2 Big Options Behind Solving 'Choosing The Wrong Niche'

Choosing a niche is not only a difficult process, but it's also a process many blogger refuse to choose, mainly because of how limiting a niche can be. You see other bloggers talk about how choosing a niche is your number one thing to do when you start blogging, 'too many topics, too few viewers' and other varied advice following a similar form.

Contrary to the advice, I don't have a niche. If we're being technical, my niche could be 'blogging', but to blog is a big subject, from social media, to marketing, to design, to scheduling, to preparing, to growth, to followers, the different avenues are vast. Add to that my book related content and I'm not a niched blogger, and I see that in my figures. However, I also see on a regular basis blogs without a specific niche achieve great things, and it's not impossible to do so.

Finding is a niche, a main topic to blog about is usually the best port of call.

But what if you choose wrong?

What if you choose a niche thinking it's 'the one' and later start to feel limited.

What if your niche starts to feel like a relationship that no longer has that spark. Sure, you might be content in that relationship, but you might also feel like you're not getting anything more out of that relationship. Hey, maybe, you're just settling, and settling for less than happiness is not a good thing.

Are you settling for a niche that doesn't fit right anymore? My friend, you chose wrong.

Oh shit, I chose the wrong niche! What do I do Amanda?

There are two things you can do, and they're both frightening..

How To Think Up Perfect Headlines Every Time

Some days, they come to me in daydreams, in eureka moments and in the most unexpected of places, and sometimes they just forget to come at all. Sometimes I imagine them all gathering around for coffee in the middle of the afternoon, laughing at me for having not found them yet, and sometimes I just tell them to do one and replace them with something silly like 'that post about that something you thought you knew enough about' and just be done with it.

Yes, I'm talking about post titles, the lil' devils.

Your experience with post titles and headlines might not as dramatic as THAT hot mess earlier, but I betcha any money you DO struggle, and you and they are NOT on the best of terms. Even the most exciting, enthusiastic and enthralling post titles you see on other blogs have taken time to create. Some have taken a few minutes, and some have taken a few hours, (psst, some have even taken days, DAYS to come to them!) but like it or not, they're damn well important.

Over 80% of people will check out and read your post title.
But only 20% will actually read the content behind it.

Bummer.

Creating the perfect post title or headline for you post is without a doubt on the most important aspects of creating content. You could have the best, most epic post you've ever created, but if that title isn't cutting it, forget about it. Time wasted. Effort down the drain. You can't simply write it and expect them to come anymore, you have to make them click that goddamn title and read your page of awesome.

Why You Should Stop Doubting Yourself and Your Content (and Keep Writing Anyway!)

I have to confess, I've been getting myself a little stressed over blogging lately. To make a nice change, it's not the issue of generating post ideas, I'm full to the brim with them, and it's certainly not got anything to do with finding time to blog, it's all about the actual post ideas themselves.  You see, some of them, okay, all of them, just don't feel good enough.

I've got all these great content ideas swirling around in my head, and they sound really genuinely awesome when they materialise in that nugget called a brain, but when I put them into words and onto paper, or into a blog post or draft in Evernote, they just.. suck.

You don't have to tell me that just because I think something sucks, doesn't mean someone else might not love it, but writing content quality content is what I know, it's what I love to do, it's why I choose to blog, to teach, to learn and to share. Quality content is the whole reason I dropped my book blogging label and went nicheless, it's the reason I've smashed one of my biggest goals this year in a quarter of the time I thought it'd take, and as much as I know I shouldn't compare myself to other bloggers and put other people's content against mine, I just can't seem to shift that self-doubt.

I'm stuck in this vicious blog content circle and it's super tough to get out.

I've got so many half-written posts drafted in Blogger and Evernote, posts that previously sounded great, posts that would without a doubt bring me good vibes, but all of a sudden feel worthless, pointless, and even silly to even be considering.

What is a girl to do?

What do you do when every posts feels like it's going to flop?

How To Come Up With Awesome Blog Post Ideas

We've all been there, sat in front our computer screens, staring at a blank white page thinking 'how the hell am I gonna get a post out tomorrow when my brain is giving me zilch?' Trust me, I know how sucky that feels, because you can bet your sorry ass that the minute you close your laptop, roll over in bed and make yourself comfy, BAM, awesome post idea. Why you no come to me in the day?

So, how can you generate blog post ideas when you're not trying to sleep, because losing sleep over your blog is not the way you want to spend your time. Well, to make things just that little bit easier for you, I'm sharing 5 methods I use that help me generate new post idea when inspiration is taking a long holiday in the bahamas without me, in the hope you'll never find yourself dumped by your imagination like I frequently am.

1. Grab a pen and some paper, and brain-vomit

It doesn't sound like the most attractive of methods, but sometimes you just have to get everything out of your mind and onto paper to see just how those crazy and exciting ideas look on paper. I do this rather frequently and find myself with notes on my phone, on my computer, on paper and in my blog planner, and it's extremely helpful in terms of clearing my mind, and generating ideas.

To make the method that much better, it's beneficial to clear your schedule and dedicate time to getting the ideas out there in a calm environment. If there are less distractions, it's more likely you'll be able to just write and write and write and get the information from idea to words.

It's also super important to remember that not every awesome sounding post will look good once you've got it down on paper, and that's okay. The whole idea behind this method is that it allows you to see all your ideas in their bare form, and from there, enables you to either throw them away because you'll never be able to develop them, or do exactly that, develop them and turn them into amazing posts that you're readers will love. It's also pretty darn handy when you have one super large topic and feel you can split it into a handful of smaller, more detailed posts.

The Perfect Posting Time Is When YOUR Audience Is Online

You've probably seen the posts telling you want time is 'the perfect time' to post your content for the maximum amount of pageviews, and you've more than likely seen those posts partnered with facts and figures, numbers proving that one time is the best, or another time is the worst, and as much as I love those posts and admire the writers who published them, I'm about to address the bull standing in a crowded field and tell you it's not about what time specific social networks get the most traffic, or when people are most likely to click rather than just browse.

Here comes the big myth busting fact.

Get ready..

The perfect time to post your content is when your audience is online to see it.

Tadah.

Seems kind of obvious now when you think about, doesn't it?

Truth of the matter is, it doesn't matter at what point in the day Twitter gets the most activity, be it early in the morning while people procrastinate going to work, or late at night when people scroll away when they should be sleeping. It doesn't matter that Facebook is a high value, low volume social site, where people want high quality posts less frequently that other platforms. It doesn't matter that Pinterest is a womans hideaway where 1 out of 5 women use it, making up 80% of it's demographic. None of those facts and figures are actually important when it comes to your optimal posting time (although I do love a good 'ol fact find).

What is important is knowing what time your audience is online, and posting content to suit them.

There is no magic trick.

The BIG numbers aren't what matters to your small area of the internet. What matters is your audience.

How and Why Basic Content Can Boost Your Blog

I don't know about you, but when I was in school, the first week back always killed me. It was never the early mornings, my friends always made those worth the pain, and it wasn't that I didn't enjoy being in school, I pretty much loved learning new things everyday, sponge-like creature that I am. What pained me was that every time I was away, I would always have to find my feet when I returned, and blogging has a way of reminding me of that feeling everytime the holidays are up and I come back to blogging.

It's like taking a two week holiday, returning to work and not having a clue what you're doing there.
It's like living in another country for three months, coming home and wondering why the food is blue.
It's like returning to your most favourite hobby, taking a seat, and forgetting to pack your mojo beforehand.

It's painful.
It's stressful.

It's the reason you sit there for the hours, a million post ideas within your grasp and not a single word to say.

It doesn't have to be that way. I'll let you in on a secret; when Nanna says that nobody makes them like they did back in the day, she's actually right. Well, most of the time. When it comes to blogging, going back to basics can really make the difference between getting back on the saddle and getting stuck in the mud. Not only can it be your saving grace, but it can also boost your blog, and that's never a bad thing.

So, what are the basics?

Your Top Ten Favourite Blog Posts of 2015 | TDOC

Christmas and New Year are a big time for reflection and looking back on the years happenings. We settle in with family we haven't seen in months and share our experiences, our highs and our lows, our big news and our heartbreak and it's what brings us together, as family, as friends, as fellow bloggers, and that's so so important.

Looking back on your achievements is also something I love to do at the end of the year. Not only does this enable me to end the year on a high, but it brightens up my darker, more negative moods by remembering what I did right, what other people loved, and it motivates me to keep going when my inner demons say to throw in the towel. Today, I want to share with you the posts you loved this year, and sneak in some of my favourite posts since settling in with Nellie.

10. 5 More Reasons I Get Put Off Your Blog

The best thing about doing follow-up posts, especially one with a lot of response, good and bad, is that there's always more to say and more that people will want to know. When I wrote my 7 Reasons I Get Put Off Your Blog, as discussed below, response was heavy and I knew I had even more reasons, and interestingly, this follow-up post did rather well all by itself, so it goes to show, if you can follow-up a post, do it.

9. Introducing Nellie and Co's 2016 Blog Planner!

When I think about it, my Blog Planner has done an awesome job at hitting the pageviews it has and coming in within the top ten posts, considering it's only been available for 5 days. The Planner itself probably took me around 10 days to create, and I've got a whole host of upcoming additional pages that will become available throughout the year to make blogging and everything that comes with it, much much easier. I've already seen a large number of downloads, and had some really nice things said about it. If you're super lucky, I might even create one next year, or maybe more..

8. 12 Awesome Blogs and Why You Should Follow Them

This idea behind this post steamed from three things. One, I just really wanted to give some loving to blogs I seriously enjoy and love reading from. Two, I was asked in my blog survey (which you can take here, and you should!) what blogs I like to read, so I wanted to answer that question for that reader. Finally, I wanted to see what sort of impact sharing and linking to other people and their blogs and the science behind shares and social media, and I was really intrigued to find out, it works. Share who you love people!

How To Create Content Upgrades and PDFs with Canva

You've seen the new craze hitting the streets, the content upgrade advice, the 'grow your email' shouts that come with it, and yes, content upgrades can benefit your blog hugely, and they help grow your email list, but if you're anything like me, you're wondering 'how the heck do I do that Amanda?!'

The answer is simple my friend. Canva.

I've talked about my dear friend Canva before when I showed you how I create some of my blog graphics, but just when I thought this insane free resource couldn't get any better, it went and proved me wrong.

Most professionals you see creating content upgrades; worksheets, workbooks, planners and so on have one tool I, and you, most likely do not - Photoshop and Illustrator. I thought that because I didn't have these tools, I couldn't create something fabulous like that myself, but once I stopped wallowing and put on my big girl panties, I started looking for ways I could.

Enter Canva.

Canva not only allows you to create beautiful graphics for your blog, but it also enables you to create PDF documents, or at least download them for use either online or for printing. You can create any extra bonus document, worksheet, full-on workbooks for your blog to use as content upgrades and extras, and it never gets any more complicated than simply using Canva as you already do.

Is It Wise To Be Sharing ALL Our Blogging/Design Secrets?

In the last few months, the type of blogs I follow has changed dramatically. I've gone from following 200+ book blogs, to around 40 book blogs and upward of 60 blogging/business blogs. That's half the blogs I used to follow, and the content is so much different too. I'm able to see why my blog works, and what to do when it doesn't. I can check out how to improve and grow my blog, and how to have a functional design that works for me. I get to see how other people create, design, develop and do what it is they do, with even the most intimate and deep details spelled out for me, and as fabulous as that is, is that a good thing?

Is it really that wise to share ALL our secrets?

As bloggers, designers, business people and hobbiest readers, we all have our own little quirks, little secrets that allow us to function and get the most out of what we do, in the best way possible, and rightly so, we've worked hard to strike a balance, we deserve it, but when we share things, they're no longer ours. When a designer shares how they create something, another 20 people could learn how to do the exact same, maybe even better than the original. That designer doesn't look quite as unique now, do they?

Should You Feature Recent/Popular Posts in Your Sidebar?

While typing up a previous post (it was 7 things I dislike about your blog, because I know you would have been nosey and asked anyway) I had a moment of flection on sidebars and it through me for a curveball. There are many different pieces of advice that people give you when it comes to your sidebar, but there's one that I see everywhere that I don't think makes much sense.

"Feature Your Most Recent Posts!" ..But, Why?

How To Improve Your Old Content For New Readers

Recycling old content is frowned upon when it comes to blogging and it really shouldn't be. Why should we use time and effort putting together content that will probably get lost in our archives if we didn't stay on top of promoting them? It makes no sense, therefore recycling, or at the very least, adding to previously published content is a great way to draw attention to a topic that newer readers may have missed. Here's how.

Add updates to previous posts

You can almost guarantee that when a blog publishes a tutorial and it has an 'updated' section, they've updated the post and republished it as a fresh new piece of content, and guess what? It works. New readers and subscribers who may not have seen that content before get the juicy details other readers have before, as well as keeping your more loyal following in the loop with the newest information. If you're going to be revamping a post with new information, I would advise you make it one that's over 6 months old.

4 Things That Make Me Click To Read Your Content

One of the misconceptions behind blogging is that just by putting your content out there, people will see it, and that's not true. If you want people to see your content you've been working on for hours, you need to do more than just press 'post' or 'publish', you need to promote it, because without promotion, you'll have no readers, and without readers, you'll have no views, and whether we like to admit it or not, views are important, they define you, they make you aware of what you're doing, how you're doing it, and allow yourself to ask questions. The most common of the questions I ask myself regularly is 'would I read this if somebody else wrote it?' It's what encourages me to strive for better content, it's what reminds me that I need to promote, that I need to make everything I write appealing to you, otherwise you'd never read it, and I'd have wasted my time entirely.

However, your content is just as important as mine. You've spent the same amount of hours putting together a post, and you're proud of it, it's exactly how you wanted it to be, it makes it's points, it's informative, hilarious, exciting, it's everything you wanted it to be and more, in fact, it's perfect for me, but you've got a problem. You need to somehow encourage me, to read your post, and so, because I'm a lovely person behind my rough exterior, I'm going to give you some tips on how to get me reading your content. You may want to get a pen and paper..

1. Big, Bright, Bold or Brash Titles

When I'm scrolling through the posts blogs I follow have published, one of the biggest features that will stand out to me are their titles. You can write up the most amazing blog post the world has ever seen, but I'm not going to give it a second of my attention if that post doesn't lure me by it's title first. I like big, I like bold, I like titles that either tell me exactly what I'm getting, sound snappy and straight forward, or have a slight sense of mystery about them - it's a preference I like to include within my own posts.