I have read all over the place about the importance of finding that niche, that small piece of the blogosphere where you plan to plant your blogging seed and hope it grows. What comes along with that desire though, is a sense of fear. Sitting down and trying to identify where you want to go with your blog is an incredibly daunting task for the first time blogger. You open your browser and begin searching on topics that interest you and you realize how large the blogging universe really is.
You have certain questions that arise in your mind:
- Do I know enough about the topic?
- Can I sustain an audience of professionals?
- Will I get help from fellow bloggers?
Do I Know Enough About the Topic?
This is a common question that I ask myself when I contemplate starting a new blog. When trying to decide on a niche, you often ask yourself what subjects you are interested in. Along with that question comes the question about sheer knowledge of the topic. If I were to start a blog on trading stock, I would immediately recognize the fact that I know very little except buy low and sell high! I simply do not have the information to maintain a blog on that topic.
But along the same lines, having a blog on technology is such a broad topic, that I’m spreading myself thin. I have run into the fact that I do not know enough about the different topics I blog about to sustain a regular audience. The blog is reduced from a niche to an ocean of topics; it becomes a chapter not a page.
What is important to understand is that there is always time for research. It is even more important to understand that there is no time limit. It’s not a test. If you want to take the time to learn about a topic to blog about, then do it! There is nothing stopping you from finding a book or a website on your topic, learning as much as you can from it, and then starting a blog. If someone brings up a point that you do not know about, then do more research and create a new entry. By doing so, your viewers are driving your content… the blog becomes self-sustaining.
Can I Sustain an Audience of Professionals?
This question really occurs if you have a very specialized niche. If you are the type of person who likes to make assumptions, then be sure that you have the research to back yourself up. As much as you know on a particular topic, there is always the chance that someone else out there knows more, and if you mis-quote or make a mistaken judgement, then be ready to take flak and respond accordingly.
The blogosphere is visited by millions of people every single day and if your blog becomes popular, then be ready to get visits from some extremely intelligent people. As mentioned above, if you can get those professionals to comment and possibly even correct you on something, then let it motivate you to learn more and make new entries with the knowledge you’ve gained. Let the viewers drive the blog.
Will I Get Help from Fellow Bloggers?
When asking yourself this question, it becomes necessary to look back at the research you’ve done before starting the blog (you did research right?). If you notice that the field has tons of other bloggers, there might be some conflict of interest if your topic matches that of someone else. It is definitely possible to be different enough that you can throw viewers back and forth (think performancing.com and ProBlogger ). if you run into a block in posting, you can either ask the other bloggers directly for assistance, or simply read their blogs for inspiration. In any case it is important to overcome your fears and learn that there are people out to help you.
Have you ever been afraid to start a new blog, fearful of losing the energy you once had? Do you have any tips on overcoming that fear? The power and success of a blog is in the hands of the author at the end of the day. Without content, the blog will die.
Use the above ideas with care, and always keep your options open.
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