Don't "Niche Down." Do This Instead. 💰
So, you want to monetize your knowledge online but need help figuring out where to start?
Imagine this: You sit in front of your computer, and your mind goes blank. You know you're ready for change and to create an additional or new revenue stream, but you're stuck twiddling your thumbs on exactly where to start.
Instead of creating, your mind is racing.
What do I talk about?
What do people want to know?
How should I deliver my knowledge?
Sound familiar?! I've been there! It's overwhelming. I get it. But that's why we're here—taking weekly steps to create and curate a life that works for YOU.
Let's break it down into tactical exercises to help you get moving.
Now, many experts will throw around the term "niche down." But every time I encounter this term, my mind takes a massive detour, pondering the pronunciation - "Is it 'neesh' or 'nitch'?" And before I know it, I'm knee-deep in a pronunciation investigation, down a linguistic rabbit hole, exploring who says it which way. And, inevitably find myself on TikTok, engrossed in the riveting world of pugs choosing their favorite Halloween costumes. Don't ask me how one turns into the other; it just does.
So, for my attention span's sake, let's call this area of expertise your main theme. I like "theme" instead of "niche" because it's more human to me.
We are multidimensional. We aren't robots. We can take a general theme and expand, detour, and re-route it however it best suits our audience. So much of building online comes from testing, iterating, and testing again. Themes give us flexibility. A niche feels too restrictive.
So, in keeping with the theme of NOT going off-topic, let's get straight to it.
3 steps to determining your theme when beginning to monetize your knowledge:
1. Self-Discovery
Begin by taking a good look in the mirror (figuratively, of course!). List 3-5 interests that you could talk about all day and know others could learn from you. Remember, this is YOUR journey, and there's an audience for every interest. Don't restrict yourself to something mundane because you think it will be the "most professional" choice or because it's what you "should" teach.
Are you a teacher who makes exceptional lesson plans?
Are you a dentist passionate about teaching belly dancing and want to help others learn how?
Do you see where I'm going with this? You can monetize whatever your little heart desires online. It can be within your current career scope or a totally different area of passion.
When you make this list, the most important thing to ask yourself is, "Which area am I so passionate about that I'll keep showing up every day to create valuable content for my audience to learn from me?"
2. Explore The Market
Delve into the online world to identify areas with demand. You can use tools known for great keyword and topic research to help familiarize yourself with what people are searching for concerning your theme.
Tools I love:
Google Trends: This tool is free, allows you to compare keywords, and gives more insight into how people search for what you want to monetize.
Keywords Everywhere: You have to purchase credits to utilize, and it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of, but if you spend enough time learning it, the knowledge is invaluable.
TikTok: Some may think I'm crazy for this one, but others know the power of TikTok's search engine. There is no in-between here because once you understand how specific TikTok's algorithm is, you know how valuable the search data are when looking up your particular theme.
Pro Tip: Create a spreadsheet to keep track of the search terms and topics you find within them. This will be key to guiding you in your content creation. It's a fast and efficient way to decide what you'll be talking about when it comes time to format the information you will deliver online.
3. Write Your Theme Statement
Or mission statement. Or whatever you want to call it. Could you create one simplified sentence to include your theme and keep you and your audience on track with what you're talking about?
Things to think about when writing your statement:
What problem are you solving for your audience?
What is the desired outcome?
How can I keep it as simple as possible?
Remember: This is just as much a clarification of what you do for your audience as it is a reminder to reference whenever you feel stuck. So write it on a Post-it and slap it on your desk, create a computer wallpaper to see it whenever you fire up your laptop, put it in your notes app, etc. Keep it close to you so you can reference it as often as possible, and always refer back to it.
⭐️This is your content's North Star.
If I can give one vital piece of advice, do not rush this process!
I have written and re-written so many theme statements. It's taken some real work and self-reflection to nail the exact value-add I want to contribute to the worldwide interwebs! Keep workshopping until you feel confident and comfortable reciting it to a random person asking what you do.
My theme statement:
I help others monetize their knowledge online so they can create and curate a life that works for them.
Remember! Together, we are working through this process in real-time as a Download community. It's my mission to help you gain clarity and confidence to upload your creative and monetize your knowledge.
I'd love to hear the theme statements you come up with, and as always, I'm here to help in any way I can. Shoot me an email mindy@mindythomas.com
Happy creating!
-Mindy
