Blogging has come to stay, and because there are so many blogs on the internet today, it can be very tough to distinguish your own blog from all of the others out there. Whether you are starting up a new blog or you are looking to make your existing blog more distinctive, the key to building and maintaining a site that will capture the interest and attention of the blogging community is finding your niche.
However, if you can fill a unique need in a way that no other site does, you’ll be able to build a lasting readership among web surfers. Once you have discovered your desired niche, you will still have a lot to do, but finding your place in the blogosphere is the first place to begin.
We all know that every great blogging career starts with a great idea, and you can’t build a successful site that will last long without having one. There are many great sites aimed at today’s bloggers, and competition for the attention of this growing demographic is ferocious.
To make your blog stand out from the crowd, you will need to offer something that no other site is currently offering, or you will need to do the same thing that an already popular site does but in a more impressive or valuable way.
Recommended Reading: Knowledge: The Most Powerful Internet Marketing Tool that will Skyrocket your Business.
One of the best ways to discover an ideal model for your blogging business is to look at the sites that have successfully captured a blogging audience already to determine if you can appropriate some of their strategies to help realize your vision. Of course, you will also need to add a unique flair to your project in order to stand apart from your competition.
Many people agree that the web sites that do the best in today’s market are the sites that have the most personality. The fiercely individual surfers who are bloggers are a demographic that responds especially strongly to personality, so consider how you can give your site a unique and attractive feeling by lending your own voice and sensibility to your site’s design and content.
Once you have a great idea for your site, Freedigitalphotos.net that you are well equipped to fill, and have infused the site with personality, the next step is figuring out how to get the word out to bloggers.
In the long run, a great idea just isn’t enough to propel your blogging business to success. You will need to draft a smart and realistic marketing plan in order to draw readers to your site. Once you hook a blogger, your great content will keep them coming back, but it is vital to get that first glance or your site won’t have a chance to shine at all.
We’ve heard many time that it takes lots of time, dedication, consistency and a tireless efforts to run and maintain a successful blog, The truth is that once you’ve done all that is required of you, your blog will certainly become insanely successful, believe it or not.
The first thing is to plan on the niche you want to focus on, remember not to create a generic blog whereby you will be writing about Internet marketing, Weight Loss, Relationship, Entrepreneurship, etc in one blog. This will not benefit you at all because your readers will see you as a baseless blogger.
Recommended Reading: Effective Internet Marketing Plan: 6 Points to Ponder Towards Success
The plan is simply to focus on one niche, if you’re good in Dieting then, focus on that one niche. However, if you have other niche ideas that you’ll also want to blog about, then it is best to create a separate blog for that. That’s what I believe which is very true, but if you don’t believe that, quote me wrong in the comment section.
There you have it. I’m sure you’ve learnt a new thing today right?
Please let’s continue the discussion in the comment section. Do you agree with me on this post? Why/Why not? Please don’t let this wonderful conversation to die.
Also remember to share this post with your friends across all the social media sites you’re using.
BTW: I traveled to the village to cerebrate the Easter with my family and I’m really enjoying it here. What about you?
Photo Source: Freedigitalphotos.net
Harleena Singh says
Hi Theodore,
I couldn’t agree more with most of what you mentioned.
Nowadays the Internet is FULL of so many bloggers and their wonderful blogs, that it takes much more than just a great idea to start a blog – you need to stand out from the rest or do something differently, such that people notice you and your work. That’s the ONLY way they are going to head to your blog or become a part of your blogging community.
Yes, you can take clues from other successful bloggers if you wish, though try to make or plan things your way – which will make it YOUR blog with your voice, and not like the other person’s, which is also very important.
Speaking of which, I never really went and saw anyone else’s blog, but had a plan and vision for my blog and am glad it’s going in that direction. I admit the pace is slow because I keep getting new idea that I implement and try, and when they work, I start thinking of new ones – so the learning and implementing should never stop. (I need to mention and thank my husband – as without his help it wouldn’t have been possible!)
Also, I differ a little about focusing on one niche. Yes, one niche blogs do rank better and if you remain focused, you are known as an expert in that one subject. This was a debatable topic when we were deciding the niche for our blog, which we started first with family. Slowly, we started adding more niches and saw the response of people, as it was working for us because many people came looking for various topics that they liked on our blog. And now as you know, we converted the blog to a Bogzine, so it’s risen above the normal level of a simple niche blog that it was earlier. I guess it’s worked for us this ways!
Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a nice week and a lovely month ahead too. 🙂
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Harleena,
Thanks a lot for that wonderful comment of yours. You’re very lucky to have a caring husband that is willing to help you in one thing or the other though. Starting a blog these days is no longer the issue like most people use to think, its now far more than that.
It is also good to target one niche, but if one can successful target some other niche’s together just as you did, its also good. But the problem is that most people will go off focus in trying to do that, and what works for you might not work for the other person too.
Its all about having a concrete plan on what you really want. I’ve heard the saying that no one ever plan to fail, but we sometimes fail to plan.
A very interesting comment Leena as always. Thanks a lot and extend my regards to your caring husband.
Have a wonderful April too.
BTW: I just got back to the city. Are you on skype? If yes, can you give me your i.d.
Evan says
of course, good idea + patience + hard work + some investments + luck + positive thinking and optimism + knowing how, all this will bring you a great result.
Theodore Nwangene says
You’re said it all Even,
And i can’t agree more. Thanks for coming and happy Easter.
Siegfried says
Hi Theodore!
“once you’ve done all that is required of you, your blog will certainly become insanely successful, believe it or not”
are you sure about it? I am not 😉 there is still room for failure I think – you just can be unlucky!
Best regards!
Theodore Nwangene says
I understand what you mean Siegfried,
But the thing is that once you’ve done all the necessary things correctly, your chances of failing will be very minimal. Unless if you’re unlucky as you said. But it will be very rare to fail if you played your part very well.
Thanks for coming dear.
sapna says
Hi Theodore,
Great share!
I think finding niche is the most difficult thing and I realized that a bit late. I started as a techie blog with all those tutorials still hanging in there, but that was not pushing me, it missed the creativity. So I started out on a mission to find out my passion and discovered that, though bit late.
But I dont want to waste my experience of Software development and at the same time I need to follow my passion as well…….so you mean to say I should have separate blog for my tech knowledge?
For me it will be more investment.
Thanks for this great share.
Sapna
Sapna
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Sapna,
I think the best thing you should do is to create a separate site for your tech stuffs. It will be very better that way because the site will be very much targeted. If you have any other idea, you can also create another blog for it instead of having a generic blog.
Thanks for the visit and also for mentioning me on your post.
Happy Easter.
Enstine Muki says
Hey bro,
what’s up?
Here you are with another mind-blowing post. I totally agree with your points
Ideas must be developed into tangibility.
After an idea comes hard work and investment without which, be ready to bury the idea.
Now, I’d want to make a difference between a broad niche and a narrow niche. Weight loss for example might be too broad while weight loss for pregnant women is way too narrow. I think the idea of focusing on a niche depends on how narrow or brought you take it.
Make money online is a niche. Email marketing is part of it but can be developed as a separate niche on its own. However, one thing not to do is to mix things up.
You can combine things on one blog if they are closely related. My blog is mainly on how to make money online. However, SEO, web traffic, Social media, are related topics that I write on from time to time.
BTW, my new site is soon coming up
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks for the compliments Enstine,
You’ve really shaded more light on my points here. Your blog is still targeted because just like you said, SEO, Social Media and those other things are related to the Internet Marketing niche and that is also what I’m blogging about here.
The idea is not to mix things up as in combining Internet Marketing niche and weight loss niche, that is too generic indeed.
Thanks for the heads up man.
BTW: I will like to also taste that your new site. Shoot me the link.
Babanature says
Hello Theodore,
As you said; blogging has passed just posting and waiting for a miracle to happen. Blogging is more of patience, hard work and dedication.
THnaks for this lovely post and have a good and stress free week ahead 😀
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks bro,
I’m glad you agree to the post. Now, have a stress free week ahead too my man.
Mark Trueman says
Hey Theodore,
Completely agree, but i think it has not been enough for a while now. I think to be a successful blogger now you need a lot of know how from a lot of different fields, everything from marketing to understanding how to write effectively.
This kind of reminds me of Guy Kawasaki’s book APE which talks about how being a successful author nowadays means also being a good publisher and an entrepreneur. Being good at just one thing is no longer enough.
Awesome post Theodore 🙂 It made me think.
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Mark,
I’m so happy to see you here again after a bit long time. I seriously agree with those points you added here. You have to know those things as well in order to make it as a blogger.
Its no longer all about focusing on one field alone, it is even necessary to have some little knowledge of coding and graphic designing too.
I’ve heard of Kawasaki before, but have not read that book.
Thanks for coming back bro and happy Easter.
Koj T. Tajo says
Hello Theodore, rightly said that it is so tough to distinguish one’s blog to other blog of same niche and then everything under the sun has been covered, so it becomes tough for us to write something new and get instant success and that is what I wrote in my latest post.
.. and Why am I not getting your newsletter Bro??
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Koj,
Happy Easter, I’m glad you also agree to what i wrote. Ah, you should be getting my newsletter.
Have you received it at all since you subscribed? And if yes, which was the last one you received?
Thanks for letting me know.
Koj T. Tajo says
Hey Bro, I think I am too fast coming to your Blog :). I was already there and then I gets your email 🙂 . Nevertheless, expecting it more quicker. good day ahead.
Theodore Nwangene says
Ok bro,
Thanks for coming back and answering my question. Really appreciate.
Mary Stephenson says
Hi Theodore
Very well wrote. When we first start out it seems like we could just put a site up and be an overnight success. Maybe if we had a lot of money to throw after it or were famous. We learn as we go it is not about being everything to everyone but there are things that might be of interest to a variety of folks, depending on the niche of course.
It reminds me of someone that wanted to link up with anyone of SBI for link exchange. They had food, clothes, pet supplies, jewelry and a bunch of other things and also added on their site, if you want anything else let me know and I will add it. I was shocked, of course this was quite awhile ago and did not know how to respond. I was so confused and would not link to them. Today I would have probably wrote to them and told them they are messing with their credibility and should stick to one subject only. I am sure they are probably no longer online. I totally understand out of desperation how people really want this to work and they just end up getting swallowed up by the “wolves”.
I am not sure where I am going with blogging but as of tomorrow I am dropping 2 of my sites, my heart is not into them and it probably has to do with the effort put out with not enough back from it (and I am not referring to money, as there was none.) It is just that you can only give of yourself so much before you burnout when you see very little results for the work. I would rather put energy into my main site which I have a passion for, as there is only so much time in each day.
Mary
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Mary,
A very thoughtful comment and story indeed. The problem is that most of us don’t usually cool down and think of our aim before starting something, we just get up and start doing the thing even without a prior knowledge of how it works.
I think that was what happened to that site you talked about. I agree with you that they might no longer be online now.
How many sites do you have? The two you want to drop now, are they also authority sites or niche sites?
I think you should just make them a niche site and then focus more on your authority site. The most important think to making it with a niche site is conducting a proper keyword research. If you have some money, you can even start outsourcing the tedious works such as Contents, SEO, Backlinks and other things.
I just created a new niche site on a topic i know nothing about, but i know it will be profitable. I will write about this on my site soon.
Thanks for stopping by Mary and have a nice weekend ahead.
Mary Stephenson says
The two I am dropping tomorrow are gardening sites. They are done well, but I would much rather stick with Necessity of Change. I also have a party site, a pet site and relationship site. Will revamp on these later, but as of now I did renew the domains. I shall see how the next year goes before I make any decisions as to what I will do. The site I just mentioned needs to be renewed in September and will do that for sure.
As for now I am studying psychology and will continue with that and see where it leads me.
Mary
Theodore Nwangene says
Ok Mary,
But, do you just want to abandon them? Are they not sell-able? I think the best thing is to first see if you can sell them. You can check out sites like flippa to see if you can sell over there.
I’m sure you’ve already putting lots of time and efforts into them, why not see if you can make out something from them (Just my opinion).
From your reply, I’m sure you have a solid plan. Good luck and more strength to your elbows.
Heather Stone says
Hi Theodore,
So true about building a blog that serves a special need. Like any other business, serving a niche is critical and finding that niche is the true challenge. Thanks for sharing this post with the BizSugar community.
Theodore Nwangene says
I’m very pleased to have you here Heather,
I really love Bizsugar and can’t wait to share some posts i found interesting with the awesome community.
Thanks a lot for visiting my blog Heather. Hope i will see you here again.
Emmanuel says
Hey Theodore,
There is nothing like a great idea which hasn’t being covered under the sun. What matter most is the uniqueness one will use to depicts his ideas.
Theodore Nwangene says
Well said Emmanuel,
And you can say it again. I’m happy you’ve also realized that. Thanks for the visit.
Adrienne says
I’m so glad I’m not a beginner right now Theodore! I know that for me I was so overwhelmed when I first came online because my thinking was how in the world will I ever stand out from all these awesome sites and blogs.
I kept hearing people say to provide unique and valuable content but I didn’t even know what that meant. I needed to stand out from all the rest but I had no clue how. Finally one day I just decided to hell with it and I just started being me. Obviously what I had been doing was not working.
Once I started just putting me into my posts and reaching out to people more it all started to fall into place. I know that there is even more competition now but there are just as many people bailing too. I think if everyone can find their own place and follow what it takes then they’ll do just fine.
Great share Theodore and so glad to hear you had a good time with your family. That’s so important and I’m sure they were happy to spend that time with you too.
Now, enjoy your weekend.
~Adrienne
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks a lot Adrienne,
What i like most in your comment is this phrase “Finally one day I just decided to hell with it and I just started being me. Obviously what I had been doing was not working” And i will like you to say that again and again.
That is what i called ignoring people’s opinion and embracing the facts. People are full of fad stories but I’m happy we’re now aware of those and we can now differentiate between the fakes and real.
Its all about mapping out your own unique strategy and then following it up until success.
Thanks for coming Adrienne and have a great day.
Abigail says
Thank you for the relavent advice I really enjoy engineering blogs as well! Keep up the good and keep updating content!
Maricel Santos says
I am sure this informational article will surely help all the bloggers ,these tips are really wonderful.Thank you so much for this wonderful post.
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks Maricel
anxiety attack heart says
Every weekend i used to go to see this web page,
for the reason that i wish for enjoyment, for the reason that this this website conations truly fastidious funny material too.
PNG Business News says
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. After all Iíll be subscribing on your feed and I am hoping you write again very soon!
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks