The 13 Most Profitable Niches of 2021
One of the top questions I receive from new freelance writers is “How do I choose a profitable writing niche?” If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry! I got you, buddy. Keep reading for the best freelance niche ideas of 2021.
Check out my YouTube video on this topic, and subscribe to my channel to stay up-to-date on all of my freelance writing videos!
WHY YOU NEED A FREELANCE NICHE
When I was new, I made the same mistake that many newbie freelance writers make: I didn’t choose a niche.
I was desperate for money (after all, living in LA is not cheap!). So I applied for any and every freelance writing job that came my way. I wrote for a Japanese tourism website, a history blog, and a local plastic surgeon. I was all over the place.
As a result, I wasn’t communicating my expertise in any particular field. Since I lacked expertise, no clients were willing to pay more than $0.08/word for my work.
One day, as I was staring into the screen of my Macbook, it hit me. Getting freelance writing clients is all about branding. After all, I have always purchased Apple products. Even though they are more expensive, I believe they are better. Are they better? I don’t know. But Apple communicates their expertise in their field, and I’ve bought in.
So, all I needed to do was communicate that I was the best at one thing. If I could do this, I would have no trouble booking high-paying work. I needed to be more like Apple.
Around the same time, a trip to Marshall’s clued me into how expansive the beauty industry is. If you walk through the beauty department at any discount store, and you’ll see hundreds of brands. These companies have websites, and all websites need written content!
So two important things happened here. I realized the power of expertise (and communicating that expertise). Plus, I developed an abundance mindset.
It wasn’t until I went all-in on beauty copywriting that I was able to generate legitimate income for myself. While I was dithering about with a variety of niches, my income maxed out at $1700 per month. Once I made the switch to beauty copywriting, my income jumped up to $4000 per month. Now I’m hanging out at $6000 to $8000 per month, and I work less than 20 hours per week.
The lesson here? You must choose a freelance niche if you want to level up your freelance writing earnings!
HOW TO CHOOSE A FREELANCE WRITING NICHE
I have a more in-depth post on how to choose a freelance writing niche, but here’s a brief explanation:
1. Make a list of everything you know about and everything that interests you. Some things to include:
Any jobs you’ve had. For example, before working as a freelance writer, I worked in marketing for a beauty brand.
What you’ve studied in school. For example, I studied anthropology, English literature, and classics in school.
Your hobbies. For example, my hobbies include songwriting and yoga.
Subjects you’re interested in. For example, I’m interested in music and books.
2. Think of some ideas for potential clients in each niche. If you can’t think of anyone who would pay for your work in a particular niche, that’s not a good niche. Set yourself up for success! If you’re interested in dragons but you can’t think of any potential clients, choose a different niche.
3. Choose a niche with many potential clients that interests you. You’ll be writing about this niche every single day. So you better love the subject!
Remember: you’re not married to your niche. If you try one niche and it doesn’t work out, you can always try another one! You live and learn, people.
Your niche should get you excited. After all, you’ll be writing about this topic every single day!
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WRITING NICHE AND A SERVICE?
There is a lot of information about how to find a profitable writing niche. But, they often count writing niches and services as the same thing. This confuses a lot of aspiring freelance writers, so I want to set the record straight:
Your niche is the industry you write in. It is the subject you write about.
Your service is the type of writing that you do. Think blog posts, white papers, social media posts, etc.
I recommend that new freelance writers choose both a niche and a service to specialize in. For example, as a new writer, I wrote blog posts for the beauty industry.
As you grow your expertise, you can either expand your niche or your services. For example, you might start your career writing video scripts for cryptocurrency firms. As you grow your skills, you may write video scripts for other industries. Or, you may expand your business to provide other writing services for your niche.
It’s easier to expand your services in your niche. Why? Because you can upsell your current clients rather than finding new clients. But if you’re spectacular at your service, you may find that referrals lead you to work in other industries. Go with the flow and see where your career takes you!
WHAT WRITING NICHES ARE MOST PROFITABLE?
Okay, so now let’s get to the main event: the most profitable freelance writing niches of 2021. If you’re looking for a profitable writing niche, you’ll have luck with one of these:
1. Finance
Few people understand finance, but everybody has questions about it. Thus, there is a great need for content in this niche.
The best part? Finance companies usually have the funds to pay their writers very well.
So if you understand finance, don’t sleep on this niche!
Here are a few examples of gigs in this freelance niche:
2. Blockchain/Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is a division of the finance industry that few financiers understand. Can you wrap your head around blockchain and explain it to the layperson? Then you’ll do very well in this niche.
A quick search for “cryptocurrency” brought up these promising freelance writing gigs:
3. Technology
Few people have both the knowledge this niche requires and great writing skills. If you can do both, you can write your own paycheck.
Here are some examples of writing jobs in the technology niche:
4. SaaS (Software as a Service)
SaaS is a type of technology company that licenses out its software. Think platforms like Adobe and Oracle. If you have any experience working in SaaS, this is a huge profitable writing niche!
5. Alternative Health
You don’t need me to tell you that the healthcare industry in the United States is all kinds of messed up. As a result, people are turning to alternative health therapies. The alternative health industry is booming.
Need ideas for potential clients? Head to your local health food store and write down all the brands you see there. Or look up herbal supplements on Amazon. Trust me, there are more clients in this niche than you could ever dream of!
I ran a search for “supplements” and found several promising freelance writing gigs:
6. Cannabis & CBD
Both of these niches are exploding right now. Can you write about cannabis in a compelling way? Then you can do well in this industry.
A word of warning: a lot of people are trying to get into this niche. So you need to know your stuff to get a leg up on the competition!
7. Mental Health
People are finally talking about the once-taboo subject of mental health. And there’s no shortage of companies looking to capitalize on this. Do you have a degree in psychology? Are you a certified mental health counselor? Then you’ll do especially well in the profitable writing niche.
Here are a few examples of mental health freelance writing gigs:
8. Education
You can make bank in the education niche. Think student loan servicers, universities, and online learning platforms. You could also create courses for coaches and thought leaders!
And – not that I condone this – you can also even write research papers and create presentations. I found these examples on Upwork, and there is plenty more where that came from!
9. Real Estate
The real estate industry is doing very well right now. So if you’re interested in real estate, this could be a great fit for you. Bonus points if you’ve taken real estate courses or you’re a realtor!
10. Outdoor Recreation
This is another industry that’s doing crazy well thanks to COVID. Do you love outdoor recreation and writing? Then try this profitable writing niche!
A few examples of freelance gigs in the outdoor niche:
11. Pets
Thanks to stay-at-home orders, pet adoptions skyrocketed in 2020. Now all those new pet owners need supplies for their furry friends, and the pet industry is booming.
If you love pets and writing, this will be a great niche for you.
12. Gardening
People love their plants! If you’re a plant mom or dad, you can turn your knowledge and passion for plants into cash.
Don’t believe me? I ran a search for “gardening” on Upwork and found these great freelance writing gigs:
13. Home Improvement & Decor
People have been spending a lot of time at home lately. If you undertook a home improvement project recently, you’re certainly not the only one. I know that every time I’ve been to Home Depot lately, it’s been bumping.
This industry is booming, so companies will be vying for readers’ eyes. That means they need content writers!
Need some ideas for this writing niche? Look for companies that manufacture or sell the following:
Hardware
House paint
Yard Work supplies
Tools
Furniture
Lighting
Go on the Home Depot website and see what brands they carry! Or you could reach out to local contractors like roofers, builders, and plumbers. Then start cold pitching!
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A NICHE IS PROFITABLE?
What if you want to choose a niche that’s not on this list? How do you know if it’s a profitable writing niche?
Here’s the thing: you won’t know if a writing niche is profitable unless you try it out.
Like I said before, if a particular niche doesn’t turn out to be profitable, you can always choose another one. It’s okay to choose the wrong one the first time around. Making mistakes is how we learn! No one is going to judge you. You didn’t fail. You changed direction.
Also, just because a writing niche isn’t considered “profitable” doesn’t mean you can’t make money in the niche. I have never seen beauty recommended as a profitable writing niche. But I make a good living as a freelance beauty copywriter!
Are you knowledgeable about the subject? Can you communicate your expertise? Can you find potential clients? Then you’ll be fine.
STILL CAN’T CHOOSE A WRITING NICHE? ASK ME!
If you still aren’t sure what niche to choose, let’s talk! Book a freelance coaching coaching session. I can help you to choose a niche that lights you up and fills your pockets. I’ll review your list of niches. Then I’ll give you a simple strategy you can follow to find clients and start cold pitching!