Last week I was reading a post on Mike’s Life blog titled Why Businesses Should Blog Outside The Box. It was written well, and it made an interesting point in saying that once he was able to convince a friend of his to find a way to convince people who didn’t know they needed him and his business that his friend’s business skyrocketed once he figured out how to reach that particular market.
 by Gisela Giardino |
It was interesting to think about because I believe most of us really are searching for those people who we believe need us or want what we have to offer in some fashion, and we don’t really think as much about reaching out to those people who may not know they need us. Of course, that really would be thinking outside the box, and I’m unsure how we’d get it done.
Actually, that’s not true at all; at least for me. I find myself always trying to convince people I meet to stop by my blogs. Most of them aren’t really interested in many of the things I talk about… at least that’s often my first thought. Then I start thinking that there are people who visit this blog because one never knows what the heck I might be talking about, and I invite people to stop by once I’ve had a chance to talk to them. I often find that I’m talking to someone that mentions something I’ve written about on this blog, and I’ll say to them “hey, I wrote about that; you should check out my blog.”
Of course, just because I get people here doesn’t mean I know what I want for this blog. It’s something I’ve been thinking about as we get towards the end of the year, and as I start the creep towards post #1,000. Some think I should talk more about myself; some think the path I’ve undertaken in the previous posts over all these years is sufficient. Frankly, I haven’t fully come to grips with what I want for this blog.
So I dream and think, and in sharing it maybe you’ll dream and share. I’m not about to lay out my goals for 2011 on this post; that’s later. But here are things I’m thinking about. Do I want to make money on this blog? Do I want to increase my overall influence through this blog? Do I want to keep increasing all my measurable numbers, as in more subscribers and a lower Alexa ranking? Do I want to talk more tech or talk more blogging and writing or share more stories or add more motivational stuff? Do I want to add more video (can’t just yet) or audio? Do I want to use this blog to get more business overall?
What do I want for this blog? I’ll be thinking about that over the next few days. What do you want for your blog? Have you thought about it, and if not, will you?
I always thought of this blog of yours as your Soapbox to talk about whatever you wanted to. I know it’s better to have a ‘niche’ blog but I see nothing wrong with this blog at all. I find it interesting, well-written, well-researched and topical.
I think of this blog like a Johnny Carson Tonight Show…something new each time and often unexpected events occur.
Ah, we went with Johnny Carson instead of Jay Leno; telling your age! lol
Thanks by the way. Your niche blog works perfectly, photography, and you share your work as well. One of these years I’m going to get a camera that costs more than $100 (man, even that sounds expensive) and then we’ll see if I have an eye for the subject.
Interesting that you see my blog as a niche. Though it is about photography, within that niche, I am pretty much a generalist. Other photographers focus on landscape, portrait, sports, wedding, travel, training, wildlife, etc. I kind of do it all. I think I’d get bored doing just one type of photography.
A niche doesn’t have to be overly defined. I tend to believe that’s why many niche bloggers start finding it hard to keep writing about their topic, because they’re unsure what to say. So, yours is definitely a niche blog because you only talk about photography, yet you’re very open minded in the shots you take. I’ve tried to convince another friend of mine to do the same thing, without success. You know who. 🙂
Hi Mitch
Good question and one to think about for us bloggers who do want to get an income from online marketing. My blog is a platform for just that.
Writing about my small niche, I now have regular readers and new ones coming each time I post a new article. Have started my product reviews and from that people can choose if they want to click over to my Etsy store.
I would love to become the authority in my niche and already I have written out goals for 2011 which I will share in my next post.
Patricia Perth Australia
That’s great stuff, Pat. As I told you before, for most of us you are the lavender authority, but I’m also thinking you’re showing how the process of blogging really works. I see great things for you in 2011.
Thanks for that encouragement Mitch. I feel there is so much I don’t know that really holds me back. If I had a techie’s brain I would do so much more on my blog.
Still I may not be able to do other things if that part of my brain was working overtime eh lol
Patricia Perth Austrlaia
Mitch, I see it as a healthy sign that after more than 900 posts, you’re still trying to figure things out and correct your course where necessary. If you ever go on automatic-pilot, then you should start to worry. But I can’t see that happening.
Thanks Charles. I don’t know that anyone can ever really mail it in, but without any real interest in writing it all falls apart eventually. I enjoy writing this blog a lot, and of course interacting with everyone. And I can tell you’re enjoying yours as well.
Great question!
I think for 2011, I want to solidify the best possible way of helping the most amount of people reach *their* particular blogging goals, be it marketing, soap boxing, iphoning or what have you. Still tweaking those ideas….
Those are great ideas, Barb. I’ll be looking forward to that in 2011.
For my blog, no solid plans right now due to some time constraints. But of course, like what other bloggers out there aims for, I wanna build a brand new and better blog.
That’s a great aspiration, Ron; I wish you great success with it in 2011.
Mitch, I think you blog is already of the box. It is a “real” blog covering a lot of interesting topics. Not many people out there understand that blog is something personal and you can discuss whatever you want at any topic or niche, I think that’s why many other bloggers fail to achieve anything trying to do small niche blogs.
Thanks Carl. I think everyone determines what they hope their blogs will do, and I think there’s a lot of people who use a blog to drive traffic elsewhere to make money, and I have no real problem with that as long as they’re not stealing content from someone else, which a lot of them do.
Mitch – You definitely make an interesting point, but I don’t think it’s the fact that you don’t know what you want from your blog. Instead I think it’s just the fact that you want write and blog about various things on your blog.
Most bloggers begin a blog tailored to a certain niche/subject and later on down the road they start having the desire to write/blog about things that may be considered off topic from their blog. I know for me I have a couple personal blogs where I blog about any given topic and then I have some business oriented blogs where I try to keep the topic more on a specific subject.
I like your blog the way it is, as I enjoy the wide range of different things you discuss. But at the end of the day it’s up to you to decide what you really want from your blog.
Thanks John. I love being able to write whatever I want to write on this blog, but a part of me is trying to think big picture and long term as well. As you said, people start blogging for one reason and in one fashion and sometimes want to modulate it a bit. I’m lucky in that I started out with broad topics, but I’m going to think about what else I can do with this blog. And I hope to get others thinking about their blogs as well.
Have I thought about it? Yes, I’ve thought about it alot. I have a little less to think about because each of my blogs is a niche site – which in itself was a decision – but what to cover that hasn’t been beat to death already is a tough decision.
You’ve got a good long track record to help you decide what works best to accomplish your goals and you’re a smart fellow. I’m sure you will do just fine.
Thanks Allan. Truth be told, I can always find things to write about, and I could continue in that direction, which I just might. But I think I can take it to the next level as well; just want to figure out exactly what the next level means. As for niche sites, I would figure that’s pretty easy to do because all one has to do is just spread the topic out some more. And I always figure that similar topics covered by different people are still different posts as long as someone uses their own voice, rather than just parroting what someone else has said.
Lots of attention and fellowship.
Rummuser, that’s a great goal to have. And I’m glad you’re back.