Thousands of people just like you start a blog every year. So why do only a handful of them ever earn any money at it? And why are even fewer able to make a living from blogging?
There are many possible reasons why bloggers fail, but one of the most essential involves choosing the right subject matter. The Internet is oversaturated with websites, blogs, and content. If you’re trying to make a name for yourself while trying to cover a vast field, then you’re essentially playing the lottery and hoping to strike it rich.
Why You Need a Niche
“When it comes to creating a money-making blog, you don’t need a revolutionary idea. But your blog should be focused on something specific,” successful blogger Neil Patel says.
If somebody wants to know something about sports, they’re going to visit a site managed by a large company like ESPN, CBS, or Sporting News. If people desire general news, they’ll head over to CNN or Fox News. These general sites prosper due to brand-name recognition and years of loyalty to readers.
Though people have general interests, most are drawn to more specific, niche topics. That’s why you see niche blogs and websites pop up connected to general areas such as sports and breaking news.
People aren’t just interested in sports, period; many want to know about sports business and what’s happening with regard to contracts and endorsements. News alone isn’t going to capture the attention of most people on the Web: They want access to news that has a direct impact on the industries in which they work, and the entertainment they follow.
If you want to develop a loyal readership that appreciates your content and regularly comes back for more, you need to establish a niche site that appeals to their unique tastes.
How to Launch a Successful Niche Blog
According to Patel, you have to assess two key questions when you’re trying to identify a blog niche:
· Do I enjoy learning about this topic?
· Are there others who are interested in the same things?
In other words, is this a topic that you can see yourself spending hours of time per week, and even every day, researching and writing about? And are there other people out there who will find your work interesting? If the answer to both questions is yes, then you may have an opportunity.
“Currently I would say that the best method of choosing a niche is to forecast the topics that will be trending in the future or the niche that not many people are working on,” says blogger Arbaz Khan. This will obviously be different for everyone, but the key is to start somewhere.
You really need to start with the niche. Some people assume that they can launch a blog and then choose their niche after things have started to crystalize for them. This doesn’t work; it simply makes no sense.
Your niche will help you focus on other essential elements, such as the name of your blog, design and layout, and the type of content you write.
Making Money From Your Niche Blog
It’ll take time to build your blog to the point where it might generate some money. There are many ways to bring in revenue, such as through the use of affiliate links, PPC advertisements, banner advertisements, paid hyperlinks, and direct product sales.
You’ll probably have to experiment a bit before you find the correct mixture of strategies. But here’s a piece of advice you should take to heart: Don’t focus on revenue too soon.
You aren’t going to bring in thousands of dollars in your first month, and probably not in the first year. You may not even bring in $100.
Your goal in the beginning should be to carve out your niche and find its audience. The rest will fall into place.
Originally posted on November 15, 2016 @ 9:07 am