't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topic

Identifying a profitable niche market is one of the keys to building a successful web site. This article explains a simple brainstorming method, that will help you to find the perfect niche market for your website.

There are 2 main reasons why it is necessary for a website to focus on a niche market to be successful:

1. The majority of the 'broader' markets are already being provided for by well established websites.

2. People who search on 'broader' topics are not very close to making a purchase decision, so the ratio of sales to visits will be very low for websites that focus on 'broader' topics.

To clarify what I mean, imagine that you were considering building a website about holidays. This would be absolutely pointless, because this broad market has long since been saturated by the 'big boys' of the travel industry - each one of which has a much larger marketing budget than you!

However, let's say that since being a kid you have taken a lot of holidays on the Isle of Wight, and you know and love the place - this is a niche market that you could very probably build a successful website about. This is because you can put your own unique spin on it, and also because any visitors will have entered very specific search criteria into the Internet search engines (e.g. holidays in the Isle of Wight), and will therefore be much closer to making a decision to purchase.

What is brainstorming?
Brainstorming is a simple, proven method for generating ideas. It is a very powerful technique that has lots of possible uses - generating ideas for a web site being a particularly good one!

How do I brainstorm a niche market for my website?
1. Find somewhere quiet to sit down with a pen and paper.

2. Make a list of categories of things that you are, or have previously been, involved in/interested in. Typical categories for most people are work, family, hobbies, entertainment, food and drink, holidays, DIY, gardening.

3. Take each category in turn, and simply let your mind wander. Write down everything that comes to mind, and don't try to force it - simply 'let your juices flow'!

4. Take a break, and forget about your brainstorming session for at least 30 minutes.

5. Go through everything that you have written for each category, and cross out anything that just doesn't seem right (i.e. you aren't very interested in it, or you don't know much about it, or it simply doesn't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topic

cs.

To clarify what I mean, imagine that you were considering building a website about holidays. This would be absolutely pointless, because this broad market has long since been saturated by the 'big boys' of the travel industry - each one of which has a much larger marketing budget than you!

However, let's say that since being a kid you have taken a lot of holidays on the Isle of Wight, and you know and love the place - this is a niche market that you could very probably build a successful website about. This is because you can put your own unique spin on it, and also because any visitors will have entered very specific search criteria into the Internet search engines (e.g. holidays in the Isle of Wight), and will therefore be much closer to making a decision to purchase.

What is brainstorming?
Brainstorming is a simple, proven method for generating ideas. It is a very powerful technique that has lots of possible uses - generating ideas for a web site being a particularly good one!

How do I brainstorm a niche market for my website?
1. Find somewhere quiet to sit down with a pen and paper.

2. Make a list of categories of things that you are, or have previously been, involved in/interested in. Typical categories for most people are work, family, hobbies, entertainment, food and drink, holidays, DIY, gardening.

3. Take each category in turn, and simply let your mind wander. Write down everything that comes to mind, and don't try to force it - simply 'let your juices flow'!

4. Take a break, and forget about your brainstorming session for at least 30 minutes.

5. Go through everything that you have written for each category, and cross out anything that just doesn't seem right (i.e. you aren't very interested in it, or you don't know much about it, or it simply doesn't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topic

pecific search criteria into the Internet search engines (e.g. holidays in the Isle of Wight), and will therefore be much closer to making a decision to purchase.

What is brainstorming?
Brainstorming is a simple, proven method for generating ideas. It is a very powerful technique that has lots of possible uses - generating ideas for a web site being a particularly good one!

How do I brainstorm a niche market for my website?
1. Find somewhere quiet to sit down with a pen and paper.

2. Make a list of categories of things that you are, or have previously been, involved in/interested in. Typical categories for most people are work, family, hobbies, entertainment, food and drink, holidays, DIY, gardening.

3. Take each category in turn, and simply let your mind wander. Write down everything that comes to mind, and don't try to force it - simply 'let your juices flow'!

4. Take a break, and forget about your brainstorming session for at least 30 minutes.

5. Go through everything that you have written for each category, and cross out anything that just doesn't seem right (i.e. you aren't very interested in it, or you don't know much about it, or it simply doesn't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topic

sted in. Typical categories for most people are work, family, hobbies, entertainment, food and drink, holidays, DIY, gardening.

3. Take each category in turn, and simply let your mind wander. Write down everything that comes to mind, and don't try to force it - simply 'let your juices flow'!

4. Take a break, and forget about your brainstorming session for at least 30 minutes.

5. Go through everything that you have written for each category, and cross out anything that just doesn't seem right (i.e. you aren't very interested in it, or you don't know much about it, or it simply doesn't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topic

't make any sense!). Don't try to be too scientific about this, just trust your intuition!

6. Look through the remaining items on your list, and identify the top 3 (i.e. the ones that you are most interested in, and that you know quite a bit about).

7. Take each one of your top 3 topics in turn, and try to identify between 5 and 15 sub-topics - think of your topic as the title of a book, and the sub-topics as the chapters.

Note: If you are unable to find at least 5 sub-topics, your topic is likely to be too small to be profitable.

If you have managed to identify at least 5 sub-topics for each of your top 3 topics, you have completed your niche marketing brainstorming session, and you are ready to begin designing your web site.

If you haven't managed to do this, return to your list to identify the next best topic(s), and repeat step 7.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BRAINSTORMING SESSION UNTIL YOU HAVE 3 TOPICS, EACH ONE OF WHICH HAS AT LEAST 5 SUB-TOPICS!