How to choose your niche as an Internet Marketer is the most important question you’ll have to answer. That’s what everyone tells you, right?

I mean everything hinges on it – so much so that it’s a mortal sin not to do it. Screwing this up is the one thing you cannot be forgiven for.

You’ve got to make certain that you are in a profitable niche. It has to be one without too much competition and it needs to appeal to a very specific group.

Do this right and people searching the Internet (to solve their problem and/or buy something) will find you instead of anyone else.

That’s how it’s supposed to function.

But Does it Actually Work?

Ever heard of the phrase ‘niche down’? That’s where you laser focus on a target audience (like breeding pythons in Alaska) so that you don’t have any competition.

Sure.

If you have a pool supply company in Conroe Texas then your site (i.e your ‘niche’) will be building, servicing and selling supplies for swimming pools in Conroe and the surrounding area.

That’s easy to understand because a niche means to narrow down on something.

But what if you’re doing online MLM or affiliate marketing? Isn’t that perfect niche the gold nugget that everyone searches for?

Read on and I’ll explain how it might not be. Learning why may be the real key to your online success!

Ever Notice How People Take Selfies?

Selfies, self-promotional videos and so on are usually taken in an automobile. Why is that?

People generally don’t want their online audience to know anything about them.

It’s just human nature. When looking at a picture or video of someone in a room, what do you do? You look at the background and not them.

More than once, I’ve had people comment on the bookshelf, framed items and other things behind me than on the photo/video I displayed.

That really got on my nerves – especially when it was friends and family doing it.

Then I realized something. People are fascinated to know more about you – so much more so than whatever you’re selling.

Do The Opposite of Everyone Else

Let people into your life. Open up and reveal who and what you are. Be real!

This is very counterintuitive, but follow along with me.

Instead of hiding your personal life, your history and what makes you distinctly you, embrace it. Make your story (and everything about you) shine like a lighthouse beacon over a dark ocean.

Think, what does a lighthouse do? It guides people into safe harbor.

You are that safe harbor because you’re not lying to anyone. That’s important.

Remember the elf in Rudolph who didn’t fit it in? That’s what this is about – i.e. being your true self.

You’ve Got to Make Your Own Rules

No matter how sweet your niche is, someone else is doing it.

Sure, it’s likely an area you feel passionate about, have experience or specialized knowledge in. But guess what? You’re not the only one.

The good news? There’s only one you!

Sure, you’ve got to be as broad as possible (especially in the beginning), but still fully you. Don’t box yourself in.

And you know what? Starting out broadly is a beautiful thing. From there you can fine tune your message and carve out a unique space in the market.

Fun fact: Though they might not admit it, most successful Internet marketers didn’t pick a narrow niche up-front. Instead, niches tend to evolve, be cultivated and even uncovered over time.

Believe me, there are bloggers out there earning a fantastic living and they’ve never chosen a niche.

People Want to Connect With Others

Why are Hollywood stars, the Royal Family, singers & musicians and certain politicians so popular? Hint: it’s not just their fans’ favorite movies or how rich, successful and attractive they are.

People connect with them. That’s why.

They feel like they know these people, even though they’ll never meet. They connect with them even more when they learn about the ups and downs of these famous peoples’ lives. That’s why publications like People magazine and the National Enquirer are so popular.

Of course, many celebrities lead fairly private lives. But fans still feel a connection to them because they can see them on film or on stage. They see how they move, hear their voices, get used to the mannerisms and facial expressions – and they learn their personal stories.

So What Am I Trying to Say Here About Choosing a Niche?

Let people (yes, Internet strangers) take a peek into your life – you’re real, authentic life.

I’m talking about your personal story, both the good and the bad.

I can assure you that anything you’ve dealt with in the past (and overcome), someone else is facing today. They’d like to hear your story.

Things such as divorce, family problems, illness, failed businesses, bankruptcy, addiction problems – even prison time – are areas where people are looking for a guide.

In fact, they’re looking for a leader.

Be that leader.

Opening up and revealing these things about your past takes inner-steel, but that’s intrinsic to leadership.

Remember, people connect with people, not niches.

Here’s the Bottom Line to Choosing Your Niche

Be unapologetically authentic, so that people can connect with you and your unique story.

In the end, the niche is you. People need to buy you before they’ll buy anything else.

This means sharing your journey – the triumphs and the tragedies – and what you’ve learned. That’s how people will connect with you, and those connections are currency in online business.

The twisting and rocky path of your (one-of-a-kind) Internet marketing journey will be a roadmap for others to reach the mountain peaks that you’ve climbed.

So share it freely.

Be your own walking and talking niche. Starting today, get better and better at it.

It’ll change everything for you!

——————————————————————–