Five more urgently needed blog topics for Birmingham

The Birmingham Barons have never been more popular since moving back downtown.
Could a blog about them and other sports franchises be just as successful?

Five years ago, I suggested five topics for new blogs in Birmingham: history, classical music and opera, transportation, barbecue and hip hop.

I’ve seen a few food blogs come and go, but none focused on barbecue. My friends literally penned the book on “Alabama Barbecue” [aff. link] (though I wish they had done it independently of Alabama Media Group). And the Birmingham History Center blog ekes out eight or nine posts a year. I don’t know why it’s called 310 Pythian Place, but I’m sure a clever history joke is hiding in there somewhere.

Michael Huebner, most recently of the Alabama Media Group, started artsBham in November. Its coverage includes, but is not limited to, classical music and opera.

I believe these five topics would still make for great robust blogs, with weekly posts at a minimum. Monetization could come from sponsorship, events and other media (books, videos, television).

If you start blogging in 2015 and need a focus, allow me to suggest five more urgently needed blog topics for Birmingham …

1. sports;
2. causes;
3. beer;
4. videos;
5. UAB.

• Let’s start with sports. A true fan and expert would have endless opportunities to write about the Barons, the Blitz (semi-pro basketball), Alabama Outlawz (minor league spring football), the Freedom (our 14th pro football team) and the Vulcans (rugby). Plus, UAB, Samford, Birmingham-Southern, Miles and Montevallo.

And the Magic City Classic, SEC Baseball Tournament, Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek, Mercedes Marathon, Labor Day Golden Classic, Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Triumph Superbike Classic, Magic City Half Marathon, Vulcan Run, high school football and basketball, college track and field championships (SWAC, Southland, Sun Belt, Conference USA, Southern), men’s and women’s college basketball championships (Conference USA, SIAC) …

No Alabama. No Auburn. Just Birmingham sports.

• I personally love causes. In featuring them in a weekly spotlight on a previous site, I had nonprofit organizations fill out questionnaires to run as blog posts. I never ran out of charities and volunteer organizations to present to readers. (I could’ve put together 6 months’ worth of posts in advance without much effort.)

• Beer is still reaching its peak popularity in Birmingham, specifically craft beer. More events and fund-raisers take place at breweries, and the multiple tastings and festivals regularly sell out. Tell me about the best beers, the newest varieties, the elements of a good brew, the brewers, the retailers, how to pair it with different foods and what to make at home. Niche market with lots of passion and disposable income.

• I have revived my love of sharing Birmingham videos on my original blog. You could post a video a day featuring those shot in or about this city. You could even simply copy videos from my site. Sources for new videos include YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, Facebook, Vine, TV and other news sites and suggestions from fans. Pair good video curation with pre-rolls and banner ads for instant monetization.

• A blog about UAB once actively existed in ILoveUAB.com. Students created and ran it, and it was a thing of beauty. After the founder graduated, the blog ground to a halt.

An independent news site about the University of Alabama at Birmingham could really grab the attention of those inside and outside the campus community. Topics could include research, jobs, events (concerts, games, talks, movies), medicine, construction, gossip, alumni, academics, students and Greek life. Plus, I hear football is a hot topic among Blazers these days …

I love these topics. I don’t love them enough to blog about them all year, but I do love them. I hope you’ll steal one of these 10 ideas and blog your way to success in 2015.

What blog ideas for Birmingham did I miss? Share in the comments!

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If you need blogging help beyond the topic, let’s chat …