Honestly, I think I know my niche. Now I must own it. And figure out how to find the others who would want to share that space with me.
It’s a rite of passage in this world of followers and likes and social media and trolls…you start to reveal yourself. Just a little at first. Then more…and then someday maybe, a lot. Strangers might learn your name, your hometown, what your dog looks like, how old you are (UGH!). You begin to have a different attitude towards privacy. And you realize that your spelling mistakes, social faux pas, and bad photos could end up in the public eye. Why would anyone put themselves out there like that?
Certainly blogging is not as revealing as some pastimes, like running for public office, being a television celebrity or listing your house with a good realtor. Or is it? Nah! Because not that many people want to read a blog post. Comforting thought. I can write until my heart is content and there is a good chance that nobody will find #SoLocalLife unless they search for what we have in common or the tags that I choose for my photographs. And folks who seek those keywords and tags are folks I think I’d like to meet, to know more about, and to whom I don’t mind beginning to reveal more about myself.
So what is my niche, what are my keywords, which photos will I tag and how? As I wrote a few paragraphs ago, I think I know. I’m thinking that there will be lots of shops, breweries, and farmers markets involved. And a wide range of neighborhoods, dog-friendly spaces, and gardens, too. They will tend to be unique, grassroots, creative, and tasty. And, easily accessible. Yes, it’s time to start sharing my niche.
Weekend driving trips are second only to learning everything about what is in my own back yard. Greensboro and the Triad are growing and changing and renewing in a way that no one would have predicted two decades ago.