[CASimmons]

What's up YE?,

I just recently launched my website and am having troubles deciding on a niche to target.

When I first designed the site I was creating a site for my web design firm but began to explore a broader purpose for it. I want to not only promote my design firm but also am thinking of monetizing the site itself with affiliate income.

I want to offer my readers technologies that appeal to the SOHO (small office home office) markets as I'd like to appeal to the Entrepreneurial Lifestyle niche.

Any ideas on the best ways to engage this market? I've been designing websites for years but this is my first try at monetizing.

[Aletheides]

I think you should have a different website for your design firm and a different website(s) for your affiliate marketing ventures, instead of combining them.

[CASimmons]

Any particular reasons why I should separate the two? I personally am embracing the rockstar life of the freelancer.

I really have no desire to appeal to a corporate audience.

I would love to hear the pro and cons of combing the two ventures vs. keeping them separate.

P.S.: My ideal market is The Entrpreneurial Lifestyle niche.

I am currently experimenting with techniques from Tim Ferris' "The 4 Hour Work Week". Its an excellent book that explains how to generate maximum results with minimal time expense.

Party Like A Rockstar!!!

[Aletheides]

Any business site where you are catering to clients, for example a Search Engine Optimization firm, web design firm, or content creation firm, I would shy away from promoting affiliate products on. It will help you maintain your professional image, not just for corporate clients but for pretty much anyone. Your main revenue stream is going to come from the clients you generate anyway, and IMO it would be wise to keep your focus on them.

With a separate affiliate site you can promote the hell out of your affiliate offers (and rack up your sales) without having to worry about maintaining a professional image (ie being too "sales pitchy" with your offers).

The first pro I can think of to combining them would be the a combination of the link power - you wouldn't have the backlinks you build be split.

But anyway you do it I'm sure you can make it work.

I split my content creation firm and my affiliate websites. I have 13 affiliate websites but never finished my content creation website because I have been more successful focusing on my own affiliate ventures. Hopefully this will happen to you too !