I was chatting on the phone to a reader wanting to start her first blog today. As we talked I realized that in choosing the right topic for a new commercial blog there are many factors that you want to weigh up and attempt to find some balance in. Some of these factors include:
Topic Popularity - One important factor in the success of any commercial blog is that it will need to find readers. I could probably build a blog that would dominate the niche for ‘green striped paper bags’ and get 100% of those searching for the term on Google (there is no competition) however the fact of the matter is that I’d probably be my only reader. It’s important to choose a topic that meets a demand for information. It need not be on a topic that absolutely everyone is searching for information on - but the popularity of the topic is obviously one factor that could increase the chances of success.
As a practical example of this - when I started a blog six months back on the Pope I knew that there was likely to be a good demand for information on the topic. It was not my only motivation for the blog - but it did influence my decision to start it. Now that we have a new Pope and that the news surrounding him has settled the demand for information has decreased significantly and the blog’s profitability has of course decreased also.
Topic Competition and Narrow Niches - Another way of increasing the chances of profit is to choose a topic which currently has few quality sources of information already existing online. You may think that no such topic exists - but you’d be wrong. Whilst the web is a crowded place there are many topics where there is little competition and as a result you have the ability to be one of the biggest fish in that small pond. Sometimes you have to narrow your topic to find such niches, other times you have to be ‘the first’ as a new topic emerges and other times there might be existing sites on the topic - but they are of a low enough standard that you can compete easily by producing something better or more useful.
My narrowest niche blog is one that I run on UAV’s or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Now it’s not my most profitable blog by far - and there are not many people searching on the topic but I know I get a fairly large % of those searching for my keywords because I rank so highly on Google for them (example). Once again it’s not the most profitable blog I run but it’s an example of what you can do over time if you’re willing to carve out a niche for yourself.
Availability of Revenue Streams - Ok so you’ve found a topic people search for and you don’t have much competition - but you’ll never turn a profit on it if you don’t find an income stream for it. Anyone who has played with contextual advertising programs like Adsense know that some topics pay higher amounts for a click on an advertisement than others. As a result two blogs with the same levels of traffic with the same rate of clicking through (CTR) on ads can pay significantly different amounts of money.
If you are going to use Adsense you ideally want a high paying topic. Unfortunately whilst you might identify one you may just find that your competition is incredibly high. Sometimes it is worth picking a topic that is in the medium level of click values and has less competition.
Adsense is not the only revenue stream available to bloggers and in considering how you’ll generate income it’s also worth considering what affiliate program are available for your topic and what opportunities there might be for sponsorship from private advertising sources. If you type ‘your topic affiliate programs’ into Google you should be able to find any that exist reasonably quickly. Also check out Amazon’s affiliate program as they have a very wide range of products that you can earn a small commission off (nb: Amazon doesn’t pay huge commissions but it’s a good starting point if you’re new to affiliate programs).
Availability of Content - Like Stephan says - you’ll want to do a little research on your topic before starting a blog to see if you’ll be able to sustain it in adding fresh content over a long period. The thing that kills many commercial blogs very quickly is that the author simply runs out of things to write. I’ve started numerous blogs over the past couple of years that I quickly found I had nothing much to say about.
If you’re wanting to test the availability of content you might like to check how many articles Google News has indexed on it in the past few days (Topix and Yahoo! News also have similar services). Another wise move would be to do a keyword search on a tool like Bloglines, Technorati of Blog Pulse to see what is being indexed there.
Measure your Energy, Passion and Interest - Lastly (and very importantly) it’s worth trying to objectively measure your own passion, interest or energy level for the blog. Whilst there might be plenty of news going around on the topic will you still be energized by posting on the topic in 6 months time (without the motivation of money - because it might take take a year or two to establish yourself in a niche). If you don’t have something motivating you to post on a topic it can become very difficult to keep doing so - unless you have a very dedicated personality type.
Put it all together - The fact is that you’ll rarely find a topic that all these factors come together on unless you’re either very lucky or the first in a popular new niche that you just happen to have a passion for. Most blogs fall down in one (or more) of these areas. This does not mean it can’t be a viable and profitable blog, but it’s good to be aware of the weaknesses as you venture out. The beauty of blogging is that there are no rules - and some of my most successful experiments have flown in the face of most of the above principles.
For example (just to disprove myself and give a little hope to you rebellious types) - arguably the most successful blog I’ve ever been involved with (over a short period of time) was the Athens Olympics Blog that I ran with a mate which generated 2 million visitors in a few weeks and made us a tidy sum of money.
This blog succeeded despite having massive competition (from every major news website going around) and despite having very low click value on Adsense and few lucrative affiliate programs. The sheer weight of people searching for information over a short period of time was the main ingredient to our success. This was coupled with us working incredibly long hours (around the clock for two weeks and for months before) providing a blog that was actually quite useful. We actually became known as a site that updated statistics and information faster than most of the ‘professional’ sites covering the event.
Despite being dormant (and falling into disrepair lately) it still even gets reasonable visitor levels to this day.
So take these principles as friendly advice - not rules. In many ways they are ‘ideals’ which you will almost certainly have to compromise some of at some point but which can help you choose a topic that has a greater chance of success.
Add your own suggestions and experiences in choosing a blog’s topic below in topics.
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Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Oil Price Hike In Malaysia
Oil price hike in Malaysia is now one of the serious matter here. A price hike from RM1.92 to RM 2.70 , looks like a small increase but actually it makes a big difference. A person who usually fills his car for half tank would only cost him around RM30 but if he fills his tank now it will cost him about RM 60. Now we could see its affect.
Oil price also indirectly had made price increases in grocery. From meat, vegetables, frozen food, and dishes sold in restaurant had increase in price. This only make people poorer not richer as there was no increase in their salary. People are wondering how could everythings their prices are going up but not their salary.
How could the government could achieve their Wawasan 2020 if the prices hike like jet. According to the Wawasan 2020 the government promise that there will no people poor in Malaysia anymore. Coul they achieve this by 18 years time. I think it is impossible as proverb says ‘Rom was not built in a day’
Even school canteen has increase their prices of dish. This is a burden to parents as they need to work harder or do overtime to solve their financial problem. I now need to advise my children to spend their pocket money wisely as I do earn much. This is actually a said thing to say as Malaysia once was a better country than Singapore but now we could see that Singapore is leading us in all including economic, currency value and more. My advise to the bloggers we need to think about this matter and find a solution as soon as possible before it is too late.
Thank you, I will keep in touch with new topic
Oil price also indirectly had made price increases in grocery. From meat, vegetables, frozen food, and dishes sold in restaurant had increase in price. This only make people poorer not richer as there was no increase in their salary. People are wondering how could everythings their prices are going up but not their salary.
How could the government could achieve their Wawasan 2020 if the prices hike like jet. According to the Wawasan 2020 the government promise that there will no people poor in Malaysia anymore. Coul they achieve this by 18 years time. I think it is impossible as proverb says ‘Rom was not built in a day’
Even school canteen has increase their prices of dish. This is a burden to parents as they need to work harder or do overtime to solve their financial problem. I now need to advise my children to spend their pocket money wisely as I do earn much. This is actually a said thing to say as Malaysia once was a better country than Singapore but now we could see that Singapore is leading us in all including economic, currency value and more. My advise to the bloggers we need to think about this matter and find a solution as soon as possible before it is too late.
Thank you, I will keep in touch with new topic
Friday, July 25, 2008
PERAK
PERAK (HISTORIC TOWNS & ISLANDS RESORTS)
Perak, the of grace, beckons visitors with picturesque islands and beaches, magnificent cave temples, exciting eco-adventures and diverse cultures. Steeped in history, this once tin-rich state home to various races, evident in its fascinating cultural heritage.
Surrounded by rugged limestone outcrops and dotted by grang heritage buildings is the busting city of Ipoh, which is also famous for its gastronomic delights. Travellers to the state can select their accommodation from among various well-appointed hotels, five-star resorts and budget inns located in the city, towns and islands.
PLACE TO VISIT
Pangkor Island
This popular island offers visitors the unique opportunity to live near fisher folks and observe their lifestyle, savour seafood delicacies, or simply ejoy the sun, sea and sand at the numerous beaches along its beautiful coastline. Located nearby is the exclusive Pangkor Laut Island, noted for its world-renowned resorts.
Royal Museum
Built as the royal residence in 1926, it was originally named Istana Kenangan. A unique wooden building constructed without the use of nails, the museum showcase Prak’s royal regalia as well as pictures and history of the royal family.
Kellie’s Castle
In 1915, Williams Kellie Smith, an English rubber planter commissioned the construction of this mansion which was never completed. It is believed that this mysterious has hidden rooms and secret tunnel.
Ubudiah Mosque
Kuala Kangsar’s crowing glory. The mosque was constructed at the turn of the century and features Islamic architecture in its magnificent domes and minarels.
Gua Tempurung
These ancient caves stretch over a kilometer from the south of sungai Siput to Kuala Dipang and comprise of five domes with ceilings that resemble coconut shells with various formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
Bukit Merah Laketown Resort
Within this fun-filled resort are unique orang utan island cum sanctuary, hotel, water theme park, an eco-park as well as water sports and entertainment facilities.
Perak, the of grace, beckons visitors with picturesque islands and beaches, magnificent cave temples, exciting eco-adventures and diverse cultures. Steeped in history, this once tin-rich state home to various races, evident in its fascinating cultural heritage.
Surrounded by rugged limestone outcrops and dotted by grang heritage buildings is the busting city of Ipoh, which is also famous for its gastronomic delights. Travellers to the state can select their accommodation from among various well-appointed hotels, five-star resorts and budget inns located in the city, towns and islands.
PLACE TO VISIT
Pangkor Island
This popular island offers visitors the unique opportunity to live near fisher folks and observe their lifestyle, savour seafood delicacies, or simply ejoy the sun, sea and sand at the numerous beaches along its beautiful coastline. Located nearby is the exclusive Pangkor Laut Island, noted for its world-renowned resorts.
Royal Museum
Built as the royal residence in 1926, it was originally named Istana Kenangan. A unique wooden building constructed without the use of nails, the museum showcase Prak’s royal regalia as well as pictures and history of the royal family.
Kellie’s Castle
In 1915, Williams Kellie Smith, an English rubber planter commissioned the construction of this mansion which was never completed. It is believed that this mysterious has hidden rooms and secret tunnel.
Ubudiah Mosque
Kuala Kangsar’s crowing glory. The mosque was constructed at the turn of the century and features Islamic architecture in its magnificent domes and minarels.
Gua Tempurung
These ancient caves stretch over a kilometer from the south of sungai Siput to Kuala Dipang and comprise of five domes with ceilings that resemble coconut shells with various formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
Bukit Merah Laketown Resort
Within this fun-filled resort are unique orang utan island cum sanctuary, hotel, water theme park, an eco-park as well as water sports and entertainment facilities.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
THOUSANDS MEANING HIDDEN IN A DREAM
Everyone gets a dream when they are in a deep sleep. Do you know that each dream has a truly hidden meaning for that. I like to share some of the hidden meaning of certain dreams:
If you dream your house on fire, it signify that you possible gaining money or get rid of finance problem.
If you dream your house on fire together with the smoke, it signify that the decision you taken will be failure and will have a lot of unwanted spending.
If you dream only top of your house is on fire, it signify that you need to beware of thefts in your house.
If you dream your house door is on fire , it signify that you may involve in road accident.
If you dream anything regarding about fire daily in your dream, it signify that you need to face the problem cause by your angriness.
If you dream your country or your state is on fire, it signify that the residents in your area will be infected by diseases most likely dengue.
If you dream any stage show on fire but its pillars are not on fir, it signify that your children will be improving in their studies.
If you dream a fire is burning very vigorously , it signify that you will live happily and increasing of your property.
If you dream you are on fire, it signify that you will soon getting health problems.
If you dream your fingers on fire, it signify that you will success in any of your decision.
If you dream a burning of a stove , it signify that you will gain profit.
If your dream about a vehicle, it signify that will gain something indeed of that.
If you dream opening of a door, it means that you will get loss in your business, but if you dream a door is closing, it means that you will be facing some problem.
MALACCA
MALACCA
Melaka is known for its historical prominence and its cultural appeal. In the 16th century, Melaka enjoyed a reputation as the foremost maritime trading centre in the region. So coveted was Melaka by the European powers that it was ruled successively by the potuguese, Dutch and the British until the Federation of Malaya was formed on 31st August 1957.
It is the place where those who are hunting for treasures of the past will be rewarded if they look deep into its quaint shops for curios and antiques.
The rich multi-cultural heritage of Melaka’s people is reflected in their unique customs and traditions, food, festivals, dances, buildings and lifestyles. Melaka cuisine is well known for its lively flavours and aromas. The city’s many restaurants, cafes, food courts, pubs and fast food restaurants offer a range of culinary options.
There is accommodation in these states to suit all tastes and budgets. Major hotels are located in the main towns. Budget accommodation , hostels and bed and breakfast inns are also available.
Places of interest
Stadthuys Another major landmark almost synonymous with Melaka, was a fortress built by the Portuguese admiral, Alfonso d’ Albubuquerque in 1511. It was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion in 1641. Timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles, a British official, in 1808 saved what remains of A’Famosa today.
Christ Churh Situated adjacent to the Stadthuys, this bright red structure is a testimony to Dutch architectural ingenuity. Interesting features include the church;s handmade pews, ceiling beams , brass bible, tombstone and “The Last Supper” in glazed titles.
St.Paul’s Church St. Francis Xavier was buried in the open grave here in 1553 before his body was transferred to Goa in India. The Church has a commanding view of Melaka.
Hang Li Po’s Well Built by the followers of Hang Li Po, the well was the only source of water during great droughts. The Dutch enclosed it with stout walls to reserve it for their exclusive use. Today, I t enjoys a reputation as a wishing well.
A’Famosa Resort Located in the vicinity of Alor Gajah , is the award winning A’Famosa Resort which boasts several themed attractions which include the A’Famosa Water World, A’Famosa Animal World safari and A’Famosa Cowboy Town.
Melaka is known for its historical prominence and its cultural appeal. In the 16th century, Melaka enjoyed a reputation as the foremost maritime trading centre in the region. So coveted was Melaka by the European powers that it was ruled successively by the potuguese, Dutch and the British until the Federation of Malaya was formed on 31st August 1957.
It is the place where those who are hunting for treasures of the past will be rewarded if they look deep into its quaint shops for curios and antiques.
The rich multi-cultural heritage of Melaka’s people is reflected in their unique customs and traditions, food, festivals, dances, buildings and lifestyles. Melaka cuisine is well known for its lively flavours and aromas. The city’s many restaurants, cafes, food courts, pubs and fast food restaurants offer a range of culinary options.
There is accommodation in these states to suit all tastes and budgets. Major hotels are located in the main towns. Budget accommodation , hostels and bed and breakfast inns are also available.
Places of interest
Stadthuys Another major landmark almost synonymous with Melaka, was a fortress built by the Portuguese admiral, Alfonso d’ Albubuquerque in 1511. It was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion in 1641. Timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles, a British official, in 1808 saved what remains of A’Famosa today.
Christ Churh Situated adjacent to the Stadthuys, this bright red structure is a testimony to Dutch architectural ingenuity. Interesting features include the church;s handmade pews, ceiling beams , brass bible, tombstone and “The Last Supper” in glazed titles.
St.Paul’s Church St. Francis Xavier was buried in the open grave here in 1553 before his body was transferred to Goa in India. The Church has a commanding view of Melaka.
Hang Li Po’s Well Built by the followers of Hang Li Po, the well was the only source of water during great droughts. The Dutch enclosed it with stout walls to reserve it for their exclusive use. Today, I t enjoys a reputation as a wishing well.
A’Famosa Resort Located in the vicinity of Alor Gajah , is the award winning A’Famosa Resort which boasts several themed attractions which include the A’Famosa Water World, A’Famosa Animal World safari and A’Famosa Cowboy Town.
Traditional Melaka House A typical traditional Melaka house stands on 12 to 16 main pillars, usually two metres high. The decorative flower-motif tiled steps are its most striking features. Traditional Melaka houses can still be seen in rural communities with the most loca
ted in Bukit Paloh.
WELCOME TO TERENGGANU
Situated on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia,Terengganu is an ideal place for holiday getaway. It has the longest coastline in the country, with stunningly beautiful islands that sparkle like gems in the South Cina Sea. Many are gazetted as Marine Parks. The state is characterised by a strong Malay culture, laid-black lifestyle, tranquil coastal twons and rustic villages. Traditional pursuits such as kite-flying and top-spinning are highlights here. Kuala Terengganu is its capital city.
There is a wide range of accomodations to suit all tastes and preferences, from luxurios beach resorts, botique hotels to budgets accomodation. Major islands ara equipped with well-appointed resorts as well as comfortable budget chalets. The state has a temting variety of local delicacies.
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