Comments on: There is only one niche on the Internet http://seanblanda.com/blog/newspapers/there-is-only-one-niche-on-the-internet/ A blog about all kinds of media Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:36:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ray http://seanblanda.com/blog/newspapers/there-is-only-one-niche-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Ray Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:49:25 +0000 http://seanblanda.com/blog/?p=243#comment-569 From your comments, little wonder that there are more bloggers in the world than readers (I made that up, but it is probably true - go random blogspotting and you'll get the drift). BTW there is ad technology that will de-nerd the Internet - generate ad revenues that will attract your Mom et al willy nilly. It is currently operating, but as most decision makers are either nerds or thick as bricks it will take time to get noticed. From your comments, little wonder that there are more bloggers in the world than readers (I made that up, but it is probably true – go random blogspotting and you’ll get the drift).

BTW there is ad technology that will de-nerd the Internet – generate ad revenues that will attract your Mom et al willy nilly. It is currently operating, but as most decision makers are either nerds or thick as bricks it will take time to get noticed.

]]> By: Blanda http://seanblanda.com/blog/newspapers/there-is-only-one-niche-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-547 Blanda Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:00:56 +0000 http://seanblanda.com/blog/?p=243#comment-547 <blockquote>Hi Sean, You’re mistaken. But don’t feel bad. It’s a mistake that is made by loads of people in media. </blockquote> Im sure there are farmers that check RSS feeds. But is it enough to justify a Web only publication? Judging by the success of companies like Watershed, maybe the answer is yes. Thanks for taking me to b2b school.

Hi Sean,
You’re mistaken. But don’t feel bad. It’s a mistake that is made by loads of people in media.

Im sure there are farmers that check RSS feeds. But is it enough to justify a Web only publication? Judging by the success of companies like Watershed, maybe the answer is yes.

Thanks for taking me to b2b school.

]]> By: Christopher Wink http://seanblanda.com/blog/newspapers/there-is-only-one-niche-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Christopher Wink Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:47:50 +0000 http://seanblanda.com/blog/?p=243#comment-545 Well, clearly I am no Paul Conley, but in your premise, it's not allowing for growth. In 1715, only elites were reading newspapers, no - or at least largely so. I don't think newspapers were general interest... really broadly general interest until later. Ain't nobody getting down to RSS feeds now, but I figure they ... or something like them... will be wildly more popular with your much cooler, non-Internet-obsessed friends. This Web movement is really younger than you are, and you're a baby. Small moves. JohnDeere.com/blogs is totally gonna blow up, I know it. But, I defer to my man Paul Conley. Well, clearly I am no Paul Conley, but in your premise, it’s not allowing for growth. In 1715, only elites were reading newspapers, no – or at least largely so. I don’t think newspapers were general interest… really broadly general interest until later. Ain’t nobody getting down to RSS feeds now, but I figure they … or something like them… will be wildly more popular with your much cooler, non-Internet-obsessed friends. This Web movement is really younger than you are, and you’re a baby. Small moves. JohnDeere.com/blogs is totally gonna blow up, I know it. But, I defer to my man Paul Conley.

]]> By: Paul Conley http://seanblanda.com/blog/newspapers/there-is-only-one-niche-on-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-544 Paul Conley Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:58:02 +0000 http://seanblanda.com/blog/?p=243#comment-544 Hi Sean, You're mistaken. But don't feel bad. It's a mistake that is made by loads of people in media. To start, let me say that yes, actually, farmers are subscribing to RSS feeds. In fact, farmers were one of the first markets to embrace electronic journalism. Long, long before there was a Web, there were a series of products aimed at providing pricing data and related news to the agriculture world. The best-known of these is the Data Transmission Network, known in the farming world as DTN. It's still around. Check out DTN.com. And it's not just farmers that "get" the Web. I've spent the past few years working as a consultant with trade publications as they make the move online. And as a general rule, they have done a much better job at this than have mainstream newspapers or consumer magazines. In today's world, trade publishing is generally called B2B (business to business) publishing. And there are hundreds and hundreds of profitable B2B sites on the Web. Let's look at some of the examples you picked. First, you mentioned farmers and a publication called "Fruit Growers News." I don't know that particular magazine. But I do know successful Web-only sites such as Agwired and the Perishable Pundit. The traditional, print-based publishers in the ag space are also doing pretty well online. Take a look at ThePacker.com (Vance Publishing) or Agriculure.com (Meredith Corp.) In fact, the same holds true for every niche you can think of in B2B. Let's take marketing, for example. There's a Web-only publisher (Watershed) that is making money running sites such as MarketingVox and MediaBuyerPlanner. Those sites compete against other Web-only sites such as MediaPost and the sites of traditional B2B publishers, such as Penton's Chiefmarketer.com. Or let's look at some of the big-money markets, like pharmaceuticals. There's Pharmalot, a blog by a newspaper reporter. It competes against sites from Crain (ModernHealthcare), Advanstar (BioPharmInternational.) Or how about, say, machine tools. Check out Practicalmachinist, a Web-only forum that is now owned by American Machinist, an old-time B2B publisher. The key to all of these operations is the same as the key to traditional B2B publishing -- highly targeted advertising (often white papers and other lead-gen products) and a tremendous amount of specialized editorial coverage. It's a very different world from B2C, or even from the tech-dominated world seen by looking at Technorati rankings. In B2B, the size of the audience is small by design. (In print, this is called controlled circulation.) To make money in this space you don't need a lot of readers, you need the "right" readers. So, to answer your question, it is possible to make $2,000 a month from a fruit-growing blog. It's possible to make much, much more than that. But you won't do it with AdSense. And you won't do it if you look down your nose at the market niche. If you really want to dive in deeply to the world of B2B, follow the developments at the American Society of Business Publication Editors or its international sister group, TABPI. Or, if you'll excuse the plug, take a look at my blog. B2B is my life. Thanks. Hi Sean,
You’re mistaken. But don’t feel bad. It’s a mistake that is made by loads of people in media.
To start, let me say that yes, actually, farmers are subscribing to RSS feeds. In fact, farmers were one of the first markets to embrace electronic journalism. Long, long before there was a Web, there were a series of products aimed at providing pricing data and related news to the agriculture world. The best-known of these is the Data Transmission Network, known in the farming world as DTN. It’s still around. Check out DTN.com.
And it’s not just farmers that “get” the Web.
I’ve spent the past few years working as a consultant with trade publications as they make the move online. And as a general rule, they have done a much better job at this than have mainstream newspapers or consumer magazines.
In today’s world, trade publishing is generally called B2B (business to business) publishing. And there are hundreds and hundreds of profitable B2B sites on the Web.
Let’s look at some of the examples you picked.
First, you mentioned farmers and a publication called “Fruit Growers News.” I don’t know that particular magazine. But I do know successful Web-only sites such as Agwired and the Perishable Pundit. The traditional, print-based publishers in the ag space are also doing pretty well online. Take a look at ThePacker.com (Vance Publishing) or Agriculure.com (Meredith Corp.)
In fact, the same holds true for every niche you can think of in B2B.
Let’s take marketing, for example. There’s a Web-only publisher (Watershed) that is making money running sites such as MarketingVox and MediaBuyerPlanner. Those sites compete against other Web-only sites such as MediaPost and the sites of traditional B2B publishers, such as Penton’s Chiefmarketer.com.
Or let’s look at some of the big-money markets, like pharmaceuticals. There’s Pharmalot, a blog by a newspaper reporter. It competes against sites from Crain (ModernHealthcare), Advanstar (BioPharmInternational.)
Or how about, say, machine tools. Check out Practicalmachinist, a Web-only forum that is now owned by American Machinist, an old-time B2B publisher.
The key to all of these operations is the same as the key to traditional B2B publishing — highly targeted advertising (often white papers and other lead-gen products) and a tremendous amount of specialized editorial coverage. It’s a very different world from B2C, or even from the tech-dominated world seen by looking at Technorati rankings. In B2B, the size of the audience is small by design. (In print, this is called controlled circulation.) To make money in this space you don’t need a lot of readers, you need the “right” readers.
So, to answer your question, it is possible to make $2,000 a month from a fruit-growing blog. It’s possible to make much, much more than that. But you won’t do it with AdSense. And you won’t do it if you look down your nose at the market niche.
If you really want to dive in deeply to the world of B2B, follow the developments at the American Society of Business Publication Editors or its international sister group, TABPI.
Or, if you’ll excuse the plug, take a look at my blog. B2B is my life.
Thanks.

]]>