Blog on a topic in which you have much interest

Interest level

It can be very difficult to blog on a topic in which you have little or no personal interest. There is no simpler way to make blogging a chore than to force yourself to write, read, and learn about a subject you don't actually care about.

As an entrepreneur approaching blogging, you will most likely be hiring writers to write on the subject so you have a bit more leniency in this than a hobby blogger. Nonetheless, a personal interest in the subject matter of your blog has numerous benefits:

If you do end up writing yourself, blogging is more enjoyable and feels a lot less like work.
You are likely to already know a good deal about the subject matter.
You are likely to be reading/learning about the subject anyway.
Your passion will show through in how you interact with the community, your staff, and in your writing.
You know how to solve the problems your readers face, or at least you know what those problems are.
You are probably already involved in some networking groups, forums, communities in this area. If you aren't, it won't be a problem to get involved.

Given the profusion of available topics, unless you have seen an incredible opportunity that's too good to pass up, it's probably best to stick to something you are interested in. If you're worried that the topic is too narrow, then try opening that topic up to a broader view of the same area.

Can you create value?

A key question in selecting a niche to blog in is to ask yourself whether you can create value for your readers. At all costs you want to avoid simply launching a "me too" blog that solely imitates (whether consciously or coincidentally) other blogs in the niche.

For a blog to be successful it must create real value for its readers. It must be a worthwhile addition to their reading schedule. Creating value doesn't mean you necessarily need to create a blog that is totally unique. It might simply mean that your blog explains a hard topic in a really simple way, or it might mean your blog has a much more frequent posting schedule giving more up-to-the-minute updates, or it might mean your blog provides great entertainment.

Creating value is the difference between offering something that is already available and providing something new, different, or better. Without a solid point of differentiation it's very hard to catch up to competing blogs. After all, why should readers bother switching to your new blog if it doesn't provide anything new or better? If you are unsure whether your blog can create value in a certain niche, try asking yourself these questions:

Can you generate a lot of content in this niche?
Do you know or are you able to find out things that others want to know?
Can you create content that isn't currently available elsewhere?
Do you have a different take or angle on existing subject matter?
If someone else came out with the blog you are planning, would you read it?

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