“Do what you love, and the money will follow.” – Marsha Sinetar, writer
So you want to write. And you’re good at it! And you even have a tiny bit of experience!
Now you’re ready to get your blog up and running. Or pitch some clients for freelance writing opportunities, right?
Well, almost.
While some people find success in being a generalist, most writers and bloggers will need to focus and narrow down a topic of expertise. You guessed it: a niche!
Likely you’ve heard of finding your niche or “niching down,” but what does that even mean? It means to choose a narrow topic or audience to focus your content. The reason for doing this is to allow you to create the most valuable content for a specific audience. That way, your readers will love what you wrote and feel like you wrote it just for them. That is what builds a loyal readership or client base.
Choosing your writing niche may be based on a topic, or it may be based on a demographic. Perhaps you have expertise in a certain field like sales, real estate, fashion, or event planning about which you would just love to write high-quality expert articles. Those are all topic-based niches. Demographic-centered niche examples are parents of special needs children, beginner photographers, or mid-life career changers.
Either way, your niche should be your expertise plus your passion. There is a bit of disagreement on what the third portion of that formula is.
A lot of folks say that your focus must also intersect with a market that is “highly profitable.” But when you understand enough about content creation and strategy, you can make whatever your niche is into a profit. More power to you if your primary interest intersects with a big money topic! But don’t worry if it doesn’t.
The other traditional finishing element to that formula is asking the question “who does it help?” The answer can be something as noble as “individuals who want to find inner peace” or as profit-driven as “financial institutions that need frequent, high-quality white papers.” Whatever lights you up!
While freelance writing is appealing partly because of how flexible your schedule can be, there’s no question that the whole process (pitch, plan, write, promote, repeat) will take up a lot of your time. If you’re going to spend that much time on something, you should probably at least like it.
Okay, so you get it. You need a niche. Now, how do you figure out which one is yours? The good news is, ultimately you just have to pick one. If it doesn’t work, change it! Planning plays an important part, but action often plays an even bigger one.
Let’s work through it.
Open up a new digital note. Or, old-school it and get an actual piece of paper and pen. Time for some brainstorming! It will be helpful to have your resume(s), transcripts, and portfolio in front of you for these lists.
Here are some concrete ways to find niche ideas that resonate with you and your audience:
What is your expertise or background?
- Coursework that you’ve completed
- Any degrees or certificates you’ve earned
- Professional work experience
What are your passions or interests?
- Hobbies and activities
- Ways you spend your free time
- Things you like to talk about with your friends
Who do you want to help?
- Any volunteer experiences you have enjoyed
- Social causes that are personally meaningful to you
- Nonprofits that you contribute to or follow
Check your social media.
There may be more subconscious interests that you didn’t even consider!
- Pinterest board content and topics
- Types of people, companies, and organizations you follow on Twitter and Instagram
- Topics of any blogs you follow
Put these lists next to each other. Do you see any themes emerging? Highlight list items that seem relevant to one another (or color code them if you’re a total nerd like me!) and connect some dots. Your college minor in fine art may seem useless until you pair it with your passion for the local art scene and realize how much content marketing help small art studios and galleries need. Boom, you found your niche!
Conclusion
If you have trouble connecting the dots on your own, find a community that can help through blog comments, Twitter, or Facebook groups. The freelance writing world is full of people with a lot of experience and a vast willingness to help.
Please share your lists in the comments and let us know whether they helped you find some niche connections. If not, maybe we can help! You are closer than you realize to a real live freelance writing career.
If you haven’t started a blog yet, here are two blog posts you’ll want to check out!
Tara Bosler is a professional writer, freelance blogger, part-time educator, and regularly caffeinated mom. She writes about parenting, being a mompreneur, and saving and stretching dollars. You can find some of her freelance clips, as well as her live blog, on her writer website: www.tboslerwriting.com.
Lorri
I really loved reading this information it’s so informative. I think I do our enough confidence to start my blog.Thank you so much!
Holly Reisem Hanna
Glad you enjoyed the article, Lori.
Good luck with your blog, and keep me posted.
Judith Munakata
Hello I’m 73 l work full time at Amazon babysit my grandkids 5 nights a week and take classes at the community college. I am a failed gardener but still want to pursue it. I like writing but not sure what would be helpful. I have a lot of experience. I ran a home daycare for many years and owned a driving school. Any thoughts about my niche. My best thing to talk about is my 7 grandkids ages 6-14.
Holly Reisem Hanna
Hi Judith,
You can blog about your gardening journey — there are many people, life myself, who struggle with gardening. You can share what you learn along the way. You could also start a lifestyle blog for retirees.
I also have a free 10-day blogging course here that covers finding your niche:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/wahw_optin/free-blogging-course/
Lynn
Hi Holly. I’ve narrowed down my thoughts and I am wondering your thoughts on the niche I feel passionate about, but I’m not sure if anyone would care about my thoughts. I am a career changer who has been working as a long term substitute teacher for high school English classes while I continue to search for a full-time teaching position. I’d like to blog about what parents need to know about high school that they won’t find out from their school newsletters. There are so many things that I wish I had known as a parent but the only way I would have found out is by working in a school system. What do you think? I appreciate any help and by the way, I love your newsletters and blogs. You are a God-send for people who read your advice. So, thank you for providing this service!
Lynn
Holly Reisem Hanna
Hi Lynn,
As a parent of a high schooler, I would be interested in this info. 😊
I’m glad you’re enjoying the information!
Good luck and keep me posted.
Pat
Hello, Holly!
I feel like Im a total introvert. I want to start my own blog but I have trouble with finding my niche. I have certificates for skincare cosmetic, massages and nail techs, but I do not feel enough confident to work it for real. On the other hand Im studying philosophy. So that is why Im thinking about a blog but can I blog without revealing my real name!
Thank you!
P.S.
As an introvert typing this comment from me was very hard 😅 and Im sorry for my English, it is not my mother language.
Holly Reisem Hanna
Hi Pat,
Your English is great!
Yes, you can start a blog using a pen name. But I feel like it’s harder to build trust with your readers if you’re not using your real name.
BTW, I’m an introvert too. Blogging is a wonderful career for introverts!
Tiffany Andrews
Hello Holly, my name is Tiffany Andrews and I am thinking about starting a blog about dealing with Epilepsy. I was inspired by this woman name Tiffany Kairos. The name of her blog is The Epilepsy Journey She has epilepsy too. Her blogs are so relatable and inspiring. How do I start a blog like that without copying someone else’s ideas? I am a little scared because I’ve never done this before. I want to inspire people but I want to get paid too. Is that being heartless? I have so many questions.. Can you help me please?
Holly Reisem Hanna
Hi Tiffany,
This post right here can help you with the setup:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/setup-blog/
I’m assuming you have epilepsy, or you know someone that does? If so, I would write from your experiences and perspective.
Also, start brainstorming blog post ideas and see how many categories and ideas you can come up with. For instance, maybe Mondays are motivation posts, Tuesday’s are foods and recipes for epilepsy, and Wednesday’s are interviews with others that have epilepsy. Then start adding specific blog post ideas to each category. You’ll want to make sure that you have tons of ideas — if you’re struggling with this area, perhaps explore other niche ideas.
And no, it’s not heartless to want to help, but still, make money. We all need to earn an income to pay the bills — just stay true to your values.
Mei
My lists seems to be Nerdy or Snarky Items , Advice, Art and Activism… (from my boards!)
what the heck would that niche be?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman
Hi Mei,
This is a good start, but now you need to start breaking each one down further.
Snarky — Think satirical sites like The Onion.
Advice — Advice on what? What’s your angle? What’s your expertise?
Art — Which medium? Your art? Other people’s art? Famous or up-and-coming artists?
Activism — Which cause? Who is your focus group?
Eva
Thank you for the write up. So interesting. But I am Nigerian and stay in Nigeria too. I don’t know how possible it would be for me to do freelance from my country. If you have any ideas, I would be glad to have them.
Regard,
Eva
Alberto
hi holly, thank you for the good work you are doing , i cant wait to get started with your help and guidance
Holly - The Work at Home Woman
You’re welcome, Alberto!
Good luck on your work-at-home journey!
Melissa
Completed coursework includes
basic accounting classes, English Comp 1 & 2, Microsoft Office, Economics, Leadership Skills. I’m going for my Associates in Management.
Work Experience
daycare worker, fast food cashier, Avon Rep, Housekeeper, Factory worker, CNA (nursing homes and private care), Tobacco store cashier and assistant manager, convenience store cashier, Walmart cashier, Home Depot cashier
Hobbies
reading, writing poetry, playing video games, camping, fishing, studying the medicinal properties of herbs, Tarot reading
Free Time
reading, watching TV shows on Prime, writing on the fiction book I’m writing, playing video games, researching natural cures, researching home business opportunities, doing Tarot readings, researching for my book
Things I Like to Talk About
healthy options, healthy and liver friendly recipes, movies and TV shows I like, budgeting on a low income, gardening, my pets, ways I survived when I was homeless
Volunteer Work
I have never had the opportunity to do any
Social Causes meaningful to me
animal rights, children’s rights, rights of the elderly, homelessness, environmental causes
Social media
I follow the updates on the Mars Rovers, new things being found “out there” (the search for other Class-M planets), news and discoveries in solar and wind energy, recipes, and crafts
Holly - The Work at Home Woman
This is great, Melissa. One trend I see is health and wellness, another is video gaming, and another is money (saving, making, and surviving)! Keep us posted on your journey.
Heidi
Great and thought provoking questions. I’m on the hunt for my niche and I have already found your blog to be most helpful! Still struggling, but hopefully, with your I’ll figure it out soon!
Heidi
with you *help*…
Heidi
YOUR HELP! lol. Clearly, writing isn’t my thing.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman
Hi Heidi, Glad you enjoyed the article! Here is another that may be helpful on your journey: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/finding-your-niche/
anniel douglas
hello i am anniel love work with kids write kids books at this time work on one book