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Finding Your Blog's Identity

Posted by Financialnut • 1/19/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: blog identity

It's tough...

I have been blogging for about 7 months now, and I am still struggling to decide where exactly I want to take it. Lately, I've been struggling with what I should even write about- a scary thing for a blogger!

Sometimes I start feeling tired of my given niche.

You guys ever feel this way? How to you overcome it? How did you discover your blog's identity?

User Comments

1/19/09

avante

I'm sure someone else has something smarter to say about this subject than me. I just wanted to say that I like your avatar.

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  Haha... thanks! You help though, Avante. You brought it back up to the top of the forum.
1/19/09

avante

Oh.. I have one advice, we often put more limits on yourselves than we do on other. These limits, for most of the time, doesnät work to our favour. Think about what you want to do and go, and not what you should... If you want to write about something else then do. Inspired writing is always the best kind of writing. (not sure if that's the answer you were looking for tho')

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  You're right- you have to write about what YOU want to write about. Period.
1/19/09

CreativeJunkie

I was fortunate to find my niche right away, with my first post. I blog about what I know and no one knows my life better than I do.

If you're tired of your niche, then maybe take a break so that you can approach it with a fresh perspective? If it's becoming tedious to maintain your blog and you find you no longer enjoy it, then maybe start a new one with entirely different subject matter?

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  Great comment. And I've thought about that... maybe I start another and go from there. I'll ponder that one. It's just hard when you've worked so hard on something to even take a break. You know?
2. 1/19/09
  
  roguedeals
  
  You have such a broad topic, surely you can renew your feelings with a fresh angle on it.
  
  Instead of just presenting your readers with ways to save money come up with a different subject matter and a different way to present it.For example, start a 'column' that shows funny or stupid things in finance, post links to funny youtube videos where experts made stupid mistakes during tv shows or interviews.
  
  Just an idea. It may be hard to do at first, but if you stick with your blog, you can make it grow in all kinds of ways
1/19/09

busylizzy

I am talkative and my interests jump here and there (and yet I don't have ADHD) so my solution was to have a separate blog for each of the things I tend to talk about. Each blog was "born" when I felt the need to talk about something over the course of two months. That way each blog has some focus. What are your interests? hobbies? issues? For now, just have one blog and let your thoughts take you where they may.

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  @busylizzy: I appreciate the comment. You sure you don't have ADHD?!
  
  Interesting thought about doing several blogs. I just wonder how "good" they'll be if I don't put a lot of time and energy into one and spread amongst a bunch. You know?
  
  Good thought, though.
1/19/09

siralmo

start a new blog about anything...

tell the people on the other blog you are on hiatus

use your new blog about anything to redefine your interests and your focus

in other words take a holiday from that blog

if you decide to go with this idea give me a yell i will follow your posts and give feedback

i need not worry about such things
formerfurface.blogspot.com/

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  Thanks! I'll look into it. Taking a "holiday" isn't a bad idea at all. I have all the time in the world right now to develop fresh content that would be interesting to many if I could put my heart and soul into it.
2. 1/19/09
  
  siralmo
  
  when i said anything i meant leave the blog niche-less and just write what you are thinking
3. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  I see... not a bad idea.
1/19/09

riverstyxxx

[reply]
1/19/09

thubby

Find something that interests you, but know little about. That way it keeps your interest because you learn something new and worthwhile everyday or every time you post. And in doing so, you help educate others.

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  @thubby: Absolutely! I couldn't agree more. I'm most interested and most knowledgeable about what I'm currently blogging about. Maybe I just need a break.
1/19/09

skwguitar

I stick to politics and current events with my blog. There's always something going on. Plus, as a libertarian, I almost always have something to complain about America with.

www.newsday.today.com/

[reply]
1/19/09

Norski

I'm no expert, but I think this is a reasonable thought:

Finding your blog's identity is easier if you keep each blog focused on 'one topic' - that's not as restrictive as it sounds. For example, you could decide to blog about American football - Which is a very broad subject. Close to the other end of that subject would be a blog about the linebacker position on a local school team.

There's the matter of voice and opinion. Writing the way you talk isn't the worst approach you could take: assuming that you speak coherently. A big mistake I've seen - sometimes in my blogs - is to forget that you're a blogger, not a reporter.

I like to stick to facts - but not 'just the facts.' What you think and feel about the facts is what makes a blog different from some news article.

And - keep writing. Read what you've written. Think about how it 'sounds.' Decide what sort of personality you want the blog to have, and push it that way.

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  @Norski: Very good advice. Thank you. I get caught up in being a reporter rather than a blogger way too often. And, yes, I would consider that to be a BIG mistake as well.
  
  Some blogs I read because the content is amazing.
  
  Some blogs I read because the writing is amazing.
  
  And some blogs I read because I enjoy the blogger. Period. I'm interested in the person they are and what they say.
  
  Thanks for the words of wisdom.
2. 1/19/09
  
  Norski
  
  My pleasure, and thanks for the good words.
1/19/09

wehireu

Focusing on one topic is one thing. People are not one trick ponies. They have more than one interest. Taking a break and expressing interest in a related subject is useful. For example if you write about films and like photography break away a bit and write about that. Even niche subjects have related things. Books are related to publishing, libraries, as well as comic books. Demonstrate a connection to something else interesting.

[reply]
1. 1/19/09
  
  Financialnut
  
  @Wehireu: Sure. I like that. And it shows that you're a person that has other interests. My ears often perk up when I read an article from a blogger on something that is a little different from what they usually write about.
  
  Granted, you need to stick on one topic for the most part, but mixing it up and doing something like what you're describing sounds like a decent idea too.