If you are looking for ways to make money online, there’s no doubt that blogging would have appeared time and time again.
That’s because making money with blogging is incredibly popular and also achievable if you do it right.
Part of ‘doing it right’ comes with choosing one of the most profitable blog niches which I will go over in this article.
Making money with blogging comes through affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and paid advertisements, most of which, the payouts are higher for these niches compared to others.
Although it’s with noting – being profitable might not mean higher commissions.
It could also mean increased traffic which gets more conversions which means a higher income.
So let’s have a look at how to choose a niche and the most profitable blog niches in 2024.
How to Choose a Blog Niche
Choosing a niche for your blog should be based on your interests, the goals you have, the audience you are targeting, and the research of competition.
The niche is basically which category you want your content to be focused on.
This is very important as it will determine the type of content you write, the audience you write for, the affiliate products you promote, and also the difficulty you will face in growing your blog.
For example, writing a blog focused on ‘Tech’ will be very difficult to compete in.
That’s where sub-niches come into it; instead of a broad competitive topic like technology, you could focus on laptops or smartphones, and then break it down even further to ‘student laptops’ or ‘Android smartphones’ only.
Choosing a sub-niche is vital for getting your foot in the door against the big competitors in blogging.
The important thing is to leave your branding open so that you can expand into other niches further down the line.
For example, if you called your blog and associated accounts ‘Student Laptops Only’ it would be very difficult to branch out into other areas of laptops (if you wanted to) in the future.
I recommend the following steps for choosing your blog niche:
- Think about what you are good at and what interests you.
- Research competition and audience, and identify any market gaps
- Research affiliate programs and the potential profitability of that niche
- Create a content hub to map out keywords and content that you would cover
- Start writing, posting, and creating content in your niche.
One essential recommendation when picking your niche is – to choose something you enjoy or are passionate about and also something you have knowledge in.
Remember, you will have to create a considerable amount of content on this topic and if you don’t enjoy it, you will likely give up.
Equally, if you aren’t knowledgeable on the topic, it will hinder your chances of success until you start learning.
Remember to also avoid going too broad when you pick your niche.
The smaller the niche – the smaller the audience – the slower the growth.
This can be identified when you do research as mentioned above, once you start mapping out content and keywords, you will quickly learn how much there is to write about and what size the audience is.
If there are no other blogs covering that niche – chances are it’s too small.
10 Most Profitable Blog Niches 2024
These are blog niches that money but may also include various sub-niches.
Personal Finance
Personal finance is a broad topic but is also one of the most profitable niches you can get into.
To start in this niche, you will need to have some knowledge behind you and a keen interest as mentioned above.
For example, don’t start a blog about taxes if you find it complicated and boring.
There are so many sub-niches that it would be impossible to talk about all of them.
However, one of the best personal finance niches is credit cards. Given that the global credit card market grew from $101.98 Billion (2022) to $103.72 Billion (2022), there’s no surprise that it’s one of the most lucrative niches.
For example, just look at some of the trending searches for credit cards:
Also, the interest according to Google Trends has been steady for 5+ years:
Some of the most successful blogs that cover credit cards include NerdWallet and The Points Guy.
Affiliate programs for credit cards can pay anywhere from $50/Signup to $500/Signup, then 5% on loans, and other various commission structures.
Of course, it doesn’t just stop at credit cards…
Personal Finance Sub-Niches:
- Making money online
- Budgeting
- Banking
- Investing
- Loans
- Insurance
- Tax
- Debt
- Cryptocurrency
Being one of the most profitable blog niches out there, personal finance is also one of the most competitive.
Also – Personal Finance will fall under the Google ‘YMYL’ algorithm which stands for Your Money Your Life.
This takes into account:
“Pages that can have an impact on your current or future well-being (physical, financial, safety, etc.). YMYL pages should come from reputable websites, and the content should be created with a high level of expertise and authority.” – Google
This update was added back in 2014 in order to fight disinformation and is incredibly important now if you use AI to generate content in these niches.
Google also mentions:
“For these “YMYL” pages, we assume that users expect us to operate with our strictest standards of trustworthiness and safety. As such, where our algorithms detect that a user’s query relates to a “YMYL” topic, we will give more weight in our ranking systems to factors like our understanding of the authoritativeness, expertise, or trustworthiness of the pages we present in response.”
This ties in with Google’s E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness) which looks at the author of the content and sources from around the web/socials that prove your content is authentic.
Be sure to learn about this before you get into the personal finance niche.
Health and Fitness
While health and fitness don’t have the highest paying affiliate programs, it gets consistent traffic and lots of it.
You then have sponsorships, brand deals, custom programs, lessons, and many other profitable ventures you can build off of a successful health and fitness blog.
You can see by the Google Trends data for the term ‘running’ how popular the niche can be:
Breaking Muscle is one example of a health and fitness blog focused on muscle building and training. They have affiliate articles and ads to drive revenue.
Jason Crandell Yoga is another site that uses content to drive people to sign up for lessons with the instructor.
Just like the personal finance niche, health, and fitness is also a part of the YMYL algorithm, so be aware of this when starting out.
The best part about this profitable blog niche is that you can tailor the content however you want.
Health and fitness has so many variations, programs, routines, and teaching methods – it can be easy to stand out.
You can also use video to supplement your written content, which will benefit users greatly.
Health and Fitness Sub-Niches:
- Yoga
- Running
- Weight training
- Nutrition
- Pilates
- Paleo diets
There are many different ways to monetize a health and fitness blog, and even though affiliate commissions might not be as high, ad spaces, sponsorships, brand deals, and selling programs make up for that.
Another positive aspect of choosing health and fitness as your niche, there are always new methods, ideas, equipment, and science coming out that can help you find gaps in the competition.
Personal Development
Personal development can align with many other niches for different reasons but in particular, self-care is one of the most popular.
Not only has this niche seen a sharp rise due to the pandemic, but it has also been rising for some time now.
As you can see below trends for the search term ‘mental health’ have been on the increase over the last 5 years.
Again, with this niche you might be limited on affiliate programs and low-commission products, however, you have more control over your offerings.
For example, you could offer guidance calls, development sessions, courses, or any form of service to help people and charge for it.
Of course, you should only offer services you are certified to do so.
Mind Body Green is a good example here, although it’s primarily an e-commerce site, they use blogging to drive traffic to the site.
Personal Development Sub-Niches:
- Mindfulness
- Setting routines
- Stress management
- Spirituality
- Habits
- Mental health
The one thing to be aware of in this niche is trying to capitalize on people’s challenges and struggles.
It’s ok to monetize your content to support what you do – but if you are not an expert or just want to blast courses and affiliate links out there, stay clear of this niche.
Technology
Tech is one of the most profitable blog niches due to the constant development of new and expensive tech combined with tech consumers’ ‘must have’ attitude.
The term ‘tech’ alone has steadily risen over the last 5 years according to Google Trends data.
As the industry is ever-evolving, there are never-ending content ideas to support this niche, making it ideal to find content gaps.
Some popular examples include:
TechRadar: A content/news site that covers all things tech, making money through affiliate links, advertisements, and sponsorships.
Engadget: Similar to the site above in its content and monetization methods.
You might be looking at those thinking ‘How could I ever compete?’ but they are both at the top of their game and have been around for a long time.
Everyone needs to start off small before getting to that stage, and that’s why you focus on a sub-niche.
Technology Sub-Niches:
- Video games
- Mobile phones
- Laptops
- Headphones
- Software (VPNs, CRM, AI ect.)
- Home appliances
- Car tech
The list of tech sub-niches could be very long, which is a good thing as technology is a very competitive area for blogging.
Make sure you focus on a particular sub-niche, identify competitor and content gaps, and stay ahead of the trends if you choose to go down the tech route.
Travel
Travel blogging is hugely popular and competitive, but it’s also one of the most profitable niches for blogs.
Just look at the Google Trends data for the term ‘Digital Nomad’ over the last 5 years:
Thankfully, travel blogging can be done from the unique perspective of the writer and their experiences, so standing out and creating fresh content should be a breeze.
You should only opt for this niche if you have actually traveled and experienced the content you are writing about.
Two of the most popular travel blogs are Nomadic Matt and Dan Flying Solo, both of which have thousands of pieces of content and guides.
Generally, travel bloggers make their money through affiliate links, brand deals, advertising, and sponsored content (especially if video is included).
Companies also invite travel bloggers on free flights, to hotels, experiences, and countries in exchange for reviews/exposure.
Travel Sub-Niches:
- Digital nomads
- Solo travel
- Particular regions/countries
- Van life
- Hotel reviews
- Working abroad
The competition across the entire travel niche will be challenging, but with the right keyword research and identifying content gaps, you can achieve success.
Tip: For your readers, include authentic photos/videos taken by yourself in your content. This enhances the user experience and allows them to connect with you as the writer.
Digital Marketing
This is a blogging niche that might not seem like a profitable one, but you would be surprised.
Just take a look at the 5-year Google Trends data for ‘Digital Marketing’:
Digital marketing fits into all aspects of making an income and growing businesses, therefore it can apply to so many different audiences.
So you are not just targeting people in the marketing field, you are targetting those wanting to grow their social media following, start dropshipping, launch a book, and any area where they need marketing knowledge.
You can also position yourself towards beginners, intermediates, or advanced high-level marketing.
Some popular marketing blogs include Search Engine Journal which is focused on SEO and HubSpot which covers general areas of marketing.
Now, making money through the digital marketing niche will be a bit different.
There are still affiliate links but they will be geared towards marketing software and tools, so you will be limited.
There are of course still ads and sponsorships.
But depending on your goal, you can venture into offering marketing services like an agency, build your own tool, monetize guides and playbooks, and much more.
There are several areas of digital marketing you could focus on.
Digital Marketing Sub-Niches:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Social media
- Strategy
- Branding
- Products
- Consumers
- Affiliate marketing
If you are going to enter into this competitive niche, be sure to have some education and experience behind you.
Fashion and Beauty
While fashion and beauty perform strongly with video content and influencers, there is still a place for it as a blogging niche.
For example, look at the Google Trends data for ‘Skincare’:
There are thousands of fashion and beauty affiliate programs out there, and in addition to sponsorships, brand partnerships, and advertising, this can be a very profitable niche.
As you should in any blog niche, this one will require original and authentic photos to boost credibility as most fashion and beauty audiences respond better visually.
Girl With Curves is a popular fashion blog and Wendy Rowe is an example of a popular beauty blog.
Fashion and Beauty Sub-Niches:
- Makeup
- Skincare
- Hairstyles
- Winter fashion
- Denim
- Accessories
- Men’s grooming
- Anti-aging
- Beachwear
Regardless of the sub-niche you choose, fashion and beauty are ever-evolving with new trends, which also means content ideas too.
Photography
Photography is one of the most profitable blog niches due to the high cost of gear and commissions that come with it from affiliate programs.
However, it’s not just the commissions from affiliate products, you can also sell your own guides, cheatsheets, images, services, and more.
The term photography has always been a consistent search term and a highly searched one, according to Google Trends data:
With the photography niche, I recommend that you have experience in the topics you choose to write about. Using camera equipment and software can get very technical, therefore you should know what you are talking about.
You can also supplement the content with YouTube, social media, podcasts, and other forms of media relevant to your sub-niche.
Some popular photography blogs include Behind the Shutter, DIY Photography, and Feature Shoot.
Photography Sub-Niches:
- Accessories
- Guides
- Lenses
- Animal photography
- Portrait photography
- Photo editing
This niche will require experience, knowledge, and also visual proof for your audience in order to become well-known in the photography blogging space.
Home Improvement/DIY
The home improvement niche is a surprising one, but it’s also a profitable one if done right.
For example, ‘interior design’ as a search term has always maintained high levels and consistency according to Google Trends:
Not only is there a whole library of content ideas for a large audience, but there are also excellent promotion ideas with the likes of Pinterest and YouTube.
Of course, like the other niches on this list, you will need to have an idea of what you’re doing, especially as your audience will use the information they read and act upon it.
This is a popular niche for step-by-step guides and covering new trends. You can be creative with your own styles and methods too, so the content doesn’t have to be the same as competitors.
Some popular home improvement blogs include Bob Vila, Centsational Girl, and Remodelaholic.
Home Improvement Sub-Niches:
- Woodworking
- Upscaling
- Interior painting
- Interior design
- Tool reviews
- Remodeling
Again, pictures and videos are essential for this niche as the audience will want more visual inspiration than written content.
Making Money Online
Technically this is a sub-niche of personal finance but it is hugely popular and I think it deserves to be mentioned on its own.
Just have a look at the search term ‘how to make money online’ has increased over the last 5 years:
There are millions of people out there that want to earn an income through different methods online. One of them is blogging!
As this is a sub-niche, you would need to be careful about going even smaller.
You could for example, only focus on making money through blogging, making money through freelancing, and also dropshipping.
You could also do all of those niches. But if you go too small, you will struggle to expand and grow.
Millennial Money is a good example here (one that has also covered other areas of personal finance).
Some smaller niches you can consider here include:
- Dropshipping
- Affiliate marketing (Check out this beginners guide to affiliate marketing)
- Blogging
- Surveys
- Freelancing
- Flipping websites
- Drop servicing
- Creating businesses
You would monetize this content similarly to those of digital marketing and the usual monetization strategies.
