Think in verticals not niches and a new website
October 28, 2007
Over about the past year or so, since I started creating multiple websites the advice has always been to create a website based on a particular niche. The theory goes that it is difficult for new players to break into highly competitive markets.
I think niches are still a good way to make money, but once you have discovered a successful niche, I think you then need to start thinking in verticals. One thing that has stuck in my mind was something which Darren of Problogger.net said in an interview. The question was if he had to start again, what would he do differently if he had to start again.
He replied that he would stick to the camera or digital camera vertical. He has run various blogs on a wide variety of topics, but it seems like his camera review site, his newly launched digital photography site and of course problogger are his main areas of of interest.
If you have one successful website it is much easier to piggyback off this website to launch a new website along a similar theme or vertical. For me the Tokyo/Japan vertical has worked well for me. From my Tokyo website, I have created a Japan job site and a Japan hostel booking site, both of which are doing nicely.
After coming to China I found ChinaRant.com and thought the idea was a good one, so I launched JapanRant.com. It has only take a couple of hours to put together, but if I spend some time marketing the site, I think it could work.
I have been out of Japan for nearly a year now and was thinking perhaps there isn’t much for people to complain about there, but read how the government is getting all foreigners living there and entering the country to be finger printed.
Horie convicted
March 16, 2007
Former Livedoor President and entrepreneur, Takafumi Horie was convicted and sentenced to two and a half years jail today. I have been writing a blog on his trial and pretty surprised with the decision.
I had it in my mind that he would be released and would go on to bigger and better things. I am pretty sure it must be getting wide coverage in Japan.
First .mobi advertisement seen
December 18, 2006
While travelling on Tokyo’s circular loop train, the ‘Yamanote Line’ I saw an advertisement which featured a .mobi URL. It was interesting because I didn’t think that Japanese companies would use the .mobi extension.
The site was norikae.mobi which means to change trains in Japanese. I just checked the site on my mobile and they have various train and transportation information, including when the last train leaves. This is vital information in Tokyo where trains stop for about five hours at midnight. The site also has hotel and restaurant information.
It has given me new inspiration to start developing my own .mobi sites.
I remember reading somewhere, one of the reasons why .com domains are so successful, because every advertisement which features a .com domain is in a way promoting the .com TLD. It would be interesting to see companies promoting their .mobi URL.
Cleaning up
December 18, 2006
I have just one more day here in Japan. It has been an extremely busy couple of of weeks. I can’t wait to get my place cleaned up, of course though it is going to be very sad leaving. I have done very little on my sites. It is very difficult working on the floor!
Japanese Viral Video
November 24, 2006
I just couldn’t help not posting this. Japanese businesses are just starting to discover how they can use “viral videos” to promote their products.
This is a pretty good example:
Tsunami to hit Japan
November 15, 2006
I just turned on the news and it looks like a tsunami is going to hit Japan. Goodbye everyone! To be honest though, it doesn’t look too bad now, at least in Tokyo. Fortunately I am living on the tenth floor.
Japan has some excellent systems in place, unlike the countries that got hit in South East Asia, so the authorities are right on it.
I was busy selling one of my computers, and didn’t feel a thing.
Annual medical checkup
September 12, 2006
I had my medical checkup today, which most companies in Japan make their staff do. It is a pretty thorough examination, including drinking barium. It is anything like a milkshare as described in the above site. I didn’t even realize their could be some risks. In Japan, it is easier just go with the flow.
Thorough medical checkups are probably why Japanese have one of the longest life spans in the world, as they are able to nip any problems as they occur. Australian (males) are usually on their deathbeds before they think of visiting a doctor.
Of course there is McDonalds here, Japanese smoke and work a lot but they are fairly health conscience. If you stick to healthy Japanese foods you can do fairly well.
What I am reading:
Why I came to Japan
June 21, 2006
Reflection time. Someone left a comment on my yesterday, asking why I first came to Japan. It is something I get asked almost everyday, but here goes…
I first visited Japan on a Lions Exchange trip after I had completed my first year of university. I spent a fantastic 6 weeks in Fukuoka and traveling around Kyushu. I didn’t speak a word of Japanese at the time, or any other foreign language. The experience blew me away and left a lasting impression on me.
After I finished my second year of university, I was getting pretty bored of studying Computer Science. For many years I wanted to study architecture, but the economy had tanked and there were stories going around of people who had graduated from architecture and were driving taxis. Computers and IT seemed to have a bright future.
I put my degree on hold after my second year, saved some money for an airfare by doing some gardening and with a group of other Aussies (and a Kiwi) headed to Japan to work on a golf course as a caddy.
I tried to study Japanese pretty hard before I left, but by the time I arrived in Japan all I could say was “where is the station?” (eki wa doko desu ka?) I worked at the golf course for 9 months, doing a lot of drinking and generally just having a good time. I spent the last 3 months at a small ski-resort in Shiga prefecture.
I had no other foreigners to talk to at the ski resort, except with a Queenslander, so the Japanese started to pick up then. I got back to Australia one weekened and started at university the following Monday. By then, I was pretty hooked on Japan and took on Japanese as a minor elective. For the first time I actually looked forward going to class!
As my final year of university approached, I knew I needed to get away from computers. It is a bit of a shame because I think back now and it was mostly just the hard core programming that I didn’t enjoy. I probably would have been fine doing something database or network related. The internet at the time was still all text based.
I was fortunate enough that my Japanese lecturer helped me get a fairly lucrative teaching job not far from Tokyo. It was probably the most carefree time of my life: good salary, lots of free time, free rent, lots of holidays. My only regret now is that I wish I had of gotten into the Internet back then.
I spent three years teaching, followed by a year in China before I went back to Australia for almost 2 years. I think my family thought I was settled back after I bought an apartment in Australia, but it wasn’t long before another opportunity came up which brought me back to Tokyo.
Almost five years have now passed here in Tokyo. It is difficult to answer exactly why I like living here, but I suppose it has just become comfortable for me now. Perhaps if I had a family, Tokyo wouldn’t be so great, but as a single guy it is pretty easy living.
Saving costs of living in Japan
June 16, 2006
I know Tokyo is a relatively expensive place to live in and I pay a lot for rent, but compared to the costs I would have if I lived in Australia, in some ways it is fairly cheap.
- No car needed. Trains are so good here and parking is so expensive that there just isn’t the need. With the price of gasoline, repairs, registration and insurance, cars expenses must make up a large percentage of anyone’s budget. Also, I live close to my company so I usually ride my bike to work.
- Company pays my health insurance.
- Taxes are relatively low.
- House insurance not so important. Japan is a pretty safe country and I have never given any thought to insuring my possessions (not that I would have much to steal). Also when I moved into my apartment I got a heap of stuff for free from friends.
- Food costs are relatively low. Yes, you can buy a $100 melon in Japan, but since I am always trying to diet I don’t spend much on food.
- Internet fast and cheap. When I look at the ADSL plans in Australia, I can’t believe how slow the speeds are and how expensive it is.
Domestic travel is expensive, but international flights are fairly cheap. Movie tickets are a ridiculous 1800 yen for an adult, but an overnight DVD is just 400 yen.
Japanese apprentice fails to get off the ground
April 25, 2006
A Japanese version of the television program, ‘The Apprentice’ has failed to eventuate. One of the features of the US and UK version of the program sees contestants ending their run on the show with their boss, Donald Trump in the US version, yelling ‘You’re fired!’.
Especially after the trouble of high profile Livedoor president, Takafumi Horie getting arrested for shady dealings with his company Livedoor, company presidents in Japan are taking a low profile.
Employment in Japanese companies has traditionally been seen as a life long comittment. Only recently have people willing to change companies. Change is still somewhat slow in Japan.
Labour laws in Japan, are also very different to those in the US, where bosses don’t have the luxury to fire staff at will, without paying a hefty severance package to the employee.
