Skara’s Co-Founder on the Importance of Having a Niche Around Your Content

Authored by Ankita Saikia, Co-founder, Skara app

Many creators might think that focusing on a niche might seem counterintuitive, because they may limit their audience when focusing on a singular area. But, a niche is super important to grow and stand out from the general pack. It is the area of your interest and competence.

For example, if you're a fitness creator making training videos, you'll most likely attract fitness-conscious viewers. This dedicated audience would likely support your content by purchasing it.

Studies show that 80% of creators believe that focusing on a particular niche makes content creation more straightforward.

Embracing your Niche and Standing out From the Crowd is Vital

Creators often struggle to stand out in a saturated market, mostly because they are juggling multiple topics and channels simultaneously. For instance, a YouTuber guiding students for the IELTS exam may suddenly begin reviewing tech gadgets or may start creating makeup vlogs. In such a case, viewers who would have subscribed solely for the preparation for the examination would be bombarded with 2 different contents. This would leave the audience confused, resulting in less viewership.

Studies reveal that users spend 27% of extra time on niche websites than on broader sites because these sites focus on relevant content that users are interested in. It's important to understand that the focus should be on being something special to a specific few rather than being everything to everyone.

Many startups are doomed because they don’t capitalize on a particular niche. CB Insights drafted a research report listing the top 12 reasons for the failure of startups, out of which 35% reported the lack of product-market fit and being outcompeted by others, mostly because these startups couldn’t differentiate themselves from the competitors. To avoid such a fate, it becomes important for any organization to research the specialization that makes them unique.

Niche is Challenging But Beneficial in the Long Run

As a person who loves watching niche content, I have spent hours watching creators like Adriene Mishler, a Yoga instructor, and Wisecrack, who talks about philosophy through the media. I enjoy watching them, as they bring a unique individuality to their content. When creators focus on a specific niche, their individuality flourishes. You see their genuine passion and expertise in every frame.

Choosing a niche might be scary and challenging as you might be removing yourself from the view of lakhs of potential fans, but in the long run, it’s better to have a few core fans who will support your work passionately.

Follow the 1000 True Fans Concept

A while ago, I read a concept about 1000 true fans by Kevin Kelly, the founder of WIRED. If a creator can find 1,000 followers who can support them financially, they will have a stable lifestyle. These followers or subscribers don’t need to be from a particular platform like YouTube or Twitch; they can be from anywhere, even newsletters or mailing lists.

 Cultivating these 1,000 true fans is much better than going mainstream because a true fan would be your biggest cheerleader. They would be someone who would drive 200 miles to watch your content, attend your premium concerts, and buy your DVDs and merchandise. However, reaching out to these true fans would require a niche and a proper roadmap.

A Roadmap for Anyone Finding Their Niche

About one-third of creators struggle to monetize and create content because they are confused and unsure of where to start. This section highlights a few tips that I think personally would help any creator -

Firstly, you should choose something that you are passionate about, i.e., find a few topics that you can talk about for hours.

The next step would be to brainstorm one area among the choices you have. You can identify one skill that is not hobby-related or job-related, something that you might have taught someone and might have eventually mastered. You have to find the sweet spot of your content and be a relative expert.

Another key step would be building a micro-community around your expertise. Platforms like Reddit or our community forum at Skara can help you connect with your audience.

 Final Thoughts

Having a singular focus would mean moving away from the mass appeal strategy and that’s okay because if you plan out strategically, your niche content will be extremely profitable in the long run.

If you are a video creator with a niche and have a dedicated set of 1000 targeted followers or subscribers, you have the power to grow more. Launching your Video-On-Demand (VOD) app or website with Skara where you completely own your brand, content presentation and monetization is a great choice too. This will help you to take your niche content to the next level.

 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and Adgully.com does not necessarily subscribe to it.