My new strategy

[Andy]

Now I am thinking to make niche sites since it should be easy to get top ranking on search engines rather than going for super-competitive search terms.

My next site is going to be about Topsoil 

I am looking forward to learning a lot about soil and dominating the search engines for the related terms.

If you are wondering why I chose this keyword, it's because there are many ways to monetize the site since soil is used in construction, gardening and landscaping etc. Also, I can write code for calculators of material quantities that seem to be popular. Also, there is a wide range of related topics to write about when creating content pages.

Obviously I have a risk of somebody copying my idea but I already registered a domain name and have content ready to publish so I think I can stay ahead of competitors. But why not simply pick on any niche subject such as say dog collars? There must be millions of potential opportunities to develop these niche sites and match them to affiliate programs?

[johnhask]

I agree. It just takes time and some research. I believe the broad-reaching topic sites will become more of a "starting point".

[Queen Bee]

Great idea! I have been thinking about this as well... after taking several science classes and attempting my own research on several subjects, I realized how much information was not available online. I don't need to tell you that Wikipedia just doesn't cut it. Many sites only focus on little bits and leave out important information, while other sites charge for you to view the information. What I'd like to do is focus on one particular subject, get high ranking and make money off of ads/affiliates, while providing quality information for free to the internet public (more specifically, students like myself that have a hard time locating important scientific information online).

[Andy]

This looks like the way forward for us small time web masters. One thing to be sure of though is that your site can be monetized. A simple way to check on this is to search on your keywords and look for sponsored Ads in the search engines. Then you will know if companies will pay to get a slice of your traffic. The more Ads you see the better.

Wikipedia is great but you can add your own personality to your site and do things that they cannot do such as allow visitor comments, include video of your failed science experiment exploding etc. Plus you don't have to be 100% correct with everything you do.

[Queen Bee]

One thing to be sure of though is that your site can be monetized. A simple way to check on this is to search on your keywords and look for sponsored Ads in the search engines. Then you will know if companies will pay to get a slice of your traffic. The more Ads you see the better.

I will remember this-- thanks!

You do make an important point about Wikipedia as well. In a sense it is very similar to an encyclopedia (hence, the name) and therefore limited in quantity and context. I won't talk about this much because I know it's off-topic, but there is one reason in particular that I find to be a problem for both Wikipedia and other science websites: a lot of this information doesn't make sense for someone "just starting out" or trying to get a grasp of new concepts. Take this page on hyperbolic space for instance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbolic_space For someone who doesn't already have a clear understanding of euclidean and non-euclidean geometries, this page may not be understandable. Where should they start?

What I'd like to do, in a sense, is build from the ground up. If you've ever read an issue of Scientific American, you'll notice that they explain foreign concepts (in a matter of a sentence or two) before presenting new information. It might still be difficult to understand, but there is a reference point attached that makes the information a little more comfortable to read. In a similar way that information is presented in a science class, or a science book, I'd like to make all "beginner" information easily accessible. Of course, we're talking about lots of content here, but the more the better, right? Appealing to both beginners and advanced students (professors, hobbyists) would yield better results, I'd like to think.

[donecweb]

The more Ads you see the better.

I have to disagree with you here. If you have too many Ads then none will be clicked on and will cause many visitors to leave your site due to the confusion of Ads and the difficulty finding the content on such an Ad filled site. While an Ad that is relevant to your subject and done with taste may actually cause a visitor to remember your site as the door way to the site of the Ad causing them to return to your site to get to the Ad site.

[Andy]

The more Ads you see the better.
I have to disagree with you here. If you have too many Ads then none will be clicked on and will cause many visitors to leave your site due to the confusion of Ads and the difficulty finding the content on such an Ad filled site. While an Ad that is relevant to your subject and done with taste may actually cause a visitor to remember your site as the door way to the site of the Ad causing them to return to your site to get to the Ad site.

DonEc: you missed my point. I was not saying to include as many ads on your site as possible, that would be bad. What I was saying was that you can tell whether or not your subject matter will be suitable for monetization by looking for a large number of sponsored Ads in search engine results.

[Andy]

What I'd like to do, in a sense, is build from the ground up.

That really appeals to me. When I was a child I picked up some magazine about robots and computers, it was all very simple stuff but really fired my thirst for more knowledge on the subject. I then looked for more books with gradually increasing levels of assumed knowledge. Soon I was understanding how the innards of mainframe computers and chips worked. I was really gutted at a science museum that they refused to sell me the technical manual for the mainframe they had on display because I was too young to possibly understand it.

Your idea for a web-based implementation of a gradually increasing learning curve without any restrictions on perceived ability to comprehend the information is great if this is the kind of thing you are thinking about. Kind of like a tree structure starting with very basic stuff and branching out to ever more complex levels. You would probably want to make it some kind of collaborative project due to the amount of subject matter and the many levels of expertise required.

Wikipedia is like a flat file structure but your one seems better as a pyramid of knowledge.

You can still monetize the site with related Ads in the side bar plus asking for donations and maybe industrial sponsors. Wow - an awesome project that could last a lifetime!

I can help you build the site and contribute.

[donecweb]

DonEc: you missed my point. I was not saying to include as many ads on your site as possible, that would be bad. What I was saying was that you can tell whether or not your subject matter will be suitable for monetization by looking for a large number of sponsored Ads in search engine results.

OK! I guess you may be saying that the more ads you see on other sites that use your keywords and the keywords that use the most ads are the ones that count. Is that right?

[Andy]

OK! I guess you may be saying that the more ads you see on other sites that use your keywords and the keywords that use the most ads are the ones that count. Is that right?

Nope! I'm saying what I am saying in my post. I am only referring to looking at search engine result output screens. Without diagrams or video, I'm not sure I can explain it any better.

[Andy]

btw I have the basic look of the new Topsoil Tips site worked out. It has a nice earthy feel to it I think. 

[White Wolf]

Please stay tuned for more information on this subject as we dig it up and spread it on pages of this site.

I laughed when I read that, looks great Andy.

[Andy]

Thanks, I want to make it amusing otherwise soil may not be that interesting for many visitors. I want to have some cartoon characters on the site and funny videos too. All to make this site the #1 stop for people interested in soil  There will be heaps more delivered soon...

[Queen Bee]

Your idea for a web-based implementation of a gradually increasing learning curve without any restrictions on perceived ability to comprehend the information is great if this is the kind of thing you are thinking about. Kind of like a tree structure starting with very basic stuff and branching out to ever more complex levels. You would probably want to make it some kind of collaborative project due to the amount of subject matter and the many levels of expertise required.

This is essentially what I'd want to do. At the moment it has not gone much further than an idea, so I have not considered quite how I am to go about implementing it. I hope that when time allows, I will be able to dedicate myself more to the idea and actually get things running.

Wow - an awesome project that could last a lifetime!

Most certainly! And it is also amazing how much new and updated information can be discovered over just a matter of months. As science progresses, so would the site.

I can help you build the site and contribute.

Thanks, Andy! I will take you up on this offer when the time comes.

Also, nice updates to your topsoil page. It is very earthy.

[donecweb]

Nope! I'm saying what I am saying in my post. I am only referring to looking at search engine result output screens. Without diagrams or video, I'm not sure I can explain it any better.

I think I got it, finally .
You are talking about looking at the search engine results page and seeing how many paid ads are listed for your keywords on that page. I think.

If so I always ignore those results to the point of not even seeing them and so I don't think of them.