Your first step in blogging is very important. You might think that that step involves picking your blogging software, deciding what your blog will look like, or even opening a new bank account to put away all the gobs of cash you plan on making.
It’s not any of those, however.
The very first thing you have to figure out is what niche you’re going to fit into.
A niche is a defined as “a distinct segment of a market”, and you have to decide what segment of what market you’re going to jump head first into. To that, you have to ask yourself some questions.
Why am I doing this?
This is the very first question you should ask yourself - and do not be ashamed if the answer is “to make money”. If that is your answer, then you’ll need to do research on what niches are the most profitable (which is an entirely different topic that we’ll cover in the near future).
My suggestion to you if you’re taking your first steps into blogging is that even if your ultimate goal is to make a living blogging, that you don’t jump right out of the gate and try to find an insanely profitable blog niche. Instead, you need to make sure blogging is the right thing for you first.
Again, I want to be clear there there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to make a profit from your blog, but before you can get out there an rake in the AdWords money and commission sales, you need to know what you’re doing.
If money is not your intent, then you’re already ready for the second question. Either way, if you’re a first time a blogger, this is the next thing you need to ask.
What am I passionate about?
Answering this question honestly is the only way you’re going to make a go of blogging. No matter what your ultimate goal is, if you are not interested in your first blog you will not keep at it, and you will not be successful.
When you are a serious blogger, you have to be committed to what you’re doing just like any other serious endeavor. You have to set an update schedule, and you have to keep updating on that schedule if you ever want your audience to grow. People have to be able to count on you being there when they come looking for new content. If you’re not, then they won’t stick around for long - there are too many other options out there.
So - what are you into? It doesn’t matter if its Apple products, Japanese Monster movies, politics, or foot cream - if you’re into it, chances are somebody else is into it too.
So take a look around the house, assess what you spend most of your time thinking about, and start a blog about that.
Can I Write about this every Month/Week/Day?
When you decide on what you are most passionate about, you need to then ask yourself if you can seriously write about that topic every month, week or day. When you begin to blog on a schedule, you need to think about more than just how much free time you have. You also have to consider how much content there is to talk about.
If your chosen topic is Bass Fishing, you probably have enough stuff to talk about every day - or at least every week. New fishing products come out all the time that will be worth discussing to your community.
If, however, you’ve chosen a topic like soap box racing, you might need to do that on a lighter schedule (either weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly) because there is no real daily “news” or products released for that particular topic.
Figuring out how much content you can realistically provide on a subject is essential to your success. If you start to update daily, but the topic doesn’t really merit daily updates, you’ll quickly run out of things to talk about, and your blog will die on the vine.
How much do I know about this subject?
Just because you consider yourself passionate about something doesn’t mean you actually know all that much about it. You need to make sure that you have a basic understanding of the topic you’re choosing to write about. If you don’t, the readers of your blog will tear you apart in the comments on your site.
If you have a basic understanding of something, but don’t feel like you know enough about it to be an authority on the topic - then do more research. Learn about what you’re passionate about - that should be easy - you’re already passionate about it! Once you’ve learned enough to feel confident when you speak on the subject, go ahead and start your blog - but remember - if you start stating things as fact that aren’t, your blog will lose credibility, and your readers will find other sites to spend their time on.
Will I keep doing this?
This is the hardest question that anyone thinking of blogging has to answer. At first, of course you think you’ll keep at it. You wouldn’t start it if you didn’t think you could do it. What you really have to think about, though, is what things are going to be like for your in a week, a month, and a year. If you can’t see yourself writing about this subject at this time next year, then you probably need to find another topic.
These are just a few of the questions that you’ll need to ask yourself when you start a blog.
The key to a successful blog is content.
Yes, marketing, promotion, and a bit of luck will all play a factor in the blog’s ultimate success - but if there is no quality content there, then none of that other stuff will matter in the end.
These questions should help you pick the right niche for you, and I truly think your first blog should be about something that you love, or at least enjoy. When you start blogging, you’re not going to make a nickel at first, and you need to enjoy what you’re doing.
After you get good at it...then you can go out there rake in the cash.
About the author: Michael is a professional blogger and podcaster. As well as problogging tips offered here at Blogflux you can also find Michael on Bloggy Network sites Apple Gazette, TV Jab, and other upcoming projects. He also spends way to much time on Twitter.
