Matthew here, speaking to you directly from Think Towers and I want to talk about niche writing.

A lot of my copywriting of late falls under one topic – Music/Wedding DJs.

I’ve worked on a lot of jobs for DJs, and it’s become a niche subject for me now. I’ve done so many one client said: “Matt, you must be the most experienced DJ copywriter in Britain.”

And you know what? He’s not wrong.

So, is specialising in one industry a good thing?

What are the pros of niche writing?

Numerous, including:

• Getting to know the industry inside out, which

• Makes it easier to write, which

• Leads to MORE business

When you think of a DJ, you’ll think of cheesy guys talking over your favourite songs and playing Agadoo.

In reality, they’re quite cool and do more than you’d imagine. They MC your entire wedding day from aisle music through to the wedding breakfast, first dance and reception.

Something I’d never really thought about for my wedding until this year.

Becoming an expert in an industry will give you a portfolio others in the same line of work can see – and they’ll want a piece of what you’re offering.

But is niche writing all positive?

What are the cons of niche writing?

• Work becomes samey

• It’s in cut-throat and crowded industry

• Your denying yourself a range of different work

Okay, let’s tackle them in order.

1. Yes, writing the same thing can be repetitive, or what you want to write about may be a popular industry in a competitive world.

But there’s another way to look at it.

A bad copywriter will – take what they’ve done before, juggle a couple of things around and regurgitate similar stuff.

A good copywriter will – find something new to say, change the pace, feel and layout and make it look completely different, even if you’re saying the same basic thing.

2. If your chosen forte has a lot of competition you’ll raise your game and, if you’re a hard worker, you’ll elbow your way to the front and make your work seen.

3. This one is the biggie, for me. When you’re starting out you need your portfolio to sing. Yes, content writing for one industry is a great experience, but restricting yourself to this one avenue, while appealing to one sector won’t be attractive to somebody who is looking for, say, a slogan.

Conclusion

Every copywriter will have their own opinion. Personally, niche writing helped me a lot starting out.

Having a niche doesn’t mean turning down all other work – you can carve yourself two or three, which is particularly useful at the beginning and you don’t need to turn down work.

Finding what you enjoy writing about and becoming a fountain of all knowledge in it will win you customers.

So, to niche, or not to niche. Let me hear your experiences for and against.