Why did you choose yours?
Some people choose a niche based on what will be profitable. I disagree with this approach. I mean, I don't have an issue with people who do this (Crypto springs to mind!) but it isn't an approach I would take.
First of all, it depends on what your aim is - how do you view success? For me I just enjoy the creative process. It keeps my brain active (and keeps me out of trouble). I chose my niche purely on the things I am interested in. I have a forum about
strategy games, I'm co-founder of
this one, and I have another which is
still in the development phase and opens on Halloween. These are all things I am interested in. Things I am passionate about.
The thing about choosing a niche based on interest is that it keeps you grounded and motivated. Running a site, a forum, or any community requires constant work, and if you don’t have a genuine interest in the topic, you’ll burn out quickly. It’s easy to get excited about profit initially, but when it comes down to spending late nights working through bugs, dealing with spam, and nurturing a community, that profit motivation fades fast if there’s no actual interest holding it together.
This is one of the reasons I’m a fan of sticking with topics I know well. My niche focuses on strategy games and, more recently, horror games. I grew up with these genres, and I know the quirks, the annoyances, and what other fans want to see. Take RTS games—most people can tell if a creator or forum owner really knows the games or if they’re just in it for the clicks. Community members are pretty discerning, and if your involvement feels shallow, they’ll move on to a space where the host actually cares. It’s a similar story with horror. Even though I’m not a natural horror gamer (let’s just say my nerves aren’t exactly steel when playing), my curiosity keeps me coming back. The genre is fascinating to discuss and explore, and that’s the foundation for building a solid, loyal community.
When you’re in it for the long haul, your focus is on creating something sustainable. I know from experience that “overnight success” is largely a myth. I’ve had communities take years to gain traction, some even failing despite the effort. But each attempt teaches you something, especially when you’re building in a niche that genuinely matters to you. My goal is to build platforms where people can talk about the things they’re interested in without worrying about gimmicks or shallow content designed to reel them in and dump them. That approach may not make me a millionaire, but it’s real, and it’s something I can stand by.
Now, I’m not saying people shouldn’t make money from their communities or content. That’s not realistic—everyone has bills to pay. But there’s a difference between using your niche to make a living and building something solely because you think it’ll turn a quick profit. When your niche is something you care about, you find yourself invested in every small detail, constantly thinking of ways to improve, even if it’s just for the handful of regulars who show up every day. That connection to the content keeps things interesting for both you and your members.
So, if someone asks me why I’ve built multiple sites on strategy and horror games, the answer’s simple: because it’s what I’m genuinely into. The enjoyment, the community, and the endless new ideas keep me going. Profit may come, or it may not, but that’s never been the main focus. For me, real success is seeing a forum thread hit 50 pages of discussion or watching people engage with a post and leave thoughtful replies. If there’s profit, it’s a bonus. The real value is in knowing I’ve created spaces where others can geek out about the same things that keep me up at night.
