Self Improvement / Success niche

Hey man, what I'd start with is the theme, it's not very professional, if you can improve that and the website, it would be helpful. When a person goes on the website, they should know exactly what the site is about.

Secondly, the self-help niche is too huge for you to be general. Try to really focus on an aspect of self-improvement, like self-confidence, selp-discipline, something more narrowed down.

Hope that helps man

Hey man glad to see you got some clarity, and hey it's totally OK to be unsure of your direction in the start, it's how we all were at one point.

The niche you've drilled down to is a pretty good one, research the NEED in the market and what people are demanding.

Wish you the best man...

Hi Sam,

We're in the same niche and I share your anguish. I've spent years, (and countless thousands), trying to figure this one out. Here's my solution so far ...

The point is, nobody goes to Google and types in "self help" as a keyword. (Unless it's us looking for JV partners! )

They look for help with particular life challenges. This forum is filled with people looking for ways to make money online, for instance.

No doubt, some of them could benefit from some self help. (The "success mindset" perhaps?) Lonely folk look for love, overweight people struggle with their self esteem as well as their waistline.

All hooks to hang some self help upon.

I went to your website. I love the Stephen Fry video, but I couldn't see what it or anything else had to do with self help. I didn't check how you've SEO'd the page, but how does anyone looking for self help find it?

It IS possible to offer generic self help/personal development because as you and I probably both know, the tools and the outcomes are the same regardless of whether you're beginning with "How do I find love?" or "How can I make money online?" Success, inner peace and personal happiness all ultimately funnel into the same clear road, don't they? The tools required to get to that place are the same, give or take a few, for most of life's problems.

In fact, there is only one problem when it's all boiled down: "I want to feel better than I do now." But nobody types that into Google either.

The questions about what, how much better, how quickly and what will you pay to get there are for us to sift and sort, right?

We self helpers have to find ways to meet our clients where they are. We can't drag 'em into our spotlight because we can see them better there.

Choose an area of pain. Preferably one you've been through yourself, but if you've led a charmed life, any popular one will do.

The evergreens are always about money, (not enough/I hate my day job), love, (can't find it/can't keep it/miss it like crazy), self esteem, (I hate myself/I could never XYZ/lonely cos nobody wants me/stay young/I don't belong), health, (keep it/get it back) and attached to any or all of those may be some more serious psychological issues ranging from depression and anxiety disorders to traumatic histories.

Decide where you want to enter the field. Choose one hook to hang your "I have a solution to your problem" product or service and beat that drum until you have a list and some paying clients.

Then choose another hook, preferably related to the first one, because you can sell it to the same crowd.

The key is to have a tangible outcome. ("I'll show you how to get ..." then you fill in the blank ... "out of debt/make more money/free of loneliness/fall in love with yourself ..." etc. etc.)

You can't sell "self help" as a concept. You can sell aspirins to people with headaches.

Hope that helps.

Trevor.

P.S. PM me if you think there's more we might do together. I'm open to suggestions.

Hey Trevor, Wow that's great advice thanks so much. The stephen Fry Video was just something I shared. I think that part of the problem I mentioned is I have my author page and my authority page together. I may need to separate them.

I've been writing about the impact of myth and legend on our life's purpose and how we fit in the world. But I have no idea how to package it. I think its a work in progress. I really appreciate your post and I will review it carefully.

I'm lucky I don't have a lot of pressure right now. I have enough on the side coming in I don't have to rely on my books and affiliate revenue but I will have to start making some income off this or it could get pretty hungry around here.

Right now I'm in learning and networking mode. It's great to meet someone in my niche. I will also check out your site. Cheers Sam

Here is latest post.

Notes from the Edge: The Edge of Winter: Connecting to Myth and Legend

As a viewer; interesting graphics and videos would capture my attention.

Hey Sam, I know what you mean in trying to find a focus.

I started out with a blog site of my own that had no focus, but I kind of let it go - I post occasionally when I have something not directed to my main blog.

If you compare them, you will see www.whoistavius.com - that was my first one, and as you can see it wanders around all over the place.

I later created a more directed blog focused on helping people succeed in business, myblogbeast.biz .

Based on what I have been studying, it comes down to the question - What are you truly trying to accomplish with your blog?

Is it to promote a particular thing? or is it more done for fun?

If you do have the goal for it, then you need to focus more specifcally on things that relate to that one topic.

I am by no means an expert... I think that life and business are always a learning thing.

Hope that helps

"I've always said "Writer's Block" is a myth. There is no such thing as writer's block, only writers trying to force something that isn't ready yet. Sometimes I don't write for weeks. And then all of the sudden I'll get a rush of inspiration and you can't drag me away from my notebook. But I don't stress out if I don't hit some arbitrary word count each day or if I go a few days without writing something." https://www.facebook.com/lifeclasses

You want to have success as a writer? Aim to write five hundred to two thousand words every day. Also, if you are using Blogger, please go to the layout settings and turn off the bar at the top of the screen. Please.

Glad I could help!

I feel that it is important to learn, and help others as well...

Maybe my site can give you some ideas. We write about the same subject and so far, I like my subscription rate.