Wow, this is hard.
Starting a niche site sounds fun, but there's a lot to think about.
After studying dozens of niche site builders, researching topics via AHREFs, reading long Twitter threads, listening to podcasts, and watching videos - I decided to start my first REAL niche site this past week.
Wait…what’s a “niche” site?
Niche Site (noun): A niche site is a website that focuses on a specific topic or audience rather than a broad range of subjects.1
What is your topic?
Sorry, that will have to wait for another time. Instead, I will share updates with you at the bottom of my weekly newsletter. These Full-Stack Niche Summaries will include the following:
Tools I’m using
Problems I run into (and hopefully solve!)
New resources
Time-saving hacks
To get started this week, I wanted to give you a breakdown of the structure of this new site from the ground up.
*Please note some of the links below are affiliate links - which means if you buy, I earn a commission at no extra cost. A win-win for everyone.
Server & Hosting: Site Ground
For this site, I’m excited to be using Site Ground after a conversation and recommendation from Alek Asaduryan. So far, the account setup has been a breeze and has made my “no code” skillset feel powerful!
What I love about it so far:
Jumpstart your site with WordPress in 4 minutes!
Excellent customer chat service in minutes - I’ve already used them twice.
Out-of-the-box security and speed settings
Easy to use for no-code but also FTP access available for all code
My Must-Have Plugins
Affiliate Links: Lasso
This is the second site I’ve used Lasso on - the first is NJspots.com. This plugin is a must-have if you’re looking to organize your Amazon links and great for updating them all in one place!
What I love about it:
Simple setup
Easy to change links in one place
Connects you to more affiliate programs available
Website Speed: WP Rocket
If you’re looking for speed - this is the plugin for your site. I’ve been using WP Rocket for over 6 months. Integrating with CloudFlare is a bonus, and the image squishing has been a lifesaver. I knew I would need this for my site.
I took my site speed from a Grade F to a Grade A in a week with WP Rocket!
Linking: LinkWhisper
This is the fifth site I’ve used LinkWhisper on, and I keep going back. The auto-linking option is a game changer with scaled ways to build internal and external links throughout your site.
My favorite feature? Orphaned posts/pages that need more links pointing to them. This is a great tool to inject into any site - especially an older one to help boost your links.
Website Theme & Builder: Elementor
This will be the second site I use with Elementor, but the first time I’m using it out of the box. In the other place I’ve used this, I already had an established theme, so I had to find ways to integrate them.
Using the Hello by Elementor Theme, I’m building a simple and easy-to-navigate design for the site.
SEO Plugin: SEO Yoast
This is a must-have for every site I work on. I have seen too many people try to “workaround” their place without SEO Yoast to only waste time and have headaches with their SEO setup.
I pay for Premium, so I can use the redirects when removing and changing content without the hassle. Worth the money vs. the time.
😫 A Problem, 👍 Solution, & 🎉 Win
Every week I’m going to share a problem, solution, and win I’ve had with my new niche site to help you learn a bit and hopefully help you with your projects.
😫 Problem: I’m overwhelmed - but in a good way. I realize there is a lot of work to be done, but the most important thing is writing content.
👍 Solution: I’m using Google Sheets to organize my content topics on priority, difficulty, affiliate linking, and topics.
🎉 Win: Despite my beliefs that a logo not being critical, I think I have already designed my final logo.
What do you think?
I would love to hear your thoughts about my starting week with my new site.
What other tools should I be using?
What tools do you like/dislike?
What questions do you have?
Feel free to leave your comments or questions! 👇
👩🏻🏫 What I consumed this week…
Want your publication featured? Comment below 👇
My Tweet of the Week:
via ChatGPT
Thanks so much for the shout out, and I'm glad you enjoyed my article! I love your work!