Yes, it is possible to 1) create content without a niche and 2) build a personal brand with a loyal audience WITHOUT a niche. 

Your question is probably how?

Oh, wait. Maybe there is more.

Why should I write anti-niche content?

What are the pros and cons of anti-niche content creation?

Can I create niched content and not-niched content?

Well, I probably have the answer to your questions right now.

The Anti-Niche Philosophy is an in-depth guide to an unconventional approach to content creation and building a personal brand. I will not only convince you to start your journey as a content creator but also give you a shiny confidence that will bring your hidden uniqueness.

I did it.

And so many others.

So, best believe that YOU can as well.

Here's what you will learn:

1) The Limitations of Niche-Centric Content

2) When and When Not to Pick a Niche

3) The Foundation of a Multi-Dimensional Niche Personal Brand

4) Authenticity and Audience Connection

5) The Intersection of Passions and Audience Needs

6) How to Write Targeted Content Without Niche-Restriction

7) Maintaining Coherence Across Diverse Content

8) Building Meaningful Connections Through Diversity

9) The Transition to the Multi-Dimensional Niche Mindset

10) What's next?

The Limitations of Niche-Centric Content

I had many failed businesses before, and not having a niche played a role in some of them.

Picking a niche on the other hand was the reason I had a successful Amazon FBA brand.

So, what am I saying here? The article is about not niching, but I'm telling you that niching works as well.

Exactly, that's the point.

This isn't a set-and-stone strategy.

I'm writing this article for those with overwhelming anxiety and stress because of "picking a niche."

You are reading this because you are curious and fed up.

Picking a niche works but is not for everyone.

Especially when you have multiple interests and multiple expertise.

Since I came into the "content creation" sphere, all that I ever heard was, "you have to pick a niche," or you can't succeed.

False.

I tried many times.

I sat down and asked myself what my "expertise" was so that  I could write about it every single day. Finally, I picked Branding, Shopify, and Web Design. I started sharing on LinkedIn, built a small audience and made some connections, BUT it was a burden.

I read about brand strategy every day for at least six months.

I lost the burning fire for the topic, which was redundant.

Is this really what it is to be a content creator?

No, that wasn't it.

I saw YouTubers who aren't "famous" yet creating content they enjoy (what it seemed like), and I wanted to do something similar.

But I couldn't split my focus. Youtube requires a lot of time, and I didn't have much of it.

Because I was solely obsessed with getting clients.

And even though I was creating "niche content," clients weren't coming.

Enough is enough.

Not only was this niche thing getting on my nerves, but another link to it was the Specialist vs. Generalist debate. I was convinced that building a Shopify Design Studio would change things for me but it didn't.

Although, I completely agree that specializing in something will get you clients faster.

But, that doesn't mean that you can't be successful as a generalist and make A LOT of money.

When and When Not to Niche

The $1M question, huh?

There is an important point to understand here.

Building a brand and a personal brand is different.

Ask yourself two questions:

1) Why do you want to build your personal brand?

-  Is it solely to get clients or to build an audience that knows YOU

2) Can you talk about ONE topic/industry forever?

If you want to get clients solely, pick your niche.

If you can talk about one topic/industry forever, pick your niche.

Simple.

On the other hand, if you want to build a personal brand similar to influencers, picking a niche won't suit you.

In our case, I like to call us "intellectual influencers," we are influencing POSITIVELY with our words, wisdom and knowledge.

This is a multi-dimensional personal brand.

Look around you. How did athletes build their personal brand, without a niche?

How did those YouTubers build their personal brand, without a niche?

How did I build a personal brand, without a niche?

How do YOU become the niche?

The Foundation of a Multi-Dimensional Personal Brand

The foundation of a Traditional Niche Personal Brand looks like this:

1- Pick a niche

2- Establish your Brand Pillars

3- Educate or entertain your audience

4- Start publishing 2-3x per day

5- Engage with your audience

6- Monetize your audience's pain points.

First, what is multi-dimensional?

Multi-dimensional is defined as, “of or involving several dimensions or aspects.”

I believe, as humans. We are multi-dimensional by default. We are not meant to do or live by ONE THING.

The foundation is called foundation for a reason, it means that it gives you higher chances of building a successful not-niched personal brand. It also means you are not obligated to have them all in check.

I did not. In fact, I did not care about my purpose or my mission when I started.

But I do regret that. Because I believe it's important to have a reason why you're doing what you're doing.

This addresses the most asked question in the personal branding realm: How can I stand out?

Simple answer: With a multi-dimensional personal brand.

The how:

1) Determine your purpose and mission

You can't stand for a cause if you don't have any.

I never thought about my purpose or my mission. But, I did have something in mind since I took my religion seriously. I want to build Mosques. Yes, it is possible to do it with funding. But I want to do it with my money.

I want to have the possibility to spend 200k in the blink of an eye and build a Mosque.

Without knowing, I established strict boundaries from the beginning.

I wanted to write content about Islam if I wanted, and I did..

Niched content would've restricted that.

I didn't have a mission when I started, but what is beautiful about this journey is that, in most cases, you'll find it while you're building your multi-dimensional personal brand.

I slowly started to see my long-term vision. "Being able to take days off whenever I want, pursue any new passion I discover, share what I learn with my audience."

My mission is quite the reflection of that. I want to help others achieve exactly what I'm trying to achieve. Making a living out of helping others do the same is the ultimate life hack for health and wealth.

2) Audit your current self.

As creators, we evolve every day. Therefore, it's an infinite self-actualization.

I started building around the theme of "multi-passion." As months passed, I understood I was leaning more toward skills acquisition and advanced learning. Passion is my drive, but that's not what I want to convey anymore.

I understood that even if I'm passionate about building websites right now, I know that I won't do it five years from now. So, is that a passion?

Basketball is a real passion of mine. Many are successful as online basketball coaches or solely content creators. Anything is possible nowadays.

That's why I rebranded and adjusted my messaging.

For instance, I was following a YouTuber from the UK who was sharing YT videos about fitness and wellness (workout videos, recipes, vlogs, etc.) She reverted to Islam last year and deleted all her previous videos because of her new beliefs.

Can you imagine all of the questions she asked herself?

I'm assuming but here are my assumptions:

- What happens if my audience leaves me?

- Can I really keep creating content with my Hijab?

- Is it really worth it?

She could've reverted and not worn the hijab, but that was HER decision.

That's the power of OWNING your personal brand.

I was extremely happy for her, and her audience.

3) Share your personal narrative with storytelling

This is not only for "written content."

I jumped on more than 100 calls since I started posting content on X.

By then, it gets boring to always repeat yourself again and again. But you learn how to share your stories in different ways.

- Short version

- Medium version

- Long version

When I'm asked "where you're from," I don't simply respond "from Montreal, and you?"

I have many approaches to it.

"Ahhh, I'm from Montreal, the city that's losing my heart."

99% of the time, their response is, "Oh how so?"

And then, the conversation gets interesting.

I'm genuinely interested in other people's stories.

Not everyone knows how to tell great stories though.

And that's where you get to learn a new skill: asking GREAT questions.

4) Create Multi-Dimensional Content 

Just by following the first three steps, you already have content to share.

What to write about? More on this later on.

You are not confined to one topic or one niche. You can create content about your current interests, passions or obsessions.

The possibilities are endless.

5) Build a Multi-Dimensional Network

Think of it now. You might change your brand's direction in 3-5 years and decide to go into SAAS. With a multi-dimensional network, connecting with someone who can help you is more accessible.

I met people from different industries: SAAS, coaching, copywriting, design, systems, community building, engineering, and many more.

When people start reading your content and appreciate your perspective, they start reposting it, and more people get to see it.

Your network vet for your expertise, not because they're your friends but because they recognize your talent (could be both).

6) Be Unafraid of Change

The last step is the most important in my opinion. I explored a lot of things since I started building my personal brand. I was never a slave to the algorithm.

The only way to do it is to be unafraid of change. Otherwise, you aren't the one dictating your personal brand. Your content is.

Do I see myself creating content at 50 years old?

I'm not even in my 30s. 

Short answer. YES!

Think of Chris Do, Gary Ve, Patrick Pat-David, and many others whose age wasn't an excuse to start creating content.

I don't know where I would be, but I know I have 20 years ahead of me.

It is never too late to start and there is always time to keep going.

Authenticity and Audience Connection

"Just be authentic."

"Authenticity is the ultimate growth hack."

"Others relate to authenticity."

I have encountered so many different advice on authenticity, as if it's something you drink and you get to feel the benefits of it.

Being authentic literally means being yourself.

Being authentic doesn't mean sharing your entire daily life routine.

But here's the tricky part, not everyone is comfortable being themselves.

They're not proud of themselves.

So, how do you want them to be authentic?

And why would they be?

Did you already write something and thought, "Humm, I don't know if I wanna post this."

Well, that was your chance of being "authentic."

I'm sarcastic.

You get to decide what to post.

Authenticity is just another buzzword used to get engagement—a lost cause. I couldn't care less about it.

At the end of the day, it is your content.

Your content starts with you.

You start with self-reflection.

You get to know yourself better.

Then, you get to connect with others who might have experienced the same thing.

That's reciprocity.

I prefer to double down on my "authenticity" in DMs & video calls.

You cannot be convinced 100% about someone from written content.

Having a multi-dimensional personal brand IS authentic in itself.

People like to overcomplicate things.

Authentic simply means "NOT FALSE."

Which means you are not trying to "be someone you're not."

The best example: A geek who acts as a thug to impress a woman. But this woman would've preferred the geek version. Therefore, his lack of authenticity jeopardized his chances with her.

Being fake cost him the love of his life.

So, DO NOT try to flex fake numbers or a fake personality.

Numbers that aren't yours.

A personality that isn't yours.

Connect with your audience in the DMs.

The Intersection of Passions and Audience Needs

When you deepen your relationship with your audience via DMs and calls. You start to notice patterns and common problems.

I did not plan on writing this when I started my personal brand.

I did not plan on creating my Non-Niche content creation guide.

I did not plan on selling my website template at 600 followers.

It's after hoping on more than 60 calls that I heard the same problems, again and again.

That's why I decided to take the opportunity and build those products.

Collaborate with your audience whenever you can.

It's a concept I call The Westernized Ikigai.

I became completely obsessed with building a brand without a niche and proving that it is possible as a complete beginner. It is a REAL problem that I solved for myself.

And that's the problem of thousands of other people.

That's why I know it's a problem I can create a solution for (products, courses.)

Sell what you love but what they need.

I have the best fun writing this right now.

Crafting Targeted Content Without Confinement

This might be the second most frequently asked question I get: "How do you create unrelated content?"

And my question to that is, "Why do you follow me?"

Sometimes, you won't even know why.

Do YOU know why do you follow me?

Do YOU know why you're reading this?

Well, this is targeted content for a specific problem–"Build a personal brand without a niche."

Explaining everything in an ebook or in one newsletter is impossible.

That's why you're reading this gigantic article.

It's an in-depth topic that requires in-depth explanations.

Since the beginning, I have always emphasized how important sharing your unique perspectives is. I firmly believed I had thought-provoking thoughts and perspectives that would interest people.

You can go back and browse my previous newsletters. I never really stuck to one particular topic because I was writing based on what I was hearing on calls.

One way or the other, there is ALWAYS a possibility for making an intersection.

For instance, websites and building a personal brand.

Building websites is my professional job, and any person building a personal brand will need a website at some point. I do not need to post content about web design every single day.

IT IS MY JOB. I do not need to prove anything.

The problem with people confined to a niche is they are trying to prove their expertise to get clients. Nothing wrong with that, though.

But now, let's look at it from a different lens.

You know what I do for a job.

You know a little about me and my personality.

You know what I have to offer.

Would you recommend me or a web designer you just met with 35k followers?

Who earned your trust?

Whenever I publish targeted content (to make sales for example), I "niche down" my messaging.

Let's elaborate further.

My newsletter covers lifestyle design, online business, personal branding, and a little philosophy.

People who are subscribed to my newsletter are interested in my perspective.

My free products are targeted to different specific audiences:

- Anti-Niche Content Creation System Guide -> Target creators or aspiring creators who struggle to build a personal brand and think that it isn't possible to do it without a niche (you might be in this category)

What I can sell to this audience: Resources and courses about content creation.

- Free Framer Course -> Target creators and designers looking to learn how to build their websites.

What I can sell to this audience: Website templates and future paid courses about website design and branding.

The possibilities are endless.

Yes, this approach takes more time than the traditional niche-oriented strategy, but aren't we in an infinite game?

In 10 years, I will have a segmented email list of thousands of subscribers about different topics.

I could even create a recipe book for creators, and it will work (I'm a great cook).

My point is to think big and think long-term.

Once you have a segmented audience, you can redirect them to any of your new "niched businesses".

Until then, build, build, build, iterate.

Maintaining Coherence Across Diverse Content

The more you write, the more you recognize small nuances.

Some people only call out others. That's their entire content strategy.

A bad vibe starts to be labelled on them.

It is hard to get rid of it once it's there.

But, people do forget.

To maintain coherence across diverse content, determine the feelings you want your brand to be associated with.

Mine are curiosity, empowerment, mysteriousness, and thought-provoking.

Therefore, I won't share negative BS about politics, gossip or whatever negativity that might be.

Recently, I stopped wasting my time responding to negativity whisperers. 

Whatever niche or topic you're talking about, a vibe can be associated with this piece of content.

It is hard to determine that on our own.

Asking ChatGPT is a great way to evaluate the associated feelings with your posts and determine if they match or match your brand's.

Prompt: What feeling could be associated with this post: {insert post}

ChatGPT response: "The feeling associated with this post is likely a mix of critical contemplation, introspection, and realization. It encourages readers to consider the value of attention in the digital age and how it can be both a boon and a potential pitfall. The post prompts readers to reflect on their behavior, particularly their level of compassion and kindness, in relation to their pursuit of attention and success.

Compassion and Kindness: The feeling associated with the mention of compassion and kindness is one of moral reflection and self-awareness. It suggests that while attention might be sought after, these qualities are essential for long-term success and positive interactions. It invokes a sense of considering one's actions and motivations in a broader ethical context.

The overall tone of the post conveys a sense of caution, prompting readers to evaluate their pursuit of attention and success against their treatment of others and their motivations. It encourages a more thoughtful and empathetic approach to personal growth and ambition."

The post:

Even though the overall tone of my post isn't necessarily positive or uplifting, it has an empowering feeling attached to it because I want to promote an ethical way of seeking attention without looking down on others.

So, to actually understand if your post conveys your desired feeling, you have to know what you want to convey in the first place. That's why it's important to learn about branding. No, it's not only about colors. It's way more than that.

It's a fundamental piece of the multi-dimensional personal brand puzzle.

Building Meaningful Connections Through Diversity

Finding like-minded individuals in our typical environment is hard. At least, it was for me.

The online world gives you a tremendous opportunity. Access to like-minded individuals and future millionaires. You could be one of them.

Although, it amazes me how many people have lost their human touch.

They want to automate EVERYTHING.

I completely get it when it comes to automating boring, repetitive tasks.

Okay, even the first couple of messages reach people at scale and then nurture the relationship with those who respond.

But, when they're just starting...

Can you explain to me why they want to automate everything?

Why do they send the same boring message to 500 people?

I don't get it.

I put my name in all caps on purpose. Whenever I see "Hey IMED", I do not respond because I know it's automated.

So, do not waste your time.

If you want to build a solid network with meaningful connections.

Start by coming back to your roots.

Be human.

The Transition to the Multi-Dimensional Niche Mindset

The typical audience of a lifestyle brand, is people who are interested in the "lifestyle" of those content creators. Therefore, they can talk about whatever they want.

Now, How do you become a lifestyle brand as an X creator?

Let me clarify one thing before answering this.

A lifestyle brand can still be "niched" depending on who's the creator.

Therefore, THEY ARE the niche.

A few examples:

Jedcal - A young Asian vlogging in New York. I followed him because I loved his software engineer background. Add to that his amazing filmmaking skills, taekwondo, and skating. Truly, a niche of one.

He built a loyal audience and he could monetize instantly with a community if he wants.

‍Keo Tsang - Another young Asian. He's a student who built his audience with his sarcastic humour and unique personality. He talks about Japan, his studies, and his life. Again, insane filmmaking and editing skills.

Jules Acree - She started with Makeup videos five years ago and quickly shifted toward wellness. Now, she makes videos about productivity, self-care, and feel-good systems to help you live your most intentional life.

You're probably thinking, "But, I don't wanna have a YouTube channel."

Fair enough.

I do.

But, my perspective is going to help you grasp the beauty of this vlogging concept.

ONE key factor in understanding here.

Those creators are FREAKING GOOD.

They worked extremely hard to get where they are. That's what separates mediocrity from excellence.

Let's take this vlogging concept into a written format.

Which is usually "blogging."

But, quite frankly. It doesn't seem right.

When you search for blogging. It's not "lifestyle centric."

Two core elements of successful vlogging channels:

- Consistency

- Communication with their audience

Which leads to

- Attracting a broad audience interested in what the creator does daily

- Building a fan base looking to achieve a similar lifestyle

Jedcal & Keo could sell an "editing" or a "YouTube Growth " course and I'll buy it instantly.

It's not even their professional job but they established their authority.

The same goes for written format. When you start writing, documenting your journey and a little part of your life, two things tend to happen:

1) You build an audience interested in YOU.

2) You acquire new skills that you can monetize (building an audience, writing, networking, etc.)

Vlogging is extremely hard because it requires constant creativity.

You have to educate or entertain your audience via part of your life a.k.a your lifestyle.

You might think yours is boring. But believe me, it's not.

The same goes for building your multi-dimensional personal brand. It's hard.

But, I made it simple for you.

Remember, simple ain't easy.

So, don't expect it to be.

I can tell you right now if you want the "quick buck." Pick a niche, and go ahead with building an agency or whatever.

But, if you know you'll be here 10, 20, 30 years from now. Take the unconventional route. It will pay off big time.

I'm convinced.

I'll be 38 years old in 10 years, and I will film a video about this article and discuss my state of mind. I am convinced that is the right way and that I'll be a multi-millionaire doing what I love.

Hold me accountable.

What’s next?

This article is the foundation of the Anti-Niche Philosophy. But I don’t think it’s enough to fully understand the concept. I highly recommend that you read these upcoming articles:

• The Westernized Ikigai (Sell what you love but what they need)
• The Holistist - A Specialized Generalist
• Branding for Creators in 2024 - The Unfair Advantage
• How to Build A Segmented Broad Audience (with non-niche content)
• Content Creation Made Simple (Without a Niche)
• How to Build Your Future Multi-Million Network (Beyond the follow)
• Authoritative Authenticity: Building a Multi-Dimensional Brand in the Creator Economy

Want to learn something else?

Send me an email or a DM on X.

- Imed