Niche Websites for Passive Income: A Realistic Guide

I know you’ve seen this a thousand times: "Build niche sites, make passive income!" Most guides make it sound like free money, but here’s the real deal—what actually works, what doesn’t, and how much effort it really takes.

(At TheMoneyRoad.com, I test side hustles so you don’t have to. No fluff—just what works.)

Why Blogger Beats WordPress for Beginners

• Free hosting forever (Google owns Blogger)
• Zero maintenance (no updates, no security headaches)
• Built-in Google integration (faster indexing)
• Surprisingly good SEO when done right

I've tested both, and for starter sites, Blogger wins every time.

My Step-by-Step Free Setup

1. Choose Your Niche (The Right Way)

Forget broad topics. My formula:

"Adjective + Product + Specific Use Case"

Examples:

• "Quietest air purifiers for baby nurseries"
• "Most durable work boots for electricians"
• "Compact juicers for RV kitchens"

2. Claim Your Free Real Estate

1. Go to Blogger.com
2. Create your free blog (Want a custom domain? I got themoneyroad.com for $5 on UnstoppableDomains' Friday sales - normally $20)
3. Pick the "Contempo" template (cleanest for SEO)

How I Did It:

• Purchased themoneyroad.com ($5 special)
• In Blogger: Settings → Publishing → Add Custom Domain
• Updated DNS in 3 minutes (Google has simple guides)

Your Cost Options:

• Free: yoursite.blogspot.com
• Pro: yoursite.com ($5-$15/year)

3. Create Content That Ranks

My free toolkit:

• Google Docs (for writing)
• Canva (free graphics)
• AnswerThePublic (free keyword ideas)

Post structure that works:

1. Problem intro ("Why noisy air purifiers suck for babies")
2. Comparison table (top 3-5 products)
3. Detailed reviews
4. "Who should buy this" section

4. Monetization (Start Earning Fast)

Phase 1 (0-1K visitors/month):

• Amazon Associates (3-8% commissions)
• Google AdSense (auto-approval on Blogger)

Phase 2 (1K+ visitors):

• Ezoic (works with Blogger)
• Direct ad sales (charge $10-$50 per link)

My Real Results

• 3-month-old site: 1,200 visits/month ($87 Amazon earnings)
• 6-month-old site: 4,500 visits/month ($223 ads + $156 affiliates)
• Total investment: $0

The Ugly Truth Nobody Tells You

1. It's not passive - Expect 5-10 hours/week per site
2. Google sandbox is real - First 3 months = tiny traffic
3. 80% of niches fail - That's why I always test 3 at once

Your Action Plan

1. Today: Setup 1 Blogger site (takes 15 minutes)
2. This week: Publish 5 posts (3 product reviews, 2 guides)
3. Next month: Apply for Amazon Associates

The barrier to entry has never been lower. You've got nothing to lose except an hour of your time. I'll even help - reply with your new blog URL and I'll give you free feedback.

P.S. Want my exact Blogger template? I'll email it to you - just subscribe here.