My Blog is Focused on NOT Having a Niche
I continue to read on the net that the best and most successful blogs are the ones that focus on a particular niche or a particular topic. This site has never really defined it’s focus, and I’m not sure I want to try and classify it. It’s not that I have a problem with the ones that focus on a particular topic, but I can’t help but feel limited with what I decide to write about if I try to make it fit a particular niche. That may be the only possibility that I could ever reach the heights of blog stardom, but that’s not why I started it in the first place.
I’ve noticed quite a few blogs that define themselves in a certain niche, yet they still post about many different topics. I guess that’s fine, but why put a name on it? I think it’s probably to bring in a group of people that are interested in a particular topic. On the other hand, I have seen some very popular blogs that really don’t fit in anywhere…….they just do what they do, and they have tons of readers.
I can see the value of being focused on one main topic, mainly if your trying to build a business with it……….I would say it’s crucial for building business. But when I think about settling on one topic for this site, it just takes the fun out of it. I realize that I tend to write about a couple of categories on a regular basis, but I just don’t want to limit myself. I do want my readership to continue to grow, but my broad array of topics possibilities may keep that from happening.
So I suppose that would mean that I’m focused on not focusing?
April 25th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
A focused niche is extremely helpful to capturing an audience. But never underestimate the power of character.
Good character can take you anywhere you want to go Anthony. That’s what the big, successful “blogs about nothing in particlular” have.
You’ve got some great, easy to read posts. Keep networking and keep your character front and center. People will latch onto it.
April 25th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
I totally agree with Shane. My blog issn’t always “on topic” either. i have way to many “categories” to write about a specific topic like say “marketing and sales”. The reason i check out your blog Anthony is because i like what YOU write. Which probably one the reasons a lot of people read probloggger.net, sure Darren focuses on “blogging” but taking a peak in the archives, there’s a lot of posts that are not at all related to blogging. Personaly i read problogger.net, or johnchow.com and other “big boyz blogs” because of who writes the posts
Keep it up!
April 25th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Both of you guys are natural-born motivators! I appreciate that.
Even though the traffic to this site has grown over the past month, I’ve wondered whether I was completely holding myself back by not defining what this site is all about.
It could become more focused in the future as I continue to pursue and learn more about my interests.
April 26th, 2007 at 1:07 am
That’s the whole idea Anthony. A voice is something you find and grow into.
I’ve only been writing Zoomstart for 3 months … and I already see a huge improvement in what I’m writing and how I’m writing it.
And it’s just from listening to the feedback (or lack of it sometimes!) and letting loose.
You’re making great progress. It’s showing.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Thanks again for the encouragement. I’m going to continue writing about whatever is on my mind, and let the chips fall where they may.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:53 am
I’ve recently given up to niche my blog in any way whatsoever; more specifically I started on March 18.
Previously, I find blogging to be more and more stressful because I found lots of interesting links but couldn’t blog about it because it’s not in my “niche”. For me then, my “niches” were whatever categories I had in my WordPress blog then.
I then decided to just post whatever the heck I want and if it somehow does not fit in categories which I already had, then just create one that fits! Heck, WordPress has this nice AJAX-ish ad-hoc category creator and I’m just not using it. Not anymore though
And let me tell you, it not only made me happier; I think it also contributed in making my blog have more visitors than ever before. Additionally, my AdSense income improved significantly as well.
Are they related? I definitely think so!
Now if only I can find a more suitable tagline…
April 26th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Azmeen,
Thanks for your comment. I totally agree with you. If I try to stay in one particular subject, I have a more difficult time with the content. If I have the freedom(and why not, it’s my site) for anything, I always have something on my mind.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
I totally agree as well because at times I just feel like I have so many different things I would like to talk about. I do have some core areas on my blog that talk about more than others, but I’m going to probably start branching out to some different topics in the future.
April 27th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
ClarkeW,
The more I think about it, writing about what you like and are interested in is what matters. Personally, I’d like to see you write some more about web design and web design projects. I think you really excel in that area. That’s what first caught my interest in your blog……..just my opinion.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
[...] A niche is simply another word for specialization, or a specific category for something. For example, the newspaper industry is a category, and newspapers focusing on traffic in your city have a very specific niche, or specialization, in the broader, more general newspaper industry. Chris Garrett wrote an article on the concept of niches on Performancing back in 2005, which you may find interesting. You may also read a post by Anthony Baggett in which he talked about his site Antbag focusing on not focusing on a niche. [...]