Diverging topics on a blog - pages, different blogs?

[Dillytante]

While my blog is peddled on the premise that I am into lots of different things, it is primarily a craft blog. Recently though, I have started diversifying and blogging about feminism, the MN rape myths campaign, and I'd like to start exploring psychology a bit.

I'm worried that some aspects, especially the vehement feminism, might start putting off those who follow my blog for the crafty side. Plus, blogs in a niche are easier to market.

Should I just let it evolve and assume that I will find new readers who like the variety? Should I separate into different pages attached to the same blog, or do I try and manage two blogs? How does the separate pages thing work?

Any tips?

Hi Dilly

I think it depends on how much time and energy you have to spend on blogging. It could be helpful to have distinctly different blogs so that readers get what they are expecting from previous posts - but on the other hand, it's hard enough maintaining one blog and keeping it fresh, so be wary of creating an unmanageable task! I see you're on Wordpress - I am too - and I think you can only have one page on there to put up your actual blog posts. But there's nothing to stop you adding other pages through the Pages part of the menu. You wouldn't be able to add blog posts to those pages, but they'll still have their own URL (each page has its own distinct web address) that you can use to publicise it with - posting that link on Facebook/Twitter/Mumsnet or wherever. And if you do go for the two-blog solution, for those readers who follow either blog, you can easily put a link to your other blog in the sidebar, so they can hop seamlessly from one to the other.

But the other great thing about Wordpress.com is that it will let you have any number of different blogs under the same login. I actually run two blogs of my own there - one business, one personal - and also I run blogs there for other people too (our local PTA, a support group I belong to, plus some for work). And it's all free, of course, unless you're paying for any extras.

Good luck, Dilly - I'll be watching that space!

Best wishes, Debbie (a fellow crochet lover - though I've yet to blog about it!

I've responded on the other thread Dilly

Yes, I think I might have to start a new one. Not sure whether to stick with the same 'brand' or start afresh?

Ooh, I don't know. I love your blog's look, but if it were me I'd get all excited about making a new 'look' and designing something that will be distinctively different to you and your readers. Also may help for it to be less confusing to you when you're checking in and writing posts (or is that just me cos I'm a bit thick!? :o)

I rather like your combination - isn't it your usp? (I've watched to many episodes of the apprentice...)

Truly you are right, it is my usp and just very me! But I do want to try and separate out the themes a bit. I've seen other blogs do it. I need to think about this. I'm really trying to think hard about where I want to go career wise and I'm hoping my blog will help me distil that a bit. Or at least some publisher will discover me and snap me up for my witty prose and liberal opinions

Dilly - did you reach any conclusions on this? I've been thinking about it because I feel like I've kind of limited myself with my blog title - which got there by accident (when I did my first blog I thought I was putting a title for the post and ended up with the title for the whole blog...such an amateur) I find I'm veering off topic more and more, but although my stats/hits are no where near as impressive as many of the others on here, I feel like I'm starting to get a (little) audience on the Recipe Junkie thing, and don't want to lose that. WIll be interested to see where you go with it.

No, still don't know yet. I'm going to see how it goes on my blog. Truly was right in that for me doing different things is part of my blog. Might be different for you though.

I think the Pioneer Woman is an interesting blog because it combines lots of things: home education, cooking, photography, hearty outdoorsy living, and some home stuff and craft, I seem to remember. (weeps at inadequacy of own life, spent lying on sofa with laptop rather than Achieving Stuff)
That said, since she got a recipe book deal, and her own cookery show,I do get the impression she's more of a cook these days!

I suppose your options are to create sections within your blog, or to diversify the brand. DillyTante Craft, DillyTante Rants, DillyTante etc. I would be tempted to keep a unifying 'look' if you are going for the latter. Perhaps a similar header, but in different colours, or the same colour as your 'brand' colour. It would of course be even more pleasing if you could slightly change the word each time, so if you had a jokes blog it could be SillyTante, or if you were writing porn... well, you get the idea. ;)

I'm not sure I have added much to the debate! Except to say that I am all in favour of combining feminism with craft activities. I sit very firmly on the crossover part of that Venn diagram,but I'm aware there might not be enough of us to sustain your plans for growing readership etc.

(incidentally, if you like feminist blogging, have you come across blue milk? I LOVE HER.)

Ooooh, though - DillyRante could work for the feminism bits? I am all for reclaiming the word 'rant'. My very good friend defines ranting as 'the repetition of unpalatable truths'.

Thanks for the advice Gus! I would like to create sections in my blog, I'm just not sure how to do it.

I would stick to one blog, but that's because even tho I have created a blog with an underlying theme I intend to just post whatever I feel like on the day whether it be food, exercise, craft or just general thoughts.

Unless your really do have an end purpose for your blog marketing-wise (i.e. you want to make real money) then I think it's nice for blogs to be more than one-dimensional - aren't they suppose to reflect the person writing them?

Queen, fortunately someone has helped me figure out how to create different sections. I just didn't want to put people off who come just for the craft, for example. Now they can just look at the craft posts.