Competition Schmompetition
November 6th, 2009 | 
Author: I had someone email me today with a great question! She had finally seen how the connection between Info Product Killer and Squidoo made sense, and mentioned that she’d use lenses as a test bed to see what sold well. If she found something, she’d invest the time in a real domain of her own – great idea! But her question was whether or not I bother checking to see how many competition lenses are on Squidoo.
And the answer is…
No! When you get a domain for a topic, you don’t bat an eye if there are 700,000 competition pages, do you? In fact you might go, “Great! At least it’s not 100 million!” Yet I’ve seen people FREAK out that there are 12 lenses on a topic already, and back of the niche on Squidoo because of it – total silliness!
Most Squidoo lenses aren’t as good as yours will be. And even if they are, so what? You think you’re the only one who will have a page online about that topic? Hardly.
If you listen to Craig Kaye’s videos that he made for my customers in the membership site of IPK, he specifically talks about how he doesn’t even consider competition. Me neither. Works for me! Works for him! Will work for you, too!
If you haven’t downloaded it yet, grab the Companion Guide for IPK and Squidoo.
Tiff 
Posted in Internet Marketing
I do not have a webstie but this is an anouncement of an event taken place 2 years ago. Also I do not know where to start and which ebook is for beginners? saw your site and I am getting your emails you are a teacher by heart.
I am a visual artists and an art teacher. Do you think that selling drawings and paintings and art lessons can be possible with your techniques? how can I market this skill?
I am not a marketeer can you give me advice how to start and what kind of sites blogs lenses? can I create. Will pay you for helping me brainstorming the path.
I am able to helo my art students with no problem and I want to learn how to promote my work and SALE with your techniques. Because I need to have a way to leave the public school system. With the recession my county is short 47 millions and they are planning in cutting staff and teachers …. close schools etc….
which ebook comes first?
Thanks
Thanks
Teresa Ghiglino
202 203 0119
Hi Teresa!
Yes I know there are places you can sell arts and crafts – like Etsy.com I believe. And lessons are popular, too. I myself look for painting lessons. I like to dabble
You could create a free viral report for your opt in that show them how to draw ______ (do a search to find out what people most want to draw) – how to draw people gets 90k searches a month. Then build a list from it and have one or many short eBooks with video tutorials that teach how to draw ______ (animals, cartoons, dragons, etc).
Get a domain first – something with learntodraw or howtodraw in it. Maybe learnhowtodraw or learntodraw (probably already taken). You can use free sites like Squidoo to promote your service too but I think it’s better to position yourself as an expert with your niche on your own domain. Get Building an eBook Empire first and follow it step by step. Get your info product up and running and then go on to Squidoo etc to learn how to get traffic to your site.
Tiff
Teresa:
If you can’t get the domains Tiff suggested “incorporate YOUR NAME into the domain!” LearnToDrawWithTeresa.com or something like that. IF you choose that I would also buy another with another version of your name as Teresa is spelled more than one way. I hate to type this out here in the open, but I have no idea how to get in touch with you to tell you privately. Domains are funny… people grab them just to squat on them hoping to make money.
TIP: BRAND YOU NAME!!!
Hope this helps.
Roz
@SayItWithEcards
Tiff:
I agree about the competition. NO ONE can do it like anyone else. WE ALL have our own take on things and there is a BIG world out there!
Besides… seeing what others write, will give you ideas on how to “put YOUR OWN spin” on the subject.
Geez, people are getting up and I am just going to bed!
Roz
@SayItWithEcards
Good idea Roz!
Hi Tiff,
I see what you’re saying, but I don’t really agree. If you are a real beginner why would you put yourself in a situation where you have to compete with so many other people? There are so many topics/niches with minimal traffic. Beginners don’t necessarily make the BEST lenses (it really is a bit of an artform and there’s some learning curve to it) ~ so give yourself a head start and find something where you’re not competing for your life.
Jackie
Hi Jackie! I’m going to disagree with you (but that’s okay!).
I don’t want people wasting time in a niche they don’t really want to pursue only because it’s “easy.” A lens (or blog or eBook or anything else you promote online) is editable – that’s what makes it so great. They can get the lens started and it can evolve. Just hit edit and republish when the changes are made.
Tiff
Tiffany Schmiffany!
Just popped in to say I loved the subject line in your e-mail. Gave me a good chuckle and made me definitely open the e-mail. (Actually, I always open yours – you give great info!)
Thanks for the laugh and many thanks for all you do to help us.
Lynne
Wow, my two favorite Squidooers Tiff and Jackie on opposite sides of the fence.
I’m going to go all PC and agree with both of you:)
Tiff, sure if a person wishes to build a lense in a competitive niche without any research then by all means they should go for it. But NOT if they want to make money.
These seem to be the same folks you find on every forum including your blog, Jackie’s blog and Potpiegirl’s blog who whine and wonder why they aren’t making any sales. Any great business worth it’s salt does due diligence of some form. Lense building is no different.
Therefore, I say, if they are putzing around and want to build a lense without knowing what is out in the waters ahead then by all means do so if it’s just a hobby.
On the other hand, I enjoy and both your blog, Jackie’s and Potpiegirl.
Unless I’m missing something the success reports seem to come flowing through once folks realize they were missing the main key ingredient before they started to build lenses which is ‘research’.
For without it, I’m afraid to say they fight an uphill battle unless and this is a big unless they are a thouroughbred gifted writers like you, Jackie and PPG who will through habit and a shear gift of writing will happen to nail all of the LSI, long-tailed terms naturally for their given niche lense topic.
Which in my opinion why your lenses do so well in competitive niches without research Tiff.
Sadly, however, most won’t even come close in their content in coming up for sweet, buying keywords on their lenses and pretty much stick to a rigid, robotic, strained keyword density that will leave them missing out on seeing real profits.
Sunshine – you said, “Tiff, sure if a person wishes to build a lense in a competitive niche without any research then by all means they should go for it. But NOT if they want to make money.”
I didn’t say anything about doing it without any research. Of course they should research – but IMO the # of competing lenses should not be a factor in whether or not they go for it.
“But her question was whether or not I bother checking to see how many competition lenses are on Squidoo. And the answer is…
No! When you get a domain for a topic, you don’t bat an eye if there are 700,000 competition pages, do you? ”
Am I missing something but isn’t the answer you provided above a form of research?
The only way one would know how many other lenses there were or weren’t on a particular topic is via research, right?
Anywho, no problem Tiff. It’s all good:)
Oops, pressed the enter key too fast. Research or finding out how much competition with respect to other lenses imo, will contribute in part to not only the ability a person has to profit with their lenses but also how quick they can be ramped up and ranked in the serps.
Again, imo, your writing abilities play a large part in your success and most people aren’t as gifted and won’t appear in the serp’s for low hanging keywords in crowded, competitive lense topics the way you do.
As I stated previously gifted writers have a tendency to use related keyword terms naturally and in large supply in their writing which will lend itself to those lenses ranking really well whether they have researched a niche or not.
Ah but you were talking before about keywords – long-tail, etc. THAT is important. That’s what I thought you meant. To me, personally, looking at competition to scare yourself OUT of going into a niche is not considered research. I consider it excuse-building. Now if you’re sizing up the competition to see how much better you can build your lens, then go for it! But the emails I’m talking about are people worried because a dozen other lenses are on Squidoo – SUCH a small drop in the bucket and nothing to worry about.
And I don’t think it’s my writing skills that help me get to where I am lens-SERPs wise. I’ve seen many lenses rank top that I thought were written like shit, to be honest. They just used keywords in there. Likewise, I’ve seen some eloquently written lens content ut the lens wasn’t written with keywords in mind, so it spun its wheels and got nowhere.
I received an email sometime ago about competition, interesting to say the least
Forget the competition, 90% become an affiliate
never do anything to speak of, the other 10% market the product wrong.
So just forget the competition, market your product like you are the only one..