Sunday, February 16, 2014

Niche & Focus in Party Planning Articles

various colors of ribbon to use as streamers for a party
What is a niche? No, not the recess in a wall for displaying items but rather the definition as it pertains to writing for the internet.

Merriam-Webster defines a niche as:

: a job, activity, etc., that is very suitable for someone

: the situation in which a business's products or services can succeed by being sold to a particular kind or group of people

I think the contributors here on Review This Reviews! fit both bills. Our chosen niches are very suitable for us because we live them or are very active within the subject.

As the Squidoo Contributor in the Party Planning niche, I am always looking to hook up with others -- whether as readers or writers or both -- that are active within this niche topic.

If you are a young mom, you have lots and lots of birthday and other occasion party planning in your future and might could use some inspiration from others that have been there and done that.

Others of you might have already hosted a lot of different parties with great success. You have a sure-fire party food recipe or are super organized when it comes to planning and can share your tips or maybe you are a DIY Queen and want to share your party decorating ideas. All are welcome and encouraged!

There will always be people planning parties in need of inspiration and ideas. By sharing our personal experiences and knowledge, you help our fellow man/woman. What could be better?

Focusing When Writing in the Party Planning Niche


When we write, sometimes we have a tendency to include every little thing in our lens or article. What happens then is the helpful information a reader was searching for is lost in a sea of other information they don't really need. Result? Hitting the back button and no interaction or conversion from the article.

The best way to really reach our target audience is to focus on one or two elements instead of the whole. Squidoo used the example of a camera.

baby shower buffet table
My Sister's Baby Shower Buffet Table
Let's say you are taking a picture of a park playground. The whole picture involves lots of elements. This one might have a slide, a merry-go-round, monkey bars and swings. There's lots going on in the whole area. But, you can narrow the wide angle camera lens down to a telephoto shot of just the slide or the swings and have a much better chance of your target audience finding your article.

In party planning, there are tons of areas: Food, Games, Decorations, Invitations, take home treats, themes and more.

By narrowing the focus to one area, people that are looking for help in that particular area will find what they need quickly. They will also be more apt to interact or convert than they will if they have to sift through information they don't want or need.

I just published an article/lens in my niche this week. It had to do with a baby shower my sister and I threw for our other sister. But, instead of filling it chock full of ideas and possibly overwhelming a reader with unwanted information, I chose to focus or narrow it down to the baby shower food and buffet table we made for the party.

Remember, always tell people exactly what your article is about in the title and then deliver in the body of the article. Good luck and remember to contact me when you write in the party planning niche so I can help you promote and build a following!


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


22 comments:

  1. As always, your advice is excellent! The area of party planning is huge with plenty of ideas, tips and suggestions for great parties. But there are so many party styles and types. Think of all the different articles or lenses that can come from just one party style. Just remember to bring the chocolate!

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    1. Yes! Bring on the chocolate! (Especially dark chocolate covered strawberries!)

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    2. Thanks Susan! You know I would NEVER forget the chocolate! LOL

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    3. Gotta have chocolate! I want chocolate bunnies!

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  2. Great niche writing advice, thank you! You certainly narrowed your article on your sister's baby shower buffet to a thing of beauty!

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    1. I'm glad you liked it! It was a lot of fun to recall and write the details! Focus makes for 1 subject turning into lots of articles or lenses!

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  3. Thank you for the great writing tips. Maintaining focus when we are writing is the best way to hold our reader's attention.

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    Replies
    1. Exactly! It's so easy to have the wanted info diluted in a lot of other stuff.

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  4. Great article. I really like your last paragraph, it is something we should remember no matter what our niche. "Remember, always tell people exactly what your article is about in the title and then deliver in the body of the article" Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. I think Bonnie said that long ago when I first joined Squidoo. She was talking about building authority and trust with our readers. Still stands today!

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  5. I, for one, and always looking for experienced individuals who offer excellent and thorough advice. For several years now, I have found some really awesome articles, full of details and suggestions, on Squidoo. It is where I first following you, Mandee, and you have taught me a great deal about party planning, which is pretty amazing since I have been hosting parties and planning fund raisers for over 30 years.

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    1. That is a HUGE compliment my friend! I am humbled!

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  6. Fabulous to see. I am the official 'Game Night' contributor on Squidoo :-)

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  7. I bet this'll be a big help to lots of the contributors :)

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    1. I hope so! We all need whatever tips we can give each other for the betterment of Squidoo!

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  8. How does one get on this review list? I am the Weekend Gardener Contributor on Squidoo and would love to join the fun!

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    1. Hi and congrats on your niche! I think right now we are full. We thought a smaller group would be the way to go. Miss Mouse actually runs this site. You might ask her to be put on a waiting list?? (Sylvestermouse is her handle)

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  9. I appreciate a laser focus. By choosing one element of a topic, one then opens up the potential for a series of reviews or articles. Our writing span should fit the typical reading span. It's pretty short and tight. Another valuable post. Thanks for demonstrating the value of niche focus in your own lenses.

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    1. You are sooooo right, Diana. Today's internet readers are actually "scanners". It's so easy to lose them if you don't give them what they are looking for upfront! Just like the mantra of a real estate agent is "Location, location, location. As online writers, ours should be "Focus, focus, focus!" LOL

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  10. Always good advice, Mandee. Focusing on 'narrowing' any niche really helps the reader (and seeker of information) as everyone's time is limited these days.

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  11. Excellent advice! When I first started writing on Squidoo I remember making terribly long lenses about children's party themes - now I know better and go niche - then connect them all together! And your buffet table looks fabulous!

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