To the casual observer, the internet looks like it already has every topic covered. But that's certainly not the case. When you're trying to figure out what you might be able to do as a home based internet business, your first job is to find out what people are looking for on the internet, but not finding to their satisfaction. This is called finding your niche, or your place in the sea of websites and business. And while it sounds like an impossible task, this is certainly not the case when you follow this advice.

The trick with finding your niche is that you need to be as specific as possible about what you are going to sell and promote. When you choose something too big (i.e. coffee), you will definitely become lost in the shuffle of the others around you. But if you specialize more (i.e. coffee that's organic), you will address an interested audience.

What Do You Already Enjoy and Know About?

Sometimes, finding your niche is as easy as finding out what you already want to do. Let's take the example of beauty products. If you already enjoy makeup, for instance, and want to make a living out of it, it might be easy to think that you're going to get lost in the sea of beauty product sites on the web. But the intimate knowledge that you already have is actually going to work to your advantage. For example, if you like beauty products, but can't seem to find a certain kind of product ? that might be your niche to explore. Think like the customer because you are a customer too. Come up with a list of things that you shop for on in the internet and then figure out what's missing from the online market.

You might also want to create an internet based business using the skills and the training you already have ? since you're the veritable expert in what customers will want.

What are Other People Asking For?

While you can't talk to everyone on the internet, you can look to see what their saying. Just head to chat rooms that are related to the market you want to target and then look around to see what people are complaining about. You can even internet with these potential customers by becoming a regular post maker on the boards. You might also want to go to forums that address your target audience (i.e. expectant mothers if you want to sell baby clothing) and see what those people are saying. Take notes and begin to hone the focus of your business.

Multiple Markets or Just a Single Market?

If you've done your research and found several different markets in which you might be able to start your business, the next question is whether or not you want to tackle all of these markets or just attend to one. In the beginning, the best idea is to start with one market at a time to learn the 'ropes' and to find out what you need to do as a business person. You need to be able to focus all of your attention to this one market until it becomes profitable. In many cases, the specialization of one market may even be more profitable than delving into multiple markets anyway.

In the end, your niche needs to be something that addresses a problem or a concern a customer is having and that they will continue to have in later years ? that's what creates success. But there area plenty of open niches available for you ? all you need to do is pick one.