analyzing your competitors’ traffic and traffic value can give you an indication of the commercial value and search interest for the topics they cover. Tools like Semrush’s Organic Research Tool can provide insights into your competitors’ monthly traffic and the value of that traffic.
Analyzing these factors will give you an indication of whether or not there’s potential in this niche. But you’ll also have to look at affiliate programs and their commission structures to find out if they are programs that you’d benefit from.
Step 3: Assess Profitability
Several factors come into play when evaluating the profitability of a niche. First and foremost, it’s crucial to identify the revenue generated by sites within your niche.
Forecasting Revenue
One way to assess profitability is by working out some basic forecasting. For example, if an affiliate program pays a 10% commission and the average order value is $50, each sale is worth $5. If you can rank number one in the SERPs and have a 33% click-through rate (CTR) for a keyword with a search volume of 1,000, that equates to 333 clicks per month. With a conversion rate of 3%, you would generate ten $5 sales per month, resulting in $50 per month in revenue.
Using Flippa
Another way to assess profitability is to use platforms like Flippa, which is dedicated to buying and selling domains. By browsing through websites in your niche on Flippa, you can see the revenue generated by those sites through affiliate sales.
While this provides a general insight into the profitability of your niche, it’s crucial to factor in the cost of content creation and site maintenance.
Step 4: Find Affiliate Programs
Now that you’ve established that there are sites in your niche making money off of affiliate marketing, the last thing you need to do is look for relevant affiliate programs.
Finding Affiliate Programs
There are several ways to find affiliate programs:
- Google: Perform a simple Google search using keywords like “running shoes affiliate programs” to find a list of relevant sites.
- Competitors’ Sites: Look at your competitors’ sites to see if they have any affiliate programs disclosed in their footers or dedicated affiliate disclaimer pages.
- Analyze Competitors’ Backlinks: Analyzing your competitors’ outbound links can help you identify which affiliate programs they’re signed up to. Tools like Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool can assist with this analysis.
Once you’ve found affiliate programs, you’ll need to determine if they offer products or services related to your niche and if their commission structures and rates are worthwhile.
After you’ve gone through all of the steps needed to qualify your niche, it’s time to find topics you can create content around.
Affiliate Marketing Resources 2023
When it comes to affiliate marketing, having access to reliable and up-to-date resources is crucial for success. In 2023, there are several key resources that can provide valuable information and guidance for affiliate marketers. Here are some of the top resources to consider:
Blackcoreaffiliate.com: Blackcoreaffiliate.com is a comprehensive website that offers a wide range of resources for affiliate marketers. From in-depth guides and tutorials to industry news and updates, this website covers all aspects of affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Marketing Forums: Participating in affiliate marketing forums can be a great way to connect with other affiliate marketers and learn from their experiences. Some popular forums include Warrior Forum, AffiliateFix, and Digital Point.
Affiliate Marketing Blogs: There are many affiliate marketing blogs that provide valuable insights and tips for affiliate marketers. Some popular blogs include Neil Patel’s blog, Smart Passive Income by Pat Flynn, and Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner.
Affiliate Marketing Courses: Taking an affiliate marketing course can be a great way to learn the ins and outs of affiliate marketing. Some popular courses include Commission Hero by Robby Blanchard, Affiliate Marketing Mastery by Stefan James, and Authority Hacker’s The Authority Site System.
Affiliate Networks: Joining affiliate networks can provide access to a wide range of affiliate programs and offers. Some popular affiliate networks include Amazon Associates, Commission Junction, and ShareASale.
Social Media Groups: Joining social media groups focused on affiliate marketing can be a great way to connect with other affiliate marketers and share tips and strategies. Facebook groups such as Affiliate Marketing Ninjas and Affiliate Marketing Superstars are popular options.
By utilizing these resources, affiliate marketers can stay informed about the latest trends and strategies, connect with other industry professionals, and continuously improve their affiliate marketing efforts.
In conclusion, qualifying your niche is an essential step in affiliate marketing. By assessing search trends, analyzing competitors, evaluating profitability, and finding relevant affiliate programs, you can position yourself for success in the affiliate marketing industry. By utilizing the top resources available in 2023, you can stay informed and continuously improve your affiliate marketing efforts.