How to Pick the YouTube Niche Most Likely to EXPLODE (+ Top Niche Ideas 2024)
Education
Introduction
So I was speaking with someone close to me the other day, and I asked how happy they were with their current profession. You know what their answer was? Three out of ten. Naturally, I asked what would make that number way higher on that scale for them, and their answer sparked a fascinating conversation. More on that later.
We need to know some stuff to make sure that you're doing the right thing on YouTube. One of the main topics of discussion I have with people like yourself is around defining your niche. From these discussions, I've developed a definition of what a niche actually means for YouTube:
- It is a group of audience that already exists that you are making content for.
- There isn't a second point. It's just that one.
A key factor is that this audience already exists before you ever did anything for them.
Niching Down vs. Niching Up
Niching Down
To niche down with your audience simply means to get more specific with what you do for them. Niching down has some big advantages, primarily making it easier to "own" that space and grow quicker. If you're highly specialized, there’s less competition, making it easier to become the go-to resource.
For example, if you're a consultant teaching companies how to use whiteboards effectively to train employees, you could become the leading expert in this narrow field. The audience for this specific need would naturally gravitate toward your content.
However, there are disadvantages. The rate at which you can grow your channel is capped by the size of this specific audience. Also, expanding beyond your niche in the future might be challenging.
Niching Up
To niche up is to get more broad with what you do. While niching up can expose you to a larger audience, it also means facing stiffer competition. Niching up enables you to target a wider demographic.
Consider transforming your whiteboard explainer consultancy into a channel demonstrating general business practices or creating fictional company meetings. This way, even if viewers don't need your specific expertise, they might still find your content entertaining or informative.
The downside is the increased difficulty in carving out your place within a larger, more competitive space, potentially slowing growth.
Where Do You Fit?
Think of niching up versus niching down as a slider. You need to decide where to position yourself on this scale based on your goals.
Top YouTube Niche Ideas for 2024
The Freelancer Niche
If you're a freelancer with a specialty, create content around your skillset. This can serve as your portfolio, and enhance your brand, allowing you to charge higher prices and reducing the need for preliminary client conversations.
Business Content
Transform your YouTube channel into a lead funnel for your business. Educate your audience while showing them the value of your expertise, warming up leads before they contact you.
The Artist Niche
Combine entertainment with your personality. Show behind-the-scenes and connect with your audience on a personal level.
Mental Health
Target specific groups needing mental health advice. Share your authentic story and expertise.
Automation and Simplification
Help your audience automate and simplify life or business tasks. Apply this to specific professions for more focused content.
Journeys
Share ongoing journeys in your life, like homesteading or other cyclical activities. Bring people along for the ride.
Predictors of Success in Your Chosen Niche
From my experience speaking with hundreds of YouTube creators, five factors can predict the success of a YouTube niche:
- Alignment with long-term goals.
- Matches skills or experience.
- Already an active part of your life.
- You feel you can do it better than existing content.
- It makes you happy.
The ideal scenario combines all these factors, but you don’t need all five to be successful. Success depends on your definition.
Conclusion
Remember the story I began with? When my friend said their happiness would skyrocket by traveling and reviewing theaters across the country, we sat down and mapped it out. Similarly, ask yourself these questions:
- Why are you doing a niche you don't want?
- What would it take to start doing what you truly want, sooner rather than later?
Take action and navigate your path to success today.
Keywords
- Niching Down
- Niching Up
- YouTube Niche
- Freelancers
- Business Content
- Artist Niche
- Mental Health
- Automation
- Simplification
- Journeys
- Success Factors
FAQ
What does it mean to niche down on YouTube?
Niching down means getting more specific with your content to target a smaller, more defined audience.
What is niching up on YouTube?
Niching up involves broadening your content to appeal to a larger, more diverse audience.
What are the advantages of niching down?
The primary advantages are easier ownership of your niche and generally quicker growth due to decreased competition.
What are the disadvantages of niching down?
You may reach a growth cap quickly and find it difficult to expand beyond your initial niche.
How do I decide where to position myself on the niching scale?
Decide based on your goals, your existing audience, and how you want to grow.
What are some top YouTube niche ideas for 2024?
Freelancer niche, business content, artist niche, mental health, automation and simplification, and sharing personal journeys.
What factors are most likely to predict my success in a YouTube niche?
Alignment with your goals, matches existing skills or experience, is already a part of your life, dissatisfaction with existing content, and personal happiness.