To Niche or Not To Niche?
The word “niche” derives from a French word meaning, "a small and often hidden place." As an English definition, niche typically refers to a specific area of interest or expertise. Is it better to have a niche in your writing? Or is it more beneficial if you write about everything and anything?
Read our article to find out!
There are many promotional benefits as well as potential pitfalls of having a broad range of topics in one's content marketing campaign. Likewise, there are some advantages to narrowing one's focus on a subject. For example, one may be able to create superior content that is targeted precisely towards the reader's interests. However, the downside may be that one's content marketing campaign will lack adequate coverage and vary in quality.
So, what is it? Should you write about everything or focus on a specific niche? We have heard some people advising that one must "write about what you know" or "write for your readers". Well, let's get to know more about both these approaches and then we'll decide which is best for you.
The Art of Niche Writing: Once you have chosen an area of interest, it is important to create an outline for the article because research can be time-consuming. That said, all branches of knowledge can be useful to you as a writer.
What do we mean by "niche writing?"
Niche writing is a broad term that refers to writing something that is specific, personalized, and relevant. It is essential that you know your niche because it will help shape the content generation process. You will need to know the contents you wish to write about so you can check if there are similar articles in print or online (i.e., Google Books). You also should be familiar with what your niche does not include—these are the topics which you should avoid for both ethical and legal reasons. Because these topics may be somewhat controversial, avoid them altogether if possible.
Niche writing is equally effective when employed in various forms. For example, it can be used to create marketing content (via websites, social media profiles, blogs, etc.), as well as content that is informative and/or entertaining. We believe that online writing has a wealth of possibilities when it comes to presenting diverse ideas. The best thing about online content is that you get the ability to diversify your topics while still maintaining your original intent.
Our Recommendation: Steps to Creating a Superior Online Content Niche Writing:
Do Your Research : This means going beyond keyword analysis and visual searches on the web for information about your niche. You will need to learn more about who your target audience is and how they market themselves.
: This means going beyond keyword analysis and visual searches on the web for information about your niche. You will need to learn more about who your target audience is and how they market themselves. Complete an outline or a content plan : The outline should include specifics such as the name of your website, its purpose, the type of subject you wish to focus on, and any other details that you want included in the article (e.g., size, timeframe).
: The outline should include specifics such as the name of your website, its purpose, the type of subject you wish to focus on, and any other details that you want included in the article (e.g., size, timeframe). Create your content : Once you have outlined your content, it is time to create it. Because this is a broad topic, our advice would be to divide the article into small "chunks" and assign each chunk to a specific section of the outline.
: Once you have outlined your content, it is time to create it. Because this is a broad topic, our advice would be to divide the article into small "chunks" and assign each chunk to a specific section of the outline. Work with a team : Even if you are writing solo, work with a team to give the article a second set of eyes. If you do not have such a team, use your social media contacts to ask trusted friends or business associates to review your content.
: Even if you are writing solo, work with a team to give the article a second set of eyes. If you do not have such a team, use your social media contacts to ask trusted friends or business associates to review your content. Publish and Market Your Content: Once the article is complete and reviewed by others, it is time for publishing. And once it is published online, promote it through social media channels (i.e. via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.).
The Benefits of Niche Writing: What are the benefits of writing a niche article? These articles can be more interesting for both in-house and outside users because niche writing can improve the quality of content. Our list below describes some of these benefits:
Helps You to Write Better Content : If you focus on a specific subject area, it will help you to create an article that is more in depth and detail-oriented than a "regular" article. It also allows you to create content that is based on first-hand knowledge. The result will be higher quality content for readers and search engine spiders to consume.
: If you focus on a specific subject area, it will help you to create an article that is more in depth and detail-oriented than a "regular" article. It also allows you to create content that is based on first-hand knowledge. The result will be higher quality content for readers and search engine spiders to consume. Helps You to Make More Money in the Long Term : This may seem counterintuitive because the initial investment of writing niche articles could be higher (in terms of time) than writing regular ones. However, the main reason that niche articles pay off well over time is because they rank better in search results when compared to generic content.
: This may seem counterintuitive because the initial investment of writing niche articles could be higher (in terms of time) than writing regular ones. However, the main reason that niche articles pay off well over time is because they rank better in search results when compared to generic content. Engages Your Audiences : Because you have a concrete topic, readers will be more interested in your article. If you provide useful information, people will pay attention and stay on the page longer for quality content.
: Because you have a concrete topic, readers will be more interested in your article. If you provide useful information, people will pay attention and stay on the page longer for quality content. Makes You Stand Out : The truth of the matter is that most people cannot remember the names of more than five brands. This is because most marketing information is generic and revolves around a general topic. Niche writing stands out because it is more specific and thus more memorable to readers.
: The truth of the matter is that most people cannot remember the names of more than five brands. This is because most marketing information is generic and revolves around a general topic. Niche writing stands out because it is more specific and thus more memorable to readers. Brand Awareness: If you have a unique niche, you will develop brand awareness over time as your articles rank well in search results or when they are shared via social media or email marketing campaigns.
Conclusion:
As you can see, niche writing has a number of benefits. If you are serious about advertising your business and achieving long-term results, niche writing should be one of your marketing strategies.