…but it turns out I’m not.
I love writing about a variety of topics and, as such, I take on just about any project that comes my way. I know a lot of other writers who do that and there hasn’t been a problem for any of us.
However, after looking at my assignments for the past couple of years, I notice a shift occurring. I’m no longer what I consider a “generalist.” I’m okay with that and I do STILL cover a lot of other topics. I notice, though, that a lot more of the content I’m producing relates to my husband’s residential construction contracting business.
What Does That Mean? Niching!
I always ran away – fast – when I heard others talking about the importance of “niching down.” I don’t know why I did that. Maybe I thought I would be missing out on working with some great topics – topics I love like weddings, parenting, finance, and interior decorating.
Like I said, instead of seeing a lot of “general” topics hitting my inbox, I see more and more that are closely related to my husband’s business:
- HVAC
- Commercial construction
- Smart security
- Junk removal (on construction sites, etc.)
Accidentally Falling Into a Niche
I was commenting on another writer’s post earlier this morning about how I accidentally fell into a niche – and it doesn’t bother me at all. The topics are SO interesting and, sometimes, they write themselves. To me, that’s a good thing! Especially when I have a lot of deadlines in a given week. I need the content to flow.
I also noticed that I’m writing a TON of buying guides or product round-ups—and they all don’t focus on the list above. Between three and five of these hit my inbox every week. I had no idea these guides were so popular until a wide variety of clients started sending me the work.
So, in a sense, that’s sort of like a niche—or maybe more of a category? Either way, it’s another interesting shift that’s occurring and has taken precedence within the last two years or so.
Why Am I Writing About This?
I’m sharing my experience because, even though I hated the idea of carving out a niche and thought it would hurt my career, I can see the benefits. I couldn’t before. As always, I feel like I’m late to the party, where everyone has already figured this out. I’m okay with that, too, because we all learn and experiencing things at different paces.
In this instance, I had to learn through “hands-on” experiences. Yes, it feels like I “accidentally” fell into niching. However, when I get right down to it, I knew writing about these topics would be good for my business. I didn’t necessarily seek out companies offering this work. Instead, I put it out there that I could write the content. And, as a result, “home-related” topics starting appearing more and more.
What’s My Advice to You?
Think about what you love or things in which you have a lot of experience. Do you think you could write about that (or those) topic every day? If not, rethink this.
I’m not going to tell you that you “MUST” niche to experience freelance writing success. I am going to suggest that you give it some thought, though. I might lead to working on articles, blogs, and other content you didn’t realize was available.
Share Your Niche!
What do you love writing about, and do you have it featured on your website? I’d love to see what other writers are doing – feel free to share links to your blog, portfolio, or website in the comments. In the meantime, thank you for checking out mine!
Note: The featured image created for this past was made using Canva – give it a try!