“How do you find your niche?” was submitted by Logan from @peculiarporter on Instagram stories a few weeks ago. She inspired me to reflect on how I initially identified my niche and how it’s transformed over the past few years. She also inspired me to write a few tips on how to find your niche in blogging.
With over 111 million Instagram users and 28 million blogs
on the internet, it can be overwhelming to start blog and Instagram page.
However it’s still possible to build your online brand, even with million
pieces of new content published every day. The key to standing out and building
your blog, Instagram, and online brand is starting with a niche.
What is a niche?
A niche is a specific topic or segment you create content
around.
Why do you need a niche?
People online are usually searching for specific things. Even if they’re just browsing on Pinterest or
Reddit, they are scrolling with their interests in mind. While you may not
appeal to everyone’s interest, if you have a specific niche, you may appeal to
some.
Starting your blog and Instagram with a specific niche will
help you clarify your point of view as well as help other people identify who
you are and what you do.
What are blogging niches out there?
- Fashion
- Beauty
- Religion
- Travel
- Food
- Personal Finance
- Healthy & Fitness
- DIY/Home
While this is only a few blog niches out there, you could
make anything a blogging niche. You could make knitting, building bird houses,
or throwing Frisbees your niche.
Here are 4 Ways to Find Your Niche in Blogging:
1. Ask Yourself: What are your passions?
Finding your niche in blogging is a reflective experience.
You have to start by asking yourself what your passions are. What makes you
excited? What’s a topic or hobby that brings you joy or gives you a sense of
fulfillment?
I’ve heard of bloggers out there being super passionate about
ping pong. All they blog and write about is how to get better at ping pong. I
also have blogger friends who blog about nursing or attending medical school. Some share their tips about getting into med
school and others share what their day to day life is like at a hospital.
If medicine or ping pong doesn’t make you excited, what
does? If you know your passions, can you
brainstorm 10 topics that you could write about?
2. Ask Yourself: What makes you unique?
If you’re on the mission to find your niche in blogging, take
the time to identify what makes you unique. Do you have a specific
skill or talent that people really admire? Have you achieved a milestone (like
running a marathon or hiking a mountain) that people look up to you for?
Advice: Turn to your friends and family and ask them what
they think makes you unique. Then sit down and reflect on what they said and
write down what you think makes you unique.
I personally struggled with this for years. I had no idea
what set me apart from the rest of the bloggers out there. I work a regular 9-5
and then attend grad school in the evenings.
Ironically, when I started grad school on top of working full time and blogging I realized that these endeavors made me unique. Some people may work full time, some people may go to school, some people are pursuing side hustles, but not everybody pursues these 3 things at the same time. Suddenly I realized my edge. I could show my other blogger friends how to create content and build followings even as a normal girl in school and at work.
3. Ask Yourself: What’s different about the place you live?
If you’re looking for a niche for blogging, could you make
where you live a part of your niche?
One way I’ve seen people build niches is by making where
they live the focus of their Instagram or blog. For instance, I’ve seen
Instagram accounts build their followings by showing different perspectives of
only New York City. I’ve also seen Instagram accounts dedicated to the Pacific
Northwest. These PNW accounts share incredible hikes in the Cascade and Olympic
mountains. They also share glaciers and lakes.
Personally, I’ve positioned myself as a Seattle blogger. I
do my best to find and share the most Instagrammable places in the city.
4. Ask Yourself: Who are you writing to?
Once you’ve identified your passion and what makes you
unique, you have to determine who you’re writing too. One mistake I see new
bloggers making is that they write to everybody. They create content and assume
that the masses will read it and consume it.
A part of identifying your nice in blogging is also identifying your
audience. This will help you create more targeted content and bring
value to your readers. For example, I specifically write to new bloggers
starting out because I know exactly how they feel trying to build their blogs
and Instagram.
I don’t write to seasoned or expert bloggers. I don’t write to podcasters. I don’t write to people aspiring to be actors and actresses. I write specifically to new bloggers.
My personal journey of finding and evolving my niche in
blogging:
I started off Emma’s Edition as a fashion blog.
Fashion, styling, and shopping have always been fun for me. And when I stepped into Corporate America after college, I knew I needed to create a space for fashion in my life. For the first two years, I shared outfit posts once a month or every other month.
Then in year 3, I was two years into my corporate career
when I realized that I wanted to start sharing career advice for other
millennial women. Somewhere along my journey, I also started sharing the
lessons I learned from building my blog and Instagram. I also found a new
passion in finding the most Instagram worthy places in whatever city I’m in. And
now in 2019, I’ve rewritten my mission statement for Emma’s Edition:
“Inspiring the modern woman to explore, create, and live life with style.”
I’ve found that helping other women create with advice on how to grow their blogs and Instagram as well as posing tips brings me so much joy. Here are a few examples of this part of my niche:
How to Build an Engaged Instagram Audience
What it’s like to be a blogger in 2018
I’m also passionate about helping other women create the next step in their corporate and creative careers.
5 Major Tips to Improve Your Linkedin
4 Tips for Achieving Work Life Integration
Additionally, my passion to explore my own city and new cities has also become a part of my blogging journey. I personally get so excited finding new coffee shops and colorful spaces in Seattle or new cities I visit– and I love sharing them.
Seattle’s Most Instagram-worthy Places in Pioneer Square
Pittsburgh’s Most Instagram-worthy Places
While my niche has broadened, it still is specific with a
target audience in mind. I’m finding that staying in a niche has helped me grow
Emma’s Edition both on Instagram and online.
What’s your niche? What are your tips for how to find your niche in blogging?
Thank you for reading!
Love,
Emma
Photos: Karya Schanilec
This is really helpful and that’s the million dollar question Emma, isn’t it? To be honest, I am still trying to figure it out. I started with fashion because I do like to play dress up or at least be put together from time to time. But I also know that fashion isn’t what I want to always talk about, I know I want to add substance to my blog and that’s where I am at.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
I love this blog! Im always struggling with finding my niche too! I definitely don’t take the time to sit down and think about it. I’m like you when it comes to working full time and When i was in school too. I would love to share my advice on corporate etc but I’m always afraid to share that side of me and letting people know where i work. Part of it is being so open to social media. But you’re inspiring me to do this because i love helping other women and giving advice too! Thanks Emma!
This blog post has being really helpful. I’ve had my photography blog for over a year now and I still feel like I haven’t found my niche yet. I’ll definitely use this information for guidance.
Thanks Emma 🙂