Should you blog about one subject so your audience knows where to put you on the reader shelf? Or should you blog about your interests, however varied they might be?
I was talking with a friend about my Thailand blog and he said I blogged about too many things or topics. He didn’t know what to expect from me. He knows what to expect from, say, a Mommy Blogger or a Pro Blogger or other niche blogs.
If you Google ‘niche blogging’ you’ll find some interesting posts regarding this very topic. For example, the pros and cons but mostly that niche blogging is profitable and how to find your rich niche. It feels a little sleazy although I know many niche bloggers are authentic bloggers.
It can be argued that niche blogging is smart blogging. Folks, like my friend, know where to categorize you. And they know that if you are the golf blogger or drunken housewife blogger that you can be relied upon to blog 99% of the time about your niche.
For my Thailand blog, formally Tell-Thai Heart, I write about: teaching English as a foreign language (my job), my experiences as an Asian American expat, advice on moving and visiting Thailand and some seemingly strange things like poetry and writing, which is why I started this blog on writing.
I think from the occasional asides, I do sticky tape to the general topic of living and working in Thailand. But in an effort to be more popular, I could just post about teaching in Thailand and become an “expert”. Or maybe I shouldn’t have a balanced approach on these various topics and instead have one of them be my leading content?
I don’t know.
Folks like me don’t want to be pigeonholed but we wanted to be branded for being ourselves. It’s an irony and a half and I’m sure if I split myself up in the social media world too, I could be more successful. Because then I could have a different persona that I tweet or Google+ on just one thing.
Perhaps niche blogging is easier than I imagine, and I’m getting it all wrong and twisted up by having all these blogs under the heading of ME. I don’t mind working hard for success but I mind limiting myself. But by limiting myself maybe I’m just making it easier.
I just don’t know.
“Consistency is the horror of the world.” Brenda Ueland
(interesting quote I found while reading Ueland’s If You Want to Write)
Life, the Universe, and Lani 
You know, I’ve struggled with this question since I started blogging. I have way too many interests, and I knew that if I attempted to do justice to them all, I’d have the most schizo blog ever or need about a hundred different ones. I think it depends on what you want to do. Trying to do too much is just as bad as trying to do too little. I think you have a good balance. Your Tell-Thai blog is well-rounded but focused, and if you have more varied interests here, that’s just a reflection of your personality. The old essayists back in the day used to write about whatever they wanted, and people liked their writing so much they didn’t much care about the topic. I think if you write well (and you do) people who appreciate that will enjoy it.
So, my two cents. 😛
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Hey thanks!
You know, I think ‘the most schizo blog ever’ is a REALLY good name for a blog. You might want to reconsider.
*throwing down 2more cents and a pack of sugary gum*
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I agree with The Otter, and “think if you write well (and you do) people who appreciate that will enjoy it” (like me). I love you (and your blogs) just they way you (they) are! *Adding 2 more cents to the pot, and some li hing mui mango.*
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Thanks Wendy! I rather enjoy me some li hing mui mango. Reminds me of the li hing mui in my teacher’s box at school that needs attending 😛
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Glad to be of service. 🙂 Oh, and thanks for sorta introducing me to The Otter, which is a cool name by the way; it’s inspired me to come up with my own cool name preceded by “The”. I have to ask her what the story is behind her fab nickname. I noticed that her Twitter handle is @OtterMei, which makes me think that there’s a connection to her actual name, Audra Mae. Hmmm, l wonder. Anyhoo, getting back to thanking you … like I told The Otter in a reply for the comment she kindly left on my So RaNDoM post, we have you to thank for writing great content that prompts comments. If you didn’t, The Otter and I may have never crossed paths. Hi-TENS for you!
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Ooooo. Nice catch. I’m guessing it’s because she taught in Taiwan and they couldn’t say her name???
Or maybe she is a superhero and is masking her identity?
Damn it, I want a superhero name. What’s yours?
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