5.03.2016

Defining My Niche

Happy Tuesday, readers!

I appreciate your patience during my blog hiatus last week. I had hoped to schedule some posts ahead of time during my absence at the Southern C Summit, but those plans fell to the wayside as I juggled preparing for the conference, and also preparing to miss a week of work.

Those of you that follow along on Instagram, saw that the conference was an amazing time. I'm still ruminating over all the information that was presented and the many people I met. I'm also enjoying some time to unwind after what was a whirlwind week. I've gotten as far as unpacking my dirty clothes and enjoying some Goo Goo Clusters from my swag bag. I have yet to look through the many business cards I collected over the week or to download the slew of pictures I took. I'll get there.

I eventually plan to do a series of posts, highlighting the many adventures I had during my trip, but first I thought I would spend some time here writing and reflecting on a theme I heard throughout the Summit's sessions: "Be niche."

A message that was relayed by several different presenters in several different ways, was to find your niche...that one thing you are most passionate about or most an expert on...and focus on it. It left me thinking "Do I have a niche? And if so, what is it?"


Now before I go further, I will share that much of the conference focused on small business owners and career bloggers. I am neither. I started my blog more than 5 years ago purely as a hobby, and intend to keep it that way. I do enjoy making a little bit of money on the side and having the opportunity to partner with brands from time to time; but at the end of the day this blog is my hobby and my creative space. Because of that, I don't think I need to feel pressured to "be  niche." I love that this blog is my blog--a lifestyle blog where I post about anything and everything I want, regardless of whether it converts into likes, pageviews, or comments. On the other hand, though, I'm human, competitive, and a perfectionist and certainly feel motivated on some level by those stats. 

Despite recognizing that I don't have to fit myself into a niche, I still find myself pondering and questioning it. Can "lifestyle" be a niche? When asked what I blogged about during the conference, I continually answered "I'm truly a lifestyle blogger and post about whatever I want. I tend to write about fashion, interiors, cooking, books, and then just my day to day life." "Is that too broad?" I wondered. 

At lunch on Thursday, after a morning of sessions where "niche" came up continuously, my table engaged in a great conversation about blogging as a career versus hobby, defining your audience (whether it be as a blogger or creative small business owner), and the motivations that drive and inspire us all. When Haley of Hermosa Jewelry commented that her customer base and audience includes both teens and grandmothers, it all clicked for me. I shared that defining your audience can't always be driven and honed down to facts and figures such as "women in their late-20s to mid-30s." An audience can also be a feeling or a type. In that moment I felt like I discovered my niche!

I realized that the blog world I entered 5 years ago was not one of affiliate links, professional photography, or branding: It was a community. And YES, wholeheartedly, my niche, can be lifestyle. It can include an array of posts that might not always be connected. Even though I don't post about just one topic, I'd bet that you, my readers, know what to expect when you decide to click over to Alexandra Bee Blog. I hope that you expect to find a fellow woman who is real. I hope that when you stop by, you feel like you're sitting down to chat with a close friend. I hope you see that like you, I'm just trying to figure this whole womanhood thing out...career, domesticity, relationships, adulthood, healthy living, identity, and more.

My favorite blogs are the real ones. The bloggers that bare all from time to time, and make me realize none of us have it all together. The bloggers (and readers) that have been by my side over the last 5 years, through the good times and bad.

So now, if you've made it this far. I want to hear what you think. How would you describe Alexandra Bee Blog to someone? If you're a blogger, in what ways would you define your niche?

I love learning from you.

Have a great day!
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