17 Types Of Blogs That Make Money (With Examples)

It’s great to write about your passion, but if there’s no chance of cashing in, you’ll just be a hobby blogger.

Truth is, most people don’t make much money from blogging – around two-thirds make less than $100 a month, which is less than $3.50 a day, according to ProBlogger.

On the brighter side, about one in 10 bloggers earn $1,000 to $9,999 a month, and one in 25 make more than $10,000 a month.

So, to be a successful blogger, you need to understand how to make money from your blog.

This post will teach you how to do that and show you examples of the most popular and money-making types of blogs to inspire you to start your own.

How Do Blogs Make Money?

Blogging takes effort, but the good news is you can make money from it in several ways, such as:

1. Partnering with Brands: Bloggers team up with brands to make money through sponsored content. This involves reviewing products or mentioning them in your posts. These partnerships can be one-time or long-term, depending on performance.

2. Advertising Networks: Ad networks pay you for running ads on your blog or when someone clicks on them. Some, like Mediavine, need high monthly views, while others like Google AdSense have no minimum requirements.

3. Affiliate Links or Codes: Join affiliate networks to generate unique links for products you talk about. Earn a commission when someone buys through your link. Amazon Associates and LTK are common examples. You can also get unique codes for readers to use during online shopping.

4. Digital Products: Sell digital products without the hassle of packing and shipping. Examples include printables (calendars, lesson plans), online courses, and e-books. Customers can access or download these products immediately after purchase.

5. Physical Products: Use your blog to sell physical products. Insert links to existing products or create merchandise aligned with your content (e.g., T-shirts or hats with your blog’s logo).

6. Premium Content or Memberships: Put exclusive content behind a paywall to generate extra income. Platforms like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee help you host subscriber-exclusive content or memberships, where readers pay a monthly fee for premium access.

Learn more: Best Ways to Monetize a Blog

Types of Blogs That Make Money

When you’re starting a blog, you might wonder: what kinds of blogs are popular, and what type should I start?

Lots of WordPress blogs cover various topics, interests, and audiences. To have a successful blog, plan ahead and pick a niche that suits you.

Below are some of the most lucrative types of blogs you might consider:

1. Fashion and Beauty Blogs

Fashion and beauty blogs are really popular online. Lots of people love them! They cover topics like fashion obsessions, back-to-school looks, and makeup tutorials. These blogs have a big audience all over the world. 

Top fashion bloggers are like VIPs. They get invited to big events, get cool free stuff, and even make business deals with fashion brands.

If you’re creative and love style, these blogs are perfect for you. There are lots of fashion affiliate programs. Just sign up for some of them and start making money.

For example, Lauren Conrad runs a lifestyle and fashion blog. She talks about trends and new products. Her blog gets over 142,000 visits every month from people who find it naturally.

Lauren is a big influencer, which means she’s influential online. Because of this, she gets partnerships that help her make money from her blog.

2. Food Blogs

Food blogs are popular and attract readers interested in recipes, ingredients, healthy eating, fine dining, and product reviews. Many bloggers start with local restaurant reviews and expand to cover various food-related topics as their blog grows.

For example, Minimalist Baker, a favorite food blog, uses enticing titles like “5 minutes” and “plant-based” to attract foodies looking for easy cooking.

The blog provides value to readers and monetizes through affiliate links.

3. Travel Blogs

Travel blogs are getting more popular. People love getting travel tips and advice. These blogs help others learn about new destinations. If you’re a traveler, consider starting your own blog to share adventures and make money.

Many travel bloggers do it for fun. But some, like Nate Hake of Travel Lemming, make a living from it. His blog is famous for expert advice on global travel.

Wondering how Travel Lemming makes money? Two main ways:

1. AdThrive: It shows banner ads on the site.
2. Affiliate links: It earns a commission by linking to recommended gear in articles.

The blog covers topics like best travel backpacks, gift ideas, pillows, and more.

4. Music Blogs

Online music blogs bring together artists, fans, and critics to discuss everything about music. Take Austin Hull’s blog, Make Pop Music, for instance. He talks about music creation and lyric writing, making money through courses and affiliate products.

If you’re a music fan or critic, focusing on a specific genre like hip hop or rock can help you stand out. These blogs involve research to stay updated on song releases and artist news, but the perks might include free VIP passes to cover exclusive music events.

Common topics to write about include:

1. Music Charts
2. Music Creation Technology
3. Artists, Songs, and Album News/Reviews

5. Lifestyle Blogs

Lifestyle blogs cover a mix of topics like culture, arts, dating, local news, and politics, attracting a diverse audience.

Lifestyle bloggers can become influencers, write for other sites, speak at events, and partner with businesses. They can also create affiliate blogs, reviewing products and services.

Take Camille Styles, for example. She and her team write about food, party planning, interior design, beauty, and wellness. The common thread is Camille herself—her lifestyle is what keeps people reading.

Camille Styles gets a whopping 50 million views every month. With such attention, the blog can make money through ad networks like AdThrive, Ezoic, and Mediavine. While Google AdSense is an option, it doesn’t pay much.

Apart from that, the blog earns through affiliate marketing, like adding links to articles about Camille’s fall living room redesign.

6. Health and Fitness Blogs 

Fitness blogs are always up-to-date, covering vital topics like health, wellness, and fitness tips for beginners. These blogs are a goldmine for people worldwide seeking advice on staying fit and healthy. If you’re a fitness instructor, starting a blog could connect you with clients online.

What do these blogs focus on? Diets, workout plans, supplements, and more. Many fitness bloggers also create videos to demonstrate exercises. The best part? They can make money through Google AdSense, affiliate marketing (using products from Amazon and other places), and even offering online classes.

Take Mind Body Green for example. It’s one of the most popular health and fitness blogs. They make money through affiliate marketing, adding links to various content, and teaming up with sponsors for posts. They also run banner ads on their website.

If you enjoy their content, you can pay for online classes covering yoga, meditation, and plant-based eating. In addition, they have an online store selling health supplements and personal care products.

7. DIY Blogs

DIY and craft blogs have lots of fans. This type of blog has different categories like arts and crafts, home decor, construction, woodwork, metalwork, and more.

If you write about fun DIY activities, it’ll inspire visitors to try new things and share their projects in the comments.

A good example is Remodelaholic, with 300k monthly visits.

As a DIY blogger, you can earn money through ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and consultations. Many DIY bloggers also make and sell their own products, like home decor and printable templates, for extra income.

8. Sports Blogs

Sports blogs are are popular online. Every country has its own sports with its own famous players.

Some bloggers get paid to write awesome content for teams and athletes. Others write about the latest events worldwide. Many bloggers even share live updates on Twitter to connect to their blogs.

If you want to start a sports blog, you can pick a specific sport or cover everything like ESPN does.

ESPN uses its website and blog to keep people interested, while some other blogs make money through banner ads.

9. Personal Finance Blogs

Many of us seek guidance on managing our finances effectively. Finance blogs cater to a broad audience, from serious investors to families aiming to save for a better future.

Personal finance blogs offer practical advice on budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management. They also touch on frugal living, retirement planning, insurance, financial independence, and tax strategies.

Take NerdWallet, for instance. It’s an app that helps compare credit cards and make wise financial decisions. Their entire business model relies on content, attracting over 21.2 million organic visits monthly to their website.

While the app is free, NerdWallet generates revenue through affiliate partnerships with famous credit card companies and lending institutions. 

10. Parenting Blogs

Parenting blogs are popular among new parents seeking guidance and tips. Mom and dad blogs have distinct writing styles, covering various topics such as kids’ activities, food and nutrition advice, and early home education techniques.

These blogs offer an excellent opportunity to repurpose content into different formats, such as videos. Many parenting blogs have expanded their reach by incorporating YouTube channels, attracting new audiences.

One noteworthy example is Rookie Moms, a blog focused on #MomLife and diverse parenting issues.

With over 32,000 organic monthly visits, this powerhouse blog generates income through banner ads and affiliate product links.

11. “Making Money Online” Blogs

When it comes to blogging, some niches come and go, but the “making money online” niche is here to stay. Why? Because everyone wants to earn extra cash and achieve financial freedom.

If you’re thinking about starting a blog in this area, you can cover various topics such as

• Freelancing
• Affiliate marketing
• Amazon FBA
• Dropshipping
• Stock trading

But since this niche is pretty crowded, just giving generic advice won’t get you far. To stand out and succeed, you need to provide unique insights, practical tips, and real-life case studies to help your audience actually make money online.

Take the Smart Passive Income blog, founded by Pat Flynn, for example. It’s a shining example of a successful “make money online” blog. Pat’s blog teaches people how to earn money through affiliate marketing and online courses, attracting over 217,000 monthly visitors. He also hosts a podcast and YouTube channel, broadening his reach.

Pat earns his income by selling online courses, e-books, and memberships. Similarly, you can monetize your “make-money-online” blog through sponsored content, affiliate links, display ads, and coaching services.

12. Pet Blogs

Pet blogs are popular online, attracting pet owners, animal lovers, shelters, and those in search of pets. These blogs offer advice on pet health, grooming, food, and training.

With 66% of U.S. households owning pets, approximately 86.9 million households seek tips for their furry friends. Pet care blogs cover various topics like nutrition, grooming, training, health, and product reviews.

The Spruce Pets is a successful example, drawing 7.2 million organic visitors monthly, with an estimated monthly worth of $3.4 million from advertising and pet affiliate programs.

The Spruce Pets generates revenue through banner ads and a dedicated section for pet product reviews, all monetized with affiliate links.

13. Gaming Blogs

Gaming blogs are online spaces where gamers find information about the latest games, gaming gear, events, cheats, and more. This community has seen significant growth in recent years.

These blogs are typically run by gamers, reviewers, and official communities of major game developers. They organize international events and offer rewards for winners.

Gaming blogs cover a range of topics, from game announcements to corporate sponsorships. They may feature game reviews, walkthroughs, cheat codes, or content codes. Some gaming blogs even evolve into YouTube channels due to the popularity of gaming content on the platform.

For instance, consider PC Gamer, a blog that shares reviews, demos, and news updates on gaming and gamer tech. With over 3.8 million organic visits per month, they monetize their traffic through affiliate links.

As an example, they create posts like the “Best Gaming PCs of 2023,” guiding readers on the top gaming computers with Amazon links for easy purchase. If a visitor clicks on of these links and make a purchase, it generates affiliate income for the website.

14. Book and Writing Blogs

People who love reading and writing don’t just stick to books. Many of them also engage in literature blogs where they discuss book reviews, summaries, grammar, and writing tips. These blogs often focus on either fiction or nonfiction.

Some writers even sell their published works or offer copywriting services on their blogs. If you’re not a pro yet, you can start a blog by sharing the writing tips that have helped you.

One example is the Grammarly blog, which provides writing tips, grammar articles, and advice for various writing projects like resumes and theses.

Their mission is to improve communication, and their content gets over 32 million visits per month.

They use this visibility to promote their grammar app and extension, available in both free and premium versions.

15. News Blogs

News is no longer just on TV or big publications – it’s also on independent blogs. These blogs share updates on important local, national, or global issues, creating a new type of journalism.

Take MaxNewsToday, for example. They focus on national news in a social commentary format. If you’re starting your own news blog, it’s smart to begin with local news for a more specific audience.

To make your blog stand out, use SEO-friendly topics. Check out tools like Google Trends to find popular issues people are searching for. Once you have some content, submit posts to news press releases to boost your blog’s visibility. That’s the way to keep readers informed and engaged.

Once your blog gains traction, companies may want to advertise on it. You can earn money through display ads, sponsored content, or partnerships.

16. Religion Blogs 

Did you know that 84% of people worldwide belong to a religious group? That’s a massive audience for religious bloggers to connect with online. Take “Desiring God,” for example, which has around 2 million monthly traffic. 

Some bloggers narrow down their content to specific aspects of spirituality, like meditation, karma, manifestation, law of attraction, etc. Because religion is personal, many bloggers share testimonials in podcasts and interviews to make experiences more relatable.

Now, when it comes to earning income, religion bloggers employ various strategies. They often monetize their blogs recommending products or services related to faith, spirituality, or personal development and earning a commission for every sale made through their unique affiliate links. 

Apart from that, most of them also display ads on their websites and sell merchandise, books, or courses related to their religious niche.

17. Interior Design Blogs

Ever wondered if interior designers came up with the phrase “Home sweet home”? Well, they might have. Talented home decor bloggers share tips on making homes or businesses beautiful through furniture, accessories, color schemes, and wall art in their interior design blogs.

Some, like Lux Living Weekly, also offer online design workshops when they’re not transforming physical spaces. Many in this community provide interior design services and sell decor products.

If you’re thinking of joining the world of interior design blogging, consider becoming an expert rather than a jack-of-all-trades. Successful bloggers often specialize in designing specific areas like nurseries, bachelor pads, or studios. Can you think of a niche you’d like to be known for? It’s something you can work towards over time.

Start by showcasing your existing experience, sharing before-and-after photos, and explaining the style and color choices you’ve made.

Which Types of Blogs Make the Most Money?

Blogs focused on finance, business, health and wellness, and technology usually bring in significant income.

Niche blogs with specialized content can build dedicated audiences, leading to money through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and product sales.

But remember, success in blog monetization relies on top-notch content, active audience participation, and smart use of different income sources.

If you need more guidance, sign up for my online business coaching.