This is a guest post by Mkakan and you can read his blog at Mkakan.com for useful blogging tips.
One of the most popular blog niches in the blogosphere is blogging about blogging and the make money online niche. Many bloggers, old, new and emerging are running or starting blogs about blogging.
Is there anything wrong with this?
Well, very many.
But before you read on, this post may only apply to bloggers who want to make money from blogging or bloggers who want to make an impact in whatever niche they are in.
It also depends on the purpose of your blog.
Let’s continue.
Now, there are millions of blogs in the blogosphere and many niches one can start a blog on.
But the most popular blogs and niches seem to be blogs and bloggers teaching other people how to blog and how to make money online.
These blogs are helpful and are so many in the blogosphere.
Here Are Some Questions About blogging
Do you blog about blogging? Do you blog about other very popular topics online?
If I asked you to rank your blog in these niches, what would be your position? Where would your blog rank in that niche?
Let’s fast forward a little.
What would happen in 5 years time? Will your rank improve?
Here is the deal.
There are so many top blogs that blog about blogging and make money online niche. Your blog may actually have few visitors and do really help people with great information.
- But is there anyway you can overtake these other big blogs?
- Can you have more impact like or more than them?
Well, it is possible but the odds against you are more than overwhelming.
Why Is This So?
The reason is that the vacuum for blogs about blogging and blogs about other popular niches has been taken.
In fact the first 10 places have been taken.
Let me be straight with you, you cannot have more impact (as long as you blog about blogging) than Darren Rowse of www.ProBlogger.net or the other remaining 9 bloggers in the top rank.
The best approach is to find a space not yet explored. Look for a niche not yet over competitive and rule.
The Problem With Blogging In Popular Niches
Let’s do a little experiment, Which blog would make the most impact…
A blog that ranks 1000th in a niche with a million blogs, a blog that ranks 10th in a niche with ten thousand blogs or a blog that ranks 1st in a niche with 1000 blogs.
Let’s put it in another way.
Which of these blogs would make the biggest impact?
A blog that ranks 1000th in a niche with 10 million readers, or a blog that ranks 10th in a niche with 1 million readers or a blog that ranks 1st in a niche with 100 thousand readers.
The answer for me would be the last blog.
But I know the usual argument.
Impact is a relative thing.
Well, you’re right but if you ask me, I would rather prefer to have the last blog, with 1st position in a niche with 100 thousand readers.
Seth Godin always opines that it is better to be known as the first or best in anything than second best for that same thing.
I would love to add that it is still better to be 10th best in a small niche than 1000th best in a big niche.
Why We Like Popular Niches?
So why do we have so many blogs blogging in popular topics like the make money online niche and blogging niche.
Well, because of the advice that says
“Blog about what people want or want to learn about”
It is good advice.
And also bad advice.
This advice is rooted in the pursuit of reducing or escaping failure. After all, people would not be in those niches if they were not succeeding.
So it seems logical to try to do the same thing because it works and could be the best way to succeed.
But this is a big problem.
It’s like starting a dry cleaning business in a town because over 1000 dry cleaners have somewhat successful dry cleaning businesses already exist in the town.
Conclusion
Forget about popular niches. Forget about blogging about blogging and the make money online niche.
You will hardly make any impact or be known because other people are already known in the niche. You can remain in the niche if you can target a sub niche in the blogging about blogging niche or the make money niche.
You can make some impact in the niche if you can bring something totally new to the niche.
But if you want to make a great impact, find a new unexplored, non competitive niche and rule.
If you remain in niches with many top players you may not make any impact.
Do you agree with me or disagree with me…please share and tweet this post.
Your points are well taken and exemplified however – I cannot help but deem this article as a dichotomy , for if we look anywhere on this particular blog , we will see articles related to making money online , tips on making money online & how to make money online as well as what to do – in essence : this is a niche blog .
Therefore : this article is a dichotomy. We must in essence practice what we preach . What I will agree with is the fact that there is no originality left anywhere in the cybersphere – meaning : everything has been covered , done , redone, hashed & re-hashed – to the power of 1000000 ! I believe that blogging is simply a different approach to writing – , simply done through technological means instead of pen & paper .
If one is a writer at heart , they will simply WRITE . Electing to write about a particular topic is even better of course , so that one’s blog isnt covering 100 various topics and confusing its readers . Having a passion about what one is blogging about will enable great content and user info . I dont believe that ads & having 20 people write for your blog will gain you fame & fortune & success as a blogger , as much as your content will . many people who embark upon blogging do so for the money .
They are under the impression that they will get online and enlighten the world w their great content and they will become wealthy in a matter of time – but if these are anyones reasons for blogging all I will say is : keep dreaming . There are individuals out there who possess killer writing skills & have PH.D’s and 2-8 yrs of higher learning degrees – and if they are not in the fortune 500 , dont expect miracles to happen . There is some great content out there and then , there is pure rubbish and recycled crap – the main thing is : to be focused on what you are doing it for and to do it exceptionally well . Your content will speak volumes where your adsense wont !
Good write up btw 🙂
Cheers !
.-= Mia´s last blog ..Review : The Webs Best New Up & Coming Web Designers =-.
Your article sounds EXACTLY like the real estate bloggers I know. They are all blogging to be top real estate blogger when there are sooo many real estate blogger blogging to be the top blogger. Funny thing is that other real estate bloggers are not their next customer, it’s the buyer or seller in their home town that is the next paycheck that puts food on their children’s plate.
I’ve noticed the ‘make money online’ crowd does the same thing,- they are blogging to each other. I think that if the Make Money Online crowd were to take their skills (and there lots, that’s why I read these blogs) and blog to their home town, they would truly ‘Make Money Online!’
.-= Colleen@Kennewick Real Estate´s last blog ..North Richland Washington Homes For Sale and Real Estate =-.
I agree 100%, but it’s funny that write this guest post on a blogging blog and you also write a blogging blog! 🙂
.-= Alison Moore Smith@Start Blogging in 1 Week´s last blog ..How to Create Compelling Content that Ranks Well in Search Engines =-.
Alison,well that is ironic, the reason i am blogging is because of what i do,i publish and i need to lead by example.
like i said in my first comment, i know i would probably not really make so much impact like Darren or make money as much(at least i know that ) and i have other stuff online and blogs not related to blogging about blogging)..
I agree with most of your points here. But you are blogging about blogging as well so theres a bit of an irony here. What do you think?
.-= Melvin´s last blog ..Upcoming Blog Contest & Call for Sponsors =-.
Melvin
,like i told Alison,it is ironic, the reason i am blogging about blogging is because of what i do,i publish information about stuff like this and i need to lead by example.
i know i would probably not really make so much impact like Darren or make money as much( i could in my country) and i have other different stuff online and blogs not related to blogging about blogging.
.-= mk akan´s last blog ..Why You Find It Hard To Think Up Blog Content Ideas =-.
Given the choice, I have to respectfully disagree. This is saying to absolutely not to blog about blogging, but what if that is your interest? It might not get you to the top but at least you LOVE what you do. What’s the use of blogging about ultra fusion or black holes even if you can rank first if you don’t like it?
Also, isn’t it good to have something to strive for? You are not on top now but anything is possible with enough dedication and passion. Even Problogger and Seth Godin started with nothing. Remember that.
You can’t start a fresh new niche just for the sake of starting a fresh new niche. Even if you are only a small part of the blogosphere, you are still part of it. At least you are representing something you feel strongly for.
most of newbies realize that they can compete with high ranking website in popular niches although it is very hard to see the required results with those sites.
.-= wire stripper´s last blog ..Wire stripper =-.
It’s a bit mad how everyone is blogging about blogging… But then again, there is a need for it so you have to give the people what they want I suppose.
.-= Jorgen Sundberg´s last blog ..How to Breathe Life into Your Twitter Bio =-.
This post is interesting for a couple reasons:
1. You’re telling people to stop blogging about blogging or in the make money online niche and yet you yourself have a blog in this niche.
2. I believe that writing in this niche is ok, but only if you actually have experience from other blogs / websites. i.e. I have a blog in this niche, but I am on track to earn close to six figures from my OTHER websites that aren’t even related to making money online which is precisely why my blog is growing rapidly and gaining new readers.
At the end of the day people will keep blogging in these niches because they don’t know anything better.
.-= Chris Guthrie@Make Money on the Internet´s last blog ..MaxBlogPress Ninja Affiliate Review =-.
this seem to be the only question every one is asking and i will keep replying it.
i blog about blogging because i am a publisher and must lead by example …and like i keep saying ,i know that my impact may not be so great (in the last part of the post ,i wrote if you want to make a great impact,then leave the crowd,i also mention that it depends on the purpose of your blog)
if you just love to write or blog about blogging-good,nothing stops ya, but if you really want to make a great impact, leave the crowd.
my blog is not to make money online or anything,it is to lead people by example…if after 5 years it grows to have a strong impact…well good but i am not betting on it…
.-= mk akan´s last blog ..Why You Find It Hard To Think Up Blog Content Ideas =-.
Disagree Completely. There is enough room for everyone, the Internet is a big place. Don’t you blog about blogging?
.-= Tycoon Blogger @Promote a Blog´s last blog ..Are you considering Guest Blogging? Do NOT Do it! =-.
I say blog about whatever you want to blog about. If you’re good, you’ll get noticed. If not, then forget it. It’s really that simple.
.-= Mike Roosa´s last blog ..I’m Giving Away The Farm — Read This If You Like Free Stuff =-.