I’m not one of those people who jump on a challenge. I like my own little corner of the world, thank you very much. I don’t love change and I really don’t love people telling me what I can or can’t do. But…
I signed up to take the SITS Girls 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge. Oh dear.
I’ve always been interested in doing this challenge which they do on a regular basis, but something has always held me back. Probably the fact that I hate the thought of analyzing my blog and having people tell me that I’m doing it wrong. Okay, not wrong… but that I can do things better. It’s a little scary. Remember… I don’t do well with people telling me what to do.
So why did I decide to sign up? Because although I’m not good with change, I DO realize that if I don’t keep up and adapt to this huge, ever-changing blogging world we now live in, I’ll end up getting swallowed whole by some bigger, better blogger. And as much as that change things scares me… being wiped out of the sea scares me even more.
Today is DAY 1 - assignment for today is to analyze a blog in your own niche as well as look at blogs in other niches to see what they are doing. Sounds easy, right? Not so much. The first obstacle is to figure out what my niche is. I’ve done a lot of thinking about this and the only place I can possibly put myself in would be “Lifestyle”. I do it all (remember my tag line: Everything AND the Kitchen Sink) from writing about my kids to doing reviews to creating recipes and yes, even doing some craft projects. So let’s go with “Lifestyle” for now. If you have any other niche idea for me, let me know.
So I will be spending my day reading an awful lot of blogs (if you have one you want me to look at, please leave me a comment with the URL). Of course, that will be in between getting the house and kids ready to go back to school tomorrow. YES, MY KIDS ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. I’m shouting it from the rooftops.
I’m ready for the challenge.
I think.
I definitely think you’re a lifestyle blogger, or maybe a personal blogger with a lifestyle bent. I always find analyzing lifestyle and personal blogs to be the hardest, because so much of it is subjective, but I think the first thing to do is look at the blogs YOU always go back to over and over and over because you love them and see where you can draw parallels between what you’re doing and what they’re doing.
(This is clearly a case of not following my own advice, by the way).
Just diving in the 31dbb challenge myself. I think your blog feels like a lifestyle blog. I agree with Ginger about looking over blogs you love & see what they are doing right. It is hard for me to put those parallels into action sometimes, too. This isn’t easy is it!? Glad to meet you along the way. A new follower.
Thanks Theresa - I’ll follow your blog as well. I tend to second guess myself way too much but I can’t figure out any other category I would be in. I’m okay with “Lifestyle” though and I really don’t want to change what I do.
I love that you are doing this too! There are so many great bloggers..I struggle with a niche still even with all the coffee, I go off into different directions. I think you are doing a great job!
Thank you. I see so many other bloggers who have so many more followers than I do and I feel like I’ve been stagnant. Really hoping SITS31DBBB will give me a jump start to go further.