Niche Websites 
21 Comments Niche Website Development 04 – Backlinking Problems
I believe that being open and honest in all aspects of life is important. Today I share a problem that I recently encountered when trying to build backlinks to my niche website. I discussed in my last post, Niche Website Development 03, what strategies I was implementing to build some backlinks to my website.
I’ve done a little work since posting that article. However, I hit a small problem when submitting to article directories…
Ezine articles is a fantastic place to submit posts to. It’s great to contribute to such a community, especially if you’ve something unique and awesome to add. I’ve used Ezine on a number of occasions before for some of my very first blog posts. They brought me some traffic – I felt great about it.
However, using Ezine to build a backlink to my niche website is proving a little different. The difference between my niche site, and this authority-type site, is that my niche site is full of adverts of products I’m recommending to people. Here, on the other hand, isn’t. There is significantly more content here.
What has happened is my article, on winter saving tips, was unapproved for publication. There were some issues with formatting, however that’s minor.
Naturally I want to build good backlinks to my site. By good backlinks, I mean from PR4+ websites – which Ezine comfortably is!
The issue I came across, which I think everyone in this competition/duel/challenge should be aware of, is linking your articles to your niche site, and the site being dominated by adverts.
Creating a niche website
I’ve used a number of adverts on my site. My primary source of products is ClickBank – which is commonly used in internet marketing.
My initial layout featured 3 prominent adverts, bang in the middle of the fold section of my web page. In the side bar, I featured some other minor products from ClickBank, and two software packages from Amazon.
I didn’t think I’d gone too overboard, but with hindsight (a wonderful thing, might I add!), maybe, just maybe, I went a little over the top.
My proposal to change the layout, is to remove the featured products, and replace them into the sidebar. That way, the article is much more noticeable. After all – if my article is directly related to a product, then it makes good sense that the reader can enjoy reading my article, then if they wish, they can buy the recommended eBook!
What I think is important, when creating a niche website, is to focus on the user, and not the product. I think it’s a good time for me to hold my hands up and say,
I got it wrong
I’ve no shame in it either. In fact, along this challenge, I’m not the only one who has had to re-think things.
So remember – focus on READER – not the product. Maximise usability.
Hey Mark
Thanks for the transparency and the tips. This is invaluable information you are providing and helping me lots with my niche site (which is still in the womb). The good thing is when my niche site is born it will have a great start in life.
Keep rockin’ dude!
Michael
Hey Michael,
You’re welcome mate. I’m taking a new approach to mine, which I’ll write about in a future post. I am determined to make something of this. How far along are you? How are you going with keyword research etc? What’s your niche?
Mark,
even though I’m stating the obvious here
But have you tried commenting on CommentLuv-enabled blogs instead of submitting to Article Directories? It’s way faster to build links this way and way less requirements for formatting of comments 
Slava,
I’ll have to try this more often. I find getting accepted to an article directory is one thing, but competing for search results there is like ranking on Google sometimes! Thanks for sharing the tip!
That’s too bad. I think you have to be careful with not putting too many ads on niche sites.
What I try to do is to simply create a niche site with lots of informational pages and then add Adsense or Amazon. Most of the people are usually used to either one of them so it isn’t really a problem I think. And they are not as intrusive as Clickbank product ads.
Hey Julius,
Long time no see! How are you?! I have reverted to AdSense for now, and will put a few Amazon links on later.
I think with Clickbank, the products are good, but unfortunately some of the seller pages appear very scammy. I think there is still a lot of internet users who need reassured, and using Amazon or even Ebay, is wise.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Mark
Good to meet a marketer who is honest and transparent. Met so many of the others in my short time on the net. Long term I want to build mini-sites and this article is teaching me so thanks. At the moment I will continue enjoy blogging and hopefully build my authority in my small niche and also contihnue to enjoy the blogging community I am now a part of.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hey Patricia,
Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the information here.
I think it’s awesome that you’ve found a niche that you’re so passionate about. I’ve read some of your articles, and find them really very informative!
Wow I didn’t realise I had such a well respected blogger visitng my site
I’m stoked and thanks for the encouragement. Yes I am passionate and some of my readers are even trying their hand at planting lavenders….yeah.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi mark,
Product ads can be rather intrusive even in a niche site. Then you’re putting a lot of relevant content off-site in an article directory. One thing I’ve seen people do on their blogs is to put more content in their blogs and put the affiliate links in the content.
Hi Richard,
I agree – I think maybe one or two product ads that are not placed in the content itself is quite acceptable. I’ll have to try linking within the content itself. Thank you for the tip!
haha Mark, isn’t it awesome when you know such general advice but forget to apply it to your own projects? I know, I do it all the time.
It’s good that you realize this now rather than 3 months from now. Keep up the awesome work.
thanks Moon. I’ve done it too often. Reading advice, sharing advice and not USING the advice lol. Hope things are well at EIP
At least you caught the mistake you made and are working to correct it. Taking the lessons you learn and moving forward is always a great way to make progress.
Hey Dustin,
Thanks! I’m glad I submitted to the directory and they gave me such useful feedback – all too often articles are rejected and you’ve to hunt for the proverbial needle in the haystack that’s holding it back.
“So remember – focus on READER – not the product. Maximise usability.”
Only if everyone had this engraved in their brain, I wonder how much better the Internet world would be.
Have to admit though… after talking to a reader of RWT, I realized in some area’s I wasn’t following that advice oh so well. (Whoops!)
But, I made the change and I’m making improvements to build a better community.
So as you said Mark “I believe that being open and honest in all aspects of life is important.”
Keep that up!
Hey Rob,
how are you mate! I think we all fall into the same trap of focusing on product rather than the reader – it’s easy done. So long as we generally contribute all the better.
Thanks mate – loving your entrepreneurs project!
Hey Mark. I believe people are simply used to adsense, which is why it is hard to make money from. Also, ezines will reject link credits to such sites with heavy adsense because it often gets in the way of the reader. But cleaner ads like Chitika, or Amazon are more likely to be unobtrusive.
True Brandon. I think adsense can be used effectively in other markets, but anything technology related it’s not a sure thing
[...] Part 4 – Niche Website Development – Backlinking Problems [...]
Producing quality content should be the main priority. If you want to pitch products to your audience I suggest what Richard has said and put your affiliate links in your content but also list building. List building is really another main thing you should get into as long as your building a targeted list and sending them quality email content. Then and only then would I send them other targetted offers via email.
Robert