The world is a big place.

What makes it smaller is community. One might call these concentrated areas of homosapiens “niches.”

(I just made that up, btw.)

In anycase, it’s obvious that the same thing happens online; we simply gravitate toward the areas of interest (and the people) that are very much like us or that are interested in the same types of things and activities.

This bias, whether cultural or anthropological or psychological, exists and we must be not only aware of it but strategic in our tactical engagement.

Take a good look at this chart here. Take a good, long look.

You can see how it’s broken down into particular technological foci as well as the level of engagement by the different demographics.

It’s rather brilliant, and I took it from the Barna Group directly in an article titled “How Technology Drives Generation Gap.” It’s a great read, I’d recommend it.

But here’s what I’d encourage you to do, if you’re interested in being more effective through online media: Identify areas technology that interest you from the left column and then match it with a “need” (green or orange) in a targeted demographic.

If those things align, then go for it. Go blog about it. Commit to that particular niche and become a thought leader. Become an expert. Become an authority. And don’t veer from it. Don’t spread yourself thin.

If I’ve done my math correctly, there are 40 new / nonexistent blogs ready to be created and birthed, if we just took this chart as a comprehensive umbrella of web technology.

That’s exciting.That’s opportunity. That’s strategic. That’s smart.

For example, you might feel compelled to start blogging about “downloading a movie” specifically targeted at the “Elder” generation (bottom right hand corner). You blog exclusively about it.

My guarantee is that you’ll become the thought leader in the evangelical community in 365 days or less. More importantly, you’ll have an extremely large digital-footprint that’ll bleed into the secular and you’ll begin touching lives of more than just those that live in the Christian bubble.

How about it?