The Benefits Of Niche Writing For Niche Markets
What’s the Big Deal About Niches?
“A special area of demand or desire for a product or service.”
Thank you to Websters for that definition of a niche. Now what does that have to do with writing?
If you are an online writer then you might want to pay close attention to this article. I’m not going to tell you that you must do this. I’m not going to tell you that you should do this. I am, however, going to tell you that you really should consider doing this. The ‘this’ that I refer to is niche writing, and it is a logical approach to the online writing world.
Niche writing is writing about a specialized field of interest. Instead of writing about cooking recipes, one would seek a niche and write about Hungarian cooking recipes or gluten-free recipes.
Why would you do that you ask?
Online writing is all about getting a piece of the pie, or in the case of writing a piece of the possible readership. An online writer has two choices in a realistic world: they can have a small piece of a large pie, or they can have a large piece of a small pie. Rarely does a writer get a large piece of a large pie. Sure it happens but the stars need to be perfectly aligned for it to happen.
Let me put it another way. If you are a recipe writer, then know from the start that there are literally hundreds of millions of recipes on the Internet right now. What do you think your chances are of your recipe being read by millions of people? Can you say next to zero? The numbers are too great and your odds are too astronomical.
But….what if you are a writer of Hungarian recipes? By choosing that niche you have now made the competition pool considerably smaller, and that means that your chances or being read are considerably larger. Get it?
Of course, you still have to be able to write well, and you still have to do other things to increase your readership, but you at least start with good odds by narrowing down the scope of your writing endeavors.
But I don’t want you to just take my word for it. I’m going to introduce you to a writer who has made a name for herself in the niche market. Say hello to Deb Hirt of Stillwater, Oklahoma!
One of Deb's articles
- Life at Boomer Lake with Deb, Sunday September 22, 2013
Endangered sage grouse offered protection in Canada, American Oystercatcher, hummingbird migration, volunteers needed to feed birds in winter, the denizens of Boomer Lake and some ASTOUNDING pictures!
A Little Bit About Deb and Boomer Lake
Deb Hirt is a writer and lover of birds who lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For those of you who are geography-challenge, Stillwater is in north-central Oklahoma and it has a population of 45,688, making it the tenth largest city in the 28th largest state in the United States. To say that Stillwater is not a large metropolitan area would be a gross understatement. Stillwater is a dot on the map in the great, vast expanse of the Great Plains; it certainly is not a haven for famous writers nor is it a central location for national or world media. In fact, its greatest claim to fame may be that it is the location of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Boomer Lake is an artificial reservoir in Stillwater. It was completed in 1925 and has a surface area of 251 acres, a watershed area of 8954 acres and a shoreline length of 8.6 miles. It is a relatively small lake in a relatively small state, and at first glance one would think that writing opportunities do not abound in this tiny area of the world.
But one would be wrong in thinking that!
The Bible for writers
Deb’s Approach
Now Deb could have written a series of articles about birds. That is, after all, her passion, but she would have been one of millions who write about birds. She could have narrowed it down a bit and written about birds of the Midwest but again, the pie was too large.
What Deb did was begin writing a regular feature called “Life At Boomer Lake with Deb” and she has been writing these articles for over a year now. Each week a new article is posted detailing the different varieties of birds found that week at Boomer Lake. She includes some wondrous photographs of those birds because, well, Deb is a wondrous photographer.
She also includes information about worldwide trends in the bird world, information that would be, and is, interesting to anyone who finds birds fascinating. For example, this past week she included information about Hummingbird Migration and the dangers facing the Sage Grouse in Canada.
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More on niche writing
- Niche Writing And Strategies To Succeed In It
As much as we may dislike it, writers need to market themselves in order to find success. These suggestions are meant to help you on the road to great salesmanship.
From a Tiny Acorn Grows a Large Tree
Build it and they will come. Those words beautifully summarize the job Deb has done with this very special niche. Not only do the residents of Stillwater read her articles, but those articles have now gained attention statewide, region wide and yes, nationwide.
Deb instinctively understood that the love of birds was almost universal, but she also understood as a writer that she needed to build her platform on a solid foundation and then add to it over time. Her message reaches far beyond the tiny community of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and yet Stillwater and Boomer Lake are the heartbeat of that message. It is a beautiful example of niche writing and one that should be remembered by anyone looking to establish themselves as a writer.
Today Deb writes a monthly article for Moonmagazine.org and she has also been featured in the Audubon Society newsletter. Audubon has also hired her to do a monthly Boomer Lake feature for their newsletter, coming soon to a computer near you. Interestingly, the local newspaper showed no interest in her birding column, but such is the nature of newspaper syndications.
An added note: Because of the notoriety she gained from her articles, Deb is also now selling her photographs.
One of Bill's wonderful articles on Italy
- Getting Around Venice on the Vaporetto
Getting around in Venice can be a fun yet challenging adventure. With a little knowledge about the vaporetto system you can traverse the canals of Venice with ease and without worry.
Don’t Let It Be Said
Thank you, Deb, for allowing me to showcase you in this article.
Now, for the rest of you writers out there…..it makes no difference where you are located. You can be in a writer’s utopia like New York City, or you can be kicking back in the sweet countryside of Woodstock, Vermont…there is a niche waiting for you and all that is needed is a strong flow of creative juices. A year ago I had never heard of Boomer Lake, Oklahoma. Today there are thousands who not only know of Boomer Lake but look forward to hearing about it weekly. Such is the power of niche writing with a universal common theme.
So what is your thing?
Let’s try one for fun! I have another writer friend, Bill, who will eventually write a book about travel in Italy. I say eventually because he has a full-time job right now and his writing career is on hold for a couple years. But let’s use his situation for our purposes. I don’t think Bill will mind.
Bill has traveled extensively through Italy, and he has the photos and memories to prove it. What should he do?
I just Googled “travel Italy” and was rewarded with 955,000,000 entries. I don’t know about you but I consider that pretty stiff competition in the writing business. So we need to narrow it down a bit. Instead of writing about the more famous cities of Italy, perhaps Bill could write a book about out-of-the-way towns that nobody has heard of that offer great value for the tourist dollar. Perhaps he could write about great meals for under $20 in Italy. Perhaps he could write about the best tourist attractions in Italy that nobody has heard of.
Do you get the point? Ernest Hemingway liked a fight as much as anyone, but even he wouldn’t take on odds of 95 million to one.
Narrow the field, give it a common denominator we can all relate to, and the competition will shrink and you will have found your successful writing niche.
Never underestimate the power of your creativity!
2013 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Do you have a niche?
Related
Comments
AUTHORJohan, as long as you are enjoying the process, then don't change. Best wishes to you.
Good advice but at this stage I like writing for the sake of sharing my experiences and photos. Perhaps I will start thinking about a niche after reading this article.
- AUTHOR
Glimmer, the same is true for me. I love to do reflective pieces, but the ones that earn me money are the evergreen hubs that appeal to a wide audience. If I concentrated on those I might actually pay some bills with my HP money. :) Some of us are very slow learners.
Thank you as always my friend, and have a great weekend.
I am slowly realizing my niche, even though I still like to write about different things. The proof is in the numbers and my recipes & craft hubs are my most viewed. My husband and daughter don't mind, because they reap the benefits!
- AUTHOR
Linda, thank you and the same to you...congratulations!
Way to go Bill for your 2013 Hubbie Award!!!
- AUTHOR
PS, you know me by now....I'm just giving back the way I was raised to do. Seems so simple to me. :)
Blessings and a hug coming your way....and sincere thanks
bill
Billy
Good morning
One of the reasons I stop by here is that you generously praise other writers.
And you do it with a purpose.
You have found your niche----inspiring others.
Happy new week Angels are on the way ps
- AUTHOR
Excellent Vinaya! A perfect niche for you and you do it well. Thank you for mentioning that so that others will learn from your example.
My articles on Hindu religion and culture are doing well on search engines. I'm hoping to develop my niche on this topic.
- AUTHOR
drbj....LOL....see, now I know I wasted 1200 words...I could have just written that little poem of yours and said it all. :)
As Bill so wisely points out:
Writing online could make you rich
If you select the 'bestest' niche.
- AUTHOR
Jo, I think both of those are excellent niches. People are going online now to find medical answers, and I know for a fact that caravaning is a niche that is widely read. Best of luck to you my friend and have a great week.
Hi Bill, I've voted in the poll, sorry....just couldn't resist the itch. :)
Great article, you've shared a lot of useful information.
I'm still searching for that one special niche, I had decided to narrow my health articles to a specific group of conditions, but I'm also looking at writing about caravan travelling in the UK.
Alan, my husband and I did an article for the caravan and camping club magazine, about taking the dog on a caravan holiday and it was used. I may do a few more of those.
Take care, and my very best to you as always. :)
- AUTHOR
Sharkye, what a lovely comment. Thank you so much. I wrote for about a year and a half before I settled on a niche, so I understand how hard it is to find that one area in which we can excel and move forward with. Best wishes my friend; the future is yours for the taking. :)
Oh Bill! Every time I think I am doing great, you remind me that I still have miles to go! I think picking a niche is the hardest obstacle in the world for me to face. Except writing my bios...I hate those things.
I agree with everything you said about Deb! She is an amazing writer and photographer. And I ain't just saying that because she is a fellow Okie! It was wonderful to see her showcased here. She has done an amazing job taking an obscure niche and turning it into something big.
Thanks for another helpful article. Anymore, if I am looking for tips or help on an issue, I just come to your page for real-world advice. Thanks for being a mentor to so many writers.
- AUTHOR
Marlene, I don't want Deb's camera...I want her eyes. LOL
Good luck with those niches. I know you'll figure it all out. I hope you don't get a concussion from that stick beating. :)
Thank you dear friend.
- AUTHOR
DJ, in the final analysis, the writer has to answer to the writer's voice....write what makes you happy and rejoice in it. :) Niche writing only makes sense for those who are trying to make an online income.
Have a great Sunday my friend.
- AUTHOR
vkwok, you certainly have yours...thank you!
- AUTHOR
Alicia, if this was helpful then fantastic. Thanks and enjoy your Sunday.
I want Deb's camera! But, seriously, Bill you share some very important points about niche writing. I finally have my niche narrowed down to two areas of interest and since I started writing with those two interests in mind, my views have increased significantly. I'm happy about that. I have two separate niches where I have personal experience and truly enjoy writing about. I want to narrow the two niches down to one comprehensive niche. So, I'm hitting my head with a stick trying to do as suggested in the video - combine two niches together. I'm actively working on that. In the meantime, Bill your advice is spot on.
Great article, Bill.
I think it is great that people find an area to excel in.
I cannot do that, myself. Short stories, poetry, songs, novel....I would
be hard pressed to have to settle on one. I am happy that I get to bounce around.
It is really odd, but I may hear a word, or phrase and my mind clicks
into gear and I become a little obsessed. I throw words out and get
into my work mode and that is all I can think about until I finish.
It might take two days or two weeks. I would not be surprised if my
novel takes two years. I think of it like this. If I enjoy creating poems
or creative stories, or working on my novel, then I should be a happy person, right?
Thanks, Bill.
DJ.
We all have our own specialties that we can use for our writing. Thanks for the tips, Bill.
Great suggestions, as always, Bill, and an informative discussion about two great niche writers. Niche writing makes a lot of sense and is something I'm currently thinking about. Thanks for the useful article.
- AUTHOR
Dahlia, it is always nice having you stop by. Blessings my dear, and hugs coming your way.
bill
- AUTHOR
Faith, I love hearing readers like you say those things about Deb. She is the perfect example of what a niche can do for a writer if one is dedicated....and she is dedicated.
Thank you my dear and have a wonderful weekend.
blessings
bill
- AUTHOR
LK, it is always a pleasure having you stop by. Thank you and I do believe you have a new hub I need to visit.
- AUTHOR
Heidi, of course I expected you. LOL Yes, one can be dabbling in a very small niche, but that can expand as Deb's has....and even cornering the market in a small niche is better than nibbling in a big one. :) Have a great weekend and thank you.
You have clearly given us the the benefits and also how to choose a niche for writing. Very useful and interesting hub Bill. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Sending you smiles :-)
Oh, I do so look forward each week to reading Deb's fascinating articles about Boomer Lake. Like you, I had never heard of Boomer Lake before, but now, I know of it and do so enjoy reading about all the goings on there each week. Deb is a phenomenal photographer above and beyond. Her amazing photographs often bring gasps of awe, as they are truly so beautiful. She certainly has her niche down to a tee.
Great article and Deb is the real deal!
Have a great weekend.
Up and more and sharing
Blessings to you and yours,
Faith Reaper
You have a lot of readers and writers thinking and contemplating, Bill. Great ideas. Thank you for another thought provoking, wonderful HUB.
Of course you know I agree! One of the challenges of niches, especially very narrow ones, is that the audience is also quite narrow and limited. However, these small audiences are often highly committed (even rabid!) which is why even these markets can provide writers opportunities to become star experts with a following (and sales).
- AUTHOR
Pearl, we have a rainy yet enjoyable weekend planned, so thank you. I'm glad you enjoy Deb; she really is a great success story when talking about niche writing.
Have a great one my friend and thank you.
Billy, thanks to my mentor I have a niche, and I'm still plugging away at it! I loved that you used Deb Hirt as your niche example--her images are stunning. I am so very pleased that she is gaining the success she deserves. I told her a long time ago she was awesome and needed to be published!
Once again you break things down into usable chunks of info that really hit home. Keep making a difference, my friend, and enjoy a glorious weekend ;) Pearl
- AUTHOR
cmoneyspinner, good luck with that scattering. :) Thanks for stopping by.
- AUTHOR
Carol, I love it....Sunday at Astrology Lake with Carol....sounds like a winner to me. :)
- AUTHOR
Nell, I did the same thing....went off in a thousand directions before it dawned on me what a waste of time...LOL...some of us learn more slowly I guess, but we do learn. :) Thank you and have a great weekend.
- AUTHOR
My pleasure, Lifegate. Best of luck with your future ventures.
- AUTHOR
Jackie, I'm with you, Boomer Lake is a part of my Sunday routine and that says much about her series. Thanks for the visit and for following Deb.
- AUTHOR
Bill, it was my pleasure to give you a plug. You write great articles and one day your book will do quite well. Thanks for stopping by, buddy, and enjoy your weekend.
Can't do niche. My brain keeps scattering.
I guess I am a niche writer---mostly anyway. I know it does establish you as an expert and people will want to read what you have to say about a favorite topic. Boomer Lake...How about Astrology Lake..???
I love Debs articles too, they are so fascinating. I should have started off just writing a niche so to speak, but got carried away with other stuff. Saying that my strange or psychic hubs do much better than anything else I write, so maybe I will concentrate on those more, nell
Hi Bill,
Thanks for give something to think about. You've outlined well. Now it's up to us. Thanks for the kick!
I knew Deb would be a success from the beginning. She had the passion for which she wrote about. Those pictures just kept getting better and now the new step of adding such interesting info. I think only once did I miss her Sunday at Boomer Lake, on Sunday! I am always there dying to see those new pictures!
Hey Bill. Wonderful article. I love Deb's series at Boomer Lake. Thanks so much for the plug here. I am trying to steer my Italy hubs to the more remote sites and places as opposed to the major places that everyone writes about. You hit the nail on the head about niches. I can't compete with 1 billion other articles :) Have a great weekend.
- AUTHOR
You are very welcome, Deb, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with next. Thanks and enjoy your weekend at Boomer Lake.
- AUTHOR
Hi Gail; thanks for stopping by. Yes indeed, Deb is a very talented woman and I'm very happy to see her start to get some recognition.
Thank you as always my friend. Have a great weekend.
bill
- AUTHOR
Suzie, you are the Queen of Niche Writing...good luck with your new avenues. It will be interesting to see what you come up with. Thanks as always for stopping by and have a great weekend. Hey to MJ!
bill
Thanks for the kudos, Billy, and all of you that have been introduced to Boomer Lake. Pick a hobby or an interest or two that you know something about, and most importantly, KEEP at it. It will happen. I also have another niche that you haven't seen a lot about, due to time constraints. stay tuned, though...
Great hub with lots of suggestions for developing a niche and why to do so. I haven't done this so far, but can see where it would be wise to do so.
I checked out Deb's featured article and loved it, especially the stunning wildlife photos.
Hub Hugs,
Gail
Hi Bill,
What terrific examples you showed in Debs and then my good friend Bill. It is so true to break down a large topic into smaller niches, something I am becoming more aware of within my own niche. When I counted how many hubs I had in homemade beauty I was so shocked. After this month I will be spending time looking at the other avenues I want to explore when some pressures die down. Thanks Bill for another epic, have a great weekend with the lovely Bev!
- AUTHOR
Dora, keep thinking about it...something will come to you. Brainstorm with friends about a niche....and brainstorm with other writers about it....and yes my friend, Deb is an inspiration for anyone interested in niche writing. Thank you and have a great weekend.
- AUTHOR
Thank you for sharing rtburroughs...no, I live in Olympia, Washington. :)
I'm in love with the idea of niche writing, but it seems that my concentration does not cooperate; still, I'm not giving up. Deb Hirt is an inspiration. Thank you, Bill.
I created a professional Facebook page to showcase my work and share hubs that I follow. I am going to share this. By the way I took a photo at the marina earlier today and it looks almost like yours. You don't happen to live in North West Florida, do you?
- AUTHOR
Thank you Liz! You are a perfect example of this article with your books on dogs. You are an inspiration to me my friend.
Great advice and as you pointed out, there are opportunities out there, we just need to grab a hold of them by writing within our niche, for starters. I've also learned that patience is a key part of the game! Keep inspiring, Bill! IT's working!
- AUTHOR
You have a game plan and you are working it. Using your real name is very important. One mistake I made early on was using billybuc for my articles. Once I realized the error in that it was too late.....changes are coming and I'll correct it in the near future.
Thank you my dear. Keep working...it will pay off.
love,
billy
- AUTHOR
Mary, I have been following Deb for quite some time now, and it's been fascinating to watch her as she grows in her craft and gains views and followers. I agree, I think there is great success for her in the future.
Thank you my friend; have a great weekend.
bill
- AUTHOR
Thank you Randi! I appreciate it, and I will be by to read your latest shortly.
bill
You couldn't have picked a better niche writer, but then after reading this hub, everyone knows that. Deb's articles are interesting, entertaining and educational. Best of all her photos are amazing.
Niche writing is always a good idea as it narrows down your audience to those who are really interested, but again, you know that! Thanks for sharing your vast knowledge yet again.
Voted up, useful, awesome, interesting, and shared.
P.S. Congrats to Deb on her beginnings of success. I'm sure there's a great successful future for her.
Thank you, Bill! I love the idea of niche writing. We have some greast ones on Hubpages. Thank you for highlighting and introducing Deb to us. I will definitely check out her hubs!
I was wondering if you were going to post today. I usually see you at 9:54 EST. See, I pay attention!
For the longest time I was troubled over trying to find my niche because so many things interest me and my mind is all over the place. Then it hit me. Life is my niche. Yeah, that's a pretty big circle, but it gives me so many different things to write about. So far, my blog seems to organically be taking on an inspirational/motivational flavor, although I've thrown a couple of different themes in there. On HP I have no niche - I'm all over the place. That's one thing I like about HP. Since I don't count on my hubs to pay the bills, HP gives me freedom to write about a variety of topics.
One interesting thing I've learned recently is to consider your name as a niche, especially with regard to search engines. I've learned to put my real name on everything I write (in addition to Bravewarrior). That way, if an editor, blogger or publisher googles you, you come up. When I google myself, I fill up the first page and most of the second, although the articles that rank are of various topics that aren't necessarily related. It's the contacts that have the potential of increasing your income that you want to attract. It makes perfect sense to me. Traffic comes from three basic sources: the casual reader, the reader who wants to be informed, and the reader who is looking to hire.
I've been spending the last month getting my name to rank in the search engines. Now I need to work on keeping my blog fresh (I'm already behind!) looking for viable freelance gigs and entering contests. Winning contests is a good way to build your platform when you're first starting out. It gives you some notches to add to your resume belt, which will help when sending out query letters.
- AUTHOR
That could be, Crystal. What are your passions? What are you really interested in? If you can answer that question then you are halfway home.
Thanks as always for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend.
bill
Another great hub. I agree with everything you say, I just can't quite find my niche yet. I am so accustomed to writing about a variety of subjects for my daily job, I think it's hard for me to focus on one. Perhaps my short attention span and tendency to get bored quickly with one topic is also to blame.
- AUTHOR
There you go Alphadogg....I think that is true of a great many writers. The key is to narrow it down enough so that you are the expert in a smaller field. Good luck and thanks for stopping by.
bill
- AUTHOR
Brandi, I don't have an answer for you. I don't know why that would happen. Google has always confused me and I find I have less headaches if I pay no attention to Google at all. LOL I hope you find out what's up with that.
Have a great weekend and thank you so much for always being here.
bill
Great informative Hub Billybuc, I wasn't really thinking "niche" when I started writing, however all I write about is what I know best and love which is why all my hubs are about health/fitness. Voting thumbs up.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Brian! Maybe today will be the day for inspiration. :)
I was just writing something and went to research info. The product I am writing about fits within a billion dollar industry. What shocked me was when I googled the product, no store or online website came up on the front page. Instead, it was page after page of negative opinions about products. I was really wondering how that happens.
What you say here in this article Billy is so true! But, I just wonder what is google doing these days? Instead of the articles or sites that have great reviews pushing people to buy more of these things in this billion dollar industry, google is promoting the negative sides of it. I just don't understand that.
I think about what writers in niche marketing promoting their articles on say gluten free, and then what if google promotes only those that talk about the negative sides? It just isn't making much sense to me.
When I was researching, on HP, there were lots of positive articles on this stuff I'm talking about and not one was in any of the first few pages of google.
Up, Useful, Interesting, and shared with followers.
Your advice is good and convincing. I wish I could think of a niche suited for me.
- AUTHOR
Lisa, I'm happy to hear that...good luck finding that niche and thanks for stopping by.
- AUTHOR
Ann, I can't think of a darn thing. :)
- AUTHOR
Kathryn, I am elated that you are starting to move forward; your life has been on hold for far too long and this is exciting news. Have a great weekend my friend; I am very happy that you are writing again.
This is fantastic Bill! I have heard about niche writing in the past, but could not really wrap my head around it. This well written, explanation has definitely changed that! Now that you've got my wheels turning, hopefully I can pinpoint my niche!
Well, thank you for the compliment! Yep, a weekend with the children - what could be better?!
This is another very interesting and informative article. I like the section on Deb. She sounds familiar. I'll definitely check her page out.
Thanks for sharing this article with us.
It is almost the weekend, my friend! I plan on getting a lot done, as well as relaxing a bit, and getting out. I have finally started writing (other than journaling) lately, I just haven't typed anything up yet. But I am making progress. Life feels like it is getting back to a "new normal", so I feel like I should be able to write without feeling like there's 20 other things I should be doing. At this point, getting my thoughts down on paper (or computer) is especially therapeutic.
Have a great weekend! I hope you and Bev have something fun planned, or else that you enjoy spontaneous things.
~ Kathryn
- AUTHOR
Ann, exactly.....dyslexic teaching, the perfect example of niche writing. well done my friend...well done.
I do indeed know some talented people and you are one of them.
Have a great weekend Ann!
bill
- AUTHOR
Janine, at one time you did this so well with your charms series....and I suppose you are doing the same with your blog about parenting....so well done to you as well. Thank you and enjoy the heck out of your weekend.
- AUTHOR
Eric, I love it.....five niches by New Year....ADD or not, you can do it buddy.
Thank you and have a great weekend.
bill
Entertaining! It certainly is important - I know I'd be very boring writing about teaching but writing about teaching dyslexics is a passion and much more specific. As you so rightly say, it's all about the angle of approach; finding a subject, making it slightly different and then tackling it well. You know some talented people; this lady's story shows one has to build upon a 'niche' little by little too. Another super hub! Hope you and Bev have a great weekend. Ann
This is wonderful and love how you were able to share about Deb's success here and why she is so successful. Really does prove that niche writing is the place to be. Thanks Bill and now wishing you a wonderful weekend, too!
Got me really thinking about this one and I made a sticky note and but it on my wall: Narrow your niches down to five by new year. Then act on them.
This is tough for us ADD kids who are eclectic and interested in everything.
Thanks for giving me a bump in the "focus" area.
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