The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Is building a content niche website in 2022 stupid?

Ywan

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
70%
Dec 3, 2018
57
40
Hi guys,

I've been reading TMF again the last few days for inspiration and came across the concept of a content system.

In my case this would be a niche website, where I publish all kinds of info texts on one topic.

I find the idea really interesting and appealing, but I wonder if this still makes sense in 2022.

For one thing, I've read countless times in recent years that text is dead and video is the future.
For another, MJ has written in TMF that success in such a model is difficult because you are dependent on high traffic and the barrier of entry is so low.

So the question I ask myself is: is building a text-based niche website in 2022 a stupid idea or does it still work?

Thanks.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Devilery

Silver Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
195%
Feb 11, 2019
280
546
"A text-based niche website in 2022" is probably a stupid idea just because it's purposeless, and thus contains little value.

"A highly competent niche expert sharing his knowledge on a hard-to-master subject with a super clear idea about who the readers are, what they struggle with, and a vision on how to "productize" his knowledge (as a course, books, etc.)" is a wonderful idea!

EDIT (to provide some value):

You probably won't have much success if you create a generic blog site, but you could have success with targeted niche content. For example, if you know everything about graphic design, talk about the trends, create tutorials, review software, and eventually, sell courses relevant to graphic designers. Or if you love hiking, review various equipment paces, trails, etc., and become an affiliate for camping & survival products.

Personal branding and niche are essential, otherwise, you will be competing with giants who spend 6 figures + monthly on traffic.
 
Last edited:

Ywan

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
70%
Dec 3, 2018
57
40
"A text-based niche website in 2022" is probably a stupid idea just because it's purposeless, and thus contains little value.

"A highly competent niche expert sharing his knowledge on a hard-to-master subject with a super clear idea about who the readers are, what they struggle with, and a vision on how to "productize" his knowledge (as a course, books, etc.)" is a wonderful idea!

EDIT (to provide some value):

You probably won't have much success if you create a generic blog site, but you could have success with targeted niche content. For example, if you know everything about graphic design, talk about the trends, create tutorials, review software, and eventually, sell courses relevant to graphic designers. Or if you love hiking, review various equipment paces, trails, etc., and become an affiliate for camping & survival products.

Personal branding and niche are essential, otherwise, you will be competing with giants who spend 6 figures + monthly on traffic.
So it comes down to picking the right niche and having a concrete strategy, if one wants to be successful in this kind of business - noted. Thanks.
 

heavy_industry

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
536%
Apr 17, 2022
1,581
8,481
You should pursue this regardless of the outcome, since there is nearly 0 cost to publishing a website.

I wouldn't count on this as "the" fastlane solution for your problems, especially if you don't plan on selling a product and are relying solely on ads revenue.


Text (written word) has marked the birth of human civilization and will be with us until the very end.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Hong_Kong

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
126%
Apr 7, 2022
215
270
You should pursue this regardless of the outcome, since there is nearly 0 cost to publishing a website.

I wouldn't count on this as "the" fastlane solution for your problems, especially if you don't plan on selling a product and are relying solely on ads revenue.


Text (written word) has marked the birth of human civilization and will be with us until the very end.
What about looking at the return on time? How do you choose how much time and funds to dedicate to a project in general?
 

heavy_industry

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
536%
Apr 17, 2022
1,581
8,481
What about looking at the return on time? How do you choose how much time and funds to dedicate to a project in general?
I believe in this case the time will be well invested. Even if the project doesn't become successful, practicing writing is going to be very beneficial.

But you're right: time is very valuable and should be use wisely.
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,494
68,506
Ireland

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
@Andy Black I hate you for tagging me because I spent 45 minutes writing this post lol.

In my case this would be a niche website, where I publish all kinds of info texts on one topic.

As long as you have a broad, lucrative topic, produce lots of good content and provide value, it'll work. People are always looking for information. And since there are new people being born everyday, there's always demand for the same topics.

I find the idea really interesting and appealing, but I wonder if this still makes sense in 2022.

And why wouldn't it? Niche media companies can do very well. People want information and advertisers want to get customers. If you have a good online publication, you'll have readers and you'll have advertisers = money.

For one thing, I've read countless times in recent years that text is dead and video is the future.

And here we are exchanging the supposedly dead text between each other. Or maybe we're dead, too and this is just a simulation of a crazy world where people still need text?

Jokes aside, there are sooooo many people who prefer text over video. Some reasons why:
  • (Well-written) Text is scannable and searchable. Video always takes way longer to "skim through" and searching for information within a video is a nightmare. It's also impossible to quickly save stuff for future reference as is the case with text where all you do is copy and paste.
  • Text is more intimate. Unless you're an actor, you'll have an easier time sharing your story and emotions in a story than on video. It's also easier to be vulnerable in text.
  • Text is less distracting. If people are on your site reading an article, they're on your site reading an article. Video is usually hosted on another platform like YouTube where you're competing with billions of other videos.
  • Text can come with images that can do a better job than video explaining a topic because they don't move and you can zoom in.
Also, video doesn't work for every topic.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking for quick information on, say, the best restaurants in Miami.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking to learn about the difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking to research and compare data and need tables, analysis, etc.

There will always be people who prefer text. Or at least, there'll be people who prefer text over video for at least a couple of decades still, until the pre-Internet generation dies out. If/when we have a full-on video-driven idiocracy, you'll be either already rich or dead.

For another, MJ has written in TMF that success in such a model is difficult because you are dependent on high traffic and the barrier of entry is so low.

The barrier of entry is IMO one of the least important of the commandments. There are billions of dollars in the content creator industry today, yet the barrier of entry doesn't exist because everyone can do it. The challenge is in doing it day in, day out, for years on end. You don't need a moat if most people won't even bother to attack your castle because it takes too much work.

As for being dependent on high traffic, in this case you exchange the difficulties of creating and selling an expensive product or service for the difficulty of getting more traffic (but having an easier "sale"). There's no right answer here. It all depends on your preferences and skills.

It's like retailers who sell cheap stuff vs retailers who sell expensive stuff. Is it really that bad to be, say, a producer of a cheap item like a kettlebell ("high traffic" model) over being a producer of a luxury mattress ("low traffic" model)?

I've never done well with "low-traffic" models. I'm good at producing a shit ton of stuff, not investing weeks or months negotiating one big deal.

I wouldn't count on this as "the" fastlane solution for your problems, especially if you don't plan on selling a product and are relying solely on ads revenue.

Tell it to a company like Future Plc which owns over 200 brands monetized by display ads (such as TechRadar or Tom's Hardware) and had net income of £66.1 million in 2021.

Or Ziff Davis, the owner of websites like AskMen, IGN, and PCMag, with net income of $401 million in 2021.

Now, I'm aware there's a difference between these companies and @Ywan starting a niche site. But you always start with one publication and then grow. These media companies are an example of the scalability of this business and prove that yes, you can go Fastlane with this.
 

heavy_industry

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
536%
Apr 17, 2022
1,581
8,481
Tell it to a company like Future Plc which owns over 200 brands monetized by display ads (such as TechRadar or Tom's Hardware) and had net income of £66.1 million in 2021.

Or Ziff Davis, the owner of websites like AskMen, IGN, and PCMag, with net income of $401 million in 2021.

Now, I'm aware there's a difference between these companies and @Ywan starting a niche site. But you always start with one publication and then grow. These media companies are an example of the scalability of this business and prove that yes, you can go Fastlane with this.
Fully agree. It is an excellent business model.

I just wouldn't rely on launching 1 small website, cross my fingers and hope to get in the fastlane.
I would launch 10.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
I just wouldn't rely on launching 1 small website, cross my fingers and hope to get in the fastlane.
I would launch 10.

You start with one, figure out how to scale one website, then apply it to other projects. Otherwise you're going to repeat the same mistakes for 10 websites.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

jdm667

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
216%
Jan 27, 2020
357
770
Boston, MA
Hi guys,

I've been reading TMF again the last few days for inspiration and came across the concept of a content system.

In my case this would be a niche website, where I publish all kinds of info texts on one topic.

I find the idea really interesting and appealing, but I wonder if this still makes sense in 2022.

For one thing, I've read countless times in recent years that text is dead and video is the future.
For another, MJ has written in TMF that success in such a model is difficult because you are dependent on high traffic and the barrier of entry is so low.

So the question I ask myself is: is building a text-based niche website in 2022 a stupid idea or does it still work?

Thanks.
I don't think text is dead. It may not be as popular as it once was, but there are still plenty of people who want to read instead of watch videos (at least sometimes).

I fall into this category myself - I can read something much faster than someone can say it on video, and I am impatient to learn, so I often read instead.

You can include pictures, tables, graphs, charts, infographics, etc. in your articles to make your content more interesting and helpful to your readers (and to "mix things up" a bit).

Also, writing out your thoughts in an organized way on a content website will help to clarify your thinking on the topic (and make you a better writer as well). It will also increase your expertise, since you will naturally be reading and learning more about the topic to produce your content as you do research.

Once you have a good article written, it will be much easier to create a good video based on that content. You basically have a video outline already (your article headings/subheadings).

To take advantage of the growth of video, you could have a YouTube channel as a companion to your content site, and embed all of your videos on your website as well.

It will be hard work, and it is a long game, but you can use this to build an audience to sell something else to later (app/software/SaaS, ebook, course, physical product, etc.).

Any ad or affiliate revenue from the content site and YouTube channel can pay your basic expenses while you work on the product you want to sell (which would be your Fastlane).
 

Ywan

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
70%
Dec 3, 2018
57
40
@Andy Black I hate you for tagging me because I spent 45 minutes writing this post lol.



As long as you have a broad, lucrative topic, produce lots of good content and provide value, it'll work. People are always looking for information. And since there are new people being born everyday, there's always demand for the same topics.



And why wouldn't it? Niche media companies can do very well. People want information and advertisers want to get customers. If you have a good online publication, you'll have readers and you'll have advertisers = money.



And here we are exchanging the supposedly dead text between each other. Or maybe we're dead, too and this is just a simulation of a crazy world where people still need text?

Jokes aside, there are sooooo many people who prefer text over video. Some reasons why:
  • (Well-written) Text is scannable and searchable. Video always takes way longer to "skim through" and searching for information within a video is a nightmare. It's also impossible to quickly save stuff for future reference as is the case with text where all you do is copy and paste.
  • Text is more intimate. Unless you're an actor, you'll have an easier time sharing your story and emotions in a story than on video. It's also easier to be vulnerable in text.
  • Text is less distracting. If people are on your site reading an article, they're on your site reading an article. Video is usually hosted on another platform like YouTube where you're competing with billions of other videos.
  • Text can come with images that can do a better job than video explaining a topic because they don't move and you can zoom in.
Also, video doesn't work for every topic.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking for quick information on, say, the best restaurants in Miami.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking to learn about the difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack.

I don't want to watch a video when I'm looking to research and compare data and need tables, analysis, etc.

There will always be people who prefer text. Or at least, there'll be people who prefer text over video for at least a couple of decades still, until the pre-Internet generation dies out. If/when we have a full-on video-driven idiocracy, you'll be either already rich or dead.



The barrier of entry is IMO one of the least important of the commandments. There are billions of dollars in the content creator industry today, yet the barrier of entry doesn't exist because everyone can do it. The challenge is in doing it day in, day out, for years on end. You don't need a moat if most people won't even bother to attack your castle because it takes too much work.

As for being dependent on high traffic, in this case you exchange the difficulties of creating and selling an expensive product or service for the difficulty of getting more traffic (but having an easier "sale"). There's no right answer here. It all depends on your preferences and skills.

It's like retailers who sell cheap stuff vs retailers who sell expensive stuff. Is it really that bad to be, say, a producer of a cheap item like a kettlebell ("high traffic" model) over being a producer of a luxury mattress ("low traffic" model)?

I've never done well with "low-traffic" models. I'm good at producing a shit ton of stuff, not investing weeks or months negotiating one big deal.



Tell it to a company like Future Plc which owns over 200 brands monetized by display ads (such as TechRadar or Tom's Hardware) and had net income of £66.1 million in 2021.

Or Ziff Davis, the owner of websites like AskMen, IGN, and PCMag, with net income of $401 million in 2021.

Now, I'm aware there's a difference between these companies and @Ywan starting a niche site. But you always start with one publication and then grow. These media companies are an example of the scalability of this business and prove that yes, you can go Fastlane with this.
Thanks for the detailed answer.
Do you have any tips on how to find a good niche to start in?
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Thanks for the detailed answer.
Do you have any tips on how to find a good niche to start in?

Lazy question. There are countless guides on that online.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Ywan

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
70%
Dec 3, 2018
57
40
Lazy question. There are countless guides on that online.
You are right. I'm sorry for asking the question in the first place.

I will look for the answer myself.

Thanks.
 

Kung Fu Steve

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
283%
Jul 8, 2008
2,718
7,697
Road Warrior
Hi guys,

I've been reading TMF again the last few days for inspiration and came across the concept of a content system.

In my case this would be a niche website, where I publish all kinds of info texts on one topic.

I find the idea really interesting and appealing, but I wonder if this still makes sense in 2022.

For one thing, I've read countless times in recent years that text is dead and video is the future.
For another, MJ has written in TMF that success in such a model is difficult because you are dependent on high traffic and the barrier of entry is so low.

So the question I ask myself is: is building a text-based niche website in 2022 a stupid idea or does it still work?

Thanks.

There happen to be several people who lurk on this forum who have multi-million dollar businesses with only text-based content and blog articles.

2 I know of are up over $10mm in annual sales... and have never been on video.

The thing about business that's so funny is that you can receive the BEST advice ever... and then there's someone who is insanely successful doing exactly the opposite of that "best advice"

If you want to do it, do it. But don't half-a$$ it.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top