Savvy publishers understand what their audience wants. So, they try their best to deliver the content that readers are looking for. Often, this means keeping up with the times. Publishers are always on the lookout for the latest trends based on searches and sales. After all, there is no point in publishing content that readers are not interested in.
Then, there are publishers that specialize in specific areas. These areas are not meant to have a cross-cutting appeal. Instead, these specialized areas cater to a reduced group of readers. These specialized areas are called “niches.” Therefore, a niche is highly desirable when writers and publishers have very specific expertise that fills a gap in the marketplace.
In this article, we are going to explore three ways in which you can understand the difference between the use of keywords and niches to provide the highest possible visibility for your books and overall content.
Keywords Are Based on Popularity, Niches Are Based on Expertise
Keywords are a reflection of trends. As such, they reveal what most readers are looking for. Amazon facilitates things for you. When you go to the books section, you will automatically get suggestions. There are two types of suggestions. The first is based on your search results, and the second is based on the most popular books at the moment.
On Google, you can search for the best-selling books at the moment. This search will display the most popular books at the moment. Now, all you need to do is focus on the titles. There, you will see the keywords in use. From here, you can deduce the topics and genres readers are looking for at the moment.
Niche publications are based on expertise. Whether they are fiction or non-fiction, niche publications are based on your knowledge of the topic. Thus, your entire use of keywords must reflect these topics. For instance, if your niche is “medieval legends” you need to ensure your title and metadata contain these keywords as much as possible.
Keywords Help Profitability, Niches Help Popularity
Niche publications generally help authors and publishers position themselves in their specific market. This is important to note as niche publishers are focused more on long-term growth than short-term gains. Ideally, specific niches give publishers a dedicated group of readers.
Publishing based on keywords enables short-term profitability. When publishers are focused on giving readers what they want, sales are high, but they gradually decline. Then, the next wave of publications needs to continue building the momentum based on what readers are currently into.
Keywords Require Volume, Niches Require Consistency
When you seek to publish based on keywords, you need to publish as much content as possible. Doing so helps you capitalize on the momentum. As such, you increase your potential for profit the more you publish. Granted, most of your profit will come in a loud bang. Then, you can move on to the next trend.
When you seek to take advantage of a niche, you need to publish consistently. It doesn’t matter the precise timeframe. All you need is to ensure that you publish regularly. That way, your readers will come to expect content from you at specified intervals. Ultimately, this will help you position your content more effectively.
