3 Not-So Secret Keys to Developing Your Niche Blog

“How do I grow my niche blog?”

It’s a question I hear posed frequently from fellow bloggers. A niche blog focuses on reaching a particular audience. Determining factors for a niche blog include geographic regions, specfic subject matter, or cultural or age group. For example, The Devotional Guy™ is a blog that discusses things from the perspective of a Christian living in the 21^st century. Other niche blogs might center around a specfic sports team (Dallas Cowboys) or generation of people (Gen-Xers).

In my blog, The Devotional Guy™,  I share my faith, prayers, ministry, and life experiences with my readers. It’s not a site where I conduct a word-for-word Bible study. You typically won’t find me sharing sermons on my blog either. Nothing is wrong with either. However, other people are already doing those things and are doing a much better job of presenting these types of posts than I ever would. Sharing my life experience includes posts about addiction and recovery, in addition to sharing the ministry adventures Sweet T and I have together with The Devotional Guy™ readers.  I also talk about writing and music on my blog and discuss movies and shows Sweet T and I are binging on. Each of these are told from my unique perspective and point of view.

The BIG Difference

Others may cover similar topics or subject matter, but only you can write from your individual viewpoint. Swimming in a sea of millions of blogs, your personal touch separates your blog from others like it. You are what differentiates your blog from others.

CONTENT

Content is important also. Hello?!? This should go without being said but unfortunately the quality of the content and the type of content people produce oftentimes seems to take a backseat to all the other nifty gimmicks and digital décor that blogging offers. Remember the old saying, “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.” I’m not trying to be harsh. Just truthful. Content matters.

Read blogs written by others in your particular niche. What type of content are they posting? What questions are they answering?

Identify the big problem, the elephant in the room, in your niche and address it. What do people long for? What topics in your niche do people seem to be most interested in?

In addition to content, blogging is about community.

COMMUNITY

Your niche has a tribe. Identify it and then engage with your fellow collaborators and creatives. Your blog (hopefully) looks different from those your fellow bloggers have worked hard to publish. Remember, you want to add to the conversation, not simply parrot what others are doing. Again, like I mentioned earlier, reading other people’s blogs is a vital part of being a blogger. Participate in your community. Connect with your tribe.

How do you do this? In addition to reading what your fellow mates are posting in the blogosphere, take time to hit the “like” button. Even better, comment. But, please, add some meat to your comments. Don’t just say “good post” or respond with other superficial platitudes. Treat your comment like the beginning of a conversation about a topic that both you and the blogger care about. Practice this with your posts as well. When people leave a comment, try to be thoughtful and engaging. Sure, be thankful. But go a step beyond just saying “thanks.” Let your response demonstrate that you are listening to what your readers are saying and that you value their participation.

In closing, remember that you are what makes the big difference in your blog. Strive to create excellent content that separates you from the rest of the herd. And last, but not least, interact with your tribe through thoughtful conversation.

HaPpY BLoGgIng!

The Devotional Guy™