Last Updated on February 28, 2024
The internet is its own little universe. It started with a big bang, a glut of webpages bursting outward, filtering out through the endless void of web space. Then, from the chaos of torrents, online forums, and Angelfire fan pages, a sort of stability began to arise. Planets formed, a Facebook social media platform here, an Ebay auction site there. Out of nothingness came structure, and we currently operate within those seams of Internet reality.
But just like our own universe, the Internet continues to expand at an exponential rate, becoming larger and more complex even as previous stars (Napster) burn out. So how do you make sure that you’re anchoring your Internet business to a planet with a habitable ecosystem that will attract settlers for years to come?
It all starts with offering the user something that he or she can’t find anywhere else. Finding an unexplored niche is vital to ensuring success in the Internet universe. Savvy web entrepreneurs read between the lines of what people say to hit at that one thing that’s not being served up in the marketplace. You can do this too, but it takes some effort.
The first thing you need to have is a great attitude and a tenacious spirit. The vast universe of the internet is filled with dwarf stars and asteroid fields, web domains that never got off the ground and have gone to that great digital place in the sky. If you have an idea, follow through.
The Burden of (Un) Originality in the Galaxy
Don’t get discouraged by what’s already out there. I don’t care how original your idea for new content is: someone somewhere has already thought of it. Let’s say you’ve come up with a plan to convert socks to toaster ovens. Do a quick Google search for socks into toaster ovens and I guarantee you that with enough research you can discover someone who’s cooked up such a scheme in their basement.
The different is in implementation. New spins on old ideas are how progress is made. If your sock into toaster idea has flawless design, is affordable, and you can figure out a way to market it to the ever fickle youth demographic, you’ve got yourself a business.
In a couple weeks, a movie called “The Hunger Games” is about to hit theaters. It’s about teenagers who have to fight to the death for the amusement of the masses. Well, a couple years ago there was a Japanese movie made called “Battle Royale.” It was about teenagers fighting to the death for the amusement of the masses. And before that there was “Gladiator.” And before that there was Schwarzenegger in “The Running Man.”
Is originality dead? Of course not. But in the vastness of the universe, there’s more than one planet with rings. The premises for the properties I’ve described above might be basically identical, but it’s the follow through that counts.
That Old Standby: Never Give Up
So it goes with your new Internet business. Finding a niche isn’t enough. Utilizing that niche to foster a relationship with your target demographic, building a series of one-way and two-way links that brings new users to your site every day, and marketing yourself as a company that’s friendly to its consumers are all things that can help to ensure success. The reason the previous toaster sock person didn’t succeed isn’t because they didn’t find a niche (they did), but because they didn’t harness the resources at their disposal to maintain a viable business.
And don’t give up just because someone has already taken your sterling idea. If you’re passionate about a certain type of business, then chase after it with all you’ve got, but make that property is unique from everything else on the marketplace. Before Facebook, there was Myspace. Same concept, different techniques. Nothing you’ve thought of hasn’t been done before, but you can do it better! Heck, before Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney had Oswald the Rabbit. Due to copyright issues, Disney had to start from square one. He came back with Mickey, and the rest is history.
In the endlessness of the internet universe, there’s a lot of space junk. And even when you find a planet you think is special, chances are there’s another version on the other side of the galaxy. But if you can make that planet sustain life and harbor a dedicated user base that’s willing to spread the word, then with a little gumption, you can put your website on the orbit it needs to be on to succeed.
This analogy has gotten away from me. Goodbye.
Conclusion
This article was written by Mark Daoust. Mark is the owner of QuietLightBrokerage.com, one of the nations leading internet business brokers. Unlike many website brokers, QLB uses a hands on approach to assist buyers and sellers with navigating the complexities associated with buying or selling an online business.
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