Questions All Bloggers Need To Ask Part 2 Your Niche
A few weeks I wrote a post about Questions All Bloggers Need To Ask. If you haven’t yet seen it yet or answered the questions, please follow the link above and then return to read the rest of this post. For those of you ready to see the direction your answers are pointing you to follow, please get your checklist, a pencil, and something to write on. I’ll wait!
So, I asked you to consider each of the 10 questions three times. Let me explain the method to my madness. Upon first hearing a question we usually answer with a “prepared” answer. One that comes to mind quickly with what you suspect to be the real deal. Well, that isn’t always the true way you feel. Be honest, those answers changed a bit when you gave the questions more thought. If you took the time to rethink that first answer your second attempt would have brought in more of your gained experience with the subject and less of a mentally learned response. Life changes over time and your first impression was made, if at all, before you knew about the work, requirements, and pitfalls of creating a blog. You based it upon what you read by what other people told you. After sleeping on the answers you probably shed some guilt or denial that you weren’t as prepared as you first thought to take that big leap into Blogging. I know I did, twice. It took that long for me to realize my direction had changed and the courage to admit that fact. With this in mind let’s look at a few questions.
1. What do you have to offer? Do you like to teach? Cook? DIY? Name your Passion below.
This question obviously is asking you to define a niche. Your perfect niche is not really needed to start a blog but as you define your passion it is easier to make an outline of your subject, who you want to fit in with, and to list your blog in places that will benefit you. You need to become known for your own voice to other like minded bloggers, as well as readers that are interested in what you have to say and how you fulfill their needs. You can always pick one or two passions and try them out to see how you can develop your presence. Remember though the sooner you have that direction the better off you will be. You can continue to solidify your own area of that niche and grow. Waffling around and making your blogging too broad will confuse your readers and for every step forward you will find yourself taking two steps back.
The key here is to figure out:
- What you have to offer
- How well you can develop that passion and how much mileage you can get from it
- Write to the person you see wanting to read your posts and find answers to the needs they have.
As you define or redefine your niche also make sure you define your “perfect” reader. You will want to envision that reader as someone interested in what you have to say. See the person that relates to what you write and can benefit from your ideas. This tactic will become the best way you can build your following and KEEP the readers that find you. They already enjoy your subject. They are beginning to feel they know you and you are starting to build a trust and respect for your blog.
“You work hard on your content! Make sure you share it with knowledge, dignity and respect!” This is my mantra and my perfect reader understands that.
In the next part of the series we will answer some more of your questions. Stay tuned to learn how you can be the BEST blogger you can be as you Work Smarter not harder!
Please sign up for my newsletter for further announcements of future posts! Have a great week and Happy Blogging!
You can find Part 1-4 at the links below.
Part 1 of the 4 Part Series. Questions All Bloggers Need To Ask
Part 2 of the 4 Part Series. Your Niche
This is great for newbies and vets. I’ve been blogging for 7 years and I wish I’d had this when I started.
Thanks Sandra. I find myself evolving so this list is good for me revisit as my hosting comes up for renewal. Have a great day.
Shared (twice!)…Thank you for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!
You are welcome Mary! See you next week. Thanks for sharing.
Great article Marilyn! Love having you share with us every week at #ThrowbackThursday we cant wait to see what you bring us this week!
Thank you Alli. I really love your party! See you soon.
Marilyn, thanks so much for this series, even though I have my niche, you never know when that will change! And I love how you give us the permission/option to know that it could change, and that we need to just roll with it! Looking forward to the next part!
Thanks Nikki. In a way it is an apolgy to myself and my readers. After 700 recipes and only about 1 comment on each I decided to give a try at knowledge and now my niche has changed. I don’t like to advise, or say do this, as no blog or blogger are on the same footing. What is good for one is devastating to another. What I can do, is point out how to feel good about what you dont kbow and how to deal with it the best way.
Such a great post , choosing our niche is never as easy as we think. Thank you for sharing on #wednesdayswisdom
Thanks Jennifer! I love your party and will see you tomorrow!
Marilyn, I’m glad you posted a blogging tip on #TheLeisureLink! I believe blogging is a serious leisure activity. Your how-to posts are always looked forward to!
Thank you so much Terri! I am more into researching tips everywhere now!
I love your mantra. I believe those are so important. Great series!
Thank you so much Mary! I use that in all aspects of my life and it puts my feet on the right path every time.
Wonderful series…Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop
Thank you Betty! More to come.
Marilyn thank you for this helpful post. Finding your niche is not always as easy as it sounds and I like your tip of asking yourself the question at least 10 times. Since I started I’ve chopped and changed a few times!!! Thanks for sharing your advice with us at #WednesdaysWisdom.
Sue you are like me. I need to whittle away at an idea until it is just right!
Thank you for sharing this checklist at Happiness is Homemade! I especially like your directive, “So, I asked you to consider each of the 10 questions three times. Let me explain the method to my madness. Upon first hearing a question we usually answer with a “prepared” answer.” I’d never thought about it, but that makes so much sense. I feel as though this could be applied in a variety of decision-making situations. Thank you for the guidance!
You are right Elizabeth. The fact that preparation, organization, and discovering how you actually feel about something is a good practice for everything in our lives. I am so glad you pointed it out.
Definitely a great post!
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thanks Jess! It’s always a great time at your party.
That’s a great question – what do you have to offer. It really can help put focus on what we write about.
Yes Julie. Focusing is key. And not being afraid to take that lep of faith and have fun with your subject!
There is already so much that we have to focus on, isn’t it?
When we focus ourselves on our niche, things go way much easier.
Great addition to #tiptuesday!
Yes, there is much more to blogging than the simple excerpt of the day diary writing. It is good I feel to take stock and make your approach smarter not harder! Thanks Debbie.
these are great questions to ask! I need to do this for myself. I usually just classify myself as “lifestyle” and hope that covers it. I hope.
Thanks for sharing with us at Mommy Monday!
XOXO
I think once you answer these questions you will discover a whole new direction will open up for you! Hope this renews your “blogging itch” and brings you tons of satisfaction! Good luck.
I’m still trying to figure out my niche. Originally it was supposed to be giving health tips, but I found my most popular post are the ones about myself!
http://healingmamaremedies.blogspot.com
It will come to you. I did recipes, but wasnt into talking alot. I had my readers but not building fast. Then I fou d I helping a lot of people by email o I decided to write a few tutorials and now I cant keep up! It is a nice problem to have. It just took me about 18 months to realize it. Good luck!
My niche is reaching people who want to eat wholesome food like their grandmothers made – food that’s tastier, less expensive and almost as easy as fast food. Julia Child never worried about calories and my grandmother didn’t either. She never ate large portions – none of us did back then.
Maureen, you have successfully car ed out your unique and ideal place in one of the largest populated niches. I adore your blg, your writing style and the way you tie it in to your history and life.
This is very good stuff, Marilyn! My blog focuses on leisure but includes photography and some blogging advice–very general. Weirdly, I have not found that many bloggers who post about leisure. Sure there are a lot of travel blogs, but that is a little different. In the long run, as readers come to our blogs and stick around, adding other similar content is a great idea. Take care!
I love your new direction as well as your new “digs”. I am so happy Terri to see your style shining. You are right too. Your niche is quite unique!
My niche is day planners and all my most popular posts are about planners. But I do some related stuff (technology planning or parenting) on special days, so I can hold my niche but expand my readership!
Kristy, that sounds like a winnng combination to me! My niche was recipes, but I also have expanded to tutorial series, baking tips, linky parties, and different ways to add in recipes. I found by expanding I have tripled the engagement I receive as well as my email list! I love your expanded niche!
Such good questions to ask. Finding your niche is the first step in figuring out where you are going in your blogging life. I tend to get distracted at times and this helps me focus on my journey !!! Happy Blogging !!!
Rebecca everyone gets shoved in many directions. In our society life is so fast paced and hectic. We also are used to instant gratification and continuous praise. I think that is why I blog! Moms are often put on the back burner! Have a great week.
Thanks for sharing this series. I really like your tips and they’re helping me focus on the direction of my blog. 🙂
Thank you so much Gina. A lot is common sense but there are many times we need to take pause and reconsider. Life, desires and technology changes so fast! Have a great week.