Finding your blogging niche is an important step in creating a successful blog. Your niche is the specific topic or theme that your blog will focus on. It is important to choose a niche that you are passionate about and that has the potential to attract a dedicated audience. Here are some steps to help you find your blogging niche:
How To Find Your Blogging Niche:
Identify Your Interests and Passions:
When it comes to building a successful blog, you need to choose a subject that you are passionate about and have lots of knowledge in. Not only will this make writing the content more enjoyable, but it will also allow you to create high-quality content that resonates with your audience (And Google). To get started, take some time to brainstorm topics that you feel confident in discussing. These could be related to your hobbies, career, or personal experiences. Write them down.
Once you have a list of potential niches in front of you, ask yourself if you could write lengthy articles around each topic. If the answer is yes, then keep it on your list. If the answer is no, cross it out. Remember that it's important to choose subjects that are unique to you that YOU have a passion for. By selecting topics that you are passionate about, you will create a blog that stands out and will attract a loyal following. (And be better placed to make money from in the future).
Research Your Niches:
Once you have your list of niches, you will need to narrow it down to just one of the niches for your first blog. Your blog needs to be based around one niche only and potentially related sub niches, not about several random different things. This is important as you want to gain authority in Google's eyes on the niche or part of the niche over time to rank well.
For example, this blog is about blogging and marketing, which go hand in hand, and having done this for many years it is something I enjoy writing about and know lots of other people are interested in learning about as well. Lots of other sites are already established on this subject, but I don't care. I have lots of experience in this field and enjoy doing it. The rest will happen naturally.
Now you have your list, follow these 3 tips to do some research to see if it is a subject that there has an audience out for. If you have chosen a popular subject then chances are you will be fine, but if you specialise in something very niche, it is worth doing some research regarding it.
Free Keyword Tool:
Check out this Free Keyword Tool, this tool is very basic but is fine for this research. Put in your niche keyword(s), for example it might be Graphic Cards or a sub niche of that term such as Small Factor Graphics Cards, and make sure it doesn't have a very low search volume.
Micro Niche websites are the rage and have been for a while, where the search terms are low volume, and normally much easier to rank for as a result, however I do not recommend going this route if you're a beginner. Those keyword phrases, known as long tail keywords are important and will be important on your journey, but it's best to choose a niche with more options then just low volume words when starting out. In fact, I never do micro niche sites! They are overrated!
But more on that below!
Google Trends:
Another good free tool is Google Trends, this tool will show you data regarding your keywords. Is your keyword a seasonal keyword? i.e only searched for on specific times of the year? Or are people generally searching for it all year round? This will give you a good guide on the consistency of the word(s) in searches month by month.
Social Media Keyword Research:
Check out social media, put your keyword(s) in the Twitter search with a hashtag for example and see how used it is. Another way is by using a free tool to see hashtag popularity such as RiteTag, this tells you how many people view a certain hashtag. Does your niches have popular hashtags you can focus on when doing your social media marketing?
Keep the niches that pass, and cross out the ones that don't.
Why Do People Recommend Not Choosing A Popular Keyword?
The advice of not choosing a popular keyword generally is not not wrong in the grand scheme of things. You are not going to rank for a highly competitive keyword unless you have a very established site, that is common knowledge. However, what people either do not realise or forget to add is, by writing on a popular niche with a wide array of subjects, let's say a sub niche of fitness such as womens fitness, which is a high competition keyword to target with lots of potential topics around it to write about, you will automatically target random long tail keywords, and get long tail keyword search results without doing any research for it!
This is because they are very broad terms, you will be able to write about such a wide array of things to do with womens fitness, it will automatically happen that you target long tail keywords, in fact in the first 6-8 months, you will probably only be ranking on Google for those long tail keywords, and there will be lots of them. You don't have to do any research whatsoever, and when this does happen, you can then target those pages with ads/offers to cash in on that highly targeted traffic!
It is the best of both worlds. And by not writing about a small niche with little popularity, you are not setting yourself short, and trust me when I say, this will open up a number of financial opportunities for you in time. By restricting yourself to a micro niche, for example lets say Fitness For Dogs, that is a micro niche site where you can only write about that one very limited subject with little scope. You are limiting yourself far too much, especially if you're a beginner.
You should be targeting popular niches and sub niches. That goes against what you will hear or be told by some, but it is true. But everyone will have an opinion! And I have mine, which is backed up by my experience and history over the last 20+ years. That's not to say targeting some low hanging fruit keywords will do you any harm, either. It's good to have a nice mixture.
Why Not Create a Micro Niche Site? Are They A Waste Of Time?
With all that said, does that mean I think micro niche sites are a waste of time? For beginners I do, yes. But for experienced bloggers and marketers they certainly have there place. I am not against them, however I am against people thinking they are the be all and end all and the only type of sites people should be doing.
You see, people view micro niche websites as this easy way to a passive income, when it is not. While I have never done my own micro niche site for myself out of choice, I have done them for clients, and to make them work you have to be experienced and know what you are doing. It isn't just about picking a micro niche and doing it, which so many people think it is. There is so much more to it then that. And what happens is people try it, don't get any results or see any potential for results, get discouraged, and give up. A complete waste of time.
By targeting more broader popular subjects, you
will get results, you
will automatically get those long tail keywords, and you
won't get discouraged. Which is exactly why unless you have lots of experience, this is exactly what you should be doing.
Making money from blogging is a
marathon, not a sprint. You need to give a blog at least 12 months to settle.
So yes, I do think micro niche sites can work, but I will tell you that for every one person who is making good income from a micro niche site(s), there are thousands who are not.The percentage rate for success in micro niches is low. Just look around Reddit forums for example to see that. Everyone is just looking for a way to a quick easy buck, or think it is a way to quick easy buck but don't understand what is involved. The other issue is that most micro niche sites that people do, they don't have a passion for that subject at all, they just think it is a quick way to make money, which is a very quick way to fail.
Now people will say the same can be said for non micro niche blogs, but if you stick with it and realise it is a marathon, not a sprint, it is much easier to target an income from broader more popular subjects then doing a micro niche site as you are not highly limiting yourself, and results will come faster as well, unless you really know what you're doing with micro niche sites.
The amount of so called SEO experts who advise people not to target high volume popular keywords because you will never rank for that keyword pisses me off, as it is the wrong way to look at it completely. Next time someone says that to you, kick them in the nuts. Unless you really know what you're doing, it is better to be a small fish in a big pond, than a big fish in a small pond. You will just have so much more potential.
Want to know how to find a micro niche for blogging? That will be coming soon complete with a micro niche list to help you in finding your micro niche for your blog.
And for what it is worth, I do not consider myself an expert, but I do consider myself experienced.
But anyway...
Assess The Competition:
Once you have identified some potential niches that have potential, it's time to research the competition around those keywords. Now as said above, writing about a popular keyword with competition is not the end of the world as you will automatically get a knock on effect of other keywords that you rank for without even trying to, however it is important to do this research to get an idea about what your competition are doing and who you are up against. Do this research for all your niches you still have written down.
Start by looking at other blogs and websites in the niches to see what they are doing well and how you can differentiate yourself. Analyze the type of content your competitors are producing and how frequently they publish new content. Look for gaps or opportunities where you can provide unique and valuable content.
Are many of the search results on Google's first page highly established sites? Or are there some results on the first page from unrelated niches or general forum queries? Or even from related sites but with poor quality articles? Could you do better?
Just make some general notes about the competition, and write down what you could potentially offer that is different, or a gap in the market you can identify. If they have done a poor article but it is still ranking well, make a note of it, you can do that better.
Now, to really assess your competition, you're going to need a paid SEO tool, this allows you to assess the competitions keywords they rank for so it can help you target the easier ones and beat them, and also take a look at their backlinks profile as well to replicate for your website.
So many SEO tools are seen as expensive however if you're just starting out, the best ones cost over a hundred dollars a month, which when you are starting out is a lot of money and while they are good tools, they can be left until you are sure you want to carry on down this path.
Use Mangools For Budget Keyword Research
For a more budget option to begin with however I recommend
Mangools, it has a free ten day trial with limitations, however it the most cost effective tool to use to get started, and it does what it says on the tin without breaking the bank. It is also very beginner friendly.
With
Mangools, it is so easy to do keyword research and check a sites backlinks, and thus so much easier to get backlinks for your website by looking at that data, which is one of the most important factors in ranking on Google.
Right by this point, I want you to decide on your niche. Don't worry if you're unsure, as long as it is a broad topic with good search visibility and has a number of topics you can write about, just pick one. Too many people overthink this, have confidence in your ability to talk about the subject. So many people fail because they do not try, and instead go for the quick potential money makers, like micro niche sites on subjects that they have no passion in, and they still fail.Give yourself options and a broad scope with the niche you choose and have a passion for.
Chosen one? Good. Stick with it.
Do some brainstorming on topics that you can bring to the table, ones that add value and answers queries you think people need answering.
Finding Your Blogging Niche Common Questions:
What is a niche?
A niche is a specialized segment of the market that caters to a specific group of customers with unique needs or preferences. It is a distinct and focused area of expertise or interest within a larger industry.
Why is finding a niche important?
Finding a niche is important because it allows you to differentiate yourself from competitors and target a specific audience. By focusing on a niche, you can become an expert in that area and provide specialized products or services that meet the unique needs of your target market.
How do I identify my niche?
To identify your niche, consider your interests, skills, and expertise. Think about what you are passionate about and what problems you can solve for others. Conduct market research to identify gaps or underserved areas within your industry. Look for opportunities where you can provide value and stand out from the competition.
How do I research my target market?
Researching your target market involves gathering information about your potential customers, their needs, preferences, and buying behaviors. You can conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather insights directly from your target audience. You can also analyze market trends, competitor analysis, and customer feedback to understand the demands and preferences of your target market.
How do I position myself in my niche?
To position yourself in your niche, you need to clearly define your unique selling proposition (USP) – what sets you apart from competitors. Highlight your expertise, experience, or unique approach that makes you the go-to person or business in your niche. Develop a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience and consistently deliver high-quality products or services.
How do I reach my target audience?
To reach your target audience, develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes various channels such as
social media marketing, content marketing,
email marketing,
SEO, paid advertising, and networking events. Tailor your messaging and content to resonate with your target audience and engage with them through relevant platforms and channels.
How do I stay relevant in my niche?
To stay relevant in your niche, continuously monitor industry trends, customer needs, and competitor activities. Stay updated with the latest developments and innovations in your field. Engage with your target audience through regular communication, provide valuable content, and adapt your products or services to meet changing demands.
How long does it take to establish yourself in a niche?
The time it takes to establish yourself in a niche can vary depending on various factors such as the competitiveness of the market, the uniqueness of your offering, and the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. It can take months or even years to build a strong reputation and customer base in a niche. Consistency, perseverance, and continuous improvement are key to long-term success.
Should I narrow down my niche or expand it?
Whether to narrow down or expand your niche depends on various factors such as market demand, competition, and available resources. Narrowing down your niche can help you become a specialist in a specific area and target a more focused audience.
On the other hand, expanding your niche can allow you to cater to a broader range of customers and potentially increase your market reach. Consider the pros and cons of each approach and evaluate what aligns best with your business goals and capabilities.
