February 18, 2008
In this video, we will learn a quick way to determine the main categories for your Niche Store. At this point, we are going to base this structure on what is currently selling! We will optimize our categories with highly targeted products in a future segment.
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16 Responses to “Build a Niche Store Empire - Determining your Main Categories”
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[…] Determining the Basics of your Main Categories Keyword and long tail phrase research for search optimization of the main categories in your first store. […]
Wow! Generally I don’t care much for videos because they hog the resources on my laptop (thus requiring rebooting if I watch too much video) and because they can be difficult to find the must-watch part if you need to refer back to something.
But this one really nailed it for me and if you wrote this out in your detailed series of several months ago, I didn’t get it by just reading it. While seeing something can be useful, I think just as valuable is the explanations that go along with what you see.
How you chose your category numbers is right on target. The last store I built, I spent so much time deleting irrelevant stuff because I started with a main category! This method would have seriously cut down on the set-up time.
And I learned so much about Terapeak! I’ve done a lot of research there already but I didn’t realize how detailed the free version actually was. I never thought about continuing to delve deeper into categories to find sub-categories. This would help a lot in deciding on whether to go after a niche in the first place also. My Terapeak research up until this point had been very surface (and somewhat misleading, I’m sure).
Well, I’m off to choose my categories and start the general building while waiting on the next video. Thanks!
Cindy
[…] Build a Niche Store Empire - Determining your Main Categories […]
Well drats!!! Foiled again.
I am on dialup so these videos are not going to work for me. And many others, I suspect. I have tried to view them for two days but its impossible.
Do you have any plans for text lessons? Please don’t leave us out.
Sissy
Hi, I have just set up my BANS, and now I’m editting the category. Would you mind to visit my website? I have some questions :
I’m currently editting the categories for LCD Flat Screen Panel TV, so in this category, there will be a sub category called shop LCD TV by brand and shop LCD TV by size. And inside these sub category, there will be other sub sub categories. In your opinion, do you think that the categorizing too *DEEP* ?
I have tried to put the brands and sizes directly under LCD Flast Screen Panel TV, but it will make the category extremely long, and I still need to work on plasma tv too. What should I do?
Thanks
Rick
@ Rick -
At this point… I wouldn’t about your categories being deep. We are actually going to skip the subcategory or product pages today and tomorrow and do something else to start getting our stores indexed after we get our MAIN categories in place.
For the main categories - you want 10-20 common sense categories. If you cannot find enough, head on over to wordtracker or another keyword research tool and look for terms you may not have discovered yet.
I will be producing a video this afternoon, and use your niche as an example.
Mark
[…] Designate eBay category (or categories) for your new store (Second Video) […]
Darn you! Now I have to go back and redo my store! :)
This information is EXCELLENT and I wish I had it when I was setting up my stores in the first place.
Bravo! I can’t wait for the rest of the series!
Hiya Again Mark
I am struggling with this part of the process.
My site will be about binoculars, but as far as i can see their is only one category for this on ebay uk.
Should I be looking for a creative way of breaking down the different brands and magnifications and such.
rouble with doing it by brand though is that the companies also make cameras and other things.
my brain hurts
@ Paul -
That is exactly what you want to do… I have a video scheduled for later today that discusses exactly what to do when you are working from one main category.
Keyphrase research… expand on products within your niche.
Video to be posted late today.
Mark
Thanks Mark that is fantastic, I spent way too long on the PC yesterday, and was stressing myself out, and consequently getting myself tied in knots with what I had too do.
I thought this BANS addiction wasn’t true but I can see it is now!
Thankyou very much for your time.
Hiya Mark
Still working on the categories.
What I have done so far is go to ebay.co.uk and looked at what categories contain binoculars. I then loaded these into the BANS software.
I then had long menus, so I turned off everything except the main categories.
Is this the right way to go?
I can’t see how key phrases can help me with my category choices really, because if binoculars don’t show up in the search results on ebay, then they just aren’t there.
Hoping that is clear enough.
Thanks very much.
@ Paul -
I actually have a niche store already on this same market…
Regarding the keyword research… Do you use the google toolbar? If so, just type the word “Binocular” into the toolbar search box…. Do you see the list of words that pops up as suggested search phrases? THOSE are the terms people are searching for the internet for…
You first category, “Binoculars & Telescopes” has more than 533 other pages in the google index already… with the EXACT keyphrases and the EXACT onpage information from other BANS users…
This means your site is starting out 534th…. Ask yourself, Why would a search engine promote MY site over these others, when in reality, they are identical….
This is a very good niche… but you have to take the time to make it unique!
Mark
I understand, keep the categories, just use different words so people find them.
Great information, thatnkyou for taking time from your day to explain things.
Paul
PS Does your binoculars site have a canine connection at all?
I’d first like to say that this site is an absolute dream for a newbie like myself!
Secend, I am having a bit of touble when setting up my catagories. I am building a niche store that uses ebay motors. When I go to view the catagory numbers, it only show the number of items. Even if I select the ‘Show catagory Numbers”, it doesn’t change. Do I have to do something different with eBay motors?
Thank you
LC