Last updated on August 6th, 2018 at 04:30 am
Most new bloggers have no clue how to find the right niche for your blog. I am a firm believer that you can make money in any niche. However, I also believe that some niches will get into profit a lot quicker than others.
I’ve been blogging on this blog for over a year now and while I really love it and it’s my favorite blog to blog on. I have noticed something that seems to happen quite a bit.
In fact, it’s one of the reasons that I started my second blog. I wanted to see if it was actually possible to start a blog in this niche (I won’t be sharing which niche I started in) and grow the blog quickly.
Now to be fair, I only work on the blog whenever I get a chance. Unfortunately, I don’t get a lot of free time while working on growing this blog and trying to have a personal life.
As we all know, blogging takes a lot of work. I still think I’m crazy to be starting a second blog.
But after seeing some blogs take off on Pinterest, I thought that it was time to start another blog.
If you have been thinking about starting a blog, but dragging your feet because you don’t know what to blog about. Well, this post is going to help you find some popular industries that are sure to make you money over time.
Don’t worry, all of these are good niches and I am sure that you’ll find something that you’ll love to write about.
Finding A Blog Niche
Most of us when we start a new blog we usually sit down and think about all the things that we are good at. What are we an expert in that we can start blogging in?
I know because that’s how I chose to start this blog. I’ve been working with WordPress for over 8 years and have been around the blogging world on and off for several years. This is the first blog that I’ve actually poured my heart and soul into and actually tried to grow.
In the past, I made the mistake of jumping from one niche site to another. Your blog will never grow if you don’t treat it like a business. So if you’ve started more than one blog, and you’re not seeing growth.
Are you actually doing everything that you an to get it to grow? If not then it doesn’t matter which niche you choose, you’re never going to be able to grow a successful blog.
How to Find the Right Niche for Your Blog
The one thing that I’ve learned since starting my second blog is that you don’t have to be an expert in the niche. If you look at several of the successful bloggers, they are all started out without being experts.
Some of them shared their own personal journeys with their readers. Others shared curated content and information from other resources to share on their blogs.
It really doesn’t matter if you know about the niche or not. Trust me as you continue working on your blog on a daily basis, you will start to learn your niche inside and out.
Eventually, you writing blog posts will come naturally to you and you won’t have to spend a lot of time reading about what you’re going to write. Content ideas will just flow freely and your fingers will dance on your keyboard.
I Didn’t Believe It Either
When I started my second blog, I chose a niche that I never thought that I would be in. It took me forever to write the first blog post, even though I did the research for the most popular blog posts in that niche.
If I remember correctly, it took me well over 5 hours to write the first post. That’s a long time for me, especially, when I can write a blog post on this blog in less than an hour depending on the content length.
I’ve written 5 posts for that new blog and I still find myself struggling to write. However, I have noticed that as I continue writing, it is getting a little bit easier.
I guess that’s why I prefer writing on this blog. When I sit down to write, the words flow so smoothly.
What You Need to Understand
All bloggers start from scratch. Some of us might know a little something about the niche we choose, but the truth is that we are all learning as we show up to blog every day.
Keep this in mind as you learn how to find the right niche for your blog. You don’t have to be an expert from day one. Your experience as a blogger and in the niche will grow as you continue working on your blog.
Instead of trying to come up with a list of niches that other people are making money from. Ask yourself what blog niche ideas make you excited and you can see yourself writing about in the next 5-8 years.
Do You Need to Be Passionate About the Topic?
We hear it all the time in the blogging world, you need to be passionate about your niche. I know because I’ve said it as well.
However, what I’ve learned is that you don’t have to be passionate about the niche you choose. Yes, you might have a hard time pumping out an article in a few hours if you have no passion for the niche.
But I personally think that if you want to monetize your blog and turn your blog into a full-time business, you need to make sure that you choose a profitable niche.
If your blog is making money, you can learn to be passionate about the niche. Just remember that you can’t focus 100% on the money and not create valuable content.
Your goal with your blog should be to deliver the best content that you can and help your target audience solve their problems. If you can do that, then the money will come.
Using Pinterest to Choose Your Niche
Pinterest is a great way to get a blog off the ground quickly. It still takes some time and there’s a learning curve that comes with Pinterest, that’s why I always recommend the Pinning Perfect course.
However, from my personal experience getting traffic from Pinterest is a lot quicker than getting organic traffic.
That’s actually why I used Pinterest to help me find the niche for my second blog. You might not realize it but, some of the most popular blog topics can be found on Pinterest.
If you’re a new blogger with the hopes of making money from your blog, you need to find the types of blogs that do well on Pinterest. All you have to do is spend a little bit of time on the Pinterest Smart Feed and you’ll quickly see what types of blogs get the most traffic.
You might have to do a little bit of digging because Pinterest doesn’t show the repin counts like it used to. However, you will begin to notice a trend of some of the most popular blog niches on Pinterest.
Once you know which blogs do well on Pinterest, it’s time to start your own blog. While I can’t guarantee that yours will be a success, I can tell you that if you focus on Pinterest at the beginning for your traffic, you have a very good chance of driving traffic to it.
Of course, only if Pinterest doesn’t shut down your account of making a bunch of changes.
They’ve been known to do some wonky things like shutting down accounts for unexplainable reasons. So while you want to use Pinterest to get your blog off the ground, you definitely don’t want to rely on it as the only source of traffic.
How do Bloggers Make Money?
It’s hard to believe that you can start a blog and turn it into a legit money making business. But if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and treat your blog like a business, you can monetize it.
There are several different ways to make money with a blog. Depending on what stage you’re at with your blog, the monetization model will differ.
If you’re a brand new blogger with no previous blogging experience, you’ll probably start with these monetization models:
Affiliate Marketing: Whenever someone clicks on a product or service you recommend and makes a purchase, you get paid a percentage of the sale.
Display Ads: You’ve seen those ads on blogs inside the content, in the sidebar and the footer. Whenever someone clicks on these ads, they make money. Most bloggers start out with Adsense until they are able to move up to better-paying networks.
Digital Products: eBooks, courses, membership sites (you can check out my ebooks here)
There are several other ways to monetize your blog, but since you’re a brand new blogger, I don’t want to confuse you with a ton of other methods.
As your blog continues to grow, your monetization models will change.
What Types of Blogs Make Money?
As a new blogger, the question that remains at the back of your mind is what type of blogs make money? I know because I asked this question when I started my very first blog several years ago.
You don’t want to spend your time working in a niche that doesn’t have a chance to be profitable. After all, you’re in this to earn money and are hoping to create a life that will give you and your family more freedom.
The cool thing is that there are several blog niches that make good money. In fact, I am going to share some bloggers with you that have managed to create a profitable blog in several different niches, not just the blogging niche.
The important thing to remember is that you want to enter a niche where there are other bloggers. By setting up a blog in one of the industries below, you stand a much better chance for success because there is an audience in it.
Just remember that the niches are competitive and your success won’t happen overnight. So don’t believe that you’ll set up your blog today and will start seeing traffic overnight. It takes time to build up a business online.
If you still haven’t started a blog, I’ve written a step by step tutorial that will help you learn how to start a blog. Plus, I’ve put together a bunch of my blog posts on a resource page to help you understand how to blog.
How to Find Out if A Niche Is Profitable Enough for Blogging?
I mentioned above that I think every blog in every niche can earn money. While I do think that is possible, especially, if you create your own products.
But the truth is that some niches will just be impossible to monetize. I’ve seen people in Facebook groups saying that they have built up a substantial email list, yet they are NEVER able to make any money.
When I realize which niche they are in, I can definitely see why they can’t monetize their email list. Before starting your blog, sit down and ask yourself these questions:
#1 Is It A Big Market?
Think about the market that your blog caters to, the (broad) market. If there are a lot of other blogs and businesses in that market? If so then there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll be able to carve a little corner in that niche.
Competition isn’t always a bad thing. Yes, it takes longer to build up your blog because of all the competition, but at least you know that it’s a profitable niche.
#2 Is There Potential for Traffic?
Are people actually searching for the information? You can quickly run a quick search on the free keyword tool like Ubbersuggest and type in a keyword that someone in your niche would search for. Here’s a list of 11 blog niches that are proven to be popular.
#3 Does the Audience Have the Money to Spend?
Think about the potential audience for your blog. If you target audience is mostly teenagers chances are they are not going to have the money to buy the products and services you recommend via your blog.
However, if your target audience is moms and you provide information that offers them tips and resources that help them save money and improve their lives of their children. Chances are you will not have an issue making sales from the products and services you recommend.
#4 Are There Affiliate Products In That Niche?
One of the first ways that most new bloggers think about monetizing their blog is through Google Adsense. However, you need to take a look at whether or not there are actual affiliate programs that you can join.
You don’t want to start in a niche that you will only be able to promote Amazon products. Take a look at some of the popular affiliate programs like ShareASale.
#5 Are You A Little Bit Interested In The Niche?
I know that I said you don’t have to be passionate about the niche before starting your blog. However, I personally believe that you’ll do much better as a blogger if you are at least interested in the niche.
Imagine starting a blog about goats and you know nothing about goats. You just started it because you knew that it was a profitable niche.
Could you see yourself writing hundreds of blog posts in this niche? As a blogger, you’re going to be able to write a lot of articles.
I know that a lot of bloggers tell you that you don’t need to write a lot of content. That you should cut back on your writing.
Well, take a look at those bloggers who tell you that. Chances are they have been blogging for years and have a huge archive or blog posts. If you are a brand new blogger, you’re going to have to learn how to love to write.
I’m not saying that you can’t learn to love the niche, but it will be a lot easier if you have some interest in it.
Let’s Look At Some Profitable Blog Niche Ideas
Starting a blog can be confusing, especially, when you’re trying to find the best niche for blogging. No one wants to spend time trying to build an online empire only to realize a year down the road that the blog topic is not profitable.
Well, let’s take a look at some bloggers who started from zero just like you and I and have managed to build a thriving business. I am going to show you some blogs in various niches, to show you that it is possible to monetize a blog in several different niches.
If you can see what type of blogs people have created in various niches, you’ll feel much better knowing that it’s possible to start a blog and claw your way to the top.
I know you’re probably looking for profitable niches with low competition, that you can compete for easily without spending a lot of time building backlinks.
Well, those are going to be hard and virtually impossible The good news is that this profitable niches list are topics that will make you money if you put in the time and work.
It doesn’t get any better than that ๐
Profitable Blog Niche #1: Food
Food bloggers are huge, especially on Pinterest. There’s definitely room for you to have success in the food niche if you enjoy cooking and have recipes to share with your readers.
I personally have my favorite food blogs that I follow and have learned how to bake some new bread and try some new recipes. The funny thing is that I don’t even like to cook.
However, when I see the pictures of the food on some of these blogs, it just makes me want to try the recipe.
Blog Niche Ideas for A Food Blog
So how do you make money with a food blog? Well, as you know the food niche is extremely competitive. So you want to make sure that you choose a sub-niche that you can focus on:
- Learning to Cook
- A Blog For People With Food Allergies
- All About Gluten Free Foods
- Cooking Organic Foods
As you can see all these sub-niches would allow you to claim a little corner on the Internet and still build an online empire in the food topic.
You will need to make sure that you work on your photography skills if you want people to fall in love with your recipes.
How to Make Money With A Food Blog
So how do you make money with your affiliate marketing and digital products? Here are some ideas:
Recommended Cookware and Appliances: Chances are you’ll be using products like the Zojirushi bread maker or the fancy Cuisinart Food Processor. Well, don’t forget to sign up for the Amazon Associates program to recommend products you use to make your recipes.
Write a Cookbook: Once you start building a readership, you can offer your readers a cookbook with your favorite recipes. You can use a plugin like Easy Digital Download to sell your cookbook on your blog.
Inspiration: Food Blog That Does Well
If you’re thinking about starting a food blog, then here’s a food blogger that you should consider following. She has amazing recipes and you can learn a lot from her success.
Lindsay is a former 4th-grade teacher who managed to turn her blog into a full-time business. Her success didn’t happen overnight, but with hard work and persistence her and her husband Bjork managed to build a business, they are proud of. You can read her full story here.
Profitable Blog Niche #2: Lifestyle
A lot of people say that monetizing a lifestyle blog is not possible, because there is no focus. However, there are some people who have managed to build a profitable blog in the lifestyle niche.
Blog Niche Ideas for A Lifestyle Blog
If you read a lifestyle blog, you’ll notice that they post content on everything. One day they could post a blog post about fashion and the next day they could be sharing their favorite recipe. Here’s a list of 171 lifestyle blog post ideas you can use if you’re thinking of starting one.
It can be challenging to get loyal readers because the blog doesn’t really have a focus. However, there are some bloggers who have managed to build a successful lifestyle blog.
Related: What Is A Lifestyle Blog
How to Make Money With A Lifestyle Blog
Just like any other blog, I think that the lifestyle bloggers can do very well with affiliate marketing, ads, and even sponsored posts.
Reviews: You have the opportunity to write reviews about clothing you wear, products you buy and even kitchen appliances. Depending on your lifestyle categories, you have the opportunity to write reviews in several different categories.
Write An eBook: Many of the lifestyle blogs that I have seen all have a blogging category. Your followers most likely are not bloggers, but once you start building a successful blog, you can sell an eBook or course sharing how you were able to create your success.
Inspiration: Lifestyle Blog That Does Well
Whenever someone talks about a lifestyle blog, I always think about Chasing Foxes. They have built their blog up quickly using Pinterest as their main traffic source.
If you’re interested in seeing how a successful lifestyle blog is built, then I suggest that you head on over to their blog and get some inspiration. Just remember, if someone else was able to do it, then so can you. Visit their blog here.
Related Pinterest articles:
- How to Use Keyword Research on Pinterest to Explode Your Traffic
- 2 Pinterest Scheduling Tools You Need to Take A Look At
Profitable Blog Niche #3: Fitness
The fitness niche is such a huge market and if you can carve a little corner out for yourself, I have no doubt that you’ll do great.
How to Make Money With A Fitness Blog
Because this is such a competitive niche, you’re going to have to niche down and find a sub-niche that you can focus on. But don’t worry, here are some ideas that you can use to help you out.
- Pregnancy Fitness Blog
- Fit Mom Blog
- Fitness for Beginners
- Pole Fitness Blog
- Women Fitness
- Men’s Fitness
I could literally go on an on with different sub-niches you could get started in. But it would take too long and the point of these examples is just to give you an idea.
How to Make Money With A Fitness Blog
Reviews: you could do reviews on different gym equipment or fitness clothing that your readers may love.
Membership: Once your audience starts to grow, you could create a membership of some type that helps your readers get into shape. Or you could create an eBook of some type that offers your readers what they need to get into shape.
I’m NOT in this niche, so let’s take a look at a successful niche blog that has managed to turn their blog into a profitable venture.
Inspiration: Fitness Blog That Does Well
I love this site and read them to help me stay on top of my fitness goals. If you browse their site, you will be able to notice how they make their money as a blog. Visit Nerd Fitness here.
Personally, I think it’s a lot easier to see how a blogger makes money by visiting their blog or signing up for their email autoresponder.
What If I Am Not Interested In These Niches?
I’ve only scratched the surface with profitable niches you can enter. Here are 11 blog niches that make money if you’re not interested in any of these.
The truth is that there are several niches that do well. All you have to do is spend some time online to find something that peaks your interest in starting a blog in.
I’ve written a post that shows you the most searched blogs that people actually love reading.
What’s Your First Step After Creating Your Blog?
After you’ve chosen your blog name and set up WordPress, it’s time to start coming up with your first blog post ideas. I always recommend coming up with 10-20 blog post ideas that will keep you busy for a while.
I always keep my blog post ideas on Google Drive, that way when I sit down to write, I just write. There’s no wasted time in trying to find keywords online or dealing with writer’s block.
If you have never had a blog and don’t know the first clue about what it takes to build a successful blog. Then sign up for this FREE 12-day email course that will make the process a lot smoother for you.
Eventually, as your blog starts to grow and you have figured out your Pinterest game. Then you can invest in keyword tools like LongTailPro or SEMRush to help you improve your organic traffic.
Write Baby Write
Now it’s time to put your head down and just write. Learn how to write your first blog post in WordPress and start writing. There are going to be people who tell you that you don’t need a lot of content to grow your blog.
I beg to disagree. As a new blogger, you’re going to work on filling up your content library. If you look at those blogs above that have managed to carve a space for themselves online, you’ll notice something they all have in common.
They all have a lot of content and their success didn’t happen with just 10 blog posts. Nope, if you want to succeed a blogger you need to learn how to write.
Plus you also need to make sure that you’re promoting your articles after you write them. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how much you write, no one is going to know about your weblog.
I know that some bloggers launched their blog with just a few posts and then started guest posting right away. If you want to do that, then here’s a list of blogs that accept guest posts.
Final Take Away
Blogging is a long-term strategy so don’t believe for an instant that you’re going to create a profitable blog in just a few months. Yes, you might get lucky and have a pin go viral.
But a viral pin is not going to build a successful business. Instead, focus on providing valuable content that actually helps people. Then give it time (sometimes a lot of time) and eventually, you’ll look back and notice the online empire that you created.
Whatever you do, don’t quit. At times, you’re going to get frustrated and wonder what you’re doing wrong. Why are other blogger’s having success and you’re not?
It’s totally normal and I think every blogger has had those thoughts at one point or another in their journey. Blogging is hard and you’re going to have to just quiet those thoughts and keep pushing forward.
Hand Picked Articles
- How to Make Money Blogging At Any Level
- 7 Bloggers That Show You How to Build A Website You’ll Love
- 59 Best Blogging Ideas for Beginners to Help You Make Money
Are you just starting your blog? Did you choose one of these niches? Let me know how you chose your blog niche and how it’s going, I’d love to read about it.
I’ll be honest: I usually dislike niches, but i know they’re practically necessary to increase your chances of success. My creativity is always itching for many things, which tempts me to try and cast a wide net.
In order to remedy this itch, i might consider a general lifestyle / entertainment channel on YouTube (dedicated to top 5, top 10 lists, etc). YouTube is one of the only sources where i’ve seen diverse content be just as strong as niche content.
When it comes strictly to blogging, though, i fully agree: Go niche. And if you happen to have a passion for a profitable niche, you’re golden (consider passion a nice bonus).
Elvis ๐
Hi Elvis,
I think that sometimes it’s best to cast a wide net. It makes it a lot easier to reach more people and then you can find out what people actually enjoy reading.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment.
Have a great day ๐
Susan