MARKETING
101 Most Profitable Blog Niches & Finding One That Works for You

There’s an obscure album by an equally obscure guitarist named Duck Baker called There’s Something for Everyone in America. That idea that “there’s something for everyone” doesn’t just apply to America — the concept is also relevant to niche blog topics.
Everyone has something that’s meaningful and interesting to them in its own right, and in a lot of cases, those kinds of passions and pursuits can be channeled into a well-crafted, consistently maintained blog property.
Here, we’ll go over what you need to consider when choosing a blog topic and round up the most profitable blog niche ideas you can choose from.
Skip to:
What is a blog niche?
A blog niche is a specialized topic you’ll be focusing on when creating content. While it may feel like covering a broad topic may net more readers, your audience will get more out of the content you create if it’s narrowed down. Staying within your topic niche will enable you to create content that is most relevant to your audience’s needs and interests, which will help create a loyal following.
How to Choose Your Niche Blog Topic
So what should you blog about? How do you land on the topic that will resonate most with readers and keep you fulfilled in the long run? Well, first and foremost, you need to consider your areas of expertise.
Where are you an authority? What can you talk about comfortably and compellingly? If you write a blog in some niche you only halfway understand, readers won’t be receptive to it. They want to hear from an expert — someone who can demonstrate that they’re qualified to offer tips or trustworthy opinions. But it doesn’t end there.
Writing a blog is a personal pursuit, so you need to write about something that bears personal significance. What do you like to write about? There has to be some degree of joy and enthusiasm behind your blog.
It takes a lot of work to maintain a blog. It’s tough to keep that effort up if you don’t actually enjoy what you’re writing about. You have to start your blog under the assumption that it will take a while to get off the ground. Here are a few directions you can take when determining the type of blog you’d like to create:
- Subject: These blogs are based on subjects like pop culture or entertainment.
- Industry: These blogs focus on an industry like real estate or marketing.
- Audience: These blogs focus on a target audience like students or entrepreneurs.
You’re probably not going to be able to monetize your site or sell ad space immediately, so you need to be in it — in large part — for the love of the sport.
Your niche has to reflect your passion because you’ll probably be writing for the sake of writing for a while. Attracting an audience is neither easy nor a given. If you don’t care about your preferred topic, you’ll be less inclined to stick it out.
Blog Niche Ideas
- Career
- Business
- Marketing
- Sales
- Web Development and Design
- Education
- Real Estate
- Pop Culture and Entertainment
- Gaming
- Finance
- Food and Beverage
- Fashion and Beauty
- Pets
- Hobbies
- Technology
- Personal Relationships
- News and Politics
- Self-Care and Wellness
- Sports and Exercise
- Travel
We’ve grouped over 100 blog niche ideas below by category to help you quickly find the right fit for your interests.
Career
1. Career Advice
There’s always a market for professional guidance — particularly in uncertain times.
2. Learning Employable Skills
Job seekers can always use an edge on their competition. If you can offer the insight or resources to give them that leg up, you can find a solid audience.
3. Networking
Networking can be intimidating for the shy and introverted. There’s an art to doing it properly and building meaningful relationships. If you can demystify this process, your efforts will be rewarded.
4. Finding Your Dream Career
Career paths aren’t always linear. It may take several years and switching industries before individuals hone in on what they truly enjoy. Create content that helps others bring their career goals into focus.
5. Professional Social Media Tips
Business owners often look for advice on how to bolster and enhance their presence on social media. If you have some experience in this arena, you can likely find a solid readership.
Business
6. Entrepreneurship
It seems these days everyone has a side hustle or is thinking about starting one. Guide newbies through the process of creating their own businesses with entrepreneur content.
7. Running a Startup
Similarly to entrepreneurship, running a startup isn’t for the faint of heart. Help startups perform at their best with content that steers them clear of common pitfalls.
8. Securing Funding & Business Finance
One of the most challenging aspects of starting a business is securing funding. Your blog could create content on how to crowdfund or seek capital from established investors.
9. Hiring
The success of any business is tied to the people who work for it. Create content that helps companies recruit the best and brightest.
Marketing
10. Copywriting
Good copy can make or break getting sales and attracting new customers. Whether email, website design copy, or advertising, marketers are always on the hunt for ways to improve.
11. Content Marketing
Help marketers create successful content marketing campaigns that will keep them coming back to you for more.
12. Social Media Marketing
Social media trends are always changing. Help your audience get the most out of their efforts and stay on top of trends.
Sales
13. Sales Hacks and Resources
Sales reps are always looking for more ways to convert new customers and maximize their efficiency. Offer your expertise and quality templates that help them make the sale.
14. Sales Strategy
It’s nearly impossible to increase sales for a company without a solid plan. That’s where you come in, providing guidance and best practices to help teams reach their goals.
15. Software Recommendations
Automation can help make sales teams more productive. Cover the latest software releases disclose which sales tools are worth investing in.
16. B2B and B2C
Both B2C and B2B sales require a different approach. Help your audience master one or both these avenues.
17. E-Commerce
Just about every business is online. Help businesses grow by providing best practices, tools, and tips for selling online.
Web Development and Design
18. UX Design
If design is your expertise, offer your audience some industry best practices, how to skill up, and keep them updated on industry news.
Education
19. Study Hacks
There will always be a base of students looking to improve their study game. If you’re particularly savvy when it comes to tips and tricks to boost your grades, consider this niche.
20. Parent Teaching Tools
Teaching is a group effort. Help parents provide more learning support for their kids by giving them materials to build upon the lessons taught in class.
21. Language Instruction
Nesvarbu, ar tai būtų praktiniai, ar asmeniniai tikslai, yra daugybė žmonių, kurie norės išmokti naujų kalbų. That’s Lithuanian for, “Whether it be for practical or personal purposes, there are plenty of people who will want to learn new languages.”
22. SAT and ACT Prep
College preparation can be stressful for students. Help them perform their best on the SAT and ACT entrance exams by providing sample tests and other relevant materials.
Real Estate
23. Home Ownership
Buying a home is one of the most important decisions people make in life and is a huge undertaking. Help your audience navigate the funding, contracts, inspections to prepare them for homeownership.
24. Investment Property
From house-hacking, buying multi-family properties, buying vacation homes, and investing in REITs, real estate investment is a hot topic.
25. Market Updates
Covering shifts in the real estate market can help your audience make better property buying choices.
26. Interior Design
Once a home is purchased, the fun part starts: decorating. If you have an eye for design and organization, creating an interior design blog may be for you.
27. Renovations
If you’ve ever watched HGTV, you know that home improvement and renovation content is quite popular, if not addicting. Help your audience create their dream home with your renovation expertise.
Pop Culture and Entertainment
28. Acting Tips
If you’re an experienced actor who can share stories and insight that’ll help newbies refine their craft and prepare for auditions, consider giving this niche a shot.
29. Celebrity Content
Who doesn’t love some good celeb gossip? Tap into a ready-made audience by covering celebs, their new projects, outfits, and whatever else interests you.
30. Concert Reviews
This niche is particularly fun and active. If you can reliably make it to shows and offer meaningful criticism, look into it.
31. Film or TV Reviews
There’s a sizable audience for an aficionado who can dish out some compelling opinions about new movies or TV shows. If you’re an outspoken film connoisseur, try this niche.
32. Music Reviews
This point is similar to the one above. An articulate music buff can rein in a sizable audience by offering their takes on new albums.
33. Stand-Up Comedy Instruction
Newer stand-up comics can always use a little (or a lot) of guidance as they’re starting out. There’s definitely an audience for a comedy veteran to offer some tips, tricks, and anecdotes.
Gaming
34. Video Game Tutorials
There’s a solid population of gamers looking for walkthroughs and assistance through the trickier parts of certain games. If you’re an experienced gamer who can provide that help, look into this niche.
35. Industry News
Video game releases can be just as highly anticipated as movies. Cover the latest drops, games in the works, and related news.
36. Gaming as a Side Hustle
Gaming is no longer just a hobby. Players have been able to turn their love for games into a lucrative business venture.
37. Card and Board Games
There’s a lot of material to draw from card and board games. It’s a fun niche with an active base.
Finance
38. Budget Shopping
Everyone loves a bargain. If you’re a particularly deal-savvy shopper, check this niche out.
39. Frugal Living
People are always after ways to live a little smarter financially. This niche lets you demonstrate exactly how cost-conscious you are day-to-day.
40. Investment
Do you have a knack for calling all things Wall Street? If so, consider creating a blog up this alley.
41. Personal Finance
People will always need to know how to balance a checkbook and do taxes, so there’s a good chance you can generate readership by covering those kinds of financial fundamentals.
42. FIRE
A growing movement in personal finance is financial independence retire early or FIRE. This strategy enables participants to save and invest as much of their income as possible now, so that they can retire early and live comfortably off their investments. If you’ve retired early, are work optional, or simply interested in documenting your own FIRE journey, this niche is for you.
43. Crypto Currency
The crypto currency industry has seen a lot of ups and downs but the topic remains popular. If you find alternative currencies interesting, crypto could be the topic for you.
Food and Beverage
44. Coffee
Coffee enthusiasts are always looking for information on new blends. There’s a market for someone who can offer some astute coffee reviews and bean referrals.
45. Craft Beers
Similar to coffee, there’s an audience that loves craft beer and wants to be pointed towards hot new breweries.
46. Exotic Cuisine
Big-time foodies are active online. A lot of traffic can come with some interesting culinary exploits and tales of exotic cuisines.
47. Kitchen Equipment
Consumer electronics and accessories — specifically, those related to cooking — are always a big draw.
48. Meal Planning
Writing about regimented meal prep can bring in all kinds of readers — from cost-conscious consumers to health nuts.
49. Recipes and Cooking Tutorials
People are always looking for fresh new ways to prepare meals and snacks. If you have a knack for cooking, you might want to look into this idea.
50. Canning and Preservation
During the pandemic folks were cooking much more and learning how to make ingredients stretch. As such, home steading and food preservation practices experienced a resurgence.
51. Vegan Recipes
Alternative meats have come a long way from the early days. Plus, with a new found emphasis on eating healthy, veganism and vegan recipes are seeing a surge in popularity. If vegan eats are your vibe, this niche could be lucrative one.
Fashion and Beauty
52. Affordable Fashion
High fashion is great, but not everyone can afford it. If you’ve got an eye for style on a budget, this niche is a great fit.
53. Sustainable Fashion
With more consumers being mindful of fast fashion and waste, thrifting and more sustainable practices have been getting the spotlight. You could cover emerging sustainability trends, trendsetters, and brands that are leading the way.
54. Haircare Tips
With tons of products on the market, styling practices and hair textures, the possibilities for this topic are endless.
55. Makeup Tutorials
Makeup tutorials have become a big hit across most social media platforms — a blog that capitalizes on that trend can be lucrative if done right.
56. Brand and Product Reviews
The beauty industry is constantly churning out new products and services. You can review them so your audience doesn’t have to learn the hard way through trial and error.
57. Industry News
Everyone wants the scoop on the latest trends in fashion, the newest “it” model, or the most anticipated collections.
58. Emerging Designers
You don’t need to cover big names to gain traction for your fashion blog. Instead, focus on up and coming designers. Not only will it be easier to get access to them for interviews, but you’ll be able to cover their career trajectory.
Pets
59. Pet Health and Care Tips
There is a huge learning curve for new pet owners. What’s the best food? The best pet insurance? How often should they go to the vet? Help your audience navigate life as a pet parent by consolidating all the information the could need into one, easy-to-read place.
60. Dog Training
Got a gift for training pups? You could turn that experience into a dog training blog. Offer best practices, techniques, and an overview of dog behavior. Are certain breeds more challenging than others? If so, state those quirks. The more more actionable advice you can give, the better.
61. Product Reviews
Yes, even dogs can be critics. But seriously, not all products were created equally. Help your audience sift through the products worth buying for their beloved pups and which ones aren’t worth the hype.
62. Adoption Success Stories
Who doesn’t love a happy ending? This is a great option for someone that works in an animal shelter or fosters pets. You can document their journey and help them find their forever home.
63. Farming
Living off-grid and homesteading gained traction during the pandemic as people moved away from dense urban centers. Some bought land and decided to try farming and growing their own food. If you’ve got tips on raising chickens, livestock, or just how to manage land, you may consider this as your niche. If you’re new, you could also opt to document your experience.
Hobbies
64. Gardening
Green thumb readers can always use some tips, tricks, and new plants to incorporate into their gardening repertoire.
65. Photography
Whether it’s a forum to offer tips to aspiring photographers or a place to post your own art, a photography blog can draw a solid crowd.
66. Writing
It might be slightly meta, but writing about writing can be a big hit. Many aspiring authors and columnists love a source for new prompts and pointers.
67. Music-Tutorials
Do you play an instrument? If so, that hobby could net you a captive audience of fellow musicians.
68. Knitting
Knitting isn’t just for grandmas. People of all ages are getting involved using it as a way to decompress and do something creative with their time. If you’re a skilled knitter, you can create a blog paired with a personal storefront to sell your wares and materials.
69. Books
If you’re a member of the literati, a book based blog may be for you. Create a book club with your audience, profile authors, and review your favorite books.
Technology
70. AI
Compellingly writing about new and emerging tech can attract a forward-thinking base looking for the next big thing. Right now, the biggest trend is artificial intelligence, or AI
71. Software and App Reviews
Are you always on top of the latest software developments and popular apps? Then creating a niche around software may be just the thing for you.
72. Electronics Reviews
Is that new phone worth the hype? Are you a gadget guru your friends come to for advice when they want to buy a new product. Create your own tech-savvy version of wirecutter for consumer electronics.
Personal Relationships
73. Blending Families
It’s a touchy, tricky subject to handle, but it’s a tough challenge a lot of people face. They stand to gain a lot from some sound advice on the topic.
74. Dating
Dating can be a minefield, and if you know how to help people navigate it, you can build a sizable, dedicated following.
75. Parenting
It’s arguably the hardest part of life — if you can make it that much easier for people, you’ll attract a solid audience.
76. Relationship Advice
Love ain’t always easy. That’s why plenty of potential readers are looking for someone who can help them figure it out as they go.
77. Weddings
Almost everyone looks forward to their big day, but planning a wedding means having a lot of balls in the air. Anyone who can help soon-to-be newlyweds successfully juggle them can find an audience.
News and Politics
78. Current Events
In the modern age, people need to stay on top of the news. If you can keep them posted with some eloquence and integrity, you can find readers.
79. Ethics
We could all use a refresher on basic human decency and morality every now and then. A well-crafted ethics blog can rein in a crowd that wants to do that consistently.
80. Political Opinions
Do you have some incisive, compelling political takes to offer? There might just be an audience that wants to hear what you have to say.
81. Political Satire
Sometimes, we need to see the humor in the modern political landscape. If you can tastefully (or not-so-tastefully) find it, there could be a solid readership for it.
Self-Care and Wellness
82. Meditation
There are plenty of readers looking to be a bit more mindful and a lot more centered. A meditation blog can tap into that population.
83. Mental Health
It’s an important topic that is (deservedly) getting a lot more attention nowadays than it has in recent years. If you can offer some meaningful insight on how to improve readers’ mental wellbeing, you’ll find an audience.
84. Self-Care
A more general, catch-all self-care blog can register with plenty of potential readers looking to improve every facet of their wellbeing.
85. Skincare
Skincare is a hot topic. There’s a massive crowd looking for the best products and techniques to keep their pores small and skin smooth.
Sports and Exercise
86. Extreme Sports
Out-there, wilder sports can be extremely entertaining in their own right, and there’s always a market for “extremely entertaining.”
87. Personal Training
Hardly anyone can afford a real personal trainer. Posting workouts — no matter how rigorous — can attract an audience composed of everyone from dedicated fitness nuts to newbies just starting their fitness journey.
88. Running
Running is one of the most fundamental, popular fitness pursuits. There are plenty of readers who would want to hear about your running exploits and anecdotes.
89. Specific Sports
Football, baseball, basketball, soccer — sports are a staple of modern life. If you can consistently break news or offer interesting takes on a given sport, you can find a base.
90. Weight Loss
A lot of people are looking to shed some weight. If you can publish workouts or provide inspiration for weight loss, you can find a fairly dedicated audience.
91. Workout Trends
People want to stay hip to emerging workout trends, so providing news about and guidance for bold new ways to get can help you wrangle in some readers.
Travel
92. Hotel Reviews
Whether they’re looking to book rooms or just want to live vicariously through your incredible hotel stays, there will always be a base interested in hotel reviews.
93. Travel Stories
Travel stories are some of the best ones you can tell. If you have some wild, outlandish exploits to share from your time in Bangkok, Paris, or wherever else, consider maintaining a travel blog.
94. Traveling for Work
Sometimes, travel is for business — not pleasure. There are plenty of readers interested in learning how to do that right.
95. Trip Reviews
A lot of people want to know which destinations are worth their time, and they might find a nicely maintained trip review blog entertaining and appealing.
96. City Itinerary Guides
Provide your audience with a curated city itinerary to help them hit all the worthy attractions in a given timeframe.
97. Budget Travel
While travel does require funds, it often more affordable than people think. From budget-friendly destinations to travel hacking with credit card points, you can help your audience see the world without going broke.
98. Luxury Travel
For some, money is no option. Enter the world of luxury travel. Scope out the most luxurious accommodations in glamorous locales, giving your readers all the details they need for their dream vacation.
99. Living Abroad
Whether moving a broad for work, family, or fun, navigating the process of such a large move is tricky. Help your audience navigate immigration requirements and what to expect in their new home country.
100. Van Life
Who needs a house when you can travel the country in a decked out van. From finding the right van for DIY builds, how-to tutorials, to accessing internet and RV parking, expertise from van lifers is highly sought after.
101. Digital Nomad
With remote work becoming normalized, many workers have taken the opportunity to hopscotch from country to country or city to city. If you’ve mastered the art of being a digital nomad, there’s an eager audience looking for advice to do the same.
There’s a Niche for Everyone
As you can assume, this list of blog niches isn’t exhaustive. There are more than 100 potential topics listed to choose from. If you’re looking to start a blog but don’t know what to write about, consider your passion and areas of expertise before anything else.
It comes down to a matter of want. You need to consider both what people will want to hear and what you will want to talk about.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
MARKETING
Comparing Credibility of Custom Chatbots & Live Chat

Addressing customer issues quickly is not merely a strategy to distinguish your brand; it’s an imperative for survival in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace.
Customer frustration can lead to customer churn. That’s precisely why organizations employ various support methods to ensure clients receive timely and adequate assistance whenever they require it.
Nevertheless, selecting the most suitable support channel isn’t always straightforward. Support teams often grapple with the choice between live chat and chatbots.
The automation landscape has transformed how businesses engage with customers, elevating chatbots as a widely embraced support solution. As more companies embrace technology to enhance their customer service, the debate over the credibility of chatbots versus live chat support has gained prominence.
However, customizable chatbot continue to offer a broader scope for personalization and creating their own chatbots.
In this article, we will delve into the world of customer support, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of both chatbots and live chat and how they can influence customer trust. By the end, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of which option may be the best fit for your business.
The Rise of Chatbots
Chatbots have become increasingly prevalent in customer support due to their ability to provide instant responses and cost-effective solutions. These automated systems use artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to engage with customers in real-time, making them a valuable resource for businesses looking to streamline their customer service operations.
Advantages of Chatbots
24/7 Availability
One of the most significant advantages of custom chatbots is their round-the-clock availability. They can respond to customer inquiries at any time, ensuring that customers receive support even outside regular business hours.
Consistency
Custom Chatbots provide consistent responses to frequently asked questions, eliminating the risk of human error or inconsistency in service quality.
Cost-Efficiency
Implementing chatbots can reduce operational costs by automating routine inquiries and allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues.
Scalability
Chatbots can handle multiple customer interactions simultaneously, making them highly scalable as your business grows.
Disadvantages of Chatbots
Limited Understanding
Chatbots may struggle to understand complex or nuanced inquiries, leading to frustration for customers seeking detailed information or support.
Lack of Empathy
Chatbots lack the emotional intelligence and empathy that human agents can provide, making them less suitable for handling sensitive or emotionally charged issues.
Initial Setup Costs
Developing and implementing chatbot technology can be costly, especially for small businesses.
The Role of Live Chat Support
Live chat support, on the other hand, involves real human agents who engage with customers in real-time through text-based conversations. While it may not offer the same level of automation as custom chatbots, live chat support excels in areas where human interaction and empathy are crucial.
Advantages of Live Chat
Human Touch
Live chat support provides a personal touch that chatbots cannot replicate. Human agents can empathize with customers, building a stronger emotional connection.
Complex Issues
For inquiries that require a nuanced understanding or involve complex problem-solving, human agents are better equipped to provide in-depth assistance.
Trust Building
Customers often trust human agents more readily, especially when dealing with sensitive matters or making important decisions.
Adaptability
Human agents can adapt to various customer personalities and communication styles, ensuring a positive experience for diverse customers.
Disadvantages of Live Chat
Limited Availability
Live chat support operates within specified business hours, which may not align with all customer needs, potentially leading to frustration.
Response Time
The speed of response in live chat support can vary depending on agent availability and workload, leading to potential delays in customer assistance.
Costly
Maintaining a live chat support team with trained agents can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses strategically.
Building Customer Trust: The Credibility Factor
When it comes to building customer trust, credibility is paramount. Customers want to feel that they are dealing with a reliable and knowledgeable source. Both customziable chatbots and live chat support can contribute to credibility, but their effectiveness varies in different contexts.
Building Trust with Chatbots
Chatbots can build trust in various ways:
Consistency
Chatbots provide consistent responses, ensuring that customers receive accurate information every time they interact with them.
Quick Responses
Chatbots offer instant responses, which can convey a sense of efficiency and attentiveness.
Data Security
Chatbots can assure customers of their data security through automated privacy policies and compliance statements.
However, custom chatbots may face credibility challenges when dealing with complex issues or highly emotional situations. In such cases, the lack of human empathy and understanding can hinder trust-building efforts.
Building Trust with Live Chat Support
Live chat support, with its human touch, excels at building trust in several ways:
Empathy
Human agents can show empathy by actively listening to customers’ concerns and providing emotional support.
Tailored Solutions
Live chat agents can tailor solutions to individual customer needs, demonstrating a commitment to solving their problems.
Flexibility
Human agents can adapt to changing customer requirements, ensuring a personalized and satisfying experience.
However, live chat support’s limitations, such as availability and potential response times, can sometimes hinder trust-building efforts, especially when customers require immediate assistance.
Finding the Right Balance
The choice between custom chatbots and live chat support is not always binary. Many businesses find success by integrating both options strategically:
Initial Interaction
Use chatbots for initial inquiries, providing quick responses, and gathering essential information. This frees up human agents to handle more complex cases.
Escalation to Live Chat
Implement a seamless escalation process from custom chatbots to live chat support when customer inquiries require a higher level of expertise or personal interaction.
Continuous Improvement
Regularly analyze customer interactions and feedback to refine your custom chatbot’s responses and improve the overall support experience.
Conclusion
In the quest to build customer trust, both chatbots and live chat support have their roles to play. Customizable Chatbots offer efficiency, consistency, and round-the-clock availability, while live chat support provides the human touch, empathy, and adaptability. The key is to strike the right balance, leveraging the strengths of each to create a credible and trustworthy customer support experience. By understanding the unique advantages and disadvantages of both options, businesses can make informed decisions to enhance customer trust and satisfaction in the digital era.
MARKETING
The Rise in Retail Media Networks

As LL Cool J might say, “Don’t call it a comeback. It’s been here for years.”
Paid advertising is alive and growing faster in different forms than any other marketing method.
Magna, a media research firm, and GroupM, a media agency, wrapped the year with their ad industry predictions – expect big growth for digital advertising in 2024, especially with the pending US presidential political season.
But the bigger, more unexpected news comes from the rise in retail media networks – a relative newcomer in the industry.
Watch CMI’s chief strategy advisor Robert Rose explain how these trends could affect marketers or keep reading for his thoughts:
GroupM expects digital advertising revenue in 2023 to conclude with a 5.8% or $889 billion increase – excluding political advertising. Magna believes ad revenue will tick up 5.5% this year and jump 7.2% in 2024. GroupM and Zenith say 2024 will see a more modest 4.8% growth.
Robert says that the feeling of an ad slump and other predictions of advertising’s demise in the modern economy don’t seem to be coming to pass, as paid advertising not only survived 2023 but will thrive in 2024.
What’s a retail media network?
On to the bigger news – the rise of retail media networks. Retail media networks, the smallest segment in these agencies’ and research firms’ evaluation, will be one of the fastest-growing and truly important digital advertising formats in 2024.
GroupM suggests the $119 billion expected to be spent in the networks this year and should grow by a whopping 8.3% in the coming year. Magna estimates $124 billion in ad revenue from retail media networks this year.
“Think about this for a moment. Retail media is now almost a quarter of the total spent on search advertising outside of China,” Robert points out.
You’re not alone if you aren’t familiar with retail media networks. A familiar vernacular in the B2C world, especially the consumer-packaged goods industry, retail media networks are an advertising segment you should now pay attention to.
Retail media networks are advertising platforms within the retailer’s network. It’s search advertising on retailers’ online stores. So, for example, if you spend money to advertise against product keywords on Amazon, Walmart, or Instacart, you use a retail media network.
But these ad-buying networks also exist on other digital media properties, from mini-sites to videos to content marketing hubs. They also exist on location through interactive kiosks and in-store screens. New formats are rising every day.
Retail media networks make sense. Retailers take advantage of their knowledge of customers, where and why they shop, and present offers and content relevant to their interests. The retailer uses their content as a media company would, knowing their customers trust them to provide valuable information.
Think about these 2 things in 2024
That brings Robert to two things he wants you to consider for 2024 and beyond. The first is a question: Why should you consider retail media networks for your products or services?
Advertising works because it connects to the idea of a brand. Retail media networks work deep into the buyer’s journey. They use the consumer’s presence in a store (online or brick-and-mortar) to cross-sell merchandise or become the chosen provider.
For example, Robert might advertise his Content Marketing Strategy book on Amazon’s retail network because he knows his customers seek business books. When they search for “content marketing,” his book would appear first.
However, retail media networks also work well because they create a brand halo effect. Robert might buy an ad for his book in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal because he knows their readers view those media outlets as reputable sources of information. He gains some trust by connecting his book to their media properties.
Smart marketing teams will recognize the power of the halo effect and create brand-level experiences on retail media networks. They will do so not because they seek an immediate customer but because they can connect their brand content experience to a trusted media network like Amazon, Nordstrom, eBay, etc.
The second thing Robert wants you to think about relates to the B2B opportunity. More retail media network opportunities for B2B brands are coming.
You can already buy into content syndication networks such as Netline, Business2Community, and others. But given the astronomical growth, for example, of Amazon’s B2B marketplace ($35 billion in 2023), Robert expects a similar trend of retail media networks to emerge on these types of platforms.
“If I were Adobe, Microsoft, Salesforce, HubSpot, or any brand with big content platforms, I’d look to monetize them by selling paid sponsorship of content (as advertising or sponsored content) on them,” Robert says.
As you think about creative ways to use your paid advertising spend, consider the retail media networks in 2024.
HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT:
Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute
MARKETING
AI driving an exponential increase in marketing technology solutions

The martech landscape is expanding and AI is the prime driving force. That’s the topline news from the “Martech 2024” report released today. And, while that will get the headline, the report contains much more.
Since the release of the most recent Martech Landscape in May 2023, 2,042 new marketing technology tools have surfaced, bringing the total to 13,080 — an 18.5% increase. Of those, 1,498 (73%) were AI-based.

“But where did it land?” said Frans Riemersma of Martech Tribe during a joint video conference call with Scott Brinker of ChiefMartec and HubSpot. “And the usual suspect, of course, is content. But the truth is you can build an empire with all the genAI that has been surfacing — and by an empire, I mean, of course, a business.”
Content tools accounted for 34% of all the new AI tools, far ahead of video, the second-place category, which had only 4.85%. U.S. companies were responsible for 61% of these tools — not surprising given that most of the generative AI dynamos, like OpenAI, are based here. Next up was the U.K. at 5.7%, but third place was a big surprise: Iceland — with a population of 373,000 — launched 4.6% of all AI martech tools. That’s significantly ahead of fourth place India (3.5%), whose population is 1.4 billion and which has a significant tech industry.
Dig deeper: 3 ways email marketers should actually use AI
The global development of these tools shows the desire for solutions that natively understand the place they are being used.
“These regional products in their particular country…they’re fantastic,” said Brinker. “They’re loved, and part of it is because they understand the culture, they’ve got the right thing in the language, the support is in that language.”
Now that we’ve looked at the headline stuff, let’s take a deep dive into the fascinating body of the report.
The report: A deeper dive
Marketing technology “is a study in contradictions,” according to Brinker and Riemersma.
In the new report they embrace these contradictions, telling readers that, while they support “discipline and fiscal responsibility” in martech management, failure to innovate might mean “missing out on opportunities for competitive advantage.” By all means, edit your stack meticulously to ensure it meets business value use cases — but sure, spend 5-10% of your time playing with “cool” new tools that don’t yet have a use case. That seems like a lot of time.
Similarly, while you mustn’t be “carried away” by new technology hype cycles, you mustn’t ignore them either. You need to make “deliberate choices” in the realm of technological change, but be agile about implementing them. Be excited by martech innovation, in other words, but be sensible about it.
The growing landscape
Consolidation for the martech space is not in sight, Brinker and Riemersma say. Despite many mergers and acquisitions, and a steadily increasing number of bankruptcies and dissolutions, the exponentially increasing launch of new start-ups powers continuing growth.
It should be observed, of course, that this is almost entirely a cloud-based, subscription-based commercial space. To launch a martech start-up doesn’t require manufacturing, storage and distribution capabilities, or necessarily a workforce; it just requires uploading an app to the cloud. That is surely one reason new start-ups appear at such a startling rate.
Dig deeper: AI ad spending has skyrocketed this year
As the authors admit, “(i)f we measure by revenue and/or install base, the graph of all martech companies is a ‘long tail’ distribution.” What’s more, focus on the 200 or so leading companies in the space and consolidation can certainly be seen.
Long-tail tools are certainly not under-utilized, however. Based on a survey of over 1,000 real-world stacks, the report finds long-tail tools constitute about half of the solutions portfolios — a proportion that has remained fairly consistent since 2017. The authors see long-tail adoption where users perceive feature gaps — or subpar feature performance — in their core solutions.
Composability and aggregation
The other two trends covered in detail in the report are composability and aggregation. In brief, a composable view of a martech stack means seeing it as a collection of features and functions rather than a collection of software products. A composable “architecture” is one where apps, workflows, customer experiences, etc., are developed using features of multiple products to serve a specific use case.
Indeed, some martech vendors are now describing their own offerings as composable, meaning that their proprietary features are designed to be used in tandem with third-party solutions that integrate with them. This is an evolution of the core-suite-plus-app-marketplace framework.
That framework is what Brinker and Riemersma refer to as “vertical aggregation.” “Horizontal aggregation,” they write, is “a newer model” where aggregation of software is seen not around certain business functions (marketing, sales, etc.) but around a layer of the tech stack. An obvious example is the data layer, fed from numerous sources and consumed by a range of applications. They correctly observe that this has been an important trend over the past year.
Build it yourself
Finally, and consistent with Brinker’s long-time advocacy for the citizen developer, the report detects a nascent trend towards teams creating their own software — a trend that will doubtless be accelerated by support from AI.
So far, the apps that are being created internally may be no more than “simple workflows and automations.” But come the day that app development is so democratized that it will be available to a wide range of users, the software will be a “reflection of the way they want their company to operate and the experiences they want to deliver to customers. This will be a powerful dimension for competitive advantage.”
Constantine von Hoffman contributed to this report.
Get MarTech! Daily. Free. In your inbox.
-
WORDPRESS4 days ago
8 Best Zapier Alternatives to Automate Your Website
-
MARKETING7 days ago
How Does Success of Your Business Depend on Choosing Type of Native Advertising?
-
MARKETING6 days ago
Intro to Amazon Non-endemic Advertising: Benefits & Examples
-
SOCIAL6 days ago
Paris mayor to stop using ‘global sewer’ X
-
SOCIAL3 days ago
YouTube Highlights its Top Trends, Topics and Creators of 2023
-
MARKETING5 days ago
Mastering The Laws of Marketing in Madness
-
WORDPRESS4 days ago
Watch Live on December 11 – WordPress.com News
-
PPC5 days ago
12 Holiday Emails for Customers (Templates & Examples!)