- Image by Gary Denness via Flickr
What’s your Niche?
Every time I turn around I see a question about niches. What is your niche. Who are your competitors? Who are your allies? How do you compare? I think about that question a lot. Not because I have any of the answers. Just because I know I should.
The Power of the Niche
Knowing my niche would help me understand and attract my (potential) readers. Knowing my niche would frame my content and give me focus when I sit down to craft a post. It would help me organize the current content and plan the future additions. It would help me build pillar content. Knowing my niche would identify a community of interests and guide me in searching for allies and partners and studying worthy competitors.
Now what?
OK, I’m sold. It is time to get this niche thing locked down. Time to take my blog to the next level. Time to step up. ……. There is just one problem. I can’t figure out what my niche is.
My Ideas.
Being an analytical type, my first thought was to examine the content of my blog over the past year. I came up with a few ideas. Some reflect actual content. Others are suggested as the topics ebb and flow over time. Since it is really hard to be objective when the topic is yourself, I’m asking for some help here. What do you think the niche for my blog is….. and, more important, what do you think it should be?
Here are my ideas in no particular order:
1. Old guys with too much time on their hands – I post frequently about the good old times. Good old cars, good old architecture and design. These are fun to do and get great Google response but do nothing to build return readers or community. I have no idea if there is an untapped market for such stuff or how to find it.
2. Self-improvement – Much of what I have done recently fits this category. It is certainly popular and there is lots of company in that niche. I don’t know what I provide that is unique or special that would make me stand out here.
3. Advice that no one is asking for – This niche is probably a loser. I just mention it because I seem to veer into this mode when I am trying to be a wise sage. It is a role I have tried in person and generally find it to be no-win for me. If people want advice, they will ask for it and most times they don’t really want it.
4. Make money on the web – Since I currently make no money on the web and have only the vaguest of ideas about actually doing it, nobody is going to follow me to learn how. Possibly it might be entertaining to see all the mistakes that could be made but more likely not. Besides, I would like to learn how to do it myself not entertain others with my missteps.
5. Folksy life experiences – Ah shucks! Golly Gee Whiz. I’ll just spin you yarn about my down-home life and times, full of homespun wisdom and earthy charm. Nah, I’d never pull that one off.
OK those are my ideas. Are any of them worth pursuing? Do you have any other ideas?
All great points Ralph,
Personally I think (and this is based on my opinion of you) you have a really good untapped resource in talking about the good old days, old classic cars etc.
This to me would be so interesting, if you look at my good friend Phil over at http://www.findaporsche.com/?p=97 He only talks about Porsche’s new and old.
I love classic cars and love (I mean no disrespect) talking to those who have experience in life and I could listen to someone like you all day.
(again no disrespect) I want you to be the dad I never had, really interesting and clever.
So that’s my suggestion, it’s what you are passionate about and I haven’t seen that much of it out there, believe me I have looked.
Does that help?
.-= TheInfoPreneur´s last blog ..I Rank Higher Than ProBloggers, But Make No Money =-.
James,
Thanks for your suggestions. It is very hard to be objective about yourself. I appreciate your comments and what you say makes sense. I have to say I would be proud if you were my son.
I would like to add one thing, if I may, that I have found with defining a blog niche.
The PROBLEM of the Niche
IMHO, when you become focused on niching your blog, (is “niching” a word?), you start painting yourself into a corner. I agree that by indentifying your niche and focusing on that topic/group of people, you can focus your blogging topics more effectively, but this can be a double-edged sword.
1. The Internets has been around for quite some time, so an “untapped” market is more than likely a very small profile of people… so if you focus in “niching” into that specific group, you run the risk of alienating a larger base of people who already read and enjoy the hodgepodge of wit and wisdom that is Ralph =D
2. By niching into a larger, more established group of topics/individuals, you MIGHT have a larger base of people to pull from, but run the risk of being:
a.) Lost in the mass of blogs that already serve that niche.
b.) Becoming generic?! (GASP!)
Again, is the lost of that wit and wisdom that flows from an unrestrained/”unniched” blog that already exists be worth trading for a few new readers?
To be completely honest, I can understand the draw of “niching” a blog. As a sometimes blogger myself, I know how it feels to feel unfocused, maybe even unread at times. I considered niching my blog awhile back, (i.e. splitting WrathOfNino off into a specifically gaming addiction blog), but was actually advised against it by several friends/readers for the exact reasons I just gave above.
To me, (and this is, again, just imho), blogging should be the stream-of-consciousness experiment for the electronic age. Modify/limiting one’s self to appeal to a specific group of people might ultimately lead to a loss of already established readers with no guarantee of return.
This has always been a social game. Making contacts with people, being a PERSONABLE and interesting person is what makes a blog great. As far as niching for profit, more knowledgeable bloggers for this topic can chime in on that XD
For what it’s worth, I’ll keep reading ya regardless, just throwing in my two-cents. Good luck with whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be great regardless! 🙂
.-= wrathofnino´s last blog ..To Mr. C.E. Cheese: Seriously, Get Control of Your Patrons! =-.
Rich,
Thanks for your thoughts. It is really hard to evaluate things close to you so it helps a great deal to get other perspectives.
Oh oh! I found the link where I made the decision to NOT niche my blog… thought it might be relevant?
http://wrathofnino.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/alert-played-decommissioned/
(^^ Look who is commenting on this! LOL! You are such a good blogger-buddy! Thanks as always for your sound support/advice!)
The kiss of death for that project was that it was a small niche AND it already had good coverage… the Internet is a busy, busy place 🙂
All this to say, I don’t want to DISCOURAGE you, rather just give you my perspective 🙂 If you decide to niche this sucker, then go for it buddy! 😀
.-= wrathofnino´s last blog ..To Mr. C.E. Cheese: Seriously, Get Control of Your Patrons! =-.
Rich,
I think that whether I decide or not, my blog will eventually have a niche. The question is whether I choose it or it chooses me.
lol, this is too true 🙂
.-= wrathofnino´s last blog ..To Mr. C.E. Cheese: Seriously, Get Control of Your Patrons! =-.
Great post Ralph,
My niche and the tech stuff is what has been holding me back from getting
started. I guess I need to follow the Nike saying ” Just do it “. Thanks for this eye opening post.
Tad,
Just do it has worked best for me when I can manage to get started. I always want to be sure before I start and of course I am never sure.