Not Having a Plan

Many new to having their own online business jump into it without having a plan. Maybe they are just going to do it part-time to earn some extra money, so they put little thought into what the what, why, and how of their new venture. This is a mistake – a plan can help you see success a lot more quickly!

The plan does not need to be a full-blown 20-page business plan like the one needed when starting a brick-and-mortar business and applying for business loans. But it does need to layout in detail, your goal for the business, what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it. So many people treat their blog or website as a hobby and because of it, never fulfill their expectations. If you want it to be a business, you must run it like one. If you run it as a hobby, that is all it will ever be – a hobby. And while it will make some money, it won’t anywhere near approach its full potential.

By treating your new venture as a real business, you have a plan laid out with your goal and a roadmap of how you are going to get there. Then it is just a matter of building it out according to your plan. But without a plan, you are going to waste a lot of time hitting roadblocks, going back and taking a different route.

The niche is the foundation of your plan – put a lot of thought into what you’re going to blog about and the plan for content and products will follow.

A Good Plan Starts with Your Niche

Part of building that plan is researching the potential topic or niche of your blog or website. Your business will not be as successful in a niche where the audience is more limited; it also might not be as profitable if you go into a niche that is too broad as the competition might be too great.

You are better off going with a medium-density niche where there is more opportunity for success, but yet one that is not so large that you will have trouble competing. Remember that small fish in a big sea theory. While the potential may be there, it is harder to get found.

One piece of advice given to those thinking about starting a blog or website is to go with what you know. And that is true for a couple of reasons. One, you will have more of an interest in the niche; it might even be a passion of yours. If so, your enthusiasm will reflect in your blog posts and the products that you create.

Two, it will be easier to write based on your experience and knowledge of the subject. It is easier and will make your blog much more successful as you can interject personal stories and experiences into your writing. And you will not have to spend as much time researching the topic. The bottom line is it will show in your writing if you are winging it or know your subject matter.

The niche is the foundation of your plan – put a lot of thought into what you’re going to blog about and the plan for content and products will follow.

Rebecca Paciorek is an Online Business Manager specializing in assisting in the growth of your business through traditional and digital means. *I often recommend products and services that I use or that have been recommended to me by people we trust. In many cases these recommendations are accompanied by an affiliate link, which provides me with a referral commission should you click through and make a purchase.