Niche-Focused Membership Sites

Niche-Focused Membership Sites

One of the most valuable true statements about finding a niche for a membership site is that you have to know your market. An idea for a site may sound good, may even be one that you are interested in; but if the market demand is poor than it will be a dead site. You have to understand what your members need in the niche you are contemplating. Will you be able to provide enough fresh content each month to address the needs they will have in that niche?

One obvious point that must be made is that the niche you decide on must be one that can be served online, if you choose a niche that can only be done strictly offline you may not find enough interest.

Samples:

Hulu unveils subscription-based service meant to bolster revenue and attract U.S. subscribers who might be unwilling to pay lofty cable fees
Netflix just passed 2 million subscribers and is worth $1.86 billion.

XM Satellite Radio reached 1 million subscribers last October, less than two years after its launch. They are projecting 2.8 million by the end of this year. Market cap: $5.2 billion.

RealNetworks reached 1 million subscribers to its content service by April 2003. Market cap: $1.1 billion.

Classmates.com had 1.6 million subscribers two years ago. (It's privately held).

American Greetings, I believe, got a million subscribers (to its $11.95 per year greeting cards subscription) in less than one year.

There are many more examples of successful subscription services. The question is, is it possible to create new ones that have the potential to generate a million subscribers, or have all the good ideas already been taken?

I'm working with two startup teams on two pretty exciting ideas, both completely unique, that might eventually generate a million customers each. (Especially if Jim Ericson gets involved!)

Subscription-based business models can be incredibly profitable once they get legs. I've been in established subscription-based businesses, and it is like printing money off a printing press


Marisol Diaz is one of the country's leading Online business implementation experts.
An Ontario Entreprenuership Award Winner and Web based business columnist,
her latest eventure is Canada Employer's Database for Int'l Professionals. An instructor, author, and public speaker, Mari Diaz speaks around the world about Online business, business websites and entrepreneurship, including recent visits to Latin America. She has been on women hispanic network, hispanic channel among many others, and her business column,Ask an Expert, appears weekly at this blog. If you would like Mari to speak to your group, help your business grow, or if you would like to sign up for his free newsletter, "Subscription Based Business Success Secrets!" please visit her website --www.hinenimedia.memberlodge.org