If you have been reading about blogging you know the first rule that most professional bloggers will give you is “Find your Niche”. But what about niche-less (yes this is my own new word) bloggers? Does this mean you won’t be successful unless you follow the rules?
I say no!
Well okay after a lot of debating and thinking this year I say no. Every year when I look at my blog and think “do I need to split up my blog?” or “Am I writing on too many subjects?” But this year I’ve come to the decision this is what makes me different and this is why my readers like me. Why should I change things for supposed professionals who don’t know me, don’t know my blog, and are giving the same advice to the thousands of other bloggers out there.
Why do I blog Niche-Less?
I have been blogging since 1998. In 1998 blogging (well journal-ing) was a completely different world. You wrote because you wanted share your personal story with others, you wanted to share your laughs, your pain, your failures, and your triumphs. Blogging has changed a lot, but I can’t let go of this mindset of a blog taking on your personality.
What is the main goal behind my blog now in 2012? I want to help you learn through my experiences. But I don’t just experience one thing in my life, I’m experiencing everything from Blogging Blues to Weight Loss Surgery to Crafting with my Kids. I’m juggling multiple facets of my life at once, as I know you are too, and I want to help show you if I can do it you can definitely do it too!
I have tried blogging around one subject and it starts feeling like a burden. I start hating my blog and hating blogging in general. If I don’t have passion for my blog why should I expect anyone else to?
How do I blog Niche-Less?
After really looking at my blog last year I decided that I want to make my blog more like a magazine for my readers. If they were really interested in just one subject I wrote about then I would make it easy for them to find posts only about that subject.
- I first decided to choose 3-4 subjects that I love writing about. Last year I chose Blogging, Crafting with my Boys, and My Weight Loss.
- Second I created a posting schedule for each of these subjects so that readers knew when to expect to see posts they were interested in.
- I then made sure my menu was bold and easy to navigate, creating a menu tab for each section of my blog.
How can you blog Niche-Less?
I could keep writing for a while on how you can write niche-less yourself but I am going to take the easy way out and recommend two wonderful posts for you to read:
Both of these ladies are great examples on how to write without a niche but are also great examples of how to build a blog without a niche your own way.
Do you have Niche? Do you wish you could write about different subjects? If do not have a niche how do you handle writing niche-less?
I love this! I wanted to blog niche-less, but just didn’t understand how I could in the beginning. What’s funny now is that I could easily have one blog instead of three – but I’m on the road and sort of like the view so I’ll stick with what I have.
I also used to believe that in order to be successful, you had to have a niche, but there are so many examples of great niche-less blogs that I had to let that belief go.
I blog mostly about erotic romance topics since I’m an erotic romance author, but when I’ve gone “off topic” I’ve had some of my highest hit days. My goal is to reach romance readers, whatever their interests.
I’m niche-less and I’m doing fine 😛
I think you’re doing a great job! Your blogging experience kicks my experience’s ass.
I didn’t know that I wanted to blog until I had weight loss surgery, so that’s what my blog has primarily been about. As I’m further out, surgery has become less of a novelty and has faded into the background din right along with the clank of dirty dishes, Thomas songs, and the heavy footsteps of an over emotional preteen. Its just life now. I’m trying to find my passions so that I can “nicheless”
Sometimes nothing is more than something. For me you are doing just how you have to. So don’t change anything and keep up the good work 😉