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Are Micro Niche Sites focussing on 4-5 related keywords relying only on AdSense still a good idea?

by theultimate1
15 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hello Warriors,

As the title suggests... is it a good idea to run a micro niche site (MNS) focussing on 4-5 related keywords? I have a domain that I'd like to put to work, but I wanna be sure it's worth the time and effort before spending my energy on it.

As I see, the niche that the domain is related to would do very well on AdSense. I've done the keyword research, and it looks pretty decent to go after, but it's the MNS model I'm asking about.

As for the competition, almost all the top ranking pages belong to offline businesses in the niche.

If I decide to go ahead with this, I'll be writing 30 well-researched, informative articles to start with... a couple of informational videos (ppt-based but good informative ones - however, the visitors/buyers of this niche wouldn't seek for this info on sites like YouTube).
#adsense #focussing #good #idea #keywords #micro #niche #related #relying #sites
  • Profile picture of the author tooAlive
    No, "micro niche" sites aren't a reliable business model anymore.

    Even if you get it to rank it'll likely get shot down when the next Google update hits.

    If you're building sites, make an authority site. Get out of the "micro niche" mentality and think big. What are the big players in that industry doing? How do their sites look? What makes them so successful?

    Learn from them and figure out how to make it better.

    No, it's not as easy as making "micro niche" sites. But can you find me an actual "business" that's easy?
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    • Profile picture of the author mervp
      Originally Posted by tooAlive View Post

      No, "micro niche" sites aren't a reliable business model anymore.

      Even if you get it to rank it'll likely get shot down when the next Google update hits.

      If you're building sites, make an authority site. Get out of the "micro niche" mentality and think big. What are the big players in that industry doing? How do their sites look? What makes them so successful?

      Learn from them and figure out how to make it better.

      No, it's not as easy as making "micro niche" sites. But can you find me an actual "business" that's easy?

      It's only a matter of time before Google tries to deflate "pseudo-authority" niche sites as web spam, just as they have tried (repeatedly) to kill niche sites of any size, no matter how high quality their content and links. Google is ultimately not out for SEO compliance, it wants to rank the big brand sites, while pushing everybody else into PPC. It only appeared to support free organic traffic as a loss leader, to train people to follow rules that would make their sites more useful for Adwords purposes. It is now using frequent updates to push most small marketers out of relying on free traffic generation altogether.

      THIN micro niche sites that are too dependent on Google, or low quality components are what are no longer reliable. A well constructed MNS structured on several good low-SEO competition keywords, at least 10-12 well-written articles, and 100+ manually created and dripped high PR backlinks (with varied anchors) will consistently get and keep the site highly ranked for SEO traffic purposes.

      A modern MNS will also draw quality non-SEO traffic from uploaded videos, Yahoo answers, related forum thread postings, social media, etc. It will also base its monetization on 2-3 sources that may or may not include Adsense at all, like CPA, Amazon, CB, or their own products and services. MNS is still reliable earner following the above tweaks, but trusting Google to not mess up your sites "if you only follow their rules" is NOT a reliable model.
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      • Profile picture of the author tooAlive
        Originally Posted by mervp View Post

        Google is ultimately not out for SEO compliance, it wants to rank the big brand sites, while pushing everybody else into PPC. It only appeared to support free organic traffic as a loss leader, to train people to follow rules that would make their sites more useful for Adwords purposes. It is now using frequent updates to push most small marketers out of relying on free traffic generation altogether.
        Well, a lot of those small marketers aren't really providing anything of value. Their content is all rehashed reviews promoting the same affiliate products over and over again.

        Look at web hosting.

        Do a Google search for "Best web hosting" and find a listing that doesn't recommend Hostgator, Bluehost or any other EIG child branch that has the same commission structure.

        Google sees this happening and it addresses the issue. Their job is to provide relevant search results, and affiliates over the years have taken over the legitimate sources of information with their affiliate products and faked reviews.

        You said it yourself; Google wants to rank the "big brand" websites.

        Then we need to build "big brand" websites.
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        • Profile picture of the author Mogly
          Originally Posted by tooAlive View Post

          Well, a lot of those small marketers aren't really providing anything of value. Their content is all rehashed reviews promoting the same affiliate products over and over again.

          Look at web hosting.

          Do a Google search for "Best web hosting" and find a listing that doesn't recommend Hostgator, Bluehost or any other EIG child branch that has the same commission structure.

          Google sees this happening and it addresses the issue. Their job is to provide relevant search results, and affiliates over the years have taken over the legitimate sources of information with their affiliate products and faked reviews.

          You said it yourself; Google wants to rank the "big brand" websites.

          Then we need to build "big brand" websites.
          This guy gets it.

          Google isn't trying to boost the rankings for multi-million dollar companies, it just so happens that those same companies are the ones producing high-value content.

          Its correlation vs causation.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marketing Fool
    *ANY* business that relies solely on organic search traffic from Google is bound to fail. Period.
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    • Profile picture of the author shane_k
      Originally Posted by theultimate1 View Post

      Hello Warriors,

      As the title suggests... is it a good idea to run a micro niche site (MNS) focussing on 4-5 related keywords?
      It's not so much the site "size" that Google is concerned about.

      It is whether or not your content is "relevant" to what your customers are searching for.

      Most marketers still don't get it.

      They saw small sites get slammed, so now they are assuming huge sites are the answer.

      And they are mistaking the word Authority as meaning large.

      But Authority has more to do with relevancy than size.

      There are tons of examples of warriors here on this forum who still have "small" sites, (I myself am one of them) and our sites are still ranking well, because our content is relevant.


      Originally Posted by mervp View Post

      Google is ultimately not out for SEO compliance, it wants to rank the big brand sites, while pushing everybody else into PPC. It only appeared to support free organic traffic as a loss leader, to train people to follow rules that would make their sites more useful for Adwords purposes. It is now using frequent updates to push most small marketers out of relying on free traffic generation altogether.
      This is so far from wrong it is ridiculous.

      If you were to really think about this and use common sense then you would realize that if they did try this, it would be the death of their company.

      I am sure Google's CEO's realize this and are not that stupid.
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      • Profile picture of the author Marketing Fool
        Originally Posted by shane_k View Post


        It is whether or not your content is "relevant" to what your customers are searching for.
        I'm sorry, but that's just plain wrong. I've created hundreds of "relevant" content sites...both thick, thin, authority, etc...with world class content...unique, highly relevant, well written, useful, etc etc etc...

        ...and seen Google deindex them all in the blink of an eye for no reason whatsoever.

        People need to get into their heads that there is no rhyme or reason, Google will continue to do what they want, for their own reasons, to make themselves money. Period.

        So it's like I said...building *any* business based solely on organic traffic from Google is doomed to absolutely fail. Period.
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        • Profile picture of the author theultimate1
          Originally Posted by Marketing Fool View Post

          So it's like I said...building *any* business based solely on organic traffic from Google is doomed to absolutely fail. Period.
          So, what does one do when the targeted visitors for this niche/keywords are available only via rankings on Google?
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        • Profile picture of the author Bambu
          You want to take SEO advice from a poster named Marketing Fool who has had every single domain he has launched get deindexed by Google?

          Good luck with that.

          Originally Posted by Marketing Fool View Post

          I'm sorry, but that's just plain wrong. I've created hundreds of "relevant" content sites...both thick, thin, authority, etc...with world class content...unique, highly relevant, well written, useful, etc etc etc...

          ...and seen Google deindex them all in the blink of an eye for no reason whatsoever.

          People need to get into their heads that there is no rhyme or reason, Google will continue to do what they want, for their own reasons, to make themselves money. Period.

          So it's like I said...building *any* business based solely on organic traffic from Google is doomed to absolutely fail. Period.
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      • Profile picture of the author mervp
        Originally Posted by shane_k View Post


        If you were to really think about this and use common sense then you would realize that if they did try this, it would be the death of their company.

        I am sure Google's CEO's realize this and are not that stupid.
        Google's creation of a standard that primarily makes sites involved have optimal value for Adwords purposes is certainly NOT stupid, nor is it the death of their company. I suggested we merely get off our knees thinking it's about a nobler purpose for the internet community; it's about their bottom line.

        As for other posters presuming big brand sites "must be doing it better" by definition, and that's why they are ranked better, that's just absurd. Google has explicit partnerships with many of these big boy companies, so of course they will develop ranking rules that make it seem that the big sites are more "relevant" or authoritative.

        Every update or major change for a decade now, has been to the benefit of the big marketers, and disadvantaged the smaller sites, be they quality or spammy. And I have yet to see an update that punished bad content on a big brand site the same way it punishes it if it appears on a small niche site.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lightlysalted
    Interesting debate. Personally having created a high content focused site, which was ranking extremely well until recent Google updates i'm inclined to believe that Google hates niche sites
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  • Profile picture of the author Big Kahuna SEO
    I still build niche sites but my definition of "micro" has changed. I don't build any site in the last year or so that I can't produce and publish at least 25 quality articles out of the gate. After that I add to them with a goal of getting to 50. That strategy has worked well for me although it is a ton more work than the "old" days of 2 and 3 years ago. Ranked plenty of sites during those times with a single piece of content. Looking back though, not too proud of those sites and they deservedly tanked.
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  • Profile picture of the author seonutshell
    LOL? google still make money of us putting adsense on niche sites. To think google only want to rank big brand sites in the future is plain retarded. People go onto the internet not just to buy stuff, but to research, find out info, all sorts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bambu
    If you have done your keyword research and have determined you can make a positive ROI, then go for it.

    This thread is so full of fail, but what do you expect from signature droppers and people who are increasing their post count.

    A 30 page site will do just fine. Hell, I still see one page sites ranking well.

    I speak from experience. I still rank anywhere from one page to XXX page websites; even after all of the algo updates.

    What people have to understand is that nothing is forever online. You build a site, watch it take off, and like ANYTHING else in life, it will inevitably decline. It is ALL about ROI people.
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    • Profile picture of the author theultimate1
      Originally Posted by Bambu View Post

      If you have done your keyword research and have determined you can make a positive ROI, then go for it.

      This thread is so full of fail, but what do you expect from signature droppers and people who are increasing their post count.

      A 30 page site will do just fine. Hell, I still see one page sites ranking well.

      I speak from experience. I still rank anywhere from one page to XXX page websites; even after all of the algo updates.

      What people have to understand is that nothing is forever online. You build a site, watch it take off, and like ANYTHING else in life, it will inevitably decline. It is ALL about ROI people.
      Seeing the posts here, that's what I decided to do. It might be a HUGE effort, but I'm giving it a go. Let's see how it fares. I have two posts written for the site already, one published and one drafted to dripfeed tomorrow.

      Should I make it a page-wise website? or post-wise? Right now it's post-wise. The homepage will have excerpts from the latest 5 posts with "read more" at the end of each excerpt to take the reader to the entire post.
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