Stand Out Blogger -

Conducting my ads-free niche site case study has got me thinking a bit creatively.

My mining niche site is starting to get some decent search engine traffic and I have been thinking of ways of profiting from this traffic without the need for adsense, private ad sales or affiliate links (which would ruin the case study).

So I wanted to share with you a couple of ideas that I had, as well as let you in on my plans for monetising my mining site.

1. Build An Email List

   All the big internet marketers are always touting the fact that if you want to make money online ‘you need to be building an email list’ (probably just so that you will sign up for theirs).

   I have had a on-off relationship with list building, but there are definitely some great benefits if you create a free product that is valuable and send emails that focus on helping and not just selling. So if you are focusing on building a quality, content focused niche site then building an email list that you can use to promote your content and related products could be a great way to keep your blog ad-free.

   Recommended Products For Email Marketing:

   • Aweber
     If you are looking to build an email list then you want to make sure that you are using a reputable email marketing software/website to collect and store you emails (to make sure you meets the can-spam act). I use Aweber because it came highly recommended to me, and you can get start for just $1 for your first month!
   • Popup Domination
     Sure you can just use the standard email sign up boxes in your sidebar but if you really want to ramp up your list building then you need something that grabs your readers attention. Popups are handy little tools, but having them show up as soon as you visit a site is just down-right annoying. 

     With Popup Domination you can set it up so that it shows 1 or 2 minutes after visitors first access your page – so they have tasted your content before being asked to subscribe. Read my Popup Domination review.

2. Create A Product

   Your second option is to create your own product.

   Now, the problem with creating a sale-able product for a niche site is that most people do not have the expertise or knowledge in the area of their niche site – but don’t let this stop you. If you do not feel qualified to create an information product that people will pay you money for then you have a couple of options.

   • Outsource Product Creation
     I am a massive believer in outsourcing jobs that are either too hard or too time consuming. There are plenty of people willing and ready to do the research that you need to create the product that you desire. I would use oDesk to find a writer.
   • Compile Information That Saves People Time
     Another options is creating a product that is a list of resources that your visitors are most likely looking for. The internet is full of information and businesses and finding the right information can be like going on a merry-go-round. If you can compile a list of where your visitors can find the information they are looking for, and it saves them hours of work is that not work $7-20?

Which Option Did I Choose?

Well, I was at work the other day wheel-barrowing  a massive pile of sand – while thinking about my niche blogs. And I was thinking about what people visiting my mining site were actually looking for.

I narrowed it down to two different things:

• Information on ‘Where’ They Can Find A Mining Job
• Information on ‘How’ To Get A Mining Job

Now, I have never had a mining job so I can’t create a product on how to get a job in the mines – but I am good at digging up information and I know for certain that there are countless mining companies all around Australia that are looking for workers.

So, why not compile a list of all the mining companies that have websites/contact details available and put together an information product giving potential mining workers a list of companies that might be interested in employing them.

Not a massive idea, and most likely not a ‘million dollar idea’, but I think that it is something that people would be looking for and willing to hand over at least $7 – to save them the hours of research it would take them.

What Does That Mean For You?

What I am trying to do with this post is to open your eyes to other opportunities.

When people think of niche sites, they automatically picture Adsense ads and affiliate banners – but I think that if you want to have a steady long-term income from your niche sites, then you need to diversified portfolio (just like with the share market).

Are you doing anything different with your niche sites? How are you making money from yours?