In part two of my two-part project/series on maximizing niche topics we’re going to take the topic of Movies. That’s it! Simply Movies — or is it ’simply movies?’

Movies happens to be one of those topics that if you jump in, you better be serving up something super hot and super FRESH! Because the competition is broad GY-nor-mous!

The topic ‘movie’ alone generated well over 2 Million searches in a single month. So you can only imagine what your competition is going to be.

Some various sub-niche topics you could touch on might be:

* Reading ‘the book’ just before watching the movie and doing a comparison.

* Remakes versus originals

* Highlight actors starting in specific movies/roles

* Actor discussion – Bio’s, personal life versus movie life

* Movie Theater News – there are a ton of old old movie theaters in my area alone that are still open for business. It might be fun to explore movie theaters around the country/world.

* Movie Snacks and the companies who make them (I’d be happy to sample and review them for ya)

* Invite readers to submit photos of theaters near them – hold a contest

* New on DVD

* Feature Classic Movies and discuss

* Highlight memorabilia for sale on Amazon or eBay

* I heard a ‘blind’ critic the other day. It’s quite fascinating the take he has on movies versus the ’seeing’ critic. Heck of a niche to expand on.

* Movie Download

* Drive-in theaters

* Red Carpet Reviews

* Award Shows – Golden Globe, Emmy, Oscar, etc.

* Home Movie Equipment – New and Antique

* Home Video – YouTube – etc.

* On location – news from behind the scenes

I’m sure there’s much I’ve missed — so if you happen to have additional suggestions to throw in the ring, please do.

Blogging may not be ‘rocket science,’ but it is does require a bit of Fortune Telling!

Step into my parlor whilst I explain…Won’t you?

Fortune-telling, by definition is the practice of predicting the future, usually of an individual, through mystical or supernatural means.

I said it was similar, NOT an exact!

You don’t have to rush out and have business cards made up declaring yourself a Madame or Swami.

When it comes to blogging, you have to possess the ability to ‘think outside the box’ and predict what your future visitors will be looking for based on the topic you’ve chosen to write about.

Just to have a little fun peering inside my own little blogging crystal ball, I called on four friends to throw a single topic back at me. Purely by pulling the first thing that came into their minds and sending it to me.

From those single topics, I am going to share with you, ideas of just how broad a single topic can become if you simply look into the future (and yesteryear – whichever the case may be) at all the possibilities.

The first topic that came in via my request was “The 80’s”

The 80’s lasted for ten whole years (Doh!) so surely there’s 10 years worth of content anyone can drudge up, right?

Honestly, this is a great topic because in one month alone, 80’s and various searches containing 80’s generated over 500,000 searches.

Quite a little niche huh?

Some topic directions I would consider are:

Movies – sub-feature the main actors and their bio’s

Actors – then and now

Music

Video

Fashion

Hairstyles (did you know there are whole websites dedicated to the mullet?)

Cartoons

Biggest Hair

Hot weddings and divorces (remember, the royal wedding of 81?)

Who was born? Who died?

Books (Girls, you remember Ralph? — “Forever” by Judy Blume?)

Politics (Jelly Bellies were made famous during the 80’s through politics)

Small towns making big news

80’s toys (I still have my Charlie’s Angels dolls)

Auto Industry – best and worst cars – which did you own? (Shov-ette – nuff said)

Travel

Feature items from the 80’s that are selling on eBay or Amazon

Role Play – take yourself back in a time machine and write a letter then to yourself today

One hit wonders – what became of them? (Soda Pop Rock) Oh and I wrecked my Chevette jammin’ to Carmacamilion! It’s so true!

Big Hair Bands – do they still have hair?

80’s tee shirts

Televisions shows and cast

Video games, then and now – I always did love Megamania

80’s Theme Parties – discussion, items and where to purchase

A look back at proms

Make-up trends – What were we thinking?

Time Machine Features

Laws and how they’ve changed – are we more safe today?

Did I forget anything? How many of you can think of other topics that fall into the category of “The 80’s” that might give a whole new direction of thought?

I’ve got a few more topics coming up, so check back and see how much fun we can have with those topics!

Do you have a topic you’d like to explore? Either drop the topic in the comment section of this post or contact me via email for a private ‘niche’ consultation.

Years ago, I remember reading a great little tip from my friend Char on alternatives to placing Google Ads on the front page of a multi-topic blog. That post is no longer available, but I’ve never forgotten the lesson I walked away with.

One comment stood out and really stuck with me – while not verbatim, the comment was something like:

Keeping ads off the front page gives people who hate ads a chance to read your front page without leaving instantly, and if they like the content they may stay anyway.

Granted, as a former waitress and bartender — I know those people are out there and most likely they’re the ones that leave a $2.00 tip on an $80.00 tab.

For the longest time I took advantage of the enormous amount of information the internet provided. I’m constantly amazed that at the end of my fingertips I have an endless supply of helpful advice, tips and support and I acted as if they were all just whipping this information out, hand-over-fist, JUST FOR ME!

It wasn’t until I began working from home, developing my own sites and blogs and supporting my family with the money I make from these efforts, that I truly began to APPRECIATE other webmasters and bloggers for the amazing amount of time and energy they put into bringing their valuable resources to the web.

I think it’s easy to tell when someone takes their work online seriously and I’d hate to think that the $2.00 tipper is benefiting from the efforts of my favorite bloggers and webmasters only to go on badmouthing them for the “ADS” that appear on their sites.

I always try to make it a habit to visit the SPONSORS of the blogs I SUBSCRIBE to as a way of leaving an appropriate tip for the services they are providing. And even more, if I’m looking to make a purchase online – I purposely seek out affiliate links of friends to make my purchase through. My thoughts are – I’m not losing anything by clicking their links and if someone can make a few bucks off my purchase, Why NOT?

Maybe it’s the waitress/bartender in me from years ago!

My Question for YOU:

I am curious though as to how some of you feel about ads on websites? Do you visit your favorite bloggers sponsors? Do you utilize their links to sign up under them for programs that you enroll in?

What are some of the efforts you make to keep your favorite bloggers blogging by supporting their efforts?

Blogs are not your dad’s media and bloggers are not traditional journalists. Unless of course there happens to be one who decided to pick up on the trend. But being a journalist is in no way a requirement.

There aren’t very many wrong ways to blog wrong aside from legal acts like stealing content from someone else or verbally attacking a business or someone.

If you wish to be taken seriously as a blogger you’ll want to consider the following:

1. Goals & Value – Are you blogging to educate, inform, entertain or deliver some value? Keep in mind, blogs that help solve real problems do quite well.
2. Facts Matter – If you’re stating opinions, emphasize they are your opinions. If you’re stating facts, cite them. If this is your blog, your readers are going to appreciate your opinion, so I try to get in the habit of sticking to opinions.
3. Defamation – It’s wrong and can sometimes get you in big trouble.
4. Be Brief – No one wants to wade through miles of post to get to the point.
5. Link Up – When you mention a site or article that has a link it’s simply good manners to provide a link to that site. It’s good manners, it’s how the internet works and linking only to yourself isn’t a very good reputation to have.
6. Disclosure – If you’re blogging or writing a post to make money or if you have a working relationship with an organization that you’re writing about disclose that information to your reader. I have a blanket disclosure policy on my blog that lets my readers know in some cases, I earn money through my links.

Take time to review your blog and answer the following questions:

• Review your work every week or so. Is your writing and message improving?
• Review your work every month or so. Are you becoming redundant?
• Compare your work to others in your niche. What can you do to improve?
• Why are you posting what you’re posting? Do you have a goal?
• Is what you’re writing worth the time of your reader? How can improve? Should you shift gears?
• What more you could be doing with your blog to add value?

Have I overlooked anything? What else do you think bloggers can do if they wish to be taken seriously? What efforts do you personally make to ensure your readers are getting the best value from your blog?