Money is not everything. Anything beyond an optimum amount causes more misery than happiness.
Yet, with a stereotypical assumption that most of us want to make money (let’s not kid ourselves by saying “no” to this assumption), we all have a tendency to get stuck in a rut: the dirty groove of a routine that we get comfortable with over time. Even the advice we receive, the articles we write, and everything we believe in becomes congruent with this comfort zone.
For bloggers, it translates to finding niches, writing 500 word posts, and promoting your blog using the same methods we’ve always been used to. That includes social media, asking for links, putting up sign-up forms for opt-ins, some paid advertising, and then wondering how else to promote the blog.
If you’ve been doing whatever you’ve been doing, how will you get to where you want to go?
It’s time to do something different.
We all know passion pours energy into our life. It gives us more chutzpah to do what we want. It drives our efforts to reach our goals.
If you pick niches, blog multiple times a day, and work like a machine to promote your blog, here’s what happens..
Passion wears out..
Frustration sets in..
You’ll develop stress. Finally, you’ll give up.
Ignore the popular advice.
Forget the damn niches. ;)
If you have to blog, do so for a purpose. Here are different ways to find your purpose:
What is that one thing that pisses you off?
We all have our pet peeves, don’t we?
Maybe you love to do something but your lifestyle is your biggest enemy. Maybe you actually travel and you don’t like the way immigration procedures and visa restrictions don’t allow you to travel free. You could have been scammed online before and you just can’t get over it. Or maybe you got dumped unceremoniously by your girlfriend. Perhaps, you hate the well-orchestrated, social brainwash that marriage really is.
Find your biggest source of frustration; go and blog about it. Chances are that you’ll not worry about word counts and blog post lengths. There’s a possibility that many others in the world would relate to you.
Relating to the topic on hand, by the way, is half the business done.
Find a real business, blog for that business
Don’t blog about a topic. Instead, find a real business and apply your passion for blogging into a blog built for your business. Why? An unbelievable amount of “you” gets into your business, whether you know it or not.
Hatching that idea, sticking with it, and grabbing a business plan template off the web are the starting points. Beyond that, you’d give your business everything (including startup capital, sacrifices, the comfort of a day job, and the wholesome approval of people who mean so much to you). You will not sound or feel normal after so much goes into starting and running a business.
Your blog now reflects the new “you,” doesn’t it? Whatever you went through until this stage of your business (assuming you go with this idea) helps you communicate better. You are stronger, and you have an attitude to kill for.
Blog for a cause, to make a difference
If starting and running a full-fledged business (such as ecommerce, maybe) is not your thing, let’s get back to blogging.
Niches are popular and commercial. They evoke responses from customers such as “buy,” “buy later,” “no way, it’s too expensive,” and “nah, not for me.” If you don’t directly pitch for anything in your blog, all you’ll get is “ah,” “duh,” or “I see. Wow!”
Blog for a cause, instead, and you’ll mostly get responses like “I so want to help, if I could,” “Where is the donate button?” “I like what this person does,” “This is so true,” and “Wow, really?”
Now, causes don’t have to charitable. You could find a cause within commercial domains too. You can find a cause anywhere. All you have to do is look for something that’s troubling you, and you know that a lot of other people are also affected by it.
Look at what SaltyDroid does:
The trouble seed: Online scammers on the rise
The cause: Exposing scammers, thieves, and fraud “gurus” with make-believe opportunities
Does SaltyDroid sell anything? No.
Does it get traffic? Next question please.
Experiment until you find the purpose
Learning the art of blogging after you find your purpose will draw you in very late to the game. When the purpose comes calling, you have to hit the ground running. You have to be ready by then. That’s why it’s important to keep blogging everyday. How do you become a better blogger? Write blog posts every day.
What’s the secret to passionate blogging? Using your well-developed blogging skills to write about things that matter to you (and others).
In a nutshell, you have to do all the dreaming, thinking, and executing while you already have a blog in place. Now, you know that your choice of niche wouldn’t matter too. Pick a topic, start a blog and run with it. Think of this as your experiment.
Experiment until you find your passion. Once you find it, give your blog everything you’ve got.
Grammar? Rules? What’s that?
Read all the blogs you want on “how to blog better.” Brush up on your basics of writing (add copywriting to the mix). Yet, don’t think that what you read is the only “right” way to do things out there. You can make your own rules. Copywriters, for instance, break rules all the time. Find your voice. Make your writing reflect that voice. If you have to twist sentence structures, do so. If you have to invent your own words or phrases, like labeling yourself as an “anti-niche blogging rebel” go ahead and do it.
This is your playground. Go play. ;)
Your passion should show. Success will follow.
Are you stuck with niches or are you blogging from your heart? Do you have a purpose yet? Share it with us!
Thanks all, for your appreciation and comments. I’m extremely sorry for not replying on time, however, I’m grateful to you for sharing your thoughts.
You are right when you say, “This In a nutshell, you have to do all the dreaming, thinking, and executing while you already have a blog in place.”
I really like reading such articles which focusses on purposes rather than mantra of Money Money Money. Thumbs Up!
Hello; this is an excellent reminder to people to follow their passion. For me i am part of your second group. I have a site where i help people buy and sell amusement equipment and related items. My blog is there to promote the site and provide information on new products to followers. You are right it is my passion. Its why i get up in the morning and the last thing i think about before bed. I often have blog ideas i don’t get to as quickly i should because there are other jobs required of the site and blog. Thanks again for your fine post and take care, max
My blog is anything BUT focused on a niche. But I blog to create change in all aspects of society so variety is necessary. I love your use of pictures here. I also use pictures to help make my point and keep it visually interesting.
You can even go further into these niches if you like – for example, you may only want to blog about football instead of sports in general. Perhaps you only want to blog about a certain team, or even a certain player. If you want to tighten down the cooking niche, you may want to blog only about meatless recipes if you’re a vegetarian. Or organic recipes, or even just juicing recipes. Your blog can be as loosely or as tightly niched as you want to make it.
So, how do you find what niche is right for you?
Thank’s
Shital bhalani
Sometimes you don’t even have to narrow down on a niche.. Just write on what you’re feeling at the moment :)
Better to keep your personal and professional blogs separate though. A lot of personal thoughts and opinions are being shared by blogging bigwigs on Medium.com these days.
I couldn’t agree more with this post, I have a few niche sites that I’ve done but my next will be a much bigger site that I will try to build naturally.
That’s what Google’s algorithms are always moving towards – great authority sites that get natural links.
Now i’m trying to create a build for a cause. Although I have been struggle to find the traffic and readers, but in the end, I’m glad that it is doing great right now.
For me, if we are doing a good things for other people and try to help them, they will realize that there is still people who wants to help them. And I hope I can help so many people with my blog :)
Personal contacts work out great when you are thinking of starting a new affiliate marketing program. Not only for that, you can use your network for a lot of things like promotions to getting some new clients too
Thanks for this post bro.
I thought I was alone thinking the same way you have advocated here some weeks ago when I closed my blogs and opened a new one just to focus on who I really am.
I’ve had peace since then. I dont know if the cash will roll in soon, but I guess, I’ll just work and see.
But I’m happy with what I’m writing on. All these search engine and niche this and that can get to rest, let’s talk to humans and see how it goes.
Good piece bro. Loved it.
This post is something which a person like me would love. I really don’t like the whole idea of sticking to one niche. Why can’t you just talk about anything? This is how I perceive blogging- sharing whatever you know and whatever you want.
Also, I would like to mention that the points covered by you are really good. However, I would prefer blog for a cause than all other ones and the last one was very good too. If you are writing, experiment!
The number 4 is my always doing in blogging time, “Experiment until you find the purpose” always trying research on niche, publishing unique content, and the problem is the unique content, how to be a unique content when inside world wide having a billion site and blog with the same niche. Thanks for this idea, I’ll keep it up my mind with it.
I do agree with your point that money is not every thing in life. But if you’re choosing blogging as your career than it becomes essential to make money from a blog.
Your good knowledge and kindness in playing with all the pieces was very useful. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not encountered such a step like this.
Hi Rohan,
Really useful points, Passsion: I think it’s a basic step while choosing your blog niche, if you’re passionate about your blog topic then you can easily research and write useful, informative and interesting articles which would certainly be appreciated by your audience.
Hi Rohan,
I admin, it’s the first article by you that I read, but it’s definitely not the last! Thank’s for that, for reminding about passion for blogging, just when it turned out for me to be just a full time job as wherever else. Yeah – it’s time to find a real goal in blogging, letting money to be an extra bonus to the profession I like :)
Cheers
Darkan
Hi Rohan – nice to see you at Ammar’s blog once again :)
I loved your choice of topic for the day, something that I truly believe in and can relate to – blogging for a purpose.
I do feel that this is something every blogger should do, blog with a purpose to achieve, a purpose to reach out and give, or help others in some way or the others, which makes blogging, and thus your life worthwhile.
SEO, ranking, niche, making money should be secondary because those keep changing daily because nothing lasts forever, except what you truly achieve through your good deeds.
Sorry for the rant…just what I love to talk about :)
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead, both of you :)
Hi Harleena,
Apologies for a laaate response – thank you for your comment :) I don’t see it as a rant at all – glad to know people like you still appreciate that blogging has a purpose beyond SEO and affiliate sales.