How to choose a blog topic

This can either be the easiest or the hardest part of starting your blog.

The most important thing at this stage is to choose a niche which you can call yourself an authority in – the biggest mistake new bloggers make in such a crowded blogosphere is starting a blog without trying to do something surprising or different.

For example, if fashion's your thing, instead of combining generic fashion content, you could combine your love for clothes with your big-hearted concern for the environment by blogging about environmentally-conscious designers instead?

These are the best ways to find a topic for your new blog:

1. Look at other blogs – This should be your first port of call. What's already successful? And more importantly, what's missing? Find the gaps in the market
2. Use Google – What are people searching for? Use Google suggested searches and auto-complete to discover what people are looking for – if they're searching for it, that shows there's a demand
3. Search forums for common FAQs – When people can't find answers to their questions, they go to forums. What are they asking? What do they need advice on? This will show what people are interested in and what there's a lack of available information on
4. Track current trends – What topics are in the media right now? It's good to pick a topic with longevity, but if you can piggy-back on a trend early on, you can quickly establish yourself as an expert on it before anyone else. Searching #journorequest on Twitter shows what kind of themes journalists are currently reporting on
5. Think about different types of content – Could you do tutorials/how-to guides? Reviews? Interviews? Lists? It might not be what you write about, but how you write which sets you apart
6. Identify your own interests and passions – While all of the above are important, there's no point in blogging about something you have zero interest in. You'll quickly get bored and people will spot your lack of enthusiasm. Write about something you really, truly care about.