Skip to content

Why Going Off-Topic Can be Good for Your Financial Website

Blogs are a great addition to any website because it gives you an avenue and a reason to produce more content for the web. 

Blog posts and articles can be very valuable for your target audience because it gives them solutions to their problems. Being able to showcase your expertise in a topic also helps you establish credibility among your audience. As you gain more followers and credibility, you’ll eventually see better conversions for your site.

Having more content on your site is never a bad idea because it allows you to target different keywords and drive up your organic traffic. As more and more people click on your links when they find you in their search results, you’ll see an improvement in your search ranking. 

The downside is that writing countless blog articles for a specific niche can be quite exhausting. Eventually, you’re going to run out of interesting things to say, even if it’s only temporarily. There are only so many blog articles you can write about financial planning before you hit a wall.

How do you keep your blog interesting and engaging enough so that it continues to attract new visitors month after month, year after year?

One solution is to go off-topic and write articles that have little to do with your niche.

You might be thinking that that sounds counter-intuitive. 

And you’re right. It can be, if you stray too far from your niche. It would be strange and even disconcerting if a personal finance blog started writing about the latest hairstyles.

If you manage to keep the content relevant to your niche in some way, it can be beneficial in a number of ways.

Read on to find out how going off-topic can be beneficial to your business.

It Helps Increase Organic Traffic 

Take for example a blog that specializes in mortgages. Sure, there are plenty of articles you can write about the different types of mortgages on offer, but before long, you’ll run out of good topics. You might end up rehashing old ideas which can get stale pretty fast. 

However, there are a whole host of articles you could write that are not directly about mortgages, but are still relevant to those interested in the housing market.

Sticking with this example, think about the array of subjects that the average homeowner or potential homeowner might be interested in. It opens up a whole new world of topics to explore. 

Subjects such as home renovation, interior design, how to add value to your home, how to pick the perfect house, and how to save for a deposit are all going to attract people to your website without writing about mortgages directly. 

These are all interesting subjects that people want to know and read about, and will draw them to your site which improves your brand awareness and thought leader status.

It Can Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Going off-topic gives you a chance to flex your creative muscles and create content with more style and personality. 

Writer’s block is a real thing and can quickly take over if you’re writing about the same topic over and over again. Once you get burned out, the quality of your writing will go down and will make your posts feel boring and uninspired. 

Taking on a new subject gives you a much needed break, and allows you to explore other areas of interest. It gives you the opportunity to stretch your legs a bit and try out different styles of writing. 

It Attracts New Audiences

Many people will visit your website because they’re already interested in the products or services you offer. There’s a good chance though that these visitors found you after searching on Google and are ready to pull the trigger once they find a business they like. 

Blogging about new topics, however, will allow you to target new keywords and attract people who are not yet looking to buy your product or service, but could be in the future.

As an example, the mortgage blog we talked about earlier could start producing articles about the rental market. People who rent properties are usually doing so until they can afford a mortgage. Writing content that’s relevant to renters can make them start thinking about your mortgage products and services. They’ll be more likely to consider you in the future when they’re actually ready to buy their own house.

It Can Increase Your Social Media Following

Many content creators are always trying to write that one post that goes viral. While it’s true that a viral social media post can send your business into the stratosphere, it’s not easy to do though. And blogging only about your niche limits the chances of it happening even more.

Sharing a standard blog post about mortgage interest rates is unlikely to make the social media world explode. A helpful post on a connected topic, such as easy saving tips that pretty much everyone can relate to, is much more likely to get attention.

Going off-topic broadens your audience. The more people you appeal to, the more they will follow you and share your articles.

Just remember to keep the content relevant to your target audience. Look for different angles that can bring back the conversation to your niche product or service.

At AltaStreet, we can help you create interesting content for your blog. It’s great way to boost your SEO and make you a Thought Leader. Contact us through the contact form below to learn more.

Return to Blog