Affiliate Programs

Learn How To Build Niche Sites

I’ve said it before, as have others, that local search will be the hot niche of the future. So far only a few bloggers have capitalized on this in their area. They’ll be sitting pretty by the time other bloggers figure this one out.

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I’m constantly amazed at people who are searching for the latest hot niche to jump into. Many times it’s right in their own hometown or region and they never realize it until someone else takes it. If it’s niche blogging you’re looking for, look no further than your home town!

Why Local Blogging Is HOT

The reason local blogging is so hot and getting hotter right now is the same reason search engines blasted off at their beginning.

People want information and they want it yesterday.

They also prefer that information come from a trusted source. And who not to trust but a knowledgeable blogger who blogs about their community. Surely there aren’t many people with more knowledge than this guy/gal who blogs about their town?

Local bloggers can connect with local searchers without ever meeting them. Take restaurant reviews for example. Have you ever read a review you agreed with? Perhaps it was a good review of Bob’s Burgers on the out skirts of town. You love Bob’s Burgers and you agree with the review. You’ve instantly judged that writer in your mind.

“Gosh, that reviewer is so smart, everyone loves Bob’s Burgers”

or

“What a dweeb that reviewer is, everyone knows Bob’s Burgers uses roadkill in their meat”

Either way, you’ve made a judgement about the character of the reviewer. If it was a good judgement, you’ll definately listen a little closer the next time the review something. 

Once you have a captive audience, the World gets a little easier!

How to Monetize Local Niches

The sky is nearly the limit on how you choose to set up your blog on your local community. I’ve seen some blogs that had forums and business directories while others just blog on local events and people. It’s up to you how far you want to go.

I would start out by using a Magazine or News type blog theme. These use multiple subjects on the front page. The Revolution News theme by Brian Gardner would be an excellent choice.

How you choose to monetize your local blog is also up to you. Many simply use Adsense, which works well for local Internet surfers. However, by including a Jobs section and a Hotels or Travel section you could use Affiliate Programs from sources like www.ian.com and Job-O-Matic.

Your largest source of income though will likely be from local advertisers. You’ll probably have to sell some adspace on your blog to begin with, but after a few months if you continue to grow, the advertisers will be seeking you out.

Start by making a list of some of the top business’s in your area. You then send them all a sales letter along with a business card telling them about your blog and how they could increase business by advertising on it. Don’t send EMAIL!

Paid reviews can also be a huge money maker for local bloggers. Just make sure you do honest reviews about products or services you actually own or have used. If you continually post favorable reviews to places that everyone knows is a dump, you’ll soon loose your trustworthiness with the local readers. Tell the advertisers up front that there is no guarantee of a good review simply because they paid to have one.

Promoting your local blogis no different than promoting any other blog. Until people find your blog and start backlinking and sharing it with others, promote it just like your would any other website. Article marketing, submitting post to all the Social Media sites, directory submissions and so on. Make sure you use local keywords for your anchor text and you’ll soon see traffic come trickling in. Do you job well and you’ll see this trickle turn into a raging river of local traffic!

But I Live In A Small Town, There’s No One To Read My Blog!

I’ve heard this argument before. I’ve seen blogs covering towns with just 10,000 people do very well.

If you live in a small town, then widen out the scope of your blog. Blog about your County or Region. Don’t go getting to large though or you’ll risk having a blog that is vague and hard to rank for any specific keyword. Remember, this is a niche! Start off with your town and work your way out.

In large Metro areas, you may want to just take a section of the city and blog about it. I know a local blogger that only talks about her home life and the downtown area where she lives. She has made herself the “go to” person when it comes to events or other happenings downtown. Local advertisers can’t get enough of her site.

Trying to blog about the entire city of Los Angeles would be as much of a disaster as trying to blog about California. Remember, think small and connect with the people in your local area. This is why local blogging is such a hot niche and why you should learn how to build niche sites.