Getting intimate with your niche: Do you need passion to succeed?

For the average affiliate marketer out there, especially those just starting out, choosing a niche to promote often goes beyond whether there's enough demand and not too much competition.

If spending money on outsourcing isn't an option, there is a lot more riding on your ability to knuckle down, write engaging content, and get the job done.

But how well can you really do that if you're not particularly fond of the niche that, on paper at least, is most likely to give you the best return?

Yeast infections are a profitable niche, but does anyone out there jump out of bed in the morning, raring to go work on their yeast infection website?

I've read advice from many different experts stressing how vital it is that you choose to work in a niche you have a passion for. Realistically though, this is a lot easier said than done.

What I believe is more important is that you have a healthy relationship with your niche. An all-consuming passion isn't essential, and in some cases can be damaging. But you must develop a level of fondness.

The key term here is ‘healthy'.

Let's look at the risks you could be faced with when the dynamics between you and your niche are unhealthy.

Rose-tinted glasses: Your affection has gone too far

Scenario 1

I think you know the story here. You and your niche have had many good memories together, but times have changed now. The shine has worn off, the market gods are no longer aligned in your favor, and it's simply not bringing home the money.

You don't see it though, you refuse to believe it. How could this happen? You were meant to be together forever...

The danger here for some people is that their passion can sometimes overtake the cold hard facts. It's okay to love what you do, but make sure you can detach yourself enough to view your business objectively.

Scenario 2

You've been working successfully together for awhile now, things are going great. So great, that it's really time to branch out and ‘rinse and repeat' in other niches if you want to keep building your income.

How can you bear to spend time apart from your niche though?

Becoming too attached to your niche can prevent you from expanding your business and building your income.

Scenario 3

Your niche has been hugely kind to you. Money is pouring in and you're no longer the struggling newbie who has to do everything by his/herself. Outsourcing tasks is now possible, and with it the opportunity to speed things up and make more money faster.

The question is, can you really bring yourself to ‘let go' of your site, and trust someone else with it? Again, don't let your attachment get in the way of moving onwards and upwards.


Indifference towards your niche: Losing Focus

How is your IM site going?

Actually, I just can't seem to get started. I keep getting sidetracked with other things and I'm thinking of switching to a different niche.

On the other end of the spectrum, it's important not to let figures alone steer your choice of a niche - especially if you're the kind of person prone to procrastination.

It's a lot harder to stay focused, motivated, and undistracted from other ideas when you're really not that interested in what you're working on. As I said earlier, you don't need to be completely passionate about your niche, but it's definitely wise to have some interest or personal experience with it. This especially applies to newbies who are low on cash and need to do most of the key tasks themselves.

Not only is it a lot easier to write content that you are interested in, it will also help you go that extra mile to make your website a success.

And if you want to eventually turn your website into an authority site, then a healthy interest in the subject becomes even more important. It's pretty hard to put in the extra love necessary to take your site from good to great when you couldn't really care less whether people manage to stop their dog barking or whatever. Your site's visitors and email list will pick up on your lack of passion, making it virtually impossible to develop a relationship with them.

A healthy balance

No matter what niche you choose to promote products in, you'll always need a strong motivation to get started and to keep putting in the hours until you achieve your goals. Some people can enter a niche with just an all-round enthusiasm for everything to do with affiliate marketing, and that's enough to sustain their interest. For others, reminding themselves that they need to make more money is a strong incentive to switch on the computer. However, for many of us, these things aren't quite enough - and some interest in the niche is also pretty important. Then you can enjoy learning more about the topic while you work, which is an excellent way to ‘stay in the moment' and avoid getting distracted and sidetracked.

On the other hand, I firmly believe that an enormous ‘passion' for your niche isn't at all necessary, and can even cloud your judgment at times. Sure, it helps to love what you do, but at the same time, this is business - and you need to be able to keep a certain detachment to succeed.


Have you successfully worked in a niche you're uninterested in? Run into problems in a niche that you like a lot? Share your thoughts below.