Do you really need to be an "expert" in your niche

82 replies
Lets use the fitness niche for an example, do you really need to be a fitness buff or have work experience in this area? Obviously a good knowledge is essential, but do you really need credentials in your niche to be successful?

I ask this because I'm 18 so don't really have any areas of expertise - any suggestions?
#expert #niche
  • Profile picture of the author timpears
    There is nothing Google don't know. How do you think these article writers do their job? They look it up on the web to write their stuff. I take the easy way out, I hire writers to do my stuff for me.

    answer to your question, no you don't have to be an expert.

    But as portlandRocks said, you can go to library and read, that will make you an expert.
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  • Profile picture of the author jenmidas
    Go deep instead of going wide.
    Going wide leads to jackass of all treads.
    1 topic/niche per week/month to produce a top notch
    47 pages of report.
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  • Profile picture of the author Romeo90
    It certainly helps to be an 'expert' or 'authority' in your niche.

    My first real success in IM came with my first eBook, and that was written on a subject that I am not only fluent in, but a subject area where I actually practice what I preach.

    I launched my eBook on a forum, and I was already established somewhat as an 'authority' - which certainly helped sales.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    You absolutely do NOT need to be an expert in your niche. There are plenty of people who instead take the route of being the trusted advisor. Look at someone like Oprah. She has made a fortune out of being nothing more than a trusted advisor. She is not an authority on things but she gets people in who are and she then recommends their products and they sell like hotcakes.

    Too many people think they have to be the expert and this is why we have so many people who try to fake it before they make it. If you aren't an expert and still want to enter a niche then you may want to be a trusted advisor or you may want to go down the route of admitting you are also a beginner and allowing people to follow your progress as you learn things and slowly become an expert yourself.

    The important thing is that whatever you choose, you don't lie. People will eventually see through it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Slickity
      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      You absolutely do NOT need to be an expert in your niche. There are plenty of people who instead take the route of being the trusted advisor. Look at someone like Oprah. She has made a fortune out of being nothing more than a trusted advisor. She is not an authority on things but she gets people in who are and she then recommends their products and they sell like hotcakes.

      Too many people think they have to be the expert and this is why we have so many people who try to fake it before they make it. If you aren't an expert and still want to enter a niche then you may want to be a trusted advisor or you may want to go down the route of admitting you are also a beginner and allowing people to follow your progress as you learn things and slowly become an expert yourself.

      The important thing is that whatever you choose, you don't lie. People will eventually see through it.
      Great post
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  • Profile picture of the author Sergio Zekanovic
    It would take me longer than 500 hours to become an expert at Pilates… which leads to the point that there’s no point in becoming an expert at something you’re not excited about and can stay excited about for some time.
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    • Profile picture of the author Greg guitar
      Originally Posted by Sergio Zekanovic View Post

      It would take me longer than 500 hours to become an expert at Pilates... which leads to the point that there's no point in becoming an expert at something you're not excited about and can stay excited about for some time.
      It depends on your definition of expert; yours seems to be based on some sort of class that earns you official credentials, but most people probably wouldn't know the difference between the title they bestow upon you, and your own made up title, and couldn't care less.

      I suspect most people have never even spent 5 minutes learning about Pilates, so to them, you are probably an expert if you've read one book, or attended a 2 hour class on it.

      Obviously you aren't going to sell books on heart surgery to world class surgeons, but you might sell lots of courses with names like "pilates for the complete idiot" to people that are searching for ways to lose weight, or reduce stress, or get stronger.

      Many of the best guitar players/teachers I have known or know of, have said they started teaching when they were teenagers, and one impressive virtuoso; the co-founder and co-developer of the curriculum of the largest guitar school in the US; Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, told me that when he was a kid, his students kept him motivated to quickly learn new things, because he was only about 2 weeks ahead of them, and had to work hard to have things to teach them.

      There is a lot to be said for starting before you feel ready (some of us never feel ready, so it's the only way to ever get started)

      The popular saying around here, "money loves speed" would seem to suggest that we start capitalizing on our knowledge long before the point when we have any third party issued credentials to hang on our walls.
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    When you think about just about any online business... what it does is offer products and/or services that help others get what they want.

    No business can exist without selling a product or service. And the reason why people buy products and services is to solve a problem, fulfill a need or desire.

    so, if you as a business owner can do that... that's all that matters.

    And you can do that by either being an expert yourself... or simply a researcher and compiler of information.

    In other words, no... you don't need to be the expert as long as you can compile the information needed.... the info that someone is looking for and will buy.

    Think of Kevin Trudeau. He was not an expert in any of the niches... he simply researched and compiled the information into one exact, compact place.

    He was a marketer... who happened to compile and package information.

    Just be careful with the claims part of it all... that's what got him in trouble.

    but what he does is what anyone can do.

    Find problems that people are looking for information and solutions... and package that info into one place that's easily accessible for the consumer.

    Presto, no need to be an expert.

    I know many, many millionaire marketers who do just this same exact thing... they research and compile info... they're not experts, per se.

    It's the marketing that will make you successful... not just the product.

    So, if you're not an expert... but you can find and compile info that will help others... you're in business.

    In fact, this same exact thing is what I teach a lot of my coaching students how to do... which is find and create a product fast, without being an expert and without writing it yourself.

    Bottom line... if you can solve problems for others, by presenting valuable info in one place... you can do just fine...
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Boardman
    Your niche could be how to get to 18. YOU ARE AN EXPERT AT THAT at least.
    There are many teenagers who are disillusioned and confused about what they want to do with their lives. You are actively seeking out Internet Marketing and looking for a niche you can get into.
    How many 18 year old people are doing that.
    Look inside yourself at what you are interested in and you will find your niche.

    Onwards and upwards to success

    Gary Boardman
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  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    A good oppty is giving marketers and companies insight on how/what to sell to your age group, say 18-25 etc.....

    You already know much more on how to market to other young people, over someone in their 30s 40s 50s etc...
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  • Profile picture of the author Willie Crawford
    I think that it depends upon how you are positioning yourself.

    If you ARE the product by virtual of people buying your "expertise"
    then YES you need to understand the topic a lot more than the
    average person.

    If you are just selling a product but not telling the world that you
    are THE expert, then no... and naturally there are many shades
    in between.

    Many people roll out products where they play "the reporter"
    role. They interview experts and compile those experts' knowledge
    into a product, positioning themselves as a go-to person for
    info within that niche, but not necessary the source of info.

    Willie
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    It depends what you mean by being "in" a niche.

    If you're talking about selling your own product to that niche, then you need to be enough of an expert to identify a problem or need or desire in the niche and be able to offer a viable solution. Just filling people's eyeballs with words that leave them no better off for having read them isn't particularly useful.

    If you're talking about promoting a product, or just writing in the niche to begin establishing yourself there, then that's fine. Nothing wrong with becoming an expert as you go. Everyone has to start somewhere.

    It's different when you take people's money though. They work hard for it. As marketers, we should work hard to create products that solve their problems or do whatever it is they are supposed to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    You absolutely do NOT need to be an expert in your niche. There are plenty of people who instead take the route of being the trusted advisor. Look at someone like Oprah. She has made a fortune out of being nothing more than a trusted advisor. She is not an authority on things but she gets people in who are and she then recommends their products and they sell like hotcakes.
    Problem with someone who knows nothing about a subject recommending products is that they will probably have no idea how good or effective the product she's recommending is.
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  • Profile picture of the author ParkerArrow
    Be a cheerleader.

    Why not take a free online fitness course like Action Certification. In a month you'll have a heck of a fitness vocabulary.

    For anyone saying it's not enough, let me just say that learning takes a lifetime. It's never enough to stop learning; but always enough to get started doing.

    I'd also recommend joining the Bodybuilding.com Personal Trainer forum. Great information network there.
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    • Profile picture of the author WillR
      Originally Posted by ParkerArrow View Post

      For anyone saying it's not enough, let me just say that learning takes a lifetime. It's never enough to stop learning; but always enough to get started doing.
      It's true. You don't need to be an expert in order to teach. All you need to do is to have more knowledge than the person you are trying to teach.

      I play the drums. I have a drum teacher who is awesome and I'd give anything to play like him. My drum teacher also has a drum teacher. And even though I am not as good as both those teachers, I also have enough skills and knowledge that I could teach beginner drummers how to get started.

      So you don't have to be an expert. What's important is that you have specific knowledge or skills that other people want.
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    You don't need to be an expert, but since you are beginning now it will be better for you to start working with things you already know and you like.

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  • Profile picture of the author kinyash
    You dont need to be an expert. There are many options around this including outsourcing the content. You just need to have a good idea that can be transformed into a business model. I have seen lots of guys churning out software or automation products without having any clue about coding themselves.
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  • You "need" to be an expert in your niche if you intend to be taken seriously by your peers and your target market. I.E. if your plan is to actually write books, do TV interviews, and stand on a world stage to present your material in your niche. Most Internet Marketers who jump into a niche without actual experience and knowledge usually won't have too many opportunities to go much further than creating an eBook or course with content that is outsourced and ghostwritten by others. From there they will be stuck as they most likely would have to decline an offer to go on Radio or TV or be a guest on a world stage in a related conference, simply because their online expert status is nothing more than a facade. (which is why you will never see 98 % of marketers preach their niche offline.) Sad really!
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    You don't necessarily have to be an expert yourself.

    You can just interview experts in the niche in various
    ways to create content and talk about strategies
    others are using.

    Rory Fatt is probably has worlds leading restaurant marketing
    courses and seminars but he's never run a restaurant in his
    life (to my knowledge).

    The main thing is that you're providing unique, high quality
    content in a niche.

    That will create loyalty in the people who follow your content.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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  • Profile picture of the author TimothyTorrents
    You will also be more successful if you look the part.

    Are you stronger or buffer than most 18 year olds? Do you have a lot of experience with working out? What about dieting?

    No one wants to hear advice from someone who does not have the experience to back it up. Would you take body building advice from an overweight person?

    Sure, you could probably make a decent amount of money just from writing blog posts and uploading pictures of famous body builders. But if you want the website to be more personal, it is better to upload a few pics of yourself or at least a detailed "About" page so people know that you know what you are talking about.

    Just my thoughts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Igor Fridrihs
    Hey,

    I get related post .

    I don't think being an expert is necessary. Look around. Most of business owners are not experts. They just hire professionals and experts to do the job for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author troy23
    It's better to have a good knowledge of the subject, otherwise you will find yourself always having to hunt for information. Also the value you give to the reader will be far better than someone who does not know what they are talking about and are out to make a quick buck.
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  • Profile picture of the author 06blawton
    To correct my earlier statement, I do have a good knowledge of the fitness niche, I'm just not "buff" or anything
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  • Profile picture of the author gonzotrucker
    Read up on it, and become an expert.
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  • Profile picture of the author T086
    No, just call yourself a guru and pretend to be better than everyone else.
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  • Profile picture of the author ClaraBr
    Banned
    I don't think you have to be an expert in a certain niche, just to put a lot of effort into your work, and your research, if you don't know much about the subject.
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    • Profile picture of the author James Clark
      To the OP. Are you part of population on this planet? Well I'm. 99.9 percent of the population go to experts when they have a problem. When you have a medical problem who do you go to? A Doctor.

      If you have a legal problem who do you go to? A lawyer. I could go on and on.

      Example: What if you were a Marriage Counselor? You don't want everyone that's married on your list. You want people who are having marriage problems and market to them.

      Example 2: If you are in the dog training niche. You don't want every dog owner on your list. How about the dog owners that are having a problem with their dog pissing on the couch instead on the grass.

      You want your Marketing Campaign to be aim at people who have problems. When you ask a question like that 10,000 people respond with expert advice. There can only be one expert at the top of the list. All you can do is guess which one makes sense to you.

      The experts have a wealth of information and knowledge but you know yourself.

      So, Test, Test, and more Testing
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  • Profile picture of the author sween
    This is a great thread. Anyway, I've often wondered who decides who's an "expert" and who's not. Many times people get labeled with the "expert" tag and you hear them speak on the topic they are supposedly an "expert" in and it's abundantly clear their real expertise lies in influencing others with less knowledge than them that they're an "expert."

    Just my thoughts.
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  • Profile picture of the author zeroaffiliate
    you don't have to be an expert in your niche to be making income out of it. Real life example is, a CEO is not a expert of his/her company, the CEO just need to manage the expert well and set direction for the company.
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    • Profile picture of the author hsbinmarket
      You are welcome firstly.

      Your belief is correct. You need clear knowledge about what you are going to do. You must not be a body builder to select Body Building item as your niche, but you need to have up to date information on body building techniques and items is well.

      The most important is your patience. You need to spend time with patience to meet the success.

      Hope u got my point.
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  • Profile picture of the author damondietz
    Most Internet marketers do suggest having a "face" to build trust etc. this face could be an expert or an advisor like someone else suggested. Someone selling the product needs to be an expert tho. So, you can bring in guest experts do content and to be the face of your product, but someone needs to be an expert.
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  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
    Expert is a relative term.

    You should start to learn as much as possible about a niche that you want to enter and then go for it full blast while continuing to learn.

    You will be a real expert very soon if you do this.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      This is a recurring topic here.

      "Do I actually have to know what I'm doing to sell stuff in [niche]"

      The short answer is no. All you need is enough naive and desperate people willing to believe you have the answer.

      The long answer is, it depends.

      If you are going to position yourself as "the man (or woman)" you need to know what you are talking about. For example, I've been fishing for over 50 years now. Even in areas I'm not an expert in, I know enough to tell if someone who claims expertise is making a legitimate claim.

      Anyone can acquire or hire enough knowledge to fill in the broad strokes. It takes expertise to command the details that prove out that expertise. The devil is in the details.

      Say you want to go deep sea fishing for grouper off the coast of Florida. You ask what kind of hook you should use. If your 'expert' says anything besides 'a non-stainless steel inline circle hook' they are steering you into breaking the law. From there, a real expert will have personal preferences regarding things like hook size, brand, weight, etc. and be able to explain why.

      If you choose to go the 'reporter' route, do as real journalists do - consume enough background info from reliable sources to both ask intelligent questions and evaluate the answers.

      As a reporter/compiler of information, you may not need to be a subject matter expert. You do need to be an expert researcher, interviewer and compiler, able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

      Same thing applies if you choose to outsource. You should have enough grounding in the subject to know a pig in a poke when someone tries to sell you one.
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      • Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        The short answer is no. All you need is enough naive and desperate people willing to believe you have the answer.
        That pretty much sums it up for those who operate strictly online. I recall several years ago when the tactic began being preached to simply outsource your eBook and become an "instant expert". (sadly this is still being done).

        You should have enough grounding in the subject to know a pig in a poke when someone tries to sell you one.
        Most don't, however they set up niche blogs in unfamiliar territory, and post outsourced articles on their blog without at times even having a slight interest in the topic. I find this an injustice to the audience. But hey, as long as they are making money right?
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

          Most don't, however they set up niche blogs in unfamiliar territory, and post outsourced articles on their blog without at times even having a slight interest in the topic. I find this an injustice to the audience. But hey, as long as they are making money right?
          I've run across many of these in my traipsing around the 'net. Some of the factual errors put forth as facts would be laugh out loud funny, except that I know there are people who believe this stuff because they don't know any better.

          Anyone with even a shadow of a clue can see through them and pass them by.

          The really sad thing is that many of these are on topics where the misinformation could result in things far worse than wasted time or squandered money. Some of these charlatans are playing with peoples' health.

          For those people, I don't think a horsewhip would qualify as 'cruel and unusual punishment.' Karma does have a way of balancing the scales, though.
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          • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
            For anyone who's not an expert but thinking of getting into a niche this video might interest you about how a website containing nothing more than curated content with a fake persona (using stock photos) made $18 million in the first year and a half.

            http://www.mindvalleyinsights.com/on...ghteen-months/

            Originally Posted by WillR View Post

            It's true. You don't need to be an expert in order to teach. All you need to do is to have more knowledge than the person you are trying to teach
            True. There's no need to know everything but if you only know slightly more than someone who knows absolutely nothing I think most people would be better of staying clear of the niche.

            Originally Posted by stoltingmediagroup View Post

            You "need" to be an expert in your niche if you intend to be taken seriously by your peers and your target market. I.E. if your plan is to actually write books, do TV interviews, and stand on a world stage to present your material in your niche. Most Internet Marketers who jump into a niche without actual experience and knowledge usually won't have too many opportunities to go much further than creating an eBook or course with content that is outsourced and ghostwritten by others. From there they will be stuck as they most likely would have to decline an offer to go on Radio or TV or be a guest on a world stage in a related conference, simply because their online expert status is nothing more than a facade. (which is why you will never see 98 % of marketers preach their niche offline.) Sad really!
            Very good point this. There's only so far you can go if you're hiding behind a persona and aren't really an expert in your niche.

            Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

            I've run across many of these in my traipsing around the 'net. Some of the factual errors put forth as facts would be laugh out loud funny, except that I know there are people who believe this stuff because they don't know any better.

            Anyone with even a shadow of a clue can see through them and pass them by.

            The really sad thing is that many of these are on topics where the misinformation could result in things far worse than wasted time or squandered money. Some of these charlatans are playing with peoples' health.

            For those people, I don't think a horsewhip would qualify as 'cruel and unusual punishment.' Karma does have a way of balancing the scales, though.
            This is why I would never get involved with the health niche. At least not anything to do with serious illnesses. You just cannot write with authority on these things unless you are trained.

            You can give your personal experiences on the subject if you suffer from it but dishing out advice and selling 'cures' is not a wise move IMO.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    I personally hate the idea that you have to be a quote unquote expert.

    What is an expert exactly?

    Life has too many variables.

    Person A might study Y subject for a week, and learn more than Person B did studying Y subject for 10 years.

    Also.. We're only humans...

    Do you think someone has such a superior command over a topic area so as to prevent you from enabling others with your contributions?

    Being a subject matter expert is a matter of opinion.

    Anyone who says otherwise is just holding you back.

    Just my $.02. (Very controversial indeed).

    Elaboration: I've never cooked pastry in my life. But I guarantee you, if I studied that topic for a week or a month, and took some significant effort learning the craft, I could then teach newbies something. Could you?
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  • Profile picture of the author aarthielumalai
    You don't have to be an expert, but you most definitely need to know more than the person who's reading your blog or buying your product. So, if you don't know about the niche, then do enough research on that niche so that you can say you know more than the average Joe who'd be interested in that niche.

    Let's take internet marketing for example. You don't need to be an expert in everything related to internet marketing; I'm sure there are very few people, most probably no one who can say that for themselves. But, if you one of the sub-niches well, for example, video marketing, then you can make money with that knowledge because you know more about that topic than more than 90% of the people who get involved in internet marketing.

    I hope you get my point. So, don't try to read up on everything in the niche. Tackle one topic or sub-niche first, read everything about it and produce your content (be it blog post or ebook or anything like that) in that topic and then go on to the next topic/sub-niche and so on.
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  • Profile picture of the author MKCookins
    As many people here have already stated...

    If you are the owner of the product, it would only be wise that you are very knowledgeable in the subject matter so people will trust you and be able to ask you questions when they need help.

    If you are just an affiliate and promoting products -- you're only job is to compile information together helping people solve a certain problem they have - then find a product that will expand on the information you gave them to further help them.
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  • Profile picture of the author funtler
    Don't you think mastering a niche is just a myth. I might be good in some strategy and someone else could be better in another strategy. Experience makes you better and you can't be perfect.
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  • Profile picture of the author datingworld
    You don't need to be expert as long as you can put yourself in right direction..
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    • Profile picture of the author mrdomains
      Most religious leaders, politicians, bank personnel and marriage counselors know a lot less about their field than they should. Many understand even less. But.. most of them are excellent marketers. Their "expertise" is superficial, but credible on account of their polished and targeted ways of delivering info.

      Owning a product, or being experienced at something does not automatically mean you will be providing useful information. In a lot of niches where we work, being good at targeting, research and conveying messages is more important that cred and expert status.

      The positives / necessities of being an expert is highly overrated... I can even see it as being counterproductive now and then. The exception would be if you try to go for the top - as in Will's example.. if you want to be the teacher's, teacher - teacher - teacher... the ultimate drummer maestro.. then you need to have a rep and be a expert to be credible.
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  • Profile picture of the author workdfitness
    I am going to say no. I know tons of people that a successful in the fitness niche and had not fitness background. They just started working out and people got inspired by what they do. This is something personal trainers are led to believe though. They are told they need to get expensive certifications to make any money but the truth is none of that matters. The normal client could care less if you are an expert and what certs you have. Instead all they care about is if you can get them results. I think this goes for any niche. If you can give someone what they want then it does not matter you background. Not only that I know one of the things you should not do is tell people how much you know. They don't care. They just want to know what you can do for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    John and Willie have got it right...you want to first pick your "voice" in the marketplace

    1. You ARE the expert
    2. You are the objective Journalist
    3. You are the case study (you used something someone else thought of to get results and now want to share it with others)
    4. You against the world...you are the voice of dissention, you go against the grain and bring all the other dissentors along with you

    The challenge you have with the journalist approach is that there is less of a barrier to entry so you will have to be really good at it for it to last

    On the other hand, being the expert (and then continuing to learn in response or with your market) or starting as a case study make you more unique.

    I like Tim Ferris' approach which starts as a case study (he tries a bunch of things in a market he wants to learn and capture quickly) and then builds his expertise out wider as he progresses in that niche.

    So - go out and try a few different programs in the fitness niche, notice what works, what doesn't, what is hard, what feels right...then share that with your niche to start with eventually moving to a practical expert on the matter. You can also interview others who have gotten results to see what they are doing.

    Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author stephanreek
    No you don't, but the more you know the easier you can write lot's of content
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  • Profile picture of the author manie187
    Hey thanks for all your advise guys, what I have been told is try and pick a niche that your 'Interested' in, which helps a lot since your research/writting about that niche. If you do something that doesn't excite your or seems boring to you, then the chances are your likely to give up.

    I've been a chef for 5 years now so think i'm going to pick a niche in 'Food' or a healthy lifestyle.

    Moral: Try and pick something you know or are good at...

    Regars,

    Manie
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    Whether you start out as an expert... or become one... the answer is yes.

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author IMDESTROYER
    Banned
    NO, just invest in writers. If you want to write everything yourself then you should really know what your talking about.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patbinc
    You don't have to be an expert but you'll want to know as much as you can about your niche if you want to make the most of your business.

    Credentials per se are also not needed, unless you want to go into employment. If you just want to be an Internet marketer working for yourself, just learn as much as you can about your niche while applying what you are learning. Most of the things you will learn on the job and you'll never know everything anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Franklin
    You don't have to be an expert in your niche. Regardless of the niche, if you feel totally unknowledgeable about the subject, researching on YouTube is a much better way to get up to speed with a niche than articles or blog posts.

    Think about the common problems/questions/concerns in the niche that you are pursuing. Jot down the information. After you do that start researching just on YouTube and you will find that you will be more actively engaged in the material by being exposed to dynamic audio/visual instead of just static visual.

    Yes, some videos won't have much substance but shortly into any video you can tell if there's substance to the content or not (Trust me, it gets easier as you do this more and more!). You will find the learning curve in any niche to be drastically smaller by taking this approach.
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  • Profile picture of the author samjaynz
    No you don't need to be an "expert" but it does help to a great extent if you market yourself as one. The more expertise you have, the better because it becomes easier to create content and serve the community.
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    • Profile picture of the author jeffvision
      No need to be an expert -- but passion + strategy a must. With that, you can fake it till you make it.
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    • Profile picture of the author JanePlaten
      Banned
      I have a feeling that every once in a while, somebody asks this question. I believe that unless you are talking about steam engines in the 19th century, you cannot yet call yourself an expert in any area because of the new discoveries being made at any waking moment. To be an authority in the niche you have chosen, you need to be in-the-know and keep your readers informed, not just re-chew all of the already existing information on the Internet.

      Start whenever you feel you have anything to say, stick to your guns, and, with some work, you will reach an expert like mode your loyal readers will respect.
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  • Profile picture of the author taxpayment1
    I wouldn't necessarily say you need to be a "expert" In your niche. I would say you just have to make it seem like you know what you're talking about. Don't put up information If you know that does not sound right. Make it obviously convincing but no I wouldn't say you need to know everything.
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    • Profile picture of the author mizesean
      My advice would be to do whatever it takes to become an expert. Why should someone learn from you, if there is someone on the next website over who knows more than you?

      Sean
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  • Profile picture of the author UnkwnUsr
    The other thing you can do is position yourself as an average person with a particular passion who is sharing their experiences. That way you can share what works but also include any bone headed mistakes that you've made. Over time as you become successful you can transition into a expert pretty easily (because you'll actually be one).
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Franklin
    One more thing....A great way to become more knowledgeable in any field is to look at the Reddit IAMA discussions. Here you will find people in every field talking about what they do and their successes. It is a great way to dig in deeper into any field. It works!
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  • Profile picture of the author smplylvn
    I don't think you have to be an expert to position yourself as one, but I do think you have to be honest. For example I'm a pretty skinny guy, it would be pretty ridiculous of me to try and make myself an expert in body building. There would be no visual credibility there, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in health and fitness. I could still start a niche site or blog or sale products to body builders by using systems and the internet. I would not try to make an exercise video.

    So I think as long as you just be honest, and really honest with yourself, you can position yourself anyway you want to be viewed.
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    • Profile picture of the author dewayneboyd
      Originally Posted by smplylvn View Post

      I don't think you have to be an expert to position yourself as one, but I do think you have to be honest. For example I'm a pretty skinny guy, it would be pretty ridiculous of me to try and make myself an expert in body building. There would be no visual credibility there, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in health and fitness. I could still start a niche site or blog or sale products to body builders by using systems and the internet. I would not try to make an exercise video.

      So I think as long as you just be honest, and really honest with yourself, you can position yourself anyway you want to be viewed.
      This simply isn't true. A skinny guy can be an expert in bodybuilding but just not have the genetics to be big, himself. This is like those people who say someone who didn't play football can't be a football announcer.
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  • Profile picture of the author Moneymaker2012
    If you are a quick learner, you can expertize in any niche when you spend enough time working on it, what you need is someone to guide you to the right strategy.
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    Call me old fashioned....but YES!
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  • Profile picture of the author dewayneboyd
    Originally Posted by 06blawton View Post

    Lets use the fitness niche for an example, do you really need to be a fitness buff or have work experience in this area? Obviously a good knowledge is essential, but do you really need credentials in your niche to be successful?

    I ask this because I'm 18 so don't really have any areas of expertise - any suggestions?
    No, you don't have to be. As you alluded to, knowledge is enough. But it never hurts to have experience. Just make sure you are providing quality information and let your visitors know you care about them.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    This thread has some impressive answers. I was sooooo expecting the "no you can make a fortune overnight being a moron" types of answers. Good to see people have evolved past that idea.

    Expertise has a lot of faces. Experts don't always have a lot of recognition in their field at first either, so if you are an expert with no name, marketing will build that name for you. As stated above, though - the journalistic approach is a very valid one, and can put you in the door to a niche without any "real" expertise. Your major talent as a journalist will be to know how to get info from the experts, and what questions to ask. Face it - it's a business, you have to know something about something.

    We've come a long way from being the "idiot with no clue makes a bundle" silliness that was rampant when IM was a new creature to tame.

    While expertise of your own isn't needed, a strong interest still should be there if you are going to do something long-term. I'm not an "expert" in my main field, but am extremely experienced and am looked on well by my crowd. I have enough knowledge that I am the go to person for advice on some things (rock and gem hunting) .......but I've developed a forum of people that are knowledgeable in their own home locations, and with some minerals, and in related fields such as lapidary.

    I've met and know a lot of scientists in earth science fields. In other words - when I don't know, I always have the expert "go to guys" to ask the hard questions when I get hit with them. I didn't have these guys around when I started. I had to build my network as I went. So I started with just a love of a hobby, and now I've been online for around 8 years, and had to completely rebuild once after being hacked and torn to shreds - down for almost 9 months - in the middle of the 8 years. When I started, nobody knew or cared who the hell Sal was. I can go anywhere in the country now and tell just about anyone in my field or a close one "Hi I'm Sal, I own rockhoundstation1 .com and they know me. I get the best of their info on their local area and sometimes a personal tour.

    So - I guess what I think are more important than actual expertise is a dedication to the field you are planning on doing a long-term business in.......and a very keen ability to network.
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    Sal
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  • Profile picture of the author wonderd
    Do you have to be an expert? No i wouldn't say so but it is a good idea to something about the niche and the product your selling.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      It seems to me that anyone who offers to sell advice or instructions on how to .....
      is setting themselves up as a defacto expert even if they are not claiming to be such.

      Some warriors who have sold WSOs, eBooks, or Videos in the field in which I have had extensive experience have clearly never had any experience and the only study they have done is probably on Google, forum posts, and other "experts' " publications.

      I have bought some, been offered review copies of others, and I have read many of the free books on my field that are given away in order to upsell expensive products or subscriptions.

      Often I see appalling mistakes, wrong advice and very obsolete information. Some of the wrong advice can be very costly for newbies who rely on it.

      Whether or not people claim to be experts, they should be ashamed of themselves for putting together such misinformation and daring to charge people for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author adelewilliams
    Banned
    From my point of view, to be an expert equals hours of hard-working and lots of information to take in. At 18, you may be good at something rather than an expert. This is the moment when you should learn the most from others around you, in order to decide what is best for you. If you want to be an expert, you have to come with a strong background and overcome other persons who are in the same niche as you.
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  • Profile picture of the author mgsmith
    Being an expert is a great plus though you can research about everything so you don't really have to worry about being knowledgeable with it.
    Signature

    Mike

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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    The thread referenced below has really, really good ideas for you for affiliate marketing in a niche. I think you can use the ideas in any niche and not just with Amazon.
    Especially the posts by LindyUk, Alexa Smith, Marco, and MYOB...

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...000-month.html

    There's some research indicating it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in
    a field: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outliers_(book) (not affiliate link) So, in that sense, you don't need to become an expert to make money, but I think you need to get on the path and become more and more knowledgeable.

    Besides marketing things related to fitness, you could become knowledgeable
    enough to develop your own product or service within the niche. Andrew's
    reference to Rory Fatt in the restaurant industry is an excellent example:
    Rory Fatt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Rory started a gourmet food delivery service,
    does consulting, and has a company called Royalty Rewards that is a marketing service.

    Another thought with fitness is to market to your age group, say 16 to 22 year olds?

    One last point I have is to become knowledgeable enough to avoid giving bad, outdated,
    and/or illegal advice. Such as giving what would be considered medical advice as you
    are not a doctor, and even then there is only so much Doctors can do on the internet. Or, giving claims that can get you trouble with the Food and Drug Admin (FDA).

    Dan
    Signature

    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author garyt
    I don't think you need to an expert in your niche if you are promoting an affiliate product, not your own product. You can ride on the authority and expert status of the product owner whom you are promoting for.

    As long as you add value in other ways - review, research, being helpful, people will like you and buy through your affiliate link.
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  • Profile picture of the author davidmcsweeney
    If you are good at research and a strong writer I would say you don't have to be an expert to begin with... however...

    I find that (assuming you are doing things the right way) even though you didn't start out as an authority on your topic, you will often become one over time. I have ran niche sites on topics that I knew nothing about to begin with and after a few months could write off the top of my head on the subject with authority as I had absorbed all that information and research. Making money and picking up new skills is a sweet combination!

    Funnily enough, fitness is a good example of this. I don't run a fitness site, but in a real world example I wanted to really build some muscle this year and hit the gym, diet/exercise accordingly. I spent hours and hours doing my own research online (there's a lot of conflicting information out there!) and now find myself speaking with (what certainly sounds like) authority down at the pub with my friends, giving them advice and using words like glycogenesis...

    In an ideal world you will write about something you are already knowledgeable/passionate about, but we don't live in an ideal world!
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  • Profile picture of the author NellyColby
    Originally Posted by 06blawton View Post

    Lets use the fitness niche for an example, do you really need to be a fitness buff or have work experience in this area? Obviously a good knowledge is essential, but do you really need credentials in your niche to be successful?

    I ask this because I'm 18 so don't really have any areas of expertise - any suggestions?
    Well, 06blawton, you don't really need to be an expert, but if you are, lucky you. There are several sources of information and the internet is the main one. But when you write something, you have to check the truthfulness of your source. Be aware that the internet is not a very safe place with respect to true information. You would better check what you find there with another source.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by adelewilliams View Post

      From my point of view, to be an expert equals hours of hard-working and lots of information to take in. At 18, you may be good at something rather than an expert. This is the moment when you should learn the most from others around you, in order to decide what is best for you. If you want to be an expert, you have to come with a strong background and overcome other persons who are in the same niche as you.
      This is a good point. While you may lack the in-depth expertise of someone with years of experience and study, you may have a more limited expertise, say, in the beginning stages of something.

      As long as you stick the areas that you know you know, while being honest with both yourself and your readers/prospects/customers about the limits of that expertise, there's no reason you can't lay a foundation you can build on.
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  • Profile picture of the author acamso
    You don't need to be an expert in a niche in order to make a profit. However, you will see more success and growth if you are in a niche that you are personally passionate about.
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  • Profile picture of the author EasySt
    Heck No you don't need to be an expert!!!

    Learn as you go, so long as you have a basic understanding, and can talk relatively well.

    I don't know squat about web design, but to a lot of local businesses in my area, I'm their go to web designer.

    I outsource the entire thing, and just handle the networking and customer service.

    Works freaking great!
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  • Profile picture of the author theimexpert
    You might have to be an expert in your niche but you need to APPEAR to be an expert in your niche. That's the key to gaining your lead's trust and ultimately generating sales.
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  • Profile picture of the author illiptic
    Originally Posted by 06blawton View Post

    Lets use the fitness niche for an example, do you really need to be a fitness buff or have work experience in this area? Obviously a good knowledge is essential, but do you really need credentials in your niche to be successful?

    I ask this because I'm 18 so don't really have any areas of expertise - any suggestions?
    Well, you definitely have to "come across" as an expert if you are not already one....and the only way to do that is to go out and and learn something about the niche and create content/copy/ect based on what you learn....thus beginning too become an expert.

    You are welcome to try it, and it certainly would help to be able to pay other people to write copy and create content....however if you are doing it all yourself, you are going to need to at least get some google consulting
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  • Profile picture of the author kevingiles
    If you want to make Boatloads of Money, then "YES!" you need to become an expert in your niche. "Average" = Broke People are willing to Pay for Value.....not for garbage (there are some exceptions.....)

    Keep in mind that being an "Expert" just means knowing MORE than your audience!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jbarros
    You don't need to be an expert. But you certainly need to know more than the people, who are teaching. Always remember to be yourself. That's what will distinguish you from the rest of the competition. Especially in niches that are super overloaded.
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  • Profile picture of the author wordpressmania
    Hmm... I think you should keep reading this forum a lot before you really start your business. Why, because you did not learn the first lesson yet.

    So what can be the first lesson?
    Answer: Be a master for your niche.

    Again Why?
    Earning money means selling something. Whether you have to write ( if you are a affiliate ) or you have to give support to your clients ( if you are a product seller ). If you are not a master over your niche, you will not be able to generate any revenue from your website or from your local clients.

    I an sorry as you may find that my answer is rude but believe me you will find that my suggestion is the best way to make good a living here. Other that this you will be frustrate within next few days or months without earning almost none.
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  • Profile picture of the author bizgrower
    btw - this is an old thread
    Signature

    "If you think you're the smartest person in the room, then you're probably in the wrong room."

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  • Profile picture of the author Danielle Murphyx
    Banned
    It's better for you, in the way that you may develop faster. But it doesn't really mean that if you are an expert in fitness you also know how to run and grow a business. So, i guess you can learn things about fitness and use them, while you are an expert in business strateies.
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