Not sure a lifestyle blog is right for you? Please hear me loud and clear… don’t make the same MISTAKE that I did when I first started blogging.
How do I know if I Should Start a Lifestyle Blog?
I started a blog back in 2011 about party planning.
- I loved party planning
- Others told me that I was good at it
- So my new blog should be about it, right?
Wrong.
Also read my post on, “How to Start a Lifestyle Blog“!
Sure, I did love styling parties, but it wasn’t something I wanted to think about all of the time, or ONLY talk about on my new blog.
Feeling restricted, I quickly became burnt out on talking about parties and realized that I wanted to talk about other things going on in my life, like a new recipe I made for my family, how I decorated our new home, fashion finds, etc. … and those didn’t fit on a party planning blog.
This is when the passion for party stying left, and I was no longer excited to work on that blog.
So after two years, I started a new blog from scratch and my lifestyle blog Fantabulosity was born.
I immediately felt FREE!
Now, I was able to blog about whatever I was excited to blog about, and this uncovered so much motivation and drive to work on and grow Fantabulosity!
I was blogging about all things in life, like:
- My favorite guacamole recipe.
- The cute new outfit that I found.
- A self-care, straight-from-the-heart blog post about my current struggles in life.
- A new free printable to help organize daily life.
- And one of my favorites… blog posts on how to encourage and help others start their own blogs! Something that I’m VERY passionate about.
I even found my love for styling parties again and now I continue to even style parties for brands and create blog posts on my lifestyle blog.
The Moral Is…
But the moral is… I spent TWO WHOLE YEARS on a blog that ended up going in the trash. Time, money, and blog content that went to waste. Don’t make that same mistake.
But I wouldn’t have tossed a blog if it was working properly… I would have actually sold it to someone who would have loved it more than I did!
If you do make that mistake and start a blog that you later tire of… don’t beat yourself up over it. You’re going to make mistakes, no matter how you start. Some big, some little.
But if I can be super real with you from the get-go, to help you get started on the right foot, I want to do that.
WHAT Type of Blog to Start…
I told you all of this because I hope through my story and my “mistake”, that it can help you determine if you should start a blog with more flexibility.
Niche Blog
So what’s a niche blog?
A blog that is focused on one topic is what I call a “niche” blog. This is a blog focused on something specific like:
- food
- fashion
- reviews
- travel
- pets
- sports
- fitness
- finance
- celebrity
- news
- … so much more
A “Niche” Blog Example
For instance, the example I always like to give for a niche blog, is starting a blog on “vacuum reviews.”
Sure, “vacuum reviews” may be boring to most, maybe something you’re not really passionate about, but let’s say you’ve done your research and you KNOW that vacuum reviews is something that’s needed out in “internet world”.
So, you consider it because you want readers to know to come to you to find out the latest and the best when they’re considering a new vacuum and Google will also know exactly what your blog is about because the topic won’t be covered up with other lifestyle-type blog posts on your blog.
(Although you can still rank and be considered an expert in some areas with your lifestyle blog. It just may take longer and Google may have to do more digging on your site to figure that out.)
“Niche” in a Nutshell
If you’re starting a new blog with the intentions of only making money with it, or to become an expert in a certain topic… then a niche blog topic may be right for you.
Lifestyle Blog
A lifestyle blog may feature some of the example topics above, but it could include multiples of them… and how they pertain to your lifestyle.
Also, if you want flexibility or to focus on multiple items in your life that you’re passionate about… then maybe a lifestyle blog is right for you.
What if I Want to Change my Blog’s Name & Focus Later?
Is it possible to change the direction and name of your blog farther into your blogging journey if you decide to go a different route? Of course.
But it’s not the easiest thing to do, because of all the follow-up and changes you’ll have to make… and changing major things like that (and the domain) could mess up any authority that you may have with Google, and confuse your current readers.
But Yes, It’s Doable…
This is why when I’m working with my blogging students on starting their blogs, I encourage them to keep the name of their blog general if they’re not absolutely sure what they’ll be blogging about, so there’s less of a chance to feel like you have to change it later.
Example: Cooking to Sewing
For instance, if you love to cook, but also have a strong passion for sewing… it may not be a bad idea to name your blog something other than “Pam’s Main Dishes”.
Because what happens if you start blogging about a ton of main dish recipes and decide a couple of years down the road that you love sewing much more than cooking?
That would be quite the transition as far as your blog name, confusing your readers, and more.
It’s a Blog and You Can Do What You Want…
But let me tell you, it’s your blog and you can blog about whatever you want, even if the name of your blog doesn’t relate to what you’re writing about.
However, I’m guessing you’re here because you’re just starting out, and I want to help you think through some of the things I wished I would have thought about in the beginning. So please just take this as advice, and not MUSTS.
Why Would I Want a Niche Blog Then if a Lifestyle Seems Safer?
So a lifestyle blog is more safe, right? Yeah, in my opinion.. if you’re not sure exactly what you want to blog about, have multiple things you want to cover, or if you have a feeling you may be the type to change things up later.
However, if you’re starting a blog to grow a current business that you have, or if you’re wanting to rank early on or become known as an “expert” in a certain field… then a niche blog about your topic, may work best for you.
You Can Have Multiple Blogs…
No one says that you can’t have multiple blogs. So if you start a blog on a niche topic, and realize sometime in the future that you’d like to start blogging about an additional topic… you could either include that into your current blog, or heck… start an additional blog!
Having multiple blogs is more work, but so many bloggers do it!
So Should I Start a Lifestyle Blog?
I’ve listened to so many future-bloggers over the years, and a common problem has been, “I want to start, but I’m not sure if it’s for me and I’m not sure which type of blog to start.” So even if you have a pretty good idea if a lifestyle blog is right or wrong for you after reading this, I encourage you to take this next step, the…
Free “Blogging Fearless” Workshop and Workbook!
After completing this free video training and workbook, you’ll have:
- A strategy for starting a blog.
- Clarity on what type of blog to start.
- Confidence in starting on the right foot.
- The purpose behind why you’re blogging.
- Determination to succeed with your blog.
- Goals to reach and work towards.
Get started on the right foot, and don’t look back in a year and WISH you would have started today. Once you’ve discovered which type of blog is for you, shoot me an email or drop a note below! I’d love to hear about it and cheer you on!
Ready to Start Your Blog?
If you’re ready and you’d love a complete, easy to understand walk-through, on how to start your very own blog, then:
Fantabulous Blogging 101
How to Start a Blog
is what you need and can get started on TODAY! By the end of this video series, you’ll have your very own blog, publishing your first blog post!
Here’s what Autumn had to say after taking Fantabulous Blogging 101:
Then one night, I came across Fantabulosity on Instagram and saw that Jessica was about to offer a Fantabulous Blogging 101 course. So I signed up that night, no turning back, and had my blog up and running in less than two days!
The Fantabulous Blogging 101 course was truly the best decision I could have made!
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