Blogs Without Niches: Who’s Doing It Right?

by Fadra Nally on September 15, 2011

Yes, a blog can have no niche. The more important question is should a blog have no niche?

On Tuesday, I gave you some tips for choosing the right niche for your blog. I recommended basing a lot of it on your personal passions and marketing viability (if that’s your thing). I should have also mentioned that your professional passions should come into play too.

I started the blog on Social Dialect because I want to work with small and medium businesses, brands, and bloggers. I love this stuff. I have a passion for it. I’d also like to make money doing it. So I started writing about it as a way to build some credibility in the field (please tell me I have).

But as I also mentioned, that’s not why I started my personal blog, all.things.fadra. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did plan to build an online portfolio of writing. Professional, personal, creative. Anything other than boring corporate PowerPoints that I could do in my sleep. For me, though, it quite unexpectedly turned into a personal outlet.

That is one of the most beautiful aspects of blogging. If you can create a strong style and online personality, you can virtually write about anything if you have an audience that embraces you.

Take, for example, Stacey Nerdin. She writes on her personal blog, Tree, Root, and Twig. I love her tagline “where everything’s connected.”

She’s a mom of five and says that a big part of her blog is focusing on “life in a full nest.” She explains where the name of her blog came from:

I’m often asked the meaning behing my blog’s title, Tree, Root, and Twig. It’s taken from Lord of the Rings, and it refers to the idea that everything – big AND small – is connected. Even every tree, root, and twig. I have a strong personal belief in that philosophy.

In addition to writing her blog, she does a nice job of providing the things she prefers to write about in her navigation bar. Don’t want to see what Stacey has on her mind today? Pick your topic.

Stacey write on others sites, professionally, and she also does consulting. She’s also made her mark speaking at several blogging conferences this year, namely on the topic of “How to Blog without a Niche.” Go figure. She’s built a strong personal brand and she’s also a truly delightful person.

Stacey shared the spotlight this year with Michele Chestnut at the Type-A Parent Conference. Chele, as she’s known in her circles, is another blogger who fits the niche-less bill. It’s what she spoke about with Stacey, of course. Chele writes over at The Bona Fide Life. Like Stacey, she has a navigation bar that clearly spells out the range of topics she blogs about.

She grounded in her faith, her family, her life (she’s recently battled cancer). And all the while, she writes with an honest voice about who she is. She doesn’t pretend to be perfect in every way and that’s a voice that resonates with her readers.

Can I also introduce you to Andrea Updyke? She writes at Lil Kid Things and I’m going to tell you something that might surprise you. Her blog is NOT about little kid things!!! She’s been blogging since well before she became a mom. Yes, she’s old school. And her blog name actually came from the movie, “Zoolander.”

It just so happens that she did become a mom (2 times over) and the blog name stuck. She’s an evolving blogger. Her posts tend to reflect what’s going on in her life right now. These days, you’ll be likely to find more baby-related posts because she’s still adjusting to baby #2 born in July.

One post that recently resonated with me what the one entitled, “Why Lifestyle Blogging Isn’t Dead.” She talks about how it’s hard to stand out in a blogosphere of micro-topics. Everyone seems to be an expert on something.

The path of a Lifestyle Blogger is different than that of an expert. We may not be experts at a particular skill, but we are experts at celebrating the ordinary. And that is nothing to scoff at.

So whether you call yourself a personal blogger, life blogger, lifestyle blogger, or niche-less blogger (I don’t really like that one), embrace it and own it. Make sure you present yourself in a strong light, since you are the foundation of the blog. And be sure to provide a good level of clarity about what you do write about.

Are you a blogger without a niche? Know someone who is? Share them here, and then read and learn!

Tagged as: blog niche, life blogging, lifestyle blogging, nicheless blogging, personal blogging

http://www.thebonafidelife.net Chele

Oh my… thank you for the kind words!!! Yes we can blog about whatever we want, that is the amazing thing about blogging that usually attracts people to it! I just stayed that way instead of focusing on one thing. And I like being able to write about whatever is on my mind.

Anonymous

As you probably know, sometimes it’s a harder sell. If I wrote only about vacuum cleaners, I’d probably have amazing review opportunities and lots of Google traffic. But after about 3 vacuums, I think I’d be bored and in turn, so would my readers.

http://mama-of-all-trades.blogspot.com Ashley @ Mama of All Trades

I always wonder about “my niche”. I don’t write enough about products to be a review blog. I don’t write enough about Disney to be a Disney blog. I don’t always write about my kids to be a strictly parenting blog. I write about whatever I feel like on that day. I guess that makes me a lifestyle blogger? I don’t know what it is, but I know I love it. I don’t feel pressured to write about anything in particular and I can just be me. I’ll take it.

Anonymous

Ashley – you’re one of us. Welcome to the club

http://twitter.com/AndreaUpdyke Andrea(LilKidThings)

Fadra, thank you so much for your kind words! I love what I do and it’s so fun to look back and see how much my life has evolved over the years!

Anonymous

You are a great example of how blogging truly is (and should be) an evolution!

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com Robyn’s Online World

Yay! I’m a blogger without a niche too and I like it that way! My blog is really about ME and everything that I love, have interest in, and want to share.

Anonymous

If you’ve got to be passionate about something, the easiest thing to focus on is YOURSELF. And you certainly so quite well in Robyn’s world

http://www.coffeepotchronicles.com Kim

Awesome post, thank you! Thanks to a blogger friend of mine and a good, in-depth conversation recently I learned it was high time I embrace what my blog is: A personal development blog. A living memoir of sorts as she said about her own blog.

I have a few topics I discuss on a more regular basis while thoughts and ideas about other things pop up from time to time. I wrote professionally four years ago and would like to return to it and feel my blog is a great outlet for doing so.

I’m finally getting my confidence back together and realizing I can still kick butt as a blogger without a specific niche. And let me tell you, it’s a great feeling.

Anonymous

AWESOME, Kim!! And you know, there is a whole genre (hate to call it niche) of blogging called memoir blogging. Like you, I started my blog to show I could write more than corporate speak and learned that I LOVED it. It’s a great outlet and a huge confidence booster especially when someone comments and tells you how much they love your writing. Good luck to you!

http://twitter.com/JenAnnHall Just Jennifer

I have no idea what my niche is. I guess Life Blogger..? I talk about myself, my husband, kids, family, friends, some issues, diabetes, dialysis, hobbies, my cat…. all the aspects of my life. Plus I’ve now done 2 product reviews and 1 giveaway. Just life, right?

Anonymous

Maybe we should call it snowball blogging. We just roll the snowball down the hill and whatever it collects on the way down is what we write about. Sounds about right? I do reviews and giveaways too but I very much try to incorporate them into the style of my blog.

Anonymous

I was so happy when i went to Stacy & Chele’s blogging without a niche, session. I’m nicheless and i’m going to stay that way, as another old-school blogger. I’m evolving and my blog is too.

Anonymous

Amen and amen. If I ever feel passionate enough about a standalone topic, I’ll start another blog. Because we all need THREE, right?

http://sunshinewonderland.com Mrs. Wonder

I have a hard time defining myself in my blog- lifestyle is the closest thing.

Anonymous

Why define? Unless it’s those pesky PR people trying to figure you out. I try to emulate the chameleon. I change my colors a bit to suit the audience.

http://twitter.com/Greek_Momma Greek Momma™

I believe I am a blogger without a niche. Well, other than blogging about life. So. I guess a life blogger? Haha. It is nice to be reassured that it is okay.

Anonymous

Life blogger is a term I hear a lot these days. It just doesn’t feel right to me. I usually just refer to my professional blog and my personal blog. If someone wants to know more, they can figure it out or I can put myself in that teeny tiny box known as life.

As least you’ve got the Greek twist

http://www.misselaineouslife.com/ Elaine

I don’t really have a niche either although I do focus on my kids and photography more than most other topics. I also write about MANY other things and that’s why I like my own blog name, “The Miss Elaine-ous Life” so much. Thanks to my hubby for helping me come up with it!

Anyway, I love that it leaves it open for me to blog about pretty much anything I would want. I prefer not having a specific niche and I think my audience is good with it too.

Thanks for introducing me to some new “no niche” bloggers!

Anonymous

Elaine – I absolutely adore the name of your blog. I’m starting to think we need to start our own movement of no niche bloggers. I think there are more of us than we realize.

http://www.adventuroo.com Adventuroo

This is an awesome post, girl! Great real-blogger examples you’ve chosen too.

Anonymous

Thank you

Fourplusanangel

What a great post. I often wonder where exactly I fit and, for awhile, trying to stick to one niche but it just wasn’t “me.” Good to see examples of bloggers doing it right.

Anonymous

Wouldn’t life be boring if we only talked about one thing all the time? I think there are more of us than we realize and we all struggle with the issue. Maybe it’s just time to stop struggling and simply enjoy the writing!

http://tiaras-and-trucks.blogspot.com Angela

I LOVE this! I was quite worried for a while about figuring out a “niche”. I love these great examples of ways to lifestyle blog. When I finally do a re-design, these navigation bars are pretty cool to consider.

Anonymous

Angela – I’ve got some great posts this week all about blog design. I hope you check them out. What I really hate is having to pick a niche, even if it’s “life” “lifestyle” or “personal.” I’d rather just say, I’m a writer of all things. Even with that though, my blog, too, needs some navigation help. Now to carve out some time to work on it…

Anonymous

I thought about this a few years ago, and I finally decided that I do have a niche – ME. The tagline of my blog – All About Me-And Then Some – pretty much says it all.

Also, I think personal blogging IS a niche, and a unique one in that no one else is writing about your life the way you do. Other niches have competition, but with a personal blogger, it’s all about you.

Anonymous

Great point! It’s also why i’ve never had a guest post on my blog. It’s all.things.fadra. How could anyone else write about my stuff? Then again, it would be interesting to have people write about ME.

But yes, no one can compete with who you are especially, and most importantly, if you are staying true to who you are and not trying to emulate anyone else.

http://rambleramble.com Ginger

Given my blog title (RambleRamble), I think it’s pretty clear I’m niche-less. I go through phases where I write about certain topics more than others, sure, but at the end of the day, I write about me and my life and whatever other random things enter my brain. I worried about it a lot–and I spent a while trying to force myself into a couple of niches–but then I realized that the way I do it is what makes it mine. I’m always working on refining, but I’m done trying to shove myself into one category.

Anonymous

I think your blog looks fabulous. And you know what I think nicheless people like you and me fail to realize? Our interests will change and grow and that’s what helps make our blogs scalable. Last year, I wrote about the oil spill in the Gulf. Would people read that now? Probably not but at the time, it’s what I felt passionate about and I was happy to share.

Keep doing what you’re doing. Boxes are for other things. Like shoes.

Renee

I always wondered what I was.
My original blog has little direction. I post sporadically about what’s happening in my life.
My second blog, the one I use for creative writing, is where I find myself more often.

I like the topics idea. Maybe that could help boring blog #1.

Great post, it’s making me think.

Anonymous

Renee – are you still thinking or did you make some progress? My only (unwarranted) advice to you is that when you write about what’s happening in your life, make it relate to other people in some way. Make it something that someone outside of your circle of personal friends and family would want to read.

Example: You ever have those days when the coffee is so bitter you can drink it and you’re pretty sure it’s an indication of how your day is going to go? Yeah, today was one of those days for me.

Pretend you’re telling a story and you’ll find that even YOU won’t be bored with your blog

http://twitter.com/shughesies Stephanie Hughes

This was great! I’m pretty new to the blogging world and I kept asking myself if I needed to find a niche to focus on. I love seeing others who just write about life!

Anonymous

There are many, many, MANY of us out there and we all ask ourselves the same question that you do. If I had to limit what I wrote about, I wouldn’t enjoy it very much and for me, that’s rule #1.

http://lifeinapinkfibro.blogspot.com Life In A Pink Fibro

I’m a blogger without a niche. A rebel. A maverick. Well, in my dream I am, anyway. Under my cape. I think if your writing is strong enough you can blog about anything you want. Well, in my dreams that’s the case anyway.

Anonymous

As long as you aren’t a blogger without a cause. Or a rebel without a niche. And you make my point exactly. If you aren’t going to focus on a pretty specific niche, YOU have to outshine anything you write about. That means your personality pervades every aspect of the writing. So good luck with that

Jaelcustomdesigns

Great Post! I consider myself a nichless blogger because I tend to focus on many topics, Branding, Social Media, Marketing, Networking, Product Reviews, giveaways and I have my random mommy moments where I want to share a part of my life with my readers. I’ve never been able to stick to one topic, I have to mix it up. Now I need to go and take a look at my navigation menu to make sure I’m doing a good job of spelling out what it is I write about.

Love the blogs you used as examples!

Anonymous

Thanks, Jen! As you know, I’m pretty nicheless too. But in writing this, I find that I probably don’t do a good job of giving my readers a sense of direction. Definitely something *I* need to work on as well.

http://twitter.com/ErikaMarie Erika Marie

I started blogging with the intent on being a tech blogger. Then, that bored me to tears. I hate it when I really enjoy something until I try to devote myself to it and then it becomes a chore. I didn’t want blogging to be that way because I have a passion to write which I’ve laid dormant for quite some time. I changed the direction of my blog and started blogging about whatever came to mind and was told that I need a niche. I’m glad you disagree. I’d love for you to check out my blog at ErikaMarie.com.
http://confessionsofavi3tbabe.com Vi3tI3abe

Oh Fadra, I didn’t even know you wrote for Social Dialect, haha. I like to think of myself as nicheless since I write about whatever comes to my mind, but I do book/product reviews & post about my kids too. I just hate being called one thing when I know one thing doesn’t define me. I hope I come across as nicheless haha, and that people like what I write and how I write, but I always try to remember that I blog for me.

Idk what I’m rambling on about!