5 Tips for Changing Your Niche

Hi Everyone! My name is Melissa Watkins and I am the blogger behind for fabglance.com. Fabglance is a personal style and motivation blog, but it didn’t start that way. Born in New York and raised in Massachusetts, I always had a knack for writing, telling a good story, and being resourceful. When I moved to Nashville, to attend college at Tennessee State University, I turned those talents into various side hustles which included: writing term papers and helping friends with their style. My friends always asked questions about fashion trends and tips. I always had answers.

After a while, I decided if they had questions, the rest of the world had the same questions too. If I could pair my love of writing with my love of fashion, I could potentially make some extra money. I did research on where to document fashion questions on the internet and came across an article about blogging. That’s what led me on this 12-year journey. At first, my blog started as a simple fashion and celebrity style destination. I quickly became one of Nashville’s TOP fashion writer.

The introduction of visual social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook had my readers wanting more info about ME! They could get their general fashion questions answered with a quick google search. I was scared to change, but every day I noticed readers asking personal questions. No longer was my blog the place to go for celeb style, readers wanted to know how a super tall, plus-size professional woman navigated her life on and off the ‘net. With that, Fabglance became a personal style and motivation blog.

With my journey in mind, I want to discuss how to change the niche of your blog without losing your readership. Below are five ways to transition your blog as your life transitions:

Keep it Real – My blog is still fashion-focused, but I always make sure to use my posts to encourage readers. Sometimes, I’ll use a beautiful photo to share about a current struggle. Like the saying says, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”. My readers may have come for outfit details, but they’ll leave with some encouragement.
Listen to your readers – Remember you are writing for returning readers and new readers. When you post a blog, finish with an open-ended question. Let the readers tell you what MORE they want to know. Use their answers to craft future blog posts and explore topics you’ve never explored.

Use Social Media as outlet for NEW story ideas – Social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter are perfect places to try new story ideas with your readers/followers. Thinking about using videos on your blog? Post a quick clip on your Instagram profile. Want to talk about a cause you are passionate about? Try posting on Facebook or Twitter. Bonus: using social media platforms to post out-of-niche content is a great way to gain new readers.
Collaborate with Another Blogger – When trying to add a new element to your blog content, try collaborating with another blogger who writes similar content. The Blogger Xchange is filled with tips on collaborations. Collabing with another blogger brings more readers to your site and allows you to gently ease your readers into new content.
Take new pictures – Thinking of transitioning your blog niche, make sure your new optics reflect new changes. As much as people read, they are visual. New photos will ease readers into your new content style. Photos also help you tell your story in an effective way. Going back to school? Moving into politics? Want to be more high-fashion? Taking photos that reflect these new changes will help keep your readers interested and entertained.
No matter the case, we are all changing, growing, and transitioning. Your blog should grow, change, and transition too. Change is the key to longevity and it stops you from having blogger burnout. Don’t be afraid to explore new interests on your blog. Take it from me, rolling with the change makes you a more authentic blogger with a concrete readership.