This post is all about helping YOU find your blogging niche in the simplest way possible.
Choosing a niche is HARD.
It’s probably what takes aspiring-bloggers and entrepreneurs the most time.
The problem for many of us isn’t we don’t have any interest but that we have too many interests.
Speaking for myself personally, I can talk your ear off about fitness, healthy living, skin care, hiking, outdoors, books, journals, movies, animals, human relationships, entrepreneurship, and a million other topics I am captivated by!
I didn’t know what topics to pursue as I was deeply interested in many different things.
I’m sure you, as a multi-faceted human being, can relate.
So how on earth do we decide?! Do we follow passion? Do we follow the money? Is there some middle-ground?!
But first, let’s define the terms…
What Is A Niche?!
The simplest definition is: A blogging niche is specific topic you will write about.
Although that is the technical definition of ‘niche,’ I like to think of it more in terms of my target audience.
What do I mean by this?!
Let’s say I create an outdoors blog. That is huge niche because it touches upon so many categories and sub-categories.
Will my outdoor blog be about hiking? Hiking shoes? Kayaks? Camping? Glamping? How to pick out a tent? Survival Skills?
You can take this topic in so many directions, and yes, technically you can decide to go after a gigantic niche like this.
But who would read that blog? You’re writing to everyone and anyone. When you write to everyone, you’re actually writing to no one.
So I like to think of a niche more as a specific person.
My outdoors blog wouldn’t be trying to catch the attention of every single outdoor enthusiast.
I would decide first who I’m writing to and that person becomes my niche.
So instead of trying to create a million blog posts about the outdoors, I would start just by writing to an imaginary person, let’s call him Doug.
In my mind Doug is a 20-something male who want to start camping. He has never camped before and is looking for as much information as possible. He wants to know what tents are the best, how to prepare food, how to hang a hammock, etc.
So instead of trying to solve everyones problems about the outdoors, I am just solving one problem thoroughly. Does that make sense?
When deciding on a niche it’s important to have the target audience in mind as well.
If not, you will be (1) overwhelmed with the amount of content you have to create and (2) not solve anyones problems thus not grow your site and reader loyalty.
But I'm Interested In SO Many Topics! How Do I Decide?
My example above was really specific to demonstrate a point but you don’t have to slash all your interests!
But be clear about who you’re writing to.
A lot of the time, your audience is who you were a year ago
If you’ve seen my first blog here, you’ll notice there are a lot of topics and categories.
I don’t have a specific niche on that site. However, I am very clear about who I am writing to. In my mind, the reader of the site is a 24-year old, female, college-graduate who is trying to adult and have fun at the same time (i.e me a couple years ago and technically still today).
So it’s very easy for me to create content for her because I know who she is, what she loves, her struggles.
I KNOW HER.
So I can help her, inspire her, motivate her.
I think deciding who I’m writing to is a lot easier than deciding on a niche.
And it’s a lot more liberating.
How To Start When You Just CAN'T Decide
If you are struggling to decide on what to write about, get out a sheet of paper or open up a word document and let’s brainstorm together.
Jot down the topics you are interested in writing about. Don’t overthink it, just write down anything you like.
Let say for me it’s Fitness, Food, Yoga, Healthy Living, Self-Improvement, Money, and Relationships.
So instead of deciding right now what your niche will be forever, narrow down your list to 3 or 5 categories.
With the example above, let’s say I am most passionate about Fitness, Healthy Living, and Self-Improvement.
Those are all huge topics but they complement each other nicely (yours don’t have to complement each other! You can decide on totally different topics like Money and Fitness!)
Just decide on three or five RIGHT NOW.
Once you’ve decided on your topics, brainstorm anywhere from 50 to 100 blog post ideas. Then just start creating content!
After about two or three months of blogging you will start to have an idea of what topics are getting the most traction, what you actually enjoy writing about, and which direction to take your blog.
If your Self-Improvement articles are flopping but your fitness ones are thriving, then write more fitness blog posts!
Or if you realize you like working out but writing blog posts about it it mind-numbingly boring, then stop doing it.
You will learn a lot quicker by doing than by thinking, planning, and organizing.
Just decide on something (anything!) and change course along the way! I’ve done it numerous times.
I let my blogs and readers tell me what to create based on the analytics.
Instead of trying to find your blogging niche, let it come to you in the first couple of months…
Aren't the Riches In The Niches?!
Yes and no.
Like I said, you should have a specific audience (or person) in mind who you are helping with your blog.
But if you are writing to first time moms who are breastfeeding, you wouldn’t JUST write about breastfeeding, would you?!
That new mom has a million interests and worries! She wants to know what to do when her baby doesn’t sleep the entire night, what car seat is the best, how to beat exhaustion, etc. etc.
You can help solve SO MANY of her problems.
There is no reason to put yourself in a box with your blog, especially in the beginning.
I haven’t had trouble monetizing my sites even though I don’t niche down. Check out my past income reports if you’re curious.
Overall...
Finding your blogging niche, or deciding on who your reader is, can be exhausting; but it doesn’t have to be!
You don’t have to decide this very second who you will be writing to for the rest of your blogging life.
It will very much change and adapt as you change and adapt. The most important thing is to start.
Your readers will always guide you along the journey.
