Choosing a niche and domain name...can my site cover multiple niches all in the one place?

Question - My initial 'block' is domain name. I have read and reread the forums and articles regarding finding niche, brainstorming and domain naming.

It has been my 'vision' (right or wrong) to have a non-specific main domain with multiple specific theme 'areas' of internal pages. I have quite a few different 'niches' that I would like to build content around.

Some are related, some not. Some fall under a larger 'niche' umbrella and others are pretty much stand alone. Right now in my Solo Build It brainstorming notebook pages I have well over 50 very specific niches that I know I can provide quite a bit of solid content for (and have monetization plans for most)

Of course, I am talking about the long haul with this. Starting out with one niche (after using Brainstorm it to determine which is the best to start with) and them adding related ones as time goes on.

Now, through all my reading in the Solo Build It forums and seeing all of the *very specific* domains like your "just-german-sheperds.com" or "Ilovelongisland" or "best_kids_toys.com" and so on - I am assuming (right or wrong) that I may be making a mistake by going with a non specific main domain?

So, I guess my questions to you are;

1. Is this a no-no-no don't do it? Got to stick with the white-chocolate-cake-recipes.com type domain name?

If that is the case, I've thought that out as well and thought perhaps I am supposed to pick one of my very specific niches in one of my umbrella categories, name the Solo Build It domain that, create the site, and then go find different hosting for each site.

2. I've not yet found the definitive answer regarding search engines and sub-pages being indexed, where the sub page is topic specific?

Although I may have a very basic understanding of them, I am still trying to grasp all the aspects of tiers, keywords, optimizing pages and the like. And don't want to start of on the wrong foot simply by domain name choice. Heelllp!!

Answer - Great question :-)

What I think your question boils down to is - "Can I build a site covering multiple niche topics under a generic domain name and still get the site to rank well at the search engines?"

In a word, maybe...;-)

Everything I've read seems to point to search engine algorithms ranking PAGES rather than SITES for relevancy when they are doing their rankings.

They then aggregate the number of similar topic pages on a site and give it extra credit if they are all on-topic or cover a similar theme, and reduce relevancy if they are all over the place.

Ken recommends building one site per topic (he would recommend that wouldn't he? He owns the company...) and it appears that your site built using this formula will tend to outrank a generic site covering multiple products or topics by choosing a specific domain name and keeping all your pages on the same topic (I.E. make it highly relevant to a person seeking information about that topic, say 'dogs').

By going too broad and having lots of different topics under the same umbrella, you might confuse the search engines and rank well for nothing :-(

I have several students and clients who are using a demographic filter and focusing their marketing and websites towards that niche.

Rather than going too broad on topics (by selling baby products, car products, baking products, etc. all from the one site) because you'll have difficulty in getting any of your pages to rank well, you could provide all of these sorts of products, but provide them to a specific demographic market.

For example, baby products for single mothers, car products for single mothers, baking products for single mothers, etc.

Just put the single mothers keyword into every tier two and three URL followed by the rest of the keyword.

Say your site is www.singlemomshelper.com your baby products page would be called something like www.singlemomshelper.com/single-moms-baby-products.html

Your baking product page would be called www.singlemomshelper.com/single-moms-baking-ideas.html and your car products page would be www.singlemomshelper.com/single-moms-great-car-ideas.html

This way, every page is on topic, but you can sell a vast range of products and services to them, from pet Aardvarks to Zulu paintings, and everything in between, just by putting the single-moms- before the keyword.

Plus remember, search engines and creating on topic pages are only a small part of the traffic generation mix.

We'll be submitting articles, exchanging links, paying for traffic...all sorts of things to get the visitors flowing.

You can build a global business just writing and submitting articles to directories and make a fortune with this one strategy :-)

Bottom line?

If you are going to stick with selling all sorts of products and services in unrelated niche markets, focus on a demographic or you'll never get your site to rank well for anything (and it still could be difficult even using this strategy in the short term :-(

For example, maybe focus on military personal, single moms or dads, new moms, retirees, ipod owners, whatever, and offer them multiple products and services through your website and most importantly your ezine.

Choose a demographic, target them for one product category, and see what happens.

I think you need a demographic specific domain name though to help your rankings and tell your visitors what you're all about.

Second, build several sites covering your different niche markets and keep them on topic and specific.

Finally, build a diversified site like I'm doing at my new site at www.hobbyandlifestyle.com but tightly focus the articles into separate topics with lots of content in each one and incoming links targeting keywords for that topic.

To help with niche selection, download the 'Finding Your Profitable Niche' eBook that comes with your coaching course if you haven't done so already. To grab your copy, 'Right click' here and save the file to your computer.

Hope this helps.