There are many websites that are dedicated to amazing content. No matter the industry, a blog can be created, or a website can be launched.
Want to launch your own site? Well, first, you’ll need to make the content. If you’re new to the game, or you’ve been around the block a few times, you might know that there’s plenty of competition to be had in the online sphere.
But before you make the content, you have to have a niche. Why? Because not having a niche is like diving into the ocean without any swimming gear to keep you afloat. In other words, not having a niche in mind can stunt your ability to create a relevant and genuine website.
Keep reading to learn more on how to pick the right niche for content writing!
Why Choosing A Niche Is Important?
“Content writers must know what they’re going to write about, before launching a blog or a website,” says Connie Waters, a business blogger at UK Writings. “Especially when it comes to writing for a particular industry, there is a lot of competition because there are so many websites and blogs on the Internet. Regardless, content writers need to have a niche. The niche will serve as the heart and soul of the blog or website.”
With that in mind, it’s time to get to work on content writing. Here are 5 effective tips on picking the right niche for content writing:
1. Focus On Your Interest
First, think about the niche. In other words, what is it that you love to do, see, or follow? That’s where your interest comes in. Any of the following can be the case:
- A hobby
- A sport
- A film or TV show
- Any form of media
- A specific topic, etc.
Once you find an interest, you’ll need to dive deeper. Suppose you have an interest in video games. You’ll have to go into the specifics – What about video games interests you? What kinds of video games interest you?
To get to the specifics, ask yourself the following questions:
- How did you first find this interest?
- What do you want people to know about this interest?
- What can you teach?
- What product or service can you equate to this interest?
- Why should people listen to you about this interest?
Asking these questions will allow you to go beyond just talking about your niche.
2. Decide On What To Write About
Now that you’ve picked an interest, and then asked some questions about it, it’s time to decide on what to write about. This is a perfect opportunity to go into the specifics.
Going back to the “video games” example from earlier, you can bet that there is plenty to talk about in the niche. However, you know you can’t talk about everything in the niche. What if you’re knowledgeable in a certain area of gaming, rather than every single nook and cranky of the industry?
With that said, think about how you want to format your content. Consider any of these formats:
- Blog posts
- Case studies
- Press releases
- Interviews
- eCommerce
- Social media
- Creative writing
- Technical writing, etc.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless, when it comes to formatting your content.
3. Research Your Chosen Niche
Now that you’ve found a specific area that you want to focus on in your niche, it’s time to do some research. You heard right. Go online right now, and type into the search bar the niche, and specifics of it. While this might seem counterproductive to your cause, it can do wonders for your content writing endeavors.
For example, suppose you want to write about microtransactions in video games. The “microtransactions” part is specific to the video games niche. Therefore, you would type in “microtransactions in video games,” and you would get articles and online content about this topic.
You can research a topic on sites like Google Trends, which give you real-time stats and results on any topic that you type into the search bar.
Speaking of doing research…
4. Use The Right Keywords
…you’ll also need to think about what keywords will be good for your website. Again, online tools like Google Trends can help you find relevant keywords to use for your niche and topic.
But before you do that, take the time to create a list of possible keywords for said niche and topic. So, going back to the “microtransactions in video games” example, your brainstormed list would look something like this:
- Video game microtransactions
- Pay-to-play games
- Free-to-play games
- Microtransactions in gaming
- Microtransactions
- In-app purchases
- App store
- DLC (downloadable content), and so on
When you look up what you’ve written down on your list, spend time researching how popular or relevant they are in the online world. Just keep in mind, while Google Trends is a free online tool, there are other tools like Semrush that charge for helping you find the right keywords.
5. Monetize Your Content
Finally, if you’re serious about content writing, you may want to monetize your blog or website.
“You might want to think about monetization, after building a reader base online,” says Phil Donovan, a marketing writer at Academized. If you are going to stick with a niche and have a readership for it, now is a good time to start making money from it. This is where research can help. Not only should you depend on on-page ads for monetization, but also on what you have to offer.”
With that said, consider some of the following tactics:
- Selling products or services that are based on your niche – This is ideal for retail or eCommerce sites.
- Having a tip jar or donate button – This is ideal for content creators who want to crowdfund projects. It’s also ideal for charity organizations and non-profits.
- Consider posting gated content (content that requires payment or form-filling before accessing, like a downloadable PDF) – NOTE: You don’t want to gate all of your content. Otherwise, you’ll lose your audience.
“You should also keep in mind that no matter what type of monetization strategy you use,” adds Donovan, “you’re always going to have competition online. In other words, some blogs or websites are going to do better than others. In that case, you’ll need to tweak your content and strategies every so often, so that your site continues to be relevant and successful online.”
Also, remember: content writing should not be solely about making money online. While some sites might become wildly successful online, other sites might not have that same outcome. So, be sure that your niche is not only relevant, but also something that you truly want to write about.
Conclusion
So, there you have it!
If you’re interested in content writing, you’ll need to start small. When you keep at it, you’ll start to get a reader base in due time.
Just to recap:
- Find an interest.
- Dive deeper into the specifics of that interest.
- Research that specific part of the niche.
- Find relevant keywords to that niche and topic. AND,
- Monetize the content, once the niche and topic are set to go.
With these effective tips in mind, you’ll be confident when it comes to content writing. Remember: Content writing should be something that you will commit to on a regular basis. If you’re very passionate about your niche, then, eventually, your site will not only drive traffic but also revenue.
The best of luck, content writers!
