[Gardening] Affiliate Niche Research

Affiliate Programs, Keyword Lists, and Niche Research for Gardening

As I write this post it is winter outside and not the time of year when everything will grow as bountiful in many parts of the country. Spring is around the corner and a time of year where many in areas all over the world will be getting ready to get outdoors and start tending their gardens.

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The garden niche is very broad with plenty of profit potential. Many people are becoming more and more self-aware of the need to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Being able to supply these people with all the varieties of products within this niche, will not only give you a green thumb but also a green online money making opportunity.

Before you even get started, I would take a look at the audience you plan to target. Ask yourself, WHO you want to target. WHY are they creating a garden?

Some possible audiences are:

• older folks looking to start a new hobby
• low-income families looking to save money
• “natural” enthusiasts that want to grow organic food
• someone that wants to make money at a local farmers market
• preppers ready for the apocalypse or other impending doom
• parents teaching their children a new skill
• kids self-teaching though the internet
• teachers starting a program at their school
• community gardeners

Traditional forms of gardening are seasonal, as seen by the highs and lows in the above and below graphs. One thing to take note is just how high those peaks are. This is a testament to the popularity of gardening. Regardless of being seasonal, gardening will always be a popular and profitable niche.

Another area that has become popular within the past 15 years, especially in urban areas, is that of community gardens where whole communities will receive a plot of land on a specific piece of property. This gives many people a chance to grow their own produce and in a community effort to keep the land cultivated.

Now within the past 5 years the concept of community gardening has been slightly modified to become known as co-op gardening. In a co-op, a group of people share the equal responsibility of planting and cultivating one whole piece of land instead of just their own little section of it, and then share in the harvest.

As popular as community and co-op gardening has become, indoor gardening has been growing and maintaining a strong interest among many people wanting to grow their own produce but lacking the access to outdoor land. With the use of technology, indoor gardening has come a long way and is even becoming popular for both big and small growers.

With such a broad niche as garden, it will be necessary to narrow it down to a more specific sub niche. Whether you are providing garden supplies or even just education, many will want what you have to offer. There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to a focused down niche, all of which can be quite profitable. Let us look at several of them.

• Non-GMO and heirloom vegetable seeds
• Water drip irrigation kits
• Solar powered garden lights
• Greenhouse supplies
• Garden storage boxes
• Organic fertilizer
• Composting
• Garden apparel (gloves & boots)
• Flowers, bulbs & plants
• Pots and planters
• Hydroponic gardening (fully expanded niche research post)
• Gardening training courses

Top 3 Affiliate Programs

My Thoughts

What I found with all of the affiliate programs I researched was that there was no shortage of different programs having to do with the varying aspects of gardening. Whether it be flowers, plants, vegetables, soil, fertilizers, garden structures, tools, and even education, there are many affiliate programs with better commissions than the big stores like Lowes and Home Depot.

So what I did in choosing the following programs was to look at the presentation of their websites in terms of ease of access to information. I also wanted to choose programs that embodied not just plants, flowers and vegetables, but also education and supplies. Because there are many, you shouldn’t have a problem finding more than what is listed below.

Wayside Gardens

• Signup URL: waysidegardens.com
• Focus: Perennial, roses, trees, shrubs, vines, bulbs, edibles, supplies, gifts
• Commissions: 4.5%

Comments: Since 1920 Wayside Gardens has become one of the most respected mail-order nurseries in the US, legendary for the quality of its plants and bulbs, the massive varieties, and the excellence in customer satisfaction.

Originally located in Mentor, Ohio, Wayside Gardens grew rapidly. In 1975, Wayside was bought by Park Seed Company and moved to South Carolina. Since then, the company has grown to becoming a leader in gardening today. Wayside Gardens focuses on providing unusual, high-end plants and accessories for the serious garden enthusiast.

Both the catalog and website present an extensive selection of quality container and bare-root plants, along with decorative accessories, available exclusively from Wayside Gardens. Their website was easy to browse, is chock-full of all kinds of plant life, and offers a 30 day cookie.

Gardener’s Supply Company

• Signup URL: http://www.gardeners.com/affiliate
• Focus: Garden supplies for vegetables, flowers and plants, pots and planters, gardening tools, raised garden beds, seeds, soil, composting, fertilizers, watering supplies, pest control, urban gardening supplies
• Commissions: 8%

Comments: Gardener’s Supply was founded in 1983 by a few enthusiastic gardeners. Today they are headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, serve millions of gardeners nationwide, offering everything from seed supplies and garden furniture to flower supports and garden carts.

Though their company has grown they remain an employee-owned company that is committed to providing the best garden-tested, earth-friendly products that will help customers have more fun and success in their gardens. Gardener’s Supply offers all customers who visit their store in Vermont to stroll through their 3-acre display gardens.

They will also provide local seminars and special events throughout the year. Though they give only an 8% commission and a 30 day cookie, the gardening supplies they have on their easy to use website are quite diverse with a wide variety of gardening products.

Smiling Gardener

• Signup URL: http://www.smilinggardener.com/affiliate-program
• Focus: 15 lessons on all aspects of organic gardening and growing nutrient-dense produce, books, microbial inoculants, organic pesticides, organic fertilizers
• Commissions: 15% on products & 50% on training

Comments: The Smiling Gardener website by Phil Nauta, is for organic gardeners everywhere who are growing or want to learn how to grow organic, nutrient-dense food. The training provided on this website is for people who want to go deeper into the art of organic gardening.

Phil states, “I think the main thing that differentiates this site from other sites is that I go into detail on how to build incredible soil and healthy plants. Sometimes that involves getting a bit scientific, and sometimes that involves turning your views on gardening upside down. If you’re a casual organic gardener, you’ll definitely learn a lot. If you’re serious about improving your organic gardening results, you have found the website you need to go to the next level.”

Being different than the previous affiliate programs, the Smiling Gardener website offers education in organic gardening instead of actual plants and a majority of gardening supplies. They have a 120 day cookie, and 15% for products and 50% for training.

Other Affiliate Programs

EcoTulips

• http://www.ecotulips.com/affiliate-program
• 20%
• Organic alliums, tulips, daffodils, iris, hyacinths, crocus, muscari, and deer-resistant bulbs for bees

GrowVeg

• https://www.growveg.com/affiliate
• 10% – 20% depending on products
• Software apps to help you plan your garden, growing and garden journals, how to guides

Eartheasy

• http://eartheasy.com/affiliate-program
• 10%
• Sustainable living for both inside and outside garden plants, eco planting supplies, gardening tools and accessories

Arbico Organics

• https://www.arbico-organics.com/affiliate
• 10%
• Organic growing garden supplies, heirloom non-GMO seeds, soil care products, fertilizers, natural pest and insect repellents

Garden.com

• http://www.garden.com/affiliate
• 9% – 13% based on products
• Garden and outdoor supplies such as gardening apparel, garden trellises, sheds, storage boxes, greenhouses, tools, watering supplies, garden furniture, gates, pots and planters

GrowOrganic.com

• groworganic.com
• 20% initial order & 5% re-orders
• Flowers, bulbs, vegetable seeds, fruit & nut trees, berries & vines, soil health, fertilizers, watering supplies, tools, harvesting equipment, sheds, weed & pest control, apparel, greenhouse

Dutch Gardens

• http://www.dutchgardens.com/affiliates
• 10% to 12%
• Flowers, bulbs, flowering plants, trees, shrubs, edible plants, bed planting trays, distinctive foliage, deer-resistant, collections, gift certificates

Garden Keywords Breakdown

10 Low Competition Keywords (Searches/QSR)

• sears garden equipment – 152/9
• start organic vegetable garden – 104/19
• best vegetable garden fertilizer – 110/20
• lowes garden center plants – 859/24
• toro garden tools – 64/24
• how to build a garden retaining wall – 152/26
• john deere garden tractor parts – 328/48
• best garden mulch – 320/67
• plastic garden storage boxes – 509/73
• how to build a hydroponic garden – 302/90

What’s QSR

10 High Traffic Keywords (Searches/QSR)

• better homes and gardens – 136674/213
• garden design ideas – 12554/180
• garden statues – 11245/231
• how to build a raised garden bed – 9856/210
• vegetable garden layout – 9586/155
• rattan garden furniture – 7229/197
• garden sheds for sale – 6862/138
• home depot garden center – 6661/170
• vegetable garden planner – 4698/159
• john deere garden tractors – 3952/133

Why Is This Different From Google’s Number?

Though Google’s Keyword Tool has improved in recent years, it still gives inflated (inaccurate) traffic numbers. The keyword tool I use takes data from a variety of search engines, not just Google. Remember that Bing + Yahoo own 30% of the search market.

Other Great Keywords (high traffic, low competition)

• best garden fertilizer
• raised garden beds
• garden furniture clearance
• vegetable garden drip irrigation kit
• cottage garden plants
• john deere garden tractors sale
• lowes gardening center
• how to keep cats out of your garden
• garden ideas and designs
• hydroponic herb garden kit
• garden greenhouse supplies
• black and decker garden tools
• flower garden designs
• decorative garden border fencing
• how to plant a garden
• best indoor herb garden
• vegetable garden design
• best vegetable garden mulch
• lawn garden retailers
• lowes garden center
• garden landscaping ideas
• solar garden lights
• small garden ideas
• wrought iron garden gates sale
• vegetable garden ideas
• organic vegetable garden at home

Affiliate Marketing Action Plan For Garden

There is plenty of opportunity to make some big money in this niche because there are just so many ways in which to make it. Gardening is a passion and even a lifestyle of many people the world-over. It is also a niche that requires an ongoing supply of products for those with gardens in keeping their plants healthy and growing.

What you will need to do is look at the garden niche as a whole and pick out a sub category that perhaps you can associate with or would like to learn more about. I like indoor gardening because I know that many people don’t have access to land to grow on, like those in apartments.

That could be quite profitable because it requires a bit more supplies for those who engage in it since they will be growing in pots and trays as opposed to being able to grow in the ground. Another area I am interested in, and one that applies to both indoor and outdoor gardens, is growing Non-GMO food.

According to some studies, there is evidence that GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) foodsare bad for our long-term health. Because of this, many people are looking to grow their own GMO-free produce to minimize the health risks that these altered crops are known to cause.

I personally don’t believe any of it, and am very skeptical of those that promote a non-GMO lifestyle. Sounds like hippie crap to me. But I am just one person, and the graph above does not lie. It’s popular, growing in popularity, and people are passionate about it. Passion = $$$ in the world of business.

I would start by focusing on indoor gardening since the plants will be smaller, and I would be able to take my own photos and do my own experiments in my house. As I grew the site, I would venture into outdoor gardening as well, including things like backyard chickens, and building your own raised garden beds. There are many digital products out there with blueprints on how to build different structures like chicken pens and garden beds, so that would be a big source of revenue IMO.

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Nathaniell

What's up ladies and dudes! Great to finally meet you, and I hope you enjoyed this post. My name is Nathaniell and I'm the owner of One More Cup of Coffee. I started my first online business in 2010 promoting computer software and now I help newbies start their own businesses. Sign up for my #1 recommended training course and learn how to start your business for FREE!