Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of bloggers needing to have a niche, you have to know where you’re blog is going, you have to stay on topic, you have to pick a subject and stay with it, don’t mix reviews and personal etc. Really?
I don’t consider myself a niche blogger. I write where my day takes me. It could be about my marriage, a crazy video of my kids, wordpress tips, recipes, everything in between. My blog is an extension of me – a complicated web of life.
And to those who don’t like reviews mixed in, I’m sorry but to me product reviews are personal. You probably can’t find a review on my blog that doesn’t have my family involved pictures, videos and all.
I mean come on now, if I picked one topic and wrote about that all the time, wouldn’t you be bored with me? Heck, I would be bored with me.
So here’s the thought, let’s just do a feedback day. I’m a big girl, in every sense of the word, and I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Do you prefer blogs that write around a specific topic or blogs that share a little bit of everything?
About Cat Davis
I am the same way. I write about whatever I feel like too. Somedays today it was craft vlog a meatloaf recipe and a review, other days its what my kid is doing or something completely random. I like blogs that share a little bit of everything because I like to know things about people not just one aspect.
Thank you Sheila, I’m in the same boat as well. When I come to a blog, I want to get to know that person, their spouse, their children, even their pets. I like seeing how a product works for their particular family dynamic as well.
A little bit of everything! Definitely!
My blog is many topics as well. But then again my blog is “my” small space on this big internet, I was also hearing about if you want your blog to go places find a topic an stick with it. Hrm being a mom is far from one topic. So yea finding one topic and sticking to it I will pass. I will blog what I want and IF I go places I do but IF not then my daughter will have something to look back on when she gets older.
I think that’s an excellent way to look at it!
Funny that you brought this up me and my friend was talking about this last night! I was asking her should I make another new blog just for a certain TOPIC AKA niche that I want to start working on and she told me no that i should just add it to my blog. So I was like but everyone says stay on ONE TOPIC! Then She was like we are moms we have many topics and you know thats true! I have been hearing all this stay on one topic till i am sick of it! I have a lot of topics i want to write about, i mean come on that would be 100 BLOGS I THINK NOT!! LOL
I split my posts up into different blogs. My family blog is just that, a place where I post about my family life (7 kids and all), and it’s there for my parents, siblings, friends etc to be able to see photos and read up on us (as we live so far away). My diet blog is about living a healthy lifestyle, complete with exercise and such. (And I’ve lost 117 pounds so far.) My writing blog is about writing, publication and topics along those lines. My photography blog is about photography. I even have a Princess blog due to my younger daughters’ love of everything having to do with princesses.
But it’s hard to keep up with them all and I doubt it’s the “right” way to do this. It just helps me stay focused on topic when I have them separate, and the topics of each are so widely varied that they didn’t seem to fit well together.
I admire you for being able to keep up on so many blogs. I’ve narrowed myself down to 2 and honestly, it’s a chore to keep them both running smoothly.
Congrats on the weight loss!
You know, the great thing about blogs is that there is no set formula for success. Heck, there’s not even a definition of success! I say, do what you makes you feel inspired and creative. If you are making this space into something that reflects your personality and your family journey,then you’re on the right track.
As for me, I try to stay positive (most of the time) with my blog and mix in funny stories when I can. Raising kids is such a roller coaster ride anyway, why not enjoy it?
- Julia at Midwest Moms
Cat,
When I started blogging, I wrote about green issues. It was fun learning about the topic, but over the course of time, I grew bored w/it. I was still promoting it, but I was more than just a person who had an interest in green living. Basically, I like to write. I decided to break my blog up into sections of my life (still including green, but also adding frugal, and natural – back to the basics) of topics that interest me. Like you said, blogs are an extension of people and that is why I read one blog vs. another. The more I “know” about the blogger, the more I can trust their words. I do like some topic specific blogs (ex: homeschooling), but am into mommy bloggers now and whether they write about a specific topic or not, it’s the writing that grabs me.
I will say that I don’t often read your reviews unless the product is something I may need at the time and rarely enter giveaways (unless it’s a green/handmade product – but still don’t often enter). I also tend to avoid blogs that are review/giveaway based and not enough writing about life, etc. You have done a good job of balancing the life (I could use a little bit more of life) and the reviews/giveaways because it seemed like you use to do more of the giveaways/reviews and I was visiting your blog a little less because of that.
Cat,
Even though I’m not into the reviews much, I really do like your approach on how you do them. I like to SEE how the product works for real people – your family – rather than you telling me about how many switches/speed controls, etc. something has. You are a pretty good reviewer. Later, if I’m looking for something you previously reviewed, I would probably come back here rather than visit the product Web site.
I like it mixed up, personal and review, don’t know how you would give us readers a truthful review if you don’t have family involved. I like the work you put into each review, showing step by step photos or mini videos.
Cat, I love your blog and love the way you mix everything in. If a blog was all reviews I probably wouldn’t read it. I like blogs that have stories and funny posts and a few reviews and giveaways thrown in.
Hi Cat!
I started writing about environmentally friendly topics and how to live a more healthier lifestyle. Then I realized if I only wrote about those topics I was missing out on possibly attracting more readers . Plus, I would be lying to everyone including myself if I portray I lived a pure green life. I try to, but I don’t. My family does not share my “hippie” enthusiasm and I still purchase products that are not completely natural. They might be more eco-friendlier than other leading brands but are far from being pure. Living an exclusive “green” life is ideal, but very expensive and I don’t have the means to incorporate all natural products into my household. I am basically taking baby steps to reduce my environmental impact.
I guess I have no niche since my blog is all over the place, but isn’t true life?
I come to read your blog because I find your content interesting and well written. I would find a blog/website monotonous if it only stayed within the boundaries of a certain subject.
This is just my opinion and of coarse I am no authority in the matter, but I believe what ever makes you happy in how to express yourself is going to shine through your writings and that is your true niche.
What I love about your blog is that there IS a little bit of everything!
I enjoy your blog. I like reading blogs where there is a mixture of content. To me reading a person’s blog is like getting to know them and what they are all about.
I think your blog is awesome. You blog about a little bit of everything and I love the posts about everyday life. I guess you could say I love a variety because you never know where my mind is at. lol You are doing a super job and if I were you, I wouldn’t change anything for anyone except yourself.
That’s incredibly weird because I’ve been thinking the same thing lately! ‘Where is my blog going-Am I supposed to be sticking to one subject-What if advertisers and potential people don’t like blog setup….’ But this is my FUN and I’m not going to complicate it and stress myself out with all those questions. Whatever will be will be!
I like to think my blog is a compilation of me a little bit of this and that. Its about the only thing in my life that is semi organized. LOL if you can believe that!
I feel that since our lives are a bit of this and that why shouldn’t our blogs be too.
IF your having a set niche then its just a website full of blah blah blah and (if others are looking for that specific topic then they will come. If your having a blog then your having a more personal connection with those who are looking for that.
This is why I love your blog. I feel we have built a friendship, through your writings, our emails, tweets…if I had to sit here all day with just baby babble I’d be sitting in a corner making bubble sounds with my mouth. I was almost there before I found blogging. LOL
I don’t mind if blogs write personal one day and review the next. I think you’ve kept a very personal feel on your blog even through your reviews because you do include your family so well. That’s why I come back to visit often.
I don’t really have a niche and just write where it takes me for the day. Most of those are reviews, but in all honestly, I love reviewing, it’s become a hobby.
I don’t think you have to have one niche and stick with it.
I’ve wondered the same thing. Do I need something constant, to draw people back? Should I do tutorials, lessons or topics? Then I realize, I started my blog to inform friends and family about our “Daily Happenings”, things that happen to us on a day to day basis. (hence the name of the blog!) Daily things for us is what I blog about. If people don’t like it, then I guess they won’t stick around. Oh well. I think hearing and reading about peoples everyday life, exciting or not, is what makes them friends and family.
I love your blog
it’s a mix of everything, same as mine. LOL
it’s awesome!
I write about everything really, and you’re right reviews are personal. It’s our experience with a product
Just keep doing what you are
I guess it all depends on the particular blogger. I majority of the blogs I love to read are a little mix of everything. That is why I come back.