The 75 Most Profitable Freelance Writing Niches in 2023
Averi Melcher
GROWTH MARKETER, CONTENT, BRAND & SEO 📈 -- Senior Content Manager + Director | Copywriter | SEO | Content Marketing Consultant
Deciding on your niche is one of the first steps to becoming a truly successful freelance writer. But with so many writing niches out there, it can seem overwhelming to choose.
And, even if you find freelance writing niches that pay well, that doesn’t mean you can write about them successfully.
So what are the best niches for you?
And do you even really need one?
I'll be honest, I didn't niche down for YEARS. I still grew my freelancing business - quite rapidly, I'd say. But I lament to think about how much more successful I could have been if I had started with a clear focus from the beginning.
What is a writing niche – and why is it important?
A writing niche is a topic, content type, or specific industry you focus on as a freelance writer.
Freelance writing niches can be incredibly varied and it's not always topically based. For example, one of my niches is direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands.
But you should try to narrow your content down to two or three freelance writing niches.
Why?
I believe you’re a wonderful writer. Really, I do. But what good is that if your potential clients don’t believe it, or worse, can’t even find you?
A writing niche allows you to market yourself clearly
It’s way easier to pitch your writing services if you can explain exactly what you write – and whom you write it for. While you might just want to accept every project that comes your way as a new freelance writer, that’s not the best strategy long term.
Of course, it may help you find what you do and do not like writing about.
For many, that's an important step in their career. But you should try to transition out of the generalist role as quickly as possible.
Once you build a small portfolio of your work, it’s going to be really easy for your target clients to find you. It’s also going to be easier to convince potential clients that you are the PERFECT freelance writer for their brand.
Companies want to hire freelance writers that specialize in what they offer. And, as you get more and more expertise within your freelance writing niches, you’ll be able to charge more for your services, too.
A writing niche helps you build domain authority
If you write about the same topic over and over online, you will quickly build a reputation in the field. Not only with potential customers but also with search engines. If you post samples of your work on your own blog or website, you’re going to build authority as an expert in your niche.
If you just write generally, Google isn’t going to give you that domain authority, and people are much less likely to find you via the search bar.
If you’re just learning how to get started with SEO as a writer, you might not understand what I’m talking about yet. And if you’re thinking, “SEO: what is it?” Then it might be a good time to learn some SEO skills!
(BTW: SEO writing will ALWAYS be a profitable writing niche.)
A writing niche will bring in quality referrals
Many freelancers (myself included) get the majority of their business through referrals. But no one is going to be able to recommend you if they can’t explain what you do! Choosing one to three freelance writing niches will help your past and current clients recommend you to anyone in their network who may benefit from your services.
And, trust me, once you get some high-quality clients – you want their referrals! They will bring more clients of the same caliber to your freelance business.
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How to choose freelance writing niches
You probably won’t magically know what writing niche is best for you – and that’s okay! You can start with an educated guess, and make adjustments along the way as needed. That being said, there are a few things that can inform your choice of freelance writing niches.
Pick a niche you are already an expert in
In your lifetime, I’m sure you’ve picked up an abundance of knowledge in certain subjects. Whether it be from your professional experience, your education, or your personal life, there are certainly a few topics you could give a TED Talk about.
Which means you can absolutely make money writing about them!
Maybe you have five children and can write about parenting. Maybe you studied abroad and have unique insight into a foreign market. Perhaps you have curly hair and have tried every product under the sun to tame your tresses.
Guess what?
You can turn those experiences into dollar signs.
Choose a topic you’re passionate about
If you are super interested in a topic, it’s going to translate on the page. And, if you love learning about said topic, you probably won’t mind researching it and gaining new insights about it. In fact, forget job burnout – the whole day will feel like your fun hobby!
Of course, not all passions make money, so examine the demand for writing in the niche of your choice. You may want to pick one niche you’re passionate about, and one niche you know will turn a profit to balance things out.
Find a gap in the market
Some markets simply haven’t been tapped into online. And if you can find one – go for it! If there is a demand and a need to be filled, you’re guaranteed to succeed.
Of course, you have to find the gaps in the market first.
Focus on profit
Unfortunately, there are many types of writing that don’t pay well. If you want to find the highest-paying copywriting niches, you need to focus on industries that have money to spend on their marketing budget.
Some industries rely almost completely on content to get customers and drive sales – and those are the industries you want to be writing for. Your content will be critical to the company’s success, and as such, they’ll pay you more for it.
Some industries also require more research, skill, or background knowledge, and if you have that knowledge already, you can leverage it for top dollar. For example, having in-depth knowledge of the medical or tech fields could be very lucrative for you.
But what other freelance writing niches can turn a profit? Let’s take a look at the highest-paying copywriting niches online.
The 75 highest-paying freelance writing niches in 2023
If you’re looking to make money from your writing (which I assume you are), here are some of the best niches to focus on in 2023:
Start making money with your writing
So there you have it! Seventy-five possible niches – all proven to create profit for you as a writer.
If you still don’t know where to begin with finding your niche, I always recommend SEO content writing or copywriting. SEO is THE most important component for driving organic growth of businesses online, and 75% of companies are using it. (Note: 100% of them SHOULD – they just don’t know it yet.)
And copywriting is one of the most impactful elements to every compelling advertising you've encountered, be it an email, Facebook ad, sales page, or product packaging.
As a skilled SEO content writer or copywriter, you will instantly be more marketable online, no matter what your other freelance writing niches are.
SEO Content Writer | Blog Writer/Article Writer | On-Page SEO Expert
11moNot everyone is equally good at all niches. You have mentioned many profitable niches here. Thanks for sharing the article. This will help in choosing a profitable niche. Thank you.
Experts in making websites for real estate agents | Generate 5X more revenue with a high-converting website | Sr. Software Engineer | Founder @KodeIsland.
1yvery helpful, thanks for sharing!
Writer for Hire - Professional Screenwriter
1yThanks for the information! As a generalist, I'm slowly figuring out which niche I could narrow down and work with. There sure are lots of choices, but as you said, I'll figure it out with time.