🤨Niche or Not to Niche?
This was one of the first questions I was hit with as a freelancer.
Which I've seen cause a lot of hesitation and confusion.
And here's the spoiler alert - everyone approaches it a little differently.
To niche down can mean multiple things.
📌Niche Down by Industry
When most people ask, "What's your niche?" they tend to jump to industry first.
Saas, finance, parenting, travel, mental health, wellness...you get it.
When I first started out, I thought finding a niche meant writing for a specific industry around specific topics.
And I think that works for a lot of people.
But it's not the only way to niche down.
📌Niche Down by Skillset or Content Type
You can also look at your niche as a skillset or by content type.
18 months ago, my niche was by skillset - SEO writing.
"SEO" was what I wanted to be known for. And it played a big part in how I got my first two clients.
I had spent 15 years in digital marketing. I knew the importance of SEO and how it improved your searchability online, and it became such a natural fit after I left my 9-5 and embraced the world of writing online.
In addition to skillsets, I've also seen where writers claim their niche by content type.
Content types include blog writing, newsletter writing, website copy, etc.
📌Niche Down by Audience
For others, finding a niche can have more to do with a specific audience they want to work with.
Erica Schneider recently posted a great video about this on LinkedIn.
After feeling pressured to narrow down by medium or content type, she realized after niching down to LinkedIn social post writing that it was just too limiting for her. And she wasn't happy.
After some reflection, she focused more on her audience or ICP.
Solopreneurs, founders, and executives with extensive experience made her feel the most energized and inspired in her work. Those were the people she wanted to work with more.
It wasn't only LinkedIn social content she wanted to write, but blog posts, emails, landing pages, etc., for this specific audience.
Her business grew when she figured this out.
👉Niching down means different things to different people.
But what I do want to be clear on is this...
You don't need to know your niche to kickstart your personal brand.
Regardless if you know the particular industry you want to serve, the type of content you want to be known for, or even the audience you want to work with...
You can start building a personal brand today because, more than likely, your niche will continue to evolve.
And that's ok. Start telling your story.
🎯Takeaway
- Niching down means different things to different people - you do you
- Even if you decide to pick a niche, you can always choose to pivot
- Your personal brand should not have to be put on hold because you're unsure of your niche - start today!
Organic Traffic Tip📊
Do you have a clear call-to-action (CTA) in your content?
When working with a client recently, we did one simple update to blog posts on the site...
We added a CTA right in the middle of the article, prompting readers to subscribe to our newsletter.
And you know what...we saw a significant lift in subscriptions.
When creating great content, don't forget to highlight the CTA of what you want your reader to do next.
If you don't have one today, go and add a CTA right now.
Fill Your Cup Moment☕
This quarter, I'm shifting my focus.
In Q2, I focused more on promoting my newsletter, but it's time to focus on attracting clients.
And with that intention, I'm making it a point to reach out.
- I emailed an existing client to ask if he knew of others who could benefit from my services.
- I've made it known to my close contacts that I'm actively looking for more work.
If you never ask, no one can help.
What's filled my cup is witnessing the kindness and giving from others this week.
Remember that offering help—a connection, an introduction, or a conversation—can fill someone else's cup so much.
Reply to this email and let me know how I can help you.
Allison's Content Picks🎉
(Purely things I like, use, or piqued my interest.)
Different Angles of How to Tell Your Story
Aya Ellaboudy did a great carousel around the different angles of how you can tell your story. If you don't have ideas, check this post out.
Interview with Sara Stella Lattanzio
I enjoyed hearing more about Sara's content strategy POV as well as her experience and tips on how to approach LinkedIn in this video.
To Niche Down by Topic
Read more about Dickie Bush and Nicholas Cole's POV when it comes to niching down by topic in your writing. This is another way to think about "niche" as a writer.
In case you missed last week's issue, check it out—my 18-month review and things I would have done differently.
Thanks for being here. I really do enjoy this part of my week👍
Talk soon,
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