Wouldn’t it be awesome if you and I could hop on the phone for a coaching call? Ugh I wish.
If there were more hours in the day, I’d love to hop on coaching calls with every single one of the women in this community and answer all your burning questions.
Sadly, there’s a limit on the number of hours, let alone open hours, in my life sooo I decided to try the next best thing and write what I would tell you if I were on a coaching call with you and you asked me one of the questions I get asked at least once a week:
“J, I’ve started a lifestyle blog or podcast and want to talk about all the things I love… how do I pick a niche without giving up all my passions?”
If you and I were on a coaching call and I was helping you find some focus so you can get growing, here’s what I’d tell you:
Let’s say you have a lot of experience and have had some success when it comes to finances.
Perhaps you’ve found ways to pay off a massive debt in a shorter amount of time than was required (like your student loans), have a degree in finance, and are a wicked smart negotiator or bargain shopper.
Budgeting and bargaining are practically your expertise, and your friends are always coming to you for money-saving hacks or budget friendly ideas. You know you’ve got the whole money thing down, and that if you focused your blog on that, you could really help a lot of people.
However, you’re conflicted because you are more drawn to the idea of starting a lifestyle blog so you can talk about everything you love… shoes, travel, fitness, family, home decor, etc.
You may not be an expert at home decor or travel but you do enjoy them and want to talk about them.
Great! Then talk about them. Start the lifestyle blog BUT do not market it as a lifestyle blog where you have all these different categories as stand alone and separate categories. If you want to talk about a variety of subjects, that’s absolutely fine but you need to have a common denominator that ties them all together for a specific type of customer avatar.
Your common denominator, in this case, could be money for millennial wives.
Think about it. Why couldn’t you teach about shopping for designer shoes on a budget, traveling on a budget, how to eat healthy on a budget, money tips for married couples, and home decor hacks on on a budget?
Speaking about these subjects you care about AS THEY RELATE to your niche subject establishes you as a trusted authority in an area you have had success and experience in, and gives your content some clear focus and speaks to a specific demographic without limiting your ability to write or speak on what you are passionate about.
Always ask yourself, how can I teach on this subject as it relates to my expertise or core niche?
Here’s a visual of how this works:
When I first started my blog, my niche was Christian Advice for Millennial Women. I talked about a few subtopics consistently: dating, health, and creativity (bible journaling, etsy, etc).
Setting it up this way is strategic because it keeps your content interesting while still speaking directly to a clear audience with a common interest.
Another thing I want to say is that you are allowed to be a human and talk about subjects you’re passionate about and that are relevant to your ideal audience so long as you have a solid portion of your content that loops in the common denominator.
You don’t have to only talk about 1 thing 24/7 but you also shouldn’t try to be the “Everything Girl,” ESPECIALLY when you’re just starting out.
Share enough variety that you connect with people on a human to human level without totally confusing them, either.
And if you’re having a really hard time coming up with a topic or niche to focus on, I recommend considering two key components and combining them:
- What do you have the most experience or knowledge with?
- What do you really care about?
If you have the most experience or knowledge with finances but you REALLY care about home and family, maybe your niche is “Money Tips for the Modern Family.”
Or perhaps you have the most experience with Pilates because you’ve been a Pilates instructor for years buuut you’ve kind of lost your passion for it. But you really care about parenting and motherhood and want to start a blog on that.
Sis, don’t throw out your expertise just because you aren’t as passionate about it! This very thing can help you stand out from all the other parenting podcasts (or blogs) that exist. Start by weaving it into your passion so you have something unique to bring to the table, “Pilates and Parenting Tips for New Mamas.”
See how this works? Including your expertise will help you stand out in your space if you creatively combine it with the thing you really care about.
Okay, now it’s your turn! Tell me:
Are you a multi-passionate creative? What do you think your niche focus is going to be? Or what is it currently?
Which subjects do you care about that you can work on relating to and sharing on as they relate to your core subject matter?
I think my niche is photography. I’m passionate about poetry, anime, and faith.