I agree very much with the idea of "improving on something that already exists". I hate it when you tell someone an idea, and they rule it out because "it already exists". There is always a better way to execute on the same idea.
However, I am not a fan of "Has business model other than advertising". Although it is something to have in the back of your mind, it is hard to say what the product/idea will evolve into when it actually becomes something that can be profitable.
I think a careful evaluation should be spent in finding the right balance between "General enough, so you can find users" (as advised in the article) and "if you're a solo entrepreneur find a niche so you have less competition, expecially from big names" (paraphrasing Rob Walling, Tim Ferris and others)
However, I am not a fan of "Has business model other than advertising". Although it is something to have in the back of your mind, it is hard to say what the product/idea will evolve into when it actually becomes something that can be profitable.