I have been thinking a lot recently about vertical markets and niche marketing and get the feeling I have not been niche enough. More and more, the websites I am seeing success with are the ones with complete focus.

It’s almost as if I have been saying this is the way to do it, but not practicing what I preach. But the good stuff is very good:

• This website is doing amazing for our Escape client  – Magic Mitre – one product.
• As has Projector Lamp Experts with pay-per click – a niche market.
• Then there is the villa in Pervolia website – finally taking hold after two years offering a specific vacation destination.
• Finally, there is Basingstoke Business News, a personal project that is getting local (and global) attention for the right reasons.

Basingstoke Business News takes minimal effort to maintain, but the medium-to-long term value will show growth, especially if I can develop the site. Of course, I have the luxury of not having to make money from it, but that is a point in itself.  I offer what many local people want in terms of what I do in my day job (I build websites). Is it the fact that I offer business news for free (people can get that diluted from anywhere on the web), or that if I bring it together and add value, I get attention. Oh, by the way, I can help you market your business online.

The point is, the more the web gets diluted, the more people will want specifics, hence the popularity of The Long Tail I guess. It used to be that you could get attention on-line – and you still can. But, is it for the right thing and is there any gold at the end of that particular rainbow?