When I started my blog in 2014, my focus was financial news for women. I had a short stint as a financial adviser working with my husband. At that time, I thought I had lots of knowledge to share. I had passed all the exams and went through training by two big firms.
One fact that stood out to me was that women own the majority of the wealth in our nation, yet they have less knowledge about investing than men. I thought I found a perfect niche to blog about. Funny thing, nobody wanted to read those posts. Maybe it was because I was new and didn’t have an audience — but when I wrote about other topics, I got way more views and comments.
My next niche was parenting — particularly sports parenting. I submitted one of my blog posts to the most read swim website, SwimSwam, and got feedback from the owner/founder Gold Medal Mel, Mel Stewart. He asked me to start writing parenting advice. He wanted me to write once a month for three months. After that trial period, I wrote every week. You can check out those articles HERE. I continued with that for six years, mostly basing my articles on my past mistakes. I didn’t want newer sports parents to go through the drama and issues that I had. I was thrilled when parents would email me and ask for advice. I started an “Ask Swim Mom” column from those emails.
My other favorite topics to blog about were about college admissions and being the parent of college kids. I learned a lot during those years. But as my kids grew, I felt I had less to offer in the parenting arena. In fact, I think my swim parenting articles put pressure on my daughter or made her feel exposed. I realized I’m far from an expert. Who am I to give advice?
Now, my blogging is me slogging through this phase of life trying to figure it out. What I enjoy most about blogging now is the community of bloggers I read every day. It’s more satisfying and supportive than before.
I’m curious how you see your blog evolving or changing through time. Do you feel you have a niche and what is it? What are your favorite topics to blog about?
I think people read blogs for the entertainment value, not the educational value. They just search YouTube if they need to know how to do something, and google in general for specifics if the have questions. QUORA was built around that concept. Sometimes the “slogging” is what they are looking for in blogs.
I like reading blogs for entertainment and good writing.
It’s funny you blog about this because I was just reading an old post of mine and it made me realize how much my blog has changed over time.
This year marks the 12th anniversary I began blogging, and it has definitely evolved. When my children were smaller, I spent more time talking about their needs, our home, cooking, etc. Now, I’m focusing more of my writing on myself, books I enjoy, things I like to do. I also like to read blogs about those things as well.
Our blogs are a reflection of us. Congrats on 12 years!!!
Yes, they are!
I agree, I can see my blog changing over time as well. Its more enjoyable to write about different and newer things after a time.
As we change our writing evolves. I agree that new subjects keep it interesting.
I actually started blogging because I wanted a way to show my craft products and make some sales through my Etsy shop. Once in a while it happens but not always. Now I blog because I hope to spread some fun, interesting things out there instead of all the negativity. Plus, I think deep down I’ve always wanted to be a writer. LOL
Those are great reasons to blog!
I began my blog because I needed a place to write, to connect and to feel support because I was in the throes of a divorce. Is that my niche? I’m not sure. I write about parenting, life, death, being in my 50’s and being divorced. I think it’s a smattering of all that’s going on in my life and I like it that way. I love how we’ve connected through blogging and how I’ve found blogging friends from all over the world. Bloggers are the greatest people! I’ve yet to meet one I haven’t liked! 🙂
I think we all wrote about what is going on in our lives. I love the connection with bloggers.
*write
Me too! So glad we’ve connected!
I enjoy bloggers who I can identify with because of the place they live, the age, personality, or even the wish to visit the place they live in. I enjoyed reading about your life in California and the interesting things that happened to you in your neighborhood and now I like seeing how you adjust to a new location in Arizona.
I like knowing about people’s lives. When I started blogging I wasn’t reading many other bloggers. I look forward to it every day now.
I think we have both arrived at the same place in our blogging journeys. I spent a lot of time writing about my sons and their learning disabilities and struggles for a period of time. Since then I’ve spent most of my time blogging about the slog through midlife and trying to rediscover who I am as someone other than someone’s mom. I think there is beauty in the slog and our honesty about it. I think people appreciate authenticity. I appreciate yours.
Thanks for the confirmation! I enjoy your authentic voice, too.
I just wrote what’s on my mind. I started out as writing about getting older but that bored me. I don’t overthink it too much…I just do
That’s what I’m doing now, too.
I think our niches develop as we do. I love the transformation you made from financial advisor to swim mom to mom of college kids to empty nester. I 1st started my blog as a stay-at-home mom to a 2-year-old and now my blog has evolved into so much more because I now identify as so many things. I’m a Muslim, a mom, a writer, a small business owner, and a Lebanese American married to a traditional Lebanese man and I suffer from bouts of depression and anxiety, and all that impacts me and what I write about and how I write.
I agree that our niches develop as we do. I enjoy reading your experiences and I think your writing about anxiety and depression can be helpful to others.
Thank you. That means a lot