WikiLeaks is all in the news nowadays and the Philippines was not excempted on its
released of hundreds of thousands of classified documents.The site’s secret-document dumps have spawned contentious political debates, international nail-biting, and near-daily headlines.

In a story in Inc.com, all that buzz has been a boon for small business. Hundreds of online pop-ups have emerged, peddling their Wiki-wares to the site’s band of loyal followers. Many see the site as purely political; others see it as purely profitable.

Since WikiLeaks hit the headlines, vendors have been uploading new Assange- and state-secrets-themed products daily to Zazzle.com, an e-commerce site based in San Jose, California. Products on the site, which is an open marketplace for designers and small businesses, range from the fairly traditional (buttons, T-shirts, sweatshirts) to the downright droll (dog sweaters, onesies, skateboards).

It stands to reason, then, that WikiLeaks-related websites—some legitimate content hubs, some little more than an attempt to generate ad revenue from URL typos—have also been an inevitable product of recent media attention.

“In the past few months, we’ve started seeing an increase in the number of domain names with the word ‘wiki’ and ‘leaks’ in them,” says Adelman. The site, which claims to register a domain name every second of every day is also hosting about 10 auctions right now for WikiLeaks-themed domains, with an average starting bid of around $5,000 each.

Photo by Zazzle

With so many competitive businesses here in the Philippines, there is a need to find your niche business in order to succeed. From aquatic sporting goods for dogs to Michelle Obama-inspired fashion websites in the U.S., niche products and services have the potential to generate big bucks if they capture the hearts, minds and wallets of a dedicated consumer base. Are you ready to become the big fish in a small pond? Is your passion unique enough to turn a profit? Here are 5 steps to make your niche business a hit.

1. Create a Simple Service

2. Craft Your Niche Marketplace

3. Become the Niche’s Leading Authority

4. Be Specific, Distinctive and Relevant

5. Copy, Paste, and Repeat