The obvious thing is that we need more people to simply put it down and start blogging, invading the space with the Gospel message in an effective and timely manner.
But there are also more subtle but equally necessary and effective needs that I’ve begun to identify that I hope a number of people will begin to pick up.
Here are 3 Needs that I’ve identified that I’d love to see grow more this year:
1. Collectors of Data
There’s so much good stuff out there but there are not enough bloggers who have dedicated themselves to being effective repositories of data and collection.
Well, I’ll take that back a bit… there are a great numbers who are simply collecting but those blogs are, for the most part, not well designed nor easy to navigate.
Also, these blogs are sometimes too expansive and not focused enough to be worth anyone’s time to peruse. We need specific, targeted and focused bloggers willing to take a niche market and become an authority in the space in terms of information.
2. Filterers of Data
We need more people to adequately filter content through a theological and pragmatic lens. Essentially, we need more specific and targeted strategic thinkers who are willing to tackle a specific niche and become an authority in the space.
These bloggers will be extremely comprehensive in their overview and leverage outside resources to bolster their posts. The quality of these posts will be phenomenal and will be attractive enough even to the marketplace.
3. Creators of Data
I’ll have to clarify this by stating that all bloggers will inheritly be “creators” but what I’m talking about is new and completely original content. These bloggers will be vastly more concerned with the pre-post work and ideation than almost anything else.
We have the luxury of some of the most talented and creative minds ever to walk the planet and yet we often times read more regurgitated thoughts than new ones.
What Can You Do?
Think and pray about it. Does any of the aformentioned areas of need solicit a tangible response? Perhaps you should do it. Perhaps you should start a new blog. Perhaps you should be one of the few.
Perhaps you should decide to change the world.
Josh Wagner says
Michael Hyatt said that we are all experts at something because no one else does exactly what we do every day. I think that dovetails quite well with what you have said. I hope I've found a niche I can live in quite well for my blog. Thanks again for a great post that pushes all of us.
Graham Brenna says
good call to action… You and I discussed niche blogging when I first came on the scene… I'm still trying to figure out what my niche should be.
techmiss says
John – you continue to write where my heart is. As one focusing on a niche I see as largely unfilled, but also as one new enough at it to be able to head off some mistakes, I have a couple of questions for anyone. I'm getting good feedback on content and idea but have the same concerns about design and being too expansive.
1) I'm running this via my own money (as most do) but since I live on only what the ministries can afford to pay, paying for self-hosting and some design work is not an option right now (yes, even the dream hosting discount). Any ideas for maximizing a wordpress.com layout? (I guess I'm putting myself out for critique but be kind 🙂 – the site is new and in progress. The content is desired enough, though, that I moved forward with making it public)
2) What are the biggest pitfalls you see that make people too expansive? I have enough of a project mgt background that I understand losing focus and getting too broad in a general sense. So I'm looking less for the general answers and more for specific issues you've seen with blog sites.
Anyone have thoughts? (Oh, and I will be adding a section to highlight specific posts – I think that's important for the group I'm trying to help.)
Thank you!!
http://www.weboverload.org
Sovann says
Still finding my niche and tend to bounce around with the three needs. I am loving this blog. Thanks.
Dewitt says
John,
Amazing! Finding my niche…I beileve I'm almost there. Yet, God is always molding us. Is it possible that He constantly has his children as clay on the potter's wheel? With your last directive, "Start A New Blog," do you have any suggestions on creating a new blog and how to design it.
Mikes says
I pray that I'd be the Best blogger someday! Let the Data come from god himself!:)
Guy Walker says
Thanks for the insight,
I Blog about church planting to help church planter be more effective when starting there church.
one recommendation: read ChurchCrunch!
I have found my niche just need to improve my writing.