There is so much information out there about blogging. But one question that seems to come up all the time is: do I HAVE to have a Niche? Is it okay to not have a niche blog? First of all, what is a niche blog anyway?
A “Niche Blog” refers to creating a blog for a specific and targeted market. This is a blog that focuses solely on one topic. For example, a blog that focuses on digital photography. Or, a women's maternity fashion blog. Or, a cooking blog with gluten-free recipes.
There is a bit of debate on whether or not you can still be successful if you don't have a niche blog. I'd like to prove to you why I think you can.
To me, the most important aspect of any blog isn't content, it isn't social media stats or pageviews. You have to want to blog. You have to enjoy the process and continue to want to blog. Otherwise, you'll get bored and sick of blogging. If you don't love it, you'll quit.
Whether you have a niche blog or not, you have to care about your blog. Many claim that in order to be a successful blogger (however you define that) you need to first have a niche.
I disagree.
Here's why:
When you first start out blogging it's not always easy to pick a path. You might be talking about one subject or another and you might feel cornered (not to mention stressed) to pick one blog topic only. What if you change your mind or no longer feel passionate about the subject? Then, you feel trapped to keep up a blog that no longer has meaning to you.
Think, for a second, of any of the radio shows or talk shows or morning news programs that you listen to. Do they always stay on one subject ONLY?
NO!
And do you know why? Because they are constantly using interesting, top-of-mind news and content that's interesting to the viewer. They seamlessly switch from subject to subject, keeping us engaged the whole time.
You are allowed to do that too.
Story time: when I first started my blog it was called “Do Dallas Cheap.” The idea was that I would scour the internet to find deals of the day in Dallas. I compiled a list of the best deals, day-in and day-out I created a post with all of the deals and my recommendations.
I hated it.
Sure, I had some hits. But I couldn't force myself to write like that anymore. Then, I decided to go personal. I wrote about my life and also included a deal or two. Then I nixed the whole “deal” thing and blogged about what I wanted to. I wrote about traveling, breaking my ankle, my marriage, blogging and social media.
I loved it. Not only was I getting more comments (which I wasn't before) I felt like I was being true to myself. And it made all the difference.
I wanted to blog more, and as I did I learned about which topics I liked to write about, which ones my readers gravitated toward, and which fell flat. I created a “lifestyle blog” that I cared about and my readers were interested too. My blog grew more and more because the content I produced was better. It no longer felt like a chore to produce.
Now, onto the real question: Can you blog without a niche and still be successful?
The answer: HELL YES.
First and foremost, I'm doing it. I'm a full time blogger who makes her income off her blog and I'm doing it without a niche. Want more examples? Here you go, full time bloggers, no niche:
– The Daily Tay
– Cupcakes and Cashmere
– A Cup of Jo
– The Bloggess
– The Sunday Chapter
– Love Taza
– The Londoner
– The Every Girl
– Gala Darling
– Career Girl Daily
– Mollie Bylett
– The Freckled Fox
…. to name a few. These women are all kick-ass bloggers that have made money blogging and chose to never pick a niche.
Now, I'm not saying niche blogs are bad. If you have a niche blog, great! But if you don't it's totally okay and you can still be wildly successful.
I'm a passionate person with multiple interests and my blog is a reflection of me. I chose to build a brand out of myself, not an area of expertise or specific interest.
Of course, whatever you choose, it takes hard work and dedication. As long as you're passionate, you can find the right approach that works for you. Just know that a niche blog doesn't have to be the only path.
Whether you choose to have a niche or not, you can create a successful blog.
We all start at “0”. No one starts out with followers, or page views. We are all learning as we go, and we all have to make our own path, however we choose. That's why I hope to always be someone that helps and encourages other bloggers. Because really, we're all in this together.
The question is: How do you build traffic to a blog (niche or not)? I believe you need to start with a great blog post. Here's my checklist for the perfect blog post. Grab my free checklist below:
Do you think it's necessary to have a niche blog?
