Finding your blog's niche: Do you have to?

I honestly think lifestyle bloggers have it so tough (cue world's tiniest violin). We are the bloggers who don't necessarily have a "niche" and don't really fit into one category, so we're all kind of just grouped together. But lifestyle bloggers could not be any more different! Every single lifestyle blog I've encountered is unique and has something special to offer the world, but sometimes it's not really obvious at first glance. That's why if you want to become a "successful" blogger, people advise you to really find your niche and get as specific as possible.

BUT DO I HAVE TO?! I don't want to limit myself! I don't want to put boundaries on my creativity. I started my blog as a way to express myself and I have a million different thoughts and ideas running through my mind every day. There's no way I could stick to one specific thing and not get sick of it.

Then there are those times where I doubt myself and my blog and wonder if maybe I do need to get more specific if I want to take my blog to the next level. I guess it really just depends on each individual and their blog. Your blog, your choice. I'm just here to say- don't feel like you need to have a "niche" in order to be a successful blogger. Anything is possible, and you, my dear, could very well be the exception to this silly "rule."

HOWEVER, before you brush that off your shoulders and go posting whatever pops into that fabulous brain of yours, there are some things you definitely should do as a lifestyle blogger. These will in no way hinder your creativity or spontaneity, but simply act as a way to create some kind of unification on your blog.

• Have a series (or several): This is probably THE most important thing you can do as a lifestyle blogger. Having a series, or several, that will keep readers coming back for more is super helpful if you want to build a following. You may not even have to go ahead and create a new series. Take a look at the posts you already have and see if you can group them together into one particular topic. If you want to spice things up on your blog, brainstorm a new series or two you can start that you think people would really be interested in. There's no need to continuously update your series, but as long as you have posts coming in often you should be good.
• Make list posts often: One of the great things about being a lifestyle blogger is that you can literally post about anything. So when it comes time to writing your list posts, the Internet is your oyster. The reason you should write some posts as lists instead of just writing a normal post is that people are much more attracted to lists. Even better, include a number in your title. Examples: seven ways to blah blah blah, five of my favorite yadadada. People will want to know what you're talking about!
• Always end your post with a question: Obviously this can be done by any blogger, and probably should, but as a lifestyle blogger it's so much more fun. Since your topics are so broad and unique, you get to be creative with the questions you ask your readers. This is an excellent way of engaging your audience and actually opening up some interesting discussion. Your comments won't always be "I love your shirt!" or "This looks delicious!" (Not that there's anything wrong with those sorts of comments!)
• Don't just write about your life: Of course you'll want to post about your life and that sort of thing (and sometimes that's all you can really muster during those dreaded writer block moments) but don't JUST write about your life. If you do that, chances are your blog will resemble more of a diary and that's not everyone's cup of tea. Find ways to write about things that your readers can relate to or topics you know they'll find interesting/useful/etc. You absolutely can write about your life- but make sure you're doing it in a way that is more blog-friendly (make sense? I hope so!)
• Know your target audience: Okay, this tip is borderline scary because it's so close to me saying "find a niche!!!" but I swear I'm not. However, just because your blog doesn't have a niche doesn't mean you won't have a specific audience that reads your blog. For example, I know that people who read my blog are typically twenty-something women. Not super specific, but still. You don't necessarily have to tailor your posts to your target audience, but knowing who is reading your blog and what their general interests are will definitely help you out.

As a lifestyle blogger, do you have a particular niche?

Do you think it's essential for a blog to have a niche in order to be "successful"?