The mysterious pundits of the blogosphere often say that bloggers shouldn’t try to be all things to all people. They recommend that bloggers pick a niche and stick with it. They’ll tell you that if you do it well you are more likely to find readers, build community and of course improve your SEO results.
Ask me to tell you what kind of blogger I am and I’ll give you a list. I’ll probably tell you that I am a dad blogger and or a writer. If I am feeling extra saucy I might try to spice up that description a little bit so that it packs more punch. Or I might not. Really kind of depends on the situation and my mood. I don’t like it when people ask questions like “how are you” or “what do you do” solely because it is a social courtesy. So if I am not convinced that you are really interested I’ll probably say very little.
But that is really neither here nor there because the real test is this blog. If actions speak louder than words we need to take look at the words on the page that are here because of my actions and see what we find:
What I Dream About
A Dream As Of Yet Unfulfilled
Reciprocity in Blogging
WordPress Comments Vs. Livefyre
Do You Play By The Rules
Father’s Love Their Daddies Too
Those five posts cover parenting, blogging, writing and a few thoughts about what I am trying to do with my life. Sounds pretty close to the description I said that I would give above. But if you are trying to monetize your blog that really doesn’t do as a good a job of covering the bases as it could and should.
Because what we really need to look at is my About me page. I don’t have to look at my stats to know that it is one the most heavily trafficked pages here and I am willing to guess that it is similar for other bloggers. If you are trying to monetize your blog I’ll guarantee that prospective customers/advertisers check yours out just as they my own.
My page has a “blurb” about my professional background and links to some of my work. I tried to inject a bit of my personality into it. I didn’t want it to be something dry and lifeless so I made a point to include the paragraph about being a would be superhero and a man with Walter Mitty like fantasies.
If I have done my job properly people will read through the page and see me as a professional who has a sense of humor and is a decent writer. If I have done my job properly brands that are interested in working with a father will recognize me as such. If I have done my job properly literary agents who are looking to hire a new novelist will contact me. If I have done my job properly prospective clients who are looking for freelance writers will reach out to me.
But if we circle back to the initial question of what kind of blogger are you my real answer is that I am the kind of blogger who has fun blogging.
What do you think about all of this?
I think that last answer is perfect! It is pretty much where I sit, too. I don’t do well with niches, and I’m okay with that.
But if someone wants to call me a mom or mommy blogger, it won’t bother me.
Hey Tracie,
Fun is what this should be about. It takes too much time and is too much work not to be fun. Why do it unless you enjoy it.
I think you’re a writer, JB…like me. We happen to blog.
Thank God you’re not a math writer though since you added up the list of examples as five, instead of the six that were listed! lol…
Bruce,
I have to congratulate you. You are the first reader to have caught that intentional error.
It is all part of a study on whether my readers actually read my posts.
I think a good strategy indeed; as long as you have fun blogging I think everything else will eventually take care of itself. I’m not saying to have ‘no’ plan, but keep doing what you are having fun out and figure it out along the way.
Fun is how you last. It is the secret sauce that keeps the fires burning.
In a récent bio I wrote for a group I made the statement ” the website is not the typical ‘daddy blog’ about potty training, naps, and minivans.” What I think I’ll add is that “I run daddy bloggers off the road on the way to soccer practice”
Kyle,
You just made me laugh. I’ll remember to take the Hummer when I know you are nearby. That should take care of “running me off the road.” 😉
I am definitely a “mom blogger” but IRL I have many interests that have nothing to do with the mommy niche. To be honest, I haven’t written about them because of the whole niche concept. But now that you mention it, I do like the idea of allowing my blog to be a true reflection of me.
If we are going to blog for fun than we should have fun with it. Unless someone pays me to do write about something in particular I write about what interests me.
I think it is more interesting and enjoyable that way.
Hey Jack,
I struggled with this in the beginning myself Jack. All I knew is that I enjoyed helping others and it didn’t really matter the area. If I didn’t know anything about it I would do my best to point you in the right direction. So I guess that makes me a “Jack of all trades”? 😉 Sounds good to me.
Hi Adrienne,
It seems to me that you found exactly where you should be. Your blog and Janet are filled with a lot of helpful and useful information.
Hey Jack,
I think you are hilarious and I enjoy bloggers who put their stories and personalities into their articles. That’s the first thing I knew I was going to have to do – share the stories. They want to be learned from and sometimes they are even entertaining (mine, not yours!).
A little mystery is a good thing, too as well as the occasional righteous indignation/action taking, which i see you do from time to time.
Hi Julie,
Thank you. The best bloggers are people who can tell stories. Storytelling is a fundamental part of all this social media stuff we involve ourselves in.
I would agree with you about the need to take a stand sometimes. I wonder about those who never do.
Jack, aloha. Love this because your posts so obviously reflect that you have fun. The myriad of topics let your readers know that you freely and openly share what crosses your mind.
Jack, if you have a niche, it is that you are a person who is unafraid to speak his mind and does so with style and humor.
Aloha. Janet
Aloha Janet,
Thank you for that, I appreciate it. Life is far too short to not have fun. There is always time to be serious but I do my best to try and avoid that. 😉
I’m awful at having a niche. I usually just say a mom/mommy blogger.
Hi Shell,
That works for me. I like being a dad blogger. It doesn’t mean that I am restricted to just one topic either.