Hi Friends!
I have been a little unconventional in my approach to content creation here on Steemit and I often have people ask me why I haven’t focused on a particular niche. Anyone who has followed me for a while can see that I post on a big variety of topics from music covers, to lifestyle topics, to personal finance, to (sometimes) cryptocurrency, and have even recently launched a segment with @maryjaney called the Steem Sister Show!
Why did I decide to go this route instead of picking a particular topic and running with it? Well, first of all – I want to say that there is no “right or wrong” approach here. Both ways are totally valid and have their own pro’s and con’s. I am just sharing my experience and what I have found works for me. I have actually experimented with both styles and share my thoughts both in the Dtube vlog and in the text below!
Is Steemit different than other Content Creation Platforms?
The traditional school of thought is that you need to post within a niche, because people are following you because they are interested in that topic. If you veer off from your main topic – you’ll start losing followers. I think this is a really valid point – except I want to offer a counter perspective. Here on Steemit, we are not only a content creating engine, we are a community. People seem to follow you, for YOU.
Think about all the people you have decided to follow. Is it all just because you like the topics they post about? It is probably a mix of following people because of their content, and following people because you have connected with them and you want to stay in touch with what they are up to.
For this reason, I think niche’d out topics are super important for other platforms, but there seems to be a bit more wiggle room here in this community.
Pros of Posting on a Niche Topic
If you are posting on a niche topic – there is a good likelihood that you will attract more followers that like that type of content. This could potentially lead to a more engaged followership because they are likely to enjoy every post you put out – not just every few posts. For example, those who follow me because they like my music covers have to wait to see one of those every second or third post because I am also vlogging on the same channel.
You can also get more efficient with your content creation when you focus on a particular niche. Let’s say you are making cooking videos. If that is all you do, you can get really comfortable with where to setup your equipment, what works best, how to take good photos of the dish, how to format that type of post etc. When you are jumping around to different topics – it takes a bit more brain power to envision and setup each post.
Pros of Posting on Diverse Topics
One of the biggest things people say is that they struggle with ideas for content. If you are posting on a variety of topics - you likely won’t run into this problem! This method also allows you to tap into more of your passions and areas of knowledge.
Probably the biggest benefit I have seen from this approach is that it was a MAJOR factor in the growth I have seen in the last few months. I went from posting in a niche topic (music) to doing that plus vlogging on a variety of topics at the beginning of the year. By vlogging on different topics – it has exposed me to different people and communities here on the platform. I’ve met tons of people that I would have never met if I was still just posting music.
A good way to find middle ground is to segment your material into different series. This way, you can section out your content while still keeping it under the same channel. If you find that your audience doesn’t seem to like the variety of topics – you could consider opening separate channels for the various topics you are interested in posting about.
Follow the Energy
What is right for one person may not be right for another! If you are still not sure which direction you want to take – then ask yourself where you feel energy and excitement about posting. If there is a certain topic that you are really knowledgeable on or passionate about – ask yourself if you could talk about it everyday for a year. Are you overflowing with content ideas? Then maybe going with that niche topic would be a good option for you!
If you are like me though, and have a TON of hobbies, interests and passions – then maybe trying out a broader range of content may be a good starting point. Who knows, maybe you’ll find that you really LOVE posting on one of those topics and will end up niche’ing down a bit.
You aren’t stuck!
News flash guys… I have switched up the type of content I have done multiple times and the world didn’t end! If you start down one path and start to feel uninspired after a while – don’t just keep muscling through, stop to re-evaluate.
What are your thoughts? Let’s grow this conversation!
I really do think that either approach can work well here on the platform. I have shared my thoughts here, but I’d really love it if you shared your opinions on the subject as well. This is a topic that a lot of people grapple with, and I think it would be cool if they could get multiple opinions in the comments in addition to reading/watching my post.
Thanks so much for watching/listening and contributing to the conversation!
Xo, Lea
Equipment Used in this Vlog
In order to add an extra layer of transparancy and value to my vlog's, I will be adding a list of equipment used at the bottom of each one! If you ever have questions about the gear I use, or how I use it - please don't hesitate to ask.
Microphone – Apogee Professional Microphone for Iphone/Ipad/Mac
Pop Filter - Earamble Studio Microphone Pop Filter
Microphone Stand - Cowboy Studio Stand
Mic Stand Adapter - Apogee Adaptor
Camera – Iphone X
Camera Tripod – Amazon Basics Tripod
Smartphone Tripod Adaptor - KobraTech Tripod Adaptor
Lighting – LimoStudio 700W Softbox Lights
Video Editor – Imovie
Thumbnail Photo Editor – Snapseed
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
Yup, this struggle is one of the main ones for those of us that have been in for the long haul. Much like you, I've switched things up many times. There are some prevailing themes, and I like to think my own personality comes through in various ways, but I've gone from posts to long form posts to videos and let's plays.
Growing a consistent community is the hardest part. I think it's really amazing that you've managed not only to keep the pace of your work up, but also the consistency in quality - especially with a full time job, you workaholic!
But seriously, this does require consideration. You can get away with quite a bit of variation... unless you do one thing and then start doing the exact opposite. Sometimes the response to that can be a bit rough. But I agree that if you hang in there, mostly your trend will be up over time.
Well said and thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for the thoughtful response! I hope you’re doing well by the way! Sorry it has been so long since I popped over to your page. :-)
I really appreciate you adding your thoughts and perspective to the conversation. I definitely agree that there can be variation in what you do, as long as it stays consistent and authentic to who you are.
Thanks for your kind words by the way, I am definitely putting in a lot of hours these days! It’s all worth it though. :-)
Thanks again for the thoughtful response, and it was good to chat with you!
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Hey, no problem! I know how things can get away from a person, especially on Steemit, lol. It's all I can do sometimes to make sure things get up regularly.
Good chatting with you too :D.
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Personally I dont follow too many people. And from those that I follow, most of them are people that I soon becomes friends with or people that i already know.
Unlike Youtube or other mainstream content/social media. What i find about Steemit is as you said - people follow you for YOU. This could be spurred from the fact that on this platform, OP actually READS AND REPLIES your comment!!
I have always been the post-whatever-comes-to-mind kind of guy. Which goes against the mainstream school of thought to "niche niche NICHE!!!". But then again, NOTHING about steemit is mainstream. Which is why i love this place so much.
Looking forward for more of your awesome posts!!
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Thanks so much for the thoughtful response @awesomeianist!! It sounds like we both take pretty similar approaches to our Steem content! People keep telling me I should niche down a little more, but I saw the opposite effect in terms of growth when I started expanding my content.
I think you hit it on the head when you said that nothing about Steemit is mainstream, including what “tips and tactics” seem to work well.
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Exactly!
They're not the ones at rep 67 on Steemit are they? 😉
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You make excellent posts!! AND you're super lovable 💛
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Awww sending love right back to you!! ♥️
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I'm a little of both. I think users should have one or two "niche" things they do, so users can know what to expect if they are following for a specific reason, and then have other amazing content to bolster the niche stuff. It's like a gas station. You go for the gas, but what they are really making money on is the soda and candy. So you have your gas and your carwash as the reliable content, and you have your soda, candy, donuts, hot dogs...whatever it is you feel like selling that day. I think everyone should have a little of both. I do my regular things each day and each week, but I don't like to limit myself to just those things.
I think you're right. People like you here because of YOU. That's what makes this place so great! It's not like youtube where your followers only like you for your cooking show. Here, you can do whatever you want!
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I love the gas station analogy. Come to think of it, that's super apt!
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What a BRILLIANT metaphor! You are just always full of great advice, aren’t you? :-)
I love that your perspective fine such a great middle ground. Being TOO broad could be confusing for people. I like your idea of finding a couple of main topics to post on. I guess in a way, I’ve mostly done that too.
Thanks for adding so much value to this conversation!
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Thanks for the conversation in the first place! You always do a stellar job.
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I just started out here on Steemit and have started with writing about my own interests and hobbies, hoping to create a following not just of people who enjoy the same diverse topics I do but also fellow Steemians with whom I connect.
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Thanks so much for adding your thoughts to the conversation. Welcome to Steemit by the way! 😊
I’m glad to hear that you found some of the points in this post helpful, and I hope that reading through a few other people’s comments here will give you some insight as well. If you ever have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
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Thank you so much. You are so kind. I have already found Steemit to be a helpful community of people. There is so much negativity on other social media platforms. This is a nice change!
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Excellent post @coruscate. Both ideas work.
Personally, being diverse, in my case my hobbies, my experiences and what my intuition is telling me provides more room to write authentically than if I were to put myself in a niche box, that's limiting in my opinion.
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What a great way to think about it! I really appreciate your thoughtful response and adding to the conversation here. Like you, I think I would start to feel pretty limited after while if I could only post on one topic. Glad to see I’m not alone here. :-)
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Keep doing what you do @coruscate, following.
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Good points. I'm more niche right now but this is a brand new platform with unlimited possibilities. We can make it whatever we want.
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Great points my friend!! There is definitely value in both schools of thought, and because we are in the bleeding edge of something new here, it may take a different shape and form then more traditional content sharing platforms.
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Hello!!! You gave where it was, that's why I follow you not only for the music, but also for your multifaceted contents that you always show in each post. It is true that many confront a single issue and do not leave because they believe they stopped having followers but hey it is also good to explore other directions. For example I am a musician I play the violin and I focused on doing cover to share my talent, but I also have the air of a writer I like to write analyze and probe with two very different post to what I was doing that was playing and interpetar themes with My violin, I did not get comments in my post, but I loved doing it and if one feels good because I stopped doing it.
A very good idea too much to see how we do to play together hahahaha would be that you open a channel in Discord would be spectacular to unite all those people who follow you in one place and have a room to get to know each other and provide tips for making better post . Animate and I hope you read me and you encourage yourself to make your own channel in Discord I assure you that you would be surprised of the amount of people that would join that space ... Very successful and never change because the truth as you go is excellent and It's always interesting to read you. Greetings friend
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This is so apt for me. I was worrying about it last night as I post about different things and dont HAVE a niche except for: 'i love all sorts of stuff!'. I then thought fuck it.. this is me.. Im not going to pretend Im something Im not! And i love the various communities here. Thanks xx
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Hi @coruscate, Your Vlog is really amazing. when I notice your post then i read it completely, After then I start to follow you and wanna with you on the same platform of steemit. there are many things to learn from your post. Thanks
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I generally like to stick to one or two main topics for my blog which works for me. Keeps it simple. Also, I went through and added over half of your tools to my Amazon wish list. Appreciate that added value at the end @coruscate
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Really enjoyed this piece. I couldn't get the video to load, so I appreciate you putting it in text as well! I have wrestled back and forth on this same topic. I think you're right in pointing out how this is not simply a blogging platform. While it is not fully a social media platform, it has some of that. Just like on Facebook or Twitter, there are people I follow/friend simply because I want to keep up with them, and there are others who post or share on a specific topic that I want to engage with. You get both here.
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I think it's important to have both. You gotta have the basic pbj posts every week that you know people count on and make you unique but predictable. And then you can have whatever kind of content you want. I think it's pretty important to find a niche.
@coruscate has a niche, and that niche is making sure steemit has lots of different content to see that is not steem or crypto related. That being said, she had to work her way up to get to that point, and she did so by keeping her content more narrow.
I'm in the "niche" camp, as long as it's not preventing you from being creative. There is a balance.
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Great comment. I think part of the wrestle is deciding how to define your niche and deciding when it has actually gotten too broad to be considered a niche. Jeff Goins has a technique (or at least that is where I am hearing about it from) where he tells people to craft an explicit worldview for their blog that fits the model "Every (blank) can/should (blank)." For example, every person should recycle, or every person can learn to be empathetic. While a niche is by definition something narrow and specific, defining your worldview makes room for multiple niches that fit inside that frame.
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That sounds like a pretty good approach. I think that could work for sure.
For me, it was trial and error...and still is. I go by what invigorates me--what am I dying to talk about and share? Then I do it a few times in a row, on a consistent day. If it gets a few votes, I might be inspired to continue it. If not, I might modify it.
For instance, I have a "favorite stupid comments" post I like to do, and I have a "dear littlescribe" post I do. These don't deviate much from the formula. But they are fun, and I get them out weekly if I can. I also have my instructional vids that I wish I could do everyday, but I'm limited to 2 - 3 a week.
So that's my gas and car wash. But within those, I can have some fun. And outside of them, I have fun as well, like photography posts, or my most recent write up about how to detect a sociopath (posting in the morning).
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Great comment. I am definitely working my way through the trial and error process. Even having to learn more about myself. The things I thought I would enjoy writing are not always right. It is always inspiring to catch glimpses of other people's journey, so thanks for sharing that with me! :D
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I think you kind of grow with your steemit experience. My approach has morphed over the years, and will continue to do so, according to what I learn, what I have time and interest for, and what my goals are. That's the cool thing about it. You're not stuck to any one way. But I do recommend finding one or two simple things you can do regularly just to keep a little bit of consistency on your blog.
I also have a lot of tutorial videos that might help you navigate your way around this platform. Feel free to check out my list of goodies on my posts. Good luck on here! I'll check you out as well.
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I found my way over to the Steemtopia discord channel. I find it hard to keep regularly engaged on discord, but I do really love seeing and participating in some great communities there. Thanks!
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Yeah, it's not something everyone can do all day. But it is another way to stay in touch with people.
Like for example, I'm haveing a STEEMTOPIA Steemit Like You Meenit party in 1 hour!!! Grab a seat and make yourself at home! SBD giveaways, new featured artists and writers, games, and more!
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That's exactly the point ! What I like on Steemit is the fact we don't have to create a new blog and rank it in Google to post a content in some different niche.
It's great to be able to write about different topics we love and simply change the tags.
As I am a person interested in many areas it's great for me. But quality content and personal brand are always the big rules to follow.
Thank you for sharing your point of vue.
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Hi @coruscate.
In my case I have opted for the random content. Because I see that it gives me more visibility and it's more fun to talk about various subjects.
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I understand the idea behind the niche posting but I find it boring - both for me to do and for me to read on other people's blogs.
And I think you hit it right on the head. People here follow each other for who they are - and personally, I don't know that many people who only do one thing... I believe in many interests and skills for each person 😄
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Alright, I took your advice and did a food related post this evening. I still posted photos, lol, but it's a different subject matter for me. Cheers!
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That's cool. I was in a doubt which one is better. Now I understand pros both of them. you're making good content. keep it up.
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Well, you have said it all. It is easy to get out of inspiration if one focus on just a single style of writing or focus on a single area of writing.
Writing on divers of topics will widen ones intellect to know more than one think he can.
But, it is always good to go for the method that serve one well.
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Hey @coruscate
Great post, thanks for sharing.
I think I'm in the same boat as you. I can't decide what to focus on and it's not in my nature to stick to one thing.
I'm in my third week on Steemit and I have posted about my travel experiences, Cryptocurrencies, American Football, photos of my trip to Cyprus and my favourite movie quotes. I hope it's the right way to go but I think I would go insane if it was any other way.
When I follow people it's because they have either wrote something of quality on a subject I'm interested in or that they have taken an interest in one of my posts. I don't suppose that's conclusive evidence either way. :)
Anyway, keep up the good work.
Cheers, Gaz.
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This is really nice, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I definitely want to break out of my niche (which is generally music), and delve more into video posts, philosophy/motivation writing, and general blogging about projects and ideas here. As you suggest in this post, "Here on Steemit ... People seem to follow you, for YOU". I think this platform can motivate diversity of posts and a representation of self. Pretty beautiful.
Thanks for the helpful commentary!
Edit: Holy shit, I just checked out your profile, you live in Bellingham?!? I lived there my whole life, until about 6 months ago. You're the first Bellinghamster I've seen on here, cheers! <3
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That is what I really thought as I entered the Steemit community. Why to stay in just a niche? when we can talk about a lot of different topics, and still be ourselves!
I see this as a great Coffee Shop, where you go and meet your friends and discover new friends, and then you sit down with them and talk about everything!
That is the best approach IMHO.
Great post @coruscate!
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Whenever I've niched in the past, I find it doesn't last longer than three years. Then I begin to resent it. I'm just done and I can't keep it up anymore. I keep telling myself maybe it's the wrong niche?
Life changes. Lessons change us. We learn, we grow, we teach, we learn we grow, we teach. How anyone can niche in just one thing for 20+ years is beyond me. Am I just not that passionate enough? Is something wrong with me?
I don't know anymore. I just know I have to be true to me and if I'm done writing about a topic - I'm done. It doesn't seem to be the greatest money-making model.
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