One of the best things about blogging is that you can explore practically any topic. Blogs are essentially a reflection of the author. You can write about whatever you want to share with the world. But, not every blog niche can make a lot of money. If the financial aspect of blogging is something you care about, we have splendid news–some niches can make you rich! So, unless you’re doing it just for fun, make sure you do your research to identify the blogs that make money.
If you’re wondering what makes a profitable blog in 2020, we have listed some important features of successful blogs. If you’re looking for inspiration to get started with your own blog and choose the right niche, read our section on the most lucrative blog niches.
Things all types of blogs that make money have in common
Large audience
It may seem logical to choose topics that not everyone blogs about. After all, every other girl is a fashion blogger nowadays, and the last thing people want is another fashion blogger. Right? Well, that’s not entirely true. Competition is not necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary–a competitive market proves that a niche has a large audience, which is exactly what you need. It is better to have fierce competition than to have no competition but also no readers. Ideally, you would have to find a topic many people are interested in but no one writes about. Unfortunately, that would be not only hard but also risky.
Great design
Since this is the first thing people see, popular blogs usually have a stunning design. This is a place to express what your blog stands for, so it shouldn’t be generic. Default themes are not recommendable because they are some of the least inspiring designs. A basic, boring design sends the wrong message. It suggests that you are not trying and that your content is just as boring. Custom themes, on the other hand, look more professional and add a personal touch, which leads us to the next characteristic of profitable blogs…
Personal touch
Even if you cover a popular topic, make it unique. Uniqueness sells a blog. You can achieve it in various ways–with a customized theme, an individualistic writing style, memorable photos, etc. Adding your personal experiences makes any topic more interesting and helps you gain readers’ trust. That’s why you can create a blog catered to your own interests. There are some types of blogs that make money where being personal is important.
Effective images
Images are one of the first things that attract readers and make your blog posts stand out. Successful bloggers avoid overused images that everyone else in their niche is using. If possible, include your own photos. For example, if you are a food blogger, take a picture of each dish after you prepare it. Remember, it’s all about being original and avoiding clichés.
Engaging content
Bloggers should be able to engage their audience and open a debate. That’s why they typically end their blog posts with a question for the readers to comment on in the comment section. If there are many comments at the end of every post, you’ve done your job well. Creating thought-provoking content that builds relationships with readers and encourages them to leave feedback should be one of your main goals. Have in mind that engaging content is not only unique and well-written but also relevant.
Regular content
Another mutual characteristic of blogs that make money is regular content. Having a lot of competition means you should be posting regularly. Although quality should be your number one priority, try to post at least once a week. The more the better.
Clear focus
All blogs that make money have a clear focus. Define what your blog is about and stick to that niche. Writing about everything will make you lose credibility. Besides, you can’t be equally passionate about a million things.
Popular blogging niches that make money
Personal finance
Let’s start our list of niches proven to make more money than others with something that concerns everyone – personal finance. Finance is a niche that will always be relevant.
You can discuss saving money, managing a family budget, paying off a debt, etc. Few people can say that they’ve never had money problems. Also, saving money has always been an attractive concept, no matter how rich or poor a person is.
Writing about money is a good way to make money while helping others do the same. Even though you won’t be able to advertise many expensive affiliate products, you can make money from ads and the traffic you generate.
Moving
Moving is a popular niche among readers who are planning to move, and that is a huge audience. You can write about packing various types of items, coping with moving anxiety, moving with pets, finding reliable movers, avoiding moving scams, etc. You can also write about moving to specific cities/countries while promoting professional moving services. Sharing your own experiences with relocation would give your blog the personal touch it needs.
Health and fitness
This is another universal theme with a large target audience and multiple sub-topics. You can offer content ranging from healthy eating habits, muscle building, weight loss, etc. With so many myths and misconceptions related to health and fitness, people may get confused, overwhelmed, and in need of advice.
Don’t let the competition scare you though. This blog niche usually allows you to promote pricey affiliate products, from supplements and weight loss products to exercising equipment.
Parenting
This is a brilliant niche choice for new bloggers. Parenting is universal and never goes out of style. Parents, especially first-time moms and dads and parents-to-be have a million questions, which means you can never run out of things to blog about. Plus, the list of products you can promote while giving advice, and sharing relatable stories is endless.
Related: Blogging for Parents (and Kids): Examples & Tips
Food
You may have heard that food blogs are hard to monetize because readers don’t engage too much with the content and focus only on the recipes. But, that shouldn’t stop you if you are passionate about all things food. A simple food blog can grow into so much more if you have what it takes.
Most food blogs have a similar content pattern of recipes divided into categories (Meat, Fish, Soup, Pasta, Salads, Desserts, etc.) that you can also divide into sub-categories. There are often videos that go with the recipes. Some bloggers focus only on desserts, healthy food or a specific cuisine.
Fashion and beauty
This niche is not only for female bloggers. Men can make a lucrative income in this field as well whether they focus on male or female audiences. When we say fashion and beauty, we mean everything from clothes, shoes, and accessories, to hair and makeup.
You can offer advice on what to wear, where to find it, how to wear it, post photos of your own outfits and makeup tutorials. You can write about fashion designers and their work or review unique makeup brands.
Many successful fashion/beauty bloggers have an impressive number of followers on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. It pays them to recommend products (which they get for free) or make money selling their own lines.
Famous bloggers are often getting invites to fashion shows, parties, and branded campaigns so they can blog about them. This means you get to attend exclusive events, wear pieces from the latest collections, and meet influential people in the industry. It is a dream come true for fashion lovers.
DIY
Another blog niche that makes money is DIY. If you like arts and crafts, this is a perfect way to unleash your creativity and let your imagination run wild. Many DIY blogs are about interior design, home re-modeling, life hacks, etc.
In DIY blogging, there is a sea of possibilities. You can write about crafts to do with kids, DIY home décor, storage hacks, sewing, knitting, etc. Just like food bloggers or makeup bloggers, DIY bloggers need to make sure their audience can recreate their blog ideas.
Personal development
This niche is not going anywhere, anytime soon. Personal development, also known as self-improvement or self-help refers to helping people change their life for the better. The aim is to help readers get to know themselves, grow, set goals for the future, and achieve them. Topics range from dating and relationships, to family, happiness, success, motivation, and emotional mastery.
Lifestyle
A lifestyle blog gives you a little more freedom by allowing you to cover different topics. But, these blogs that make money usually address one demographic, such as pet owners, or moms. So, there is still some clear focus. It is recommendable to choose one core theme that targets one type of audience and help them solve their problems while promoting specific products and services. A lifestyle blog can cover all the areas we have mentioned in this article and many more – but with a specific demographic in mind.
Jacob Daniels
SEO Content Manager and Copywriter, Movers Development
Jacob is an aspiring SEO content writer that is building his presence in the digital marketing world through testing his limits in writing articles related to SEO, PPC, marketing, software, moving industry news, and trends, everyday life topics…basically, whatever he can find and twist to his mindset.
