How to Choose a Blogging Niche for WordPress Blog?
I remember when I started my first blog.
It was exciting that I saw myself flying to exotic places and dining in fancy hotels.
You know, like all the successful bloggers we see on the internet.
I figure out why I start a blog and take action later.
But I made one big mistake when I started. I didn’t choose a blogging niche.
What is a Blogging Niche?
When I launched that first blog, I had never heard of blogging niches. I simply started writing away and hoped readers would flock to my blog in droves.
You can’t blame me – I was hot on heels chasing after the elusive blogging dream of making millions overnight and living on my own terms.
That was one big mistake. And do you know why? It took me a lot of time and effort to drive traffic to that blog. So, I threw in the towel and thought perhaps blogging wasn’t my thing after all.
I would have saved myself the trouble if I had taken the time to choose a profitable blogging niche.
Don’t be like me, who shot out of the blue and fell smack on my face. So, what is a blogging niche?
Well, it’s really simple.
A blogging niche is simply a specific topic that you write about on your blog for a specific audience.
When I started, I wrote about all manner of topics for the entire world! Don’t bash me, that’s how I thought blogging worked.
Much later when I learned about blogging niches, I narrowed down my focus and started blogging about content marketing for WordPress developers. Things took a turn for the better, but I shut down the blog to focus on client work.
That said, how do you choose the best blogging niche for your WordPress blog? Read on to learn.
How to Choose a Blogging Niche
#1 – Follow Your Passions & Interests
While there are exceptions to the rule, many people fail because they jump feet-first into a blogging niche they aren’t passionate about.
They heard there is big money in blogging, and without a second thought took the plunge. A few blog posts down the line, they burned out and closed shop.
I used to have a friend who is an engineer. He heard the healthcare blogging niche is a goldmine, and decided to go all in.
He launched a health blog, and since he didn’t have the passion or time to work on the blog, he hired freelance writers for a new blog! Long story short, he literally flushed money down the crapper.
I felt bad for him. If only he went after something he was passionate about – not one of those “profitable blogging niches” every guru recommends.
Blogging is tough and you will spend a ton of time writing content, so you better make it fun by following your passions or interests.
Ask yourself questions such as:
- What do you enjoy doing?
- What are your hobbies and interests?
- What would you do for free if money wasn’t an issue?
- What do people often ask you for help with?
But don’t go all passion and forget about profitability. A simple Google search can reveal if many other people are passionate about your blog niche and ready to pay for it.
#2 – Conduct Research
Once you have chosen a passion or interest, it’s time for the next part: conducting research to decide if the topic falls under some of the most profitable blogging niches around.
Remember what we said about profitability? You definitely don’t want to go into a blogging niche that won’t make you any money down the line.
You also want to see what is already out there, and if those people are making any money from their blogs through adverts, affiliate marketing, or other blog monetization methods.
Where do you start? It’s incredibly easy. I recommend using keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, KWFinder, and SEO PowerSuite, among others.
Also, consider using Answer The Public to see the types of questions people are asking about your blogging niche. This tool is especially useful for coming up with blog topic ideas.
To view trending topics within your blogging niche, feel free to use Google Trends, which shows your searcher interest over time.
Keyword research will also help you to determine the competitiveness of your chosen blog niche. You also get additional keywords to use in your blog content.
#3 – Analyze the Competition
When you go into blogging, you can expect some level of competition and that’s a no-brainer. Highly profitable blogging niches such as healthcare and finance come with stiff competition.
This stiff competition makes it harder to rank your blog in search results and drive traffic to your site. Other niches aren’t as competitive which makes them ripe for the taking.
To see how your blogging niche fairs in terms of competition, start with competitor analysis using the keyword tools we mentioned above.
Also, check out websites such as Amazon, eBay, and other giant retailers to see if your competition is already selling products on these sites. Also, note the number of sales to determine demand.
Other than that, check out the product reviews to see what buyers are saying about the products and the competitor in general. You’ll be surprised by the amount of information you can gather from the reviews.
Additionally, visit the competitor’s social media profiles, and note their activity. How are they performing on social media? Which topics are they posting, and which topics are getting the most engagement?
Actively visit the competitors’ blogs and check out what they are doing right or wrong to determine how you can improve your blog. Maybe they are missing out on an untapped market that you can take advantage of.
When I started blogging about content marketing, I faced fierce competition from established blogs. I didn’t stop, however. Instead, I narrowed down my blog niche to “content marketing for WordPress developers,” which leads us to our next point.
#4 – Narrow Down
Niche blogging is all about covering a specific sub-topic instead of multiple sub-topics at once – even if they fall under one broad topic. Here, you want to narrow down and get really specific.
In other words, don’t attack a broad topic at once. Instead, find a specific niche audience and address their pain points, offering them real solutions to their problems.
If you don’t know their problems, don’t be afraid to ask. You can use surveys and forms on your site to gather this information.
It’s quite easy, and within no time you will know exactly which topics to cover on your blog in order to resonate with your audience.
Over time, you will put a finger on a specific blogging niche that just works for you, and your engaged audience. As simple as A, B, C.
Try searching “how to define your target audience” in Google as a starting point.
Blogging Niche FAQs
What is a blogging niche?
A blogging niche is a specific topic that you cover on your blog for a specific audience. Your content aims to alleviate their pain points.
How do you choose a blogging niche?
To choose a profitable blogging niche, follow your passions, conduct research, analyze your competition, and narrow down by defining a niche target audience.
Which niche is best for blogging?
There is no one “best” blog niche. Sure there are many top blogging niches but they are usually very competitive. If you follow the above tips, you will find your “best” blogging niche. You know, a profitable blogging niche that you’re passionate about.
Which niche is the most profitable?
The usual popular niches such as healthcare, finance, home improvement, dating, and everything in between. Still, you can make any niche profitable if you put in the work.
Summary
Choosing a blogging niche doesn’t need to be challenging. You’re good to go as long as you follow your passions, conduct astute keyword research, analyze your competition, and find your target audience.
Happy blogging adventure!