Are you feeling stuck coming up with your profitable blog niche idea?
Or are you reading all kinds of confusing and contradicting information about what you should start your blog about?
Niche vs. lifestyle, money-making blog vs. hobby blogs?
And, you just need help coming up with your own profitable blog niche ideas, then take a breath.
Cozy up with a hot cocoa, my friend, and let’s answer your questions!
I’ve also got a video for you if you prefer that 🙂
Any of these sound familiar?
I want to be a blogger, but…
- I don’t know what to write about?! ?♀️
- I have too many ideas I can’t niche down! Help!
- I’m not an expert in anything! What can I do?
- I hear you shouldn’t start a broad lifestyle blog. Which is what I want! True or False?
- I just want to share my life online! Will anybody show up?
- Can I really make money with my blog niche idea?
- I’m too late – there are already 1mio other blogs in my niche?
This post shows you how to find your popular and profitable niche with my easy 4 step blog niche formula. And I give you a ton of examples of popular blogs to inspire you and show you what’s possible in each niche.
You’ll know exactly how to choose the right blog niche for your blogging goals without feeling overwhelmed or worried about your decision.
And, just as a little heads up, you’re not too late to start, I’m sure you can make money with your blog idea, and yes, you can make money with a lifestyle blog.
Now that that’s out of the way – let’s do this!
The Struggle of Choosing the Best Blog Niche!
Coming up with ideas for your blog can feel very overwhelming. It’s easy to get stuck, and you’re worried about making the wrong decision.
I know it because I’ve been there and I feel you!
If you’re new to my blog, let me tell you a little bit about me first…
Hey there, my name is Katie.
When I started blogging almost 10 years ago, I was just sharing my thoughts online! I showed off my awful quality travel photos, my experiences cooking Jamie Oliver’s 20min meals (and the kitchen aftermath), and more similar very casual content.
It didn’t really matter what I was posting because I didn’t really expect anyone to read my stuff!
Blogging was my online diary.
I was not making any money from my blog at that time, nor did my blog focus on a specific niche topic.
At that time I was working in a 9-5 banking job.
Honestly, I was unhappy with corporate life and was looking for a creative way to make a living. So this was the first time I thought about turning my blog into a business.
I was already getting good amounts of traffic from Pinterest, and I had written some “How To Blog” posts that really resonated well with my audience.
I also saw many “How to Make Money Blogging Blogs,” so I decided to niche down on marketing and social media content.
Fast forward a couple of years, and this is where I’m at. I’m a full-time blogger running my own online business. It’s mind-blowing, and I’m so grateful.
Now, maybe you can relate to my story, and you’re looking for a way to turn your existing blog into a business. Or you’re a brand new blogger just looking for blog ideas you can be successful with from the get-go.
In both cases, does it really come down to your blog niche?
Would I have been able to turn my blog into a business if I hadn’t changed directions?
Let’s look at what I believe to be the secret to what makes great blogs great but first I want to take a quick step back and answer the question: What is a blog niche, and why is it important?
What is a Blog Niche?
A blog niche is the main topic you’re writing or blogging about, like a keto blog. The posts you publish should fall under your main blog niche. So for your keto blog, this could be keto breakfast recipes, keto vegetable recipes, keto soups, keto tutorials.
Usually, your blog niche appeals to a specific group of people – your ideal blog reader (ICA ideal customer avatar). So a niche is defined by not speaking to everyone but just a particular interest group.
There’re also broader blog niches like lifestyle blogs.
Lifestyle blogs usually cover a more general topic like the specific person or influencer’s interest. Depending on the blogger’s interest, lifestyle blog posts range from travel to food to home decor to beauty, etc.
The niche in your lifestyle blog is you.
You are the niche, and it covers things you care about. So even though it’s less specific, it brings together all these topics under the umbrella of your personality.
Why is Choosing a Profitable Blog Niche Important?
So why do you need to choose a blog niche before you start?
First of all, I want you to think about your blogging goal. Do you want to start a blog for fun and take it easy?
Then my friend choosing a blog niche is less important, and it might be taking all the fun out of the experience. Just go ahead, jump in and start your hobby blog.
If you’re planning on makeing some money on the side (why not, right :)) then I encourage you to really think about your blog niche before you start.
Why do you ask?
Three reasons: 1) Google, 2) your target audience, and 3) your expert status.
Let me explain:
1) Google Likes Niches Blogs
When you create your blog, you have to think about how people will find you once it’s live. One huge traffic source is Google.
Google really like niche sites because it’s easy for Google to analyze the content and determine that it’s relevant for a person looking for an answer.
Imagine being Google for a second.
Wouldn’t you rather link to a site with tons and tons of keto recipes than to a blog with maybe 1-2 two keto recipes but a bunch of unrelated content about South America travel or breastfeeding tips?
As Google, you would refer the person to the site with the relevant keto content because that serves the user intent of that person surfing Google. And Google wants to make their users happy, right?
2) Attracting your Target Audience
When you niche down your blog topic, it’s easier to attract the right kind of people and repel people who aren’t the right fit for your blog and business.
Think about it this way, maybe in one blog post, you’re blogging about postpartum tips for new moms. This will attract women, perhaps age 18-45, looking for tips and guidance on being a new mom.
In your next blog post, you’re speaking about investment tips that helped you increase your credit score.
Investment blogs tend to have more male readers. So now you’re attracting men, maybe age range 25-50, looking for financial and investment tips.
You’re attracting two completely different target audiences.
It’s challenging to serve two different audiences on just one blog. Niching down helps you talk to one group of people at a time.
3) Becoming an Expert
When you niche down, you can share your expert knowledge. It’s tough to be an expert in South America travel, keto nutrition, credit card improvement, and baby nursing.
I’m not saying you can’t be helpful in all of these topics but becoming a niche blogger really allows you to dig deep into one specific problem.
You become the go-to person for that topic.
People remember, oh yeah, there was this great blog about keto. This blogger knows so much about it, and I know I can find the solution to my problem there.
Be honest with yourself, what you’re really an expert in. You don’t have to have a degree in it to be a successful blogger. But you do have to know your stuff.
Can All Blog Niches Make Money?
Truth be told, I think yes.
Honestly, I’ve seen the most amazing blogs make money – you wouldn’t believe it.
Here’s a cool story about Danira Cancinos – This single mom made $126,000 in a year from an online caramel-apple making course. (source). Check out Danira’s blog here.
I believe that as long as you’re passionate about a topic and you’re able to solve a problem for your audience, you can make an income from your blog.
If you’re interested in it, other people probably are too.
Then it becomes the question of HOW to make money helping people AND NOT IF you can make money from your niche.
10 Profitable Blog Niche Ideas that can Make Money in 2021
Now I really believe you can make money in any blogging niche. But, I want to give you a list of my favorite profitable blogging niches that have already proven to work for other people.
Take these as an inspiration. This doesn’t mean you have to start your blog in one of these niches; it simply means people have already made it work and made money blogging in those niches.
1. Food
Food blogs are some of the most popular blog niches online. Who doesn’t like a delicious recipe? Whether you’re stuck at home or you’re looking for a treat to dish up to your friends.
Because food is a topic that basically concerns everyone (we kind of all have to eat right, not that anyone has to force me #foodiealert), there’s a huge traffic opportunity in food blogs.
Everybody needs recipes.
And food blogs like Pinch of Yum combine everything that makes blogging great. Gorgeous photography meets your craving for delicious recipes.
Blogs in the food niche also have huge income potential. Check this out:
PinchOfYum Income Report November 2016 – $95’192/month
2. Beauty and Fashion
I think I discovered blogging through youtube beauty tutorials. My mom or sister didn’t care too much about makeup, but I did, so I started searching online for the best makeup tips for brown eyes or simple outfit ideas for school.
And it just opened my eyes to the potential of blogging!
The global beauty industry is a growing, billion-dollar market. And fashion bloggers and beauty bloggers are the connection between people and big brands.
We love to find the newest beauty and fashion trends, and if you’re into that kind of stuff, you’re going to love this…
Check out The Blonde Salad, a.k.a Chiara Ferraganis million dollar blog.
TheBlondeSalad Income Report 2018 – $30 Million/year
3. Making Money, Finance + Investments
Blogs about making money, finance, and investment are top-earning blogging niches.
This is usually because people see the point in spending money on a product or a course if they know that they can get their money back by making more money in the future.
Money-making blogs range from tips on making, saving, and investing money to credit score tips and financial stock advice.
Check out Michelle Schroeder Gardeners’ site makingsenseofcents.com. Michelle was one of the first money bloggers to become famous by paying off $40’000 in student loads by starting her blog.
She now travels full time, earning 100K a month #mindblogwing
MakingSenseOfCents Income Report June 2018 – $100,324/month
4. Lifestyle, Social Media and Influencing
Lifestyle bloggers and social media influencers are the new pop stars of the online space. I don’t know about you, but I love cozying up on the sofa watching a cute family vlog or scrolling through my favorite influencers on Insta.
It’s no secret anymore that you can make an absolute killer income as an influencer or lifestyle blogger, so if that’s what you’re into – go you!
One of the first Bloggers / YouTubers I really fell in love with was Zoella. From her bubbly personality to her gorgeous blog with homey recipes and decor tips – I love following her journey online.
Don’t let yourself get discouraged if you see people writing that lifestyle blogs won’t work. Just look at your favorite influencers and lifestyle bloggers and get inspired.
And if you don’t believe me check this out:
Zoella Income report 2019 – est £600,000/year
5. Blogging about Blogging
Well, you’re here reading about blogging, right? And if you love blogging as much as I do, let me tell you from experience that teaching about blogging can turn into a full-time job – yup, it’s possible.
People are looking for a way to make a living online, whether through blogging or social media.
If you can share your experience on how you made this happen, people will love your blog, come back and pay you to help them get there too.
I love teaching about blogging and WordPress that’s why I ultimately decided to go all-in blogging about blogging and offering my WordPress blog course. It’s an amazing blog niche.
You want more awesome success stories? Check out, Melyssa Griffin.
Melyssa was one of the first blogging bloggers I learned a ton from when I started blogging. She’s a former high school teacher who turned blog entrepreneur, and her income reports will blow your mind:
MelyssaGriffin Income Report December 2016 – $283,680/month
6. Pets
I freaking adore my little wiener dog, Phoebe. It’s ridiculous but even thinking about something could happen makes me tear up a bit. I want her to have the best life with us and just want her to be cozy and happy.
Many other people feel exactly the same way about their pet as I do about my wiener dog.
It’s fun to spoil and treat your pet because they give us so much love, and we just want to return the favor. So, it’s an absolute no brainer that any pet-related blog can be a success.
Check out this blog, YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner if you’re not convinced yet (of course, I had to include this example).
Jessica shares her life with her dogs and helps improve the lives of Dachshunds and their owners all over the world alike.
YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner Income Report October 2019 – $7,720.44/month
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7. Mom + Parenting
Mom blogs are so popular.
Let me tell you this from experience writing this post 7 months pregnant!
The amount of strange, random things happening to my body since getting pregnant – countless! So yup, I Google mom blogs a lot.
I soak up everything I can find online from women who have gone before me. And it just helps me so so much.
I couldn’t be more grateful to all those women being vulnerable online sharing their journey, so mine doesn’t’ have to be so freaking scary.
And 1 million other women feel exactly the same as I do this very second.
There’s a massive potential in the mom blog niche, and if you want to see an amazing example check out Aly of WhatMomLoves and her amazing blog about being a mom and parenting.
WhatMomLoves Income Report – $30’000/month
8. Travel
Travelling is my passion, and I love finding the most exotic and cool places for my husband and me to share some special vacation moments.
I usually spend a fair amount of my free time after work scrolling travel blogs, watching travel vlogs, and just soaking up inspiration for new adventures.
Even in these strange times, it just feels good to take a mental break from every day’s strangeness and just envision being on a beach right now. Dreaming of a time when this is all over, and we can all get back to some sort of normal.
Obviously, travel blogging has taken a hit in 2021. Still, I genuinely believe that our situation is eventually going to change.
And I’m probably not the only one just waiting to book that ticket. Don’t feel discouraged if you want to start a travel blog in 2021.
And if you need some inspiration and motivation in the meantime, check out TwoWanderingSoles here. Katie & Ben are high school sweethearts from Minnesota who’ve been traveling the world for 4 years and make a full-time income travel blogging.
TwoWanderingSolves Income Report Q4 2019 – $74,367/Q4
9. Health, Fitness + Nutrition
The global wellness economy is expected to hit $6,6 trillion by 2026, which just blows my mind.
Diets, health, nutrition, and exercise concern people all over the world at every age.
And who’s better to motivate you to get that workout in or finally break that bad habit of unhealthy snacking, while binge-watching Netflix, than your favorite health and fitness blogger.
I hate going to the gym, full disclosure here. But I love working out at home (even long before 2021). I have this massive playlist of my favorite workouts and healthy recipes on YouTube, so whenever I get a boost of motivation, I can just jump right in.
I even convinced my gym-loving hubby to hit a home workout with me, and I got him hard (I don’t think he expended a home workout to burn so good).
Recipe, wellness, and fitness blogs are such popular niches.
Just check out GreenThickies. Katherine is helping people to lose fat without losing time. And if you’re wondering if you could start and turn your wellness/fitness blog into a full-time gig, just check this out:
GreenThickies Income Report January 2018 – $15,534/month
10. Home, DIY, Organization, and Crafts
Maybe you’ve read through this list, and you found nothing you want to blog about. Because you’re looking for an online space to share your home or hobby with the world.
Then, girlfriend, I’ve got good news.
Home, DIY, Organization, and Craft blogs belong to the most successful blog niches.
You want to share your amazing craft ideas or organizational tips, but you’re a bit unsure if your idea will work, just check out Jennifer Maker.
Jennifer shares her DIY adventure with almost 1 million followers on her blog. It’s bananas and just amazing.
JenniferMaker Income Report September 2017 – $15,158.72/month
Blog Niche Formula – 4-Step-Formula for Finding your Profitable Blog Niche!
Alright, feeling inspired and ready to go? Let’s get down to business finding your profitable blog niche now. So how can you come up with your own awesome blog niche idea?
Here’s my easy 4-Step-Formula for finding your profitable blog niche:
Your Expertise + Solving a Problem + Interested People + Product Opportunities = Profitable Blog Niche
A. Your Expertise
It’s important to start a blog in a niche you feel you have expertise in and you like to talk about.
Start by asking yourself these question:
- What are the unique skills I have, and which topics am I an expert on?
- What topic do I spend hours reading about online, and I am passionate about learning more?
- Is there a topic where friends and family just come running to me to get my expert help?
Now start brainstorming.
Write down everything that comes to your head and just write it down. Then, choose 1-3 ideas. Now head over to Pinterest or Google. Type in your initial blog topic ideas.
Start comparing your ideas and check for how many people are actually interested in that idea online. This will give you helpful insight if it’spopular.
B. Solving a Problem
The key to creating a profitable blog is to become a problem solver.
Think about why you are surfing the web? I am usually looking to answer a question or a problem in my personal or business life.
Your blog should create valuable content for your audience. Solving problems or inspiring people will create fans who come back and ultimately pay for a solution to their problem.
Write down some problems or things you googled when you first got into your blog topic. These are things you can create your first blog posts about.
C. Interested People
It’s time to find your audience.
Ask yourself, are there already a ton of blogs about my topic, or not?
If yes, great! It means people care about the subject. Where do these people hang out? Get to know them and their problems.
If not, check forums to find out if people are interested in your niche at all.
Are people leaving questions and comments on forums? Maybe there’re just no competitor blogs for your niche yet.
That’s great. Become the go to person in that field.
D. Research Product Ideas
Finally, if you’re planning on monetizing your blog niche, I would start by looking at the products and services you are using yourself in your niche.
Will you be able to promote products in your niche, or will you be able to create your own product you can sell on your blog that relates to your niche?
If you find it easy to think of a product you could promote or create that could make your audience’s life easier and better, it’s probably a good idea to start a blog in that niche.
So What’s Next?
First of all, congrats on finding your new blog niche!
Whoop Whoop, I’m so proud of you.
Now it’s time to take action.
Check out my easy “How to Start your WordPress Blog” guide here. You’ll have your new niche blog set up in no time. Without any headache, without any tech problems.
It’s so easy. If I can do it, you can do it.
Start your new blog here in less than 15 minutes! Yup, I’m serious, it’s so easy and fast!
Now great job and I’ll talk to you soon,
xx Katie
