Ad revenue in different categories – Which category is the most profitable?

Written by Bjorn Eriksson

As a website owner, you’re probably always on the lookout for ways to monetize your content. However, not all categories and industries are created equal when it comes to ad revenue potential. In this article, we’ll explore the most profitable categories to help you make the most out of your advertising efforts. But before that, how do you identify the potential for ad revenue in different categories, and which one has the biggest potential?

How to find the most profitable category

When researching the most profitable niches, it’s crucial to find the right balance between traffic volume, cost per click (CPC), and competition. Here’s how you can identify ad revenue in different categories:

1. Traffic Volume

Traffic volume is a critical factor in determining the success of your advertising efforts. More visitors mean more potential clicks on ads, which translates to higher revenue. To gauge the popularity of a category, you can use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify the search volume for relevant keywords. By targeting popular and trending categories with high search volume, you’ll attract a larger audience and increase your ad revenue potential.

2. Cost-Per-Click (CPC)

CPC is the amount advertisers are willing to pay for each click on their ads. Higher CPCs usually indicate more profitable categories, as advertisers are willing to pay more to reach the right audience. Using the same keyword research tools, you can obtain CPC data for relevant keywords in your chosen categories. Focus on categories with high CPCs to ensure that each click on an ad generates maximum revenue.

3. Competition

While targeting popular categories with high CPCs is essential, it’s also important to consider the level of competition. High competition can make it more difficult to be competitive in the space and attract traffic. In the end, you are better off looking for a more niche category with high traffic and low competition – even though they may be few and far between. To evaluate competition, you can look for the Keyword Difficulty (KD) metric in keyword research tools. A lower KD indicates less competition.

By considering traffic volume, CPC, and competition, you can identify the ad revenue in different categories, and learn which one has the biggest potential. However, remember to strike a balance between these factors to maximize advertising earnings. For example, you might choose a category with slightly lower CPCs but significantly less competition, making it easier to break into the segment.

Top 15 advertising categories to consider

Here are a few of the top advertising categories that are trending today you should consider, and what type of companies you may attract by creating content within these segments:

1. Insurance: The insurance industry is highly competitive, with various providers vying for consumer attention. By covering topics such as policy comparisons, tips on saving money, and claims processes, you can attract advertisers offering insurance products and services.
2. Cryptocurrency: With the rise of digital currencies, the cryptocurrency market has become a hot topic. Writing about cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and investment strategies can attract advertisers offering trading platforms, wallets, and related services.
3. Health and Fitness: The health and fitness category is highly profitable due to the growing interest in wellness, both inside and outside the workplace. By covering topics like workouts, nutrition, and supplements, you can attract advertisers selling fitness gear, health products, and wellness services.
4. Real Estate: Real estate topics attract a diverse audience of potential buyers, sellers, and investors. By offering tips on buying, selling, and investing in properties, you can attract advertisers from real estate agencies, mortgage providers, and property management companies.
5. Digital Marketing: Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field with a constant demand for information on the latest trends and strategies. By creating content on SEO, social media, content marketing, and more, you can attract advertisers offering marketing tools and services.
6. Online Learning: With the increasing popularity of e-learning, writing about online courses, educational tools, and learning platforms can be highly profitable. Advertisers offering online courses, certifications, and learning resources will be drawn to these blogs.
7. Automobile: Automotive content caters to car enthusiasts and potential buyers alike. By covering topics like car reviews, maintenance tips, and industry news, you can attract advertisers from car manufacturers, dealerships, and auto parts suppliers.
8. Make Money Online: Websites offering advice on making money online, such as affiliate marketing, freelancing, and e-commerce, attract a highly engaged audience. By providing valuable tips and resources, you can attract advertisers offering online business tools and services.
9. Personal Finance: Writing about personal finance can potentially result in high ad revenues, with advertisers in the finance sector willing to pay a premium for ad placements. Covering topics like budgeting, saving, and debt management can attract high-paying advertisers.
10. Online Banking: Online banking content that discusses banking products, services, and technology can be highly lucrative. By providing valuable insights and advice, you can attract advertisers from banks, fintech companies, and financial institutions.
11. Legal: Legal content covering topics like business law, personal legal matters, and industry news can attract a targeted audience. This offers excellent advertising opportunities for law firms, legal consultants, and legal technology providers.
12. Travel and Accommodation: Content about travel and accommodation has a very good potential for high ad revenues, with advertisers from airlines, hotels, and travel agencies vying for ad placements. By creating engaging content about destinations, accommodations, and travel experiences, you can maximize your ad revenue.
13. Blogging: Blogging about blogging might sound meta, but it’s a highly profitable category. Offering tips on starting, growing, and monetizing a blog can attract advertisers selling blogging tools, platforms, and services.
14. Web Development: Web development content that cover programming languages, frameworks, and best practices can be highly lucrative. By providing valuable resources and tutorials, you can attract advertisers offering web development tools, software, and services.
15. Web Hosting: Discussing web hosting services, features, and comparisons can be highly profitable. By providing in-depth reviews and guides, you can attract advertisers offering web hosting packages, domain registration services, and website builders.

Find what’s best for you

So, what category to focus on?

Well, that is up to you, what you feel comfortable with, and what your goals are. You need to consider all factors we’ve previously discussed, and find the perfect match for you to be able to maximize ad revenue in different categories.

If you’ve already begun, and want to start monetizing your website, we at Holid can help. Holid is a publisher hub that can help you monetize your inventory using the best available adtech. Contact us today to learn how much you can earn with Holid.