If you’re a hiker who wants to know how to cash in on your passion for the outdoors, do I have some good news for you.
I’m about to show you in this article how to transform your trail adventures into a real, money-making online business.
Did you know that hiking is the most popular outdoor activity in America? And according to one report, it’s only getting popular. The United States has a population of over 60 million hikers.
With so many people hitting the trails, it’s the perfect time to share what you know and earn some money while you’re at it.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to create a successful hiking-focused online business. I’ll cover everything from finding your special niche to setting up your website. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned backpacker, there’s room for you in this growing market.
Ready to take your first step on this new path?
Let’s get started! I’ll show you how to use your outdoor skills to build something exciting and profitable. It’s time to lace up your digital boots and hit the trail to online success!
This post may contain affiliate links. ThriversHub earns commissions at no extra cost to you when purchases are made through links on this page. For more info, visit the disclosure page.
Identifying Your Hiking Niche
The first step to starting a hiking online business is to choose a niche. Hiking itself is a wide topic. To stand out with your online business, finding the perfect hiking niche is crucial.
This will allow you to focus instead of being “all over the place” with your marketing. Here are some tips for identifying your perfect hiking niche.
1. Tap into your hiking knowledge
This is one of the easiest ways to determine what you want to focus on. Think about what you know about hiking. Your expertise can help you to create content that drives affiliate sales.
2. Consider affiliate-friendly hiking angles
Look for areas that have a lot of affiliate products to promote. This could be gear reviews, trail guides, or even hiking tech.
3. Identify your target hiking group
Think about who are most likely to buy through your links and recommendations. For example, beginner hikers will often need more gear when starting out and expert hikers might look for more specialized items.
4. Look for under-served markets
Is there a hiking niche where people struggle to find good product recommendations? This is your chance to step in and guide them in the right direction or offer the best solutions.
5. Use Wealthy Affiliate’s AI Tool
You could also use AI to find niches that you might not have thought about. If you’re going to start an online business, then one of the best tools to use is Wealthy Affiliate’s AI Niche Finder tool.
This tool allows you to enter a keyword, for example “hiking” and it will give you some hiking niches that are focused and great for affiliate marketing success.
You can always refine your search and when you join, your website is automatically built, you’ll have access to training and hiking research already done for you.
The best affiliate marketing niches for hiking will balance your own interests, market demand and earning potential. Take the time to find that sweet spot. With the right niche, you’ll be well on your way to turning your passion for hiking into affiliate marketing profits.
Building Your Hiking-focused Website
To set up shop online, you’ll need a well-built website where you can showcase your expertise.
This is where you’ll create trustworthy content to attract visitors and place your affiliate links to drive sales for hiking merchants.
If you use the Wealthy Affiliate AI tool to choose your niche and you decide to sign up, you wouldn’t need all these steps because the Hub system within Wealthy Affiliate builds your website for you.
If you decide not to use the tool, here’s how the website building process works:
1. Choose a domain name
The domain name is the unique url where your website can be found.
Choose a name that reflects your hiking niche. Keep it short, easy to spell, and memorable. For example, “TrailGearGuru.com” or “HikingWithKids.net”. Personally, I always go for a .com because people instinctively expect a .com.
Most people however, will be finding your website through search engines so it’s totally up to you. Here are some domain name registrars you can use to find a domain name.
2. Choose a reliable hosting service
To get your website to display pages when someone types in your domain or finds it after searching, you’ll need a reliable web hosting service.
You’ll want to look for a host with good uptime, fast loading speeds, and helpful customer support. I host some of my websites at Wealthy Affiliate (it’s included with my membership) and I host some at WPX.net for different reasons.
Choosing a reliable host is a very important step. You don’t want visitors to arrive at your website only for it to be down and they can’t access your content.
3. Set up WordPress
Building a website used to be a headache in the 2000’s but in 2024, it’s so easy even a non-techie beginner can do it. All you need is WordPress.
Once you’ve logged into your web hosts control panel, look for WordPress and use that to set up your website. You can usually do it in two clicks.
WordPress is user-friendly and great for beginners. Plus, it offers tons of themes and plugins perfect for affiliate websites.
4. Select a responsive theme
A theme is your website’s design. You have many great free options available and there are also a lot of great premium ones with extended functionality.
Basically, you’ll want to pick a theme that looks good on both computers and phones. Hikers often browse on the go, so mobile-friendliness is key.
The theme I’m using for my website is called Blocksy. It’s very clean and even has a great travel theme that can be used for a hiking affiliate website.
5. Install essential plugins
This process is like adding apps to your website to get more features to help manage your website. WordPress has thousands upon thousands of free and paid plugins you can install for SEO, security, and affiliate link management.
These tools will make your like easier as your website grows.
6. Create key pages
All affiliate websites have a set of key pages.
- Homepage
- About page
- Contact
- Privacy Policy
- Blog
Your key pages help build trust with your visitors and also your affiliate partners.
7. Plan your content structure
Organize your website with clear categories. These help visitors and search engines find and discover your content.
Some categories that you might want to have on a hiking affiliate website may be gear reviews, trail guides, hiking skills, hiking fitness and so on.
This will also depend on your chosen niche within the hiking space.
8. Add eye-catching images
Use high-quality hiking photos to make your site pop. Just make sure you have the right to use them.
The best way to ensure that you have the right to use them is to take them yourself. Alternatively, you could use free stock photo websites or purchase the rights to stock photos you like.
Another way is to use AI photo generation programs like Dall-E, Midjourney, and Leonardo.AI to generate hiking photos for you.
9. Set up your first few posts
Create some cornerstone content (useful content you’ll probably link to often) to give visitors a taste of what you offer. Maybe a gear guide or a beginner’s hiking tips article.
10. Make your site easy to navigate
Use clear menus and internal links to help visitors explore your site. The easier your website and content is to navigate, the longer they’ll stay.
These 10 steps can help you set up an amazing hiking affiliate website primed for getting affiliate commissions.
You can go through the 10 steps here or you can find your perfect niche with Wealthy Affiliate and get your website built there. Wealthy Affiliate hosts your website for you, installs your WordPress website and trains you on how to succeed with your hiking affiliate website all in one place.
Monetizing Your Hiking Knowledge
Let’s talk about turning your hiking expertise into income. You’ve spent countless hours on trails, tested various gear, and probably learned a thing or two about outdoor survival. Now, it’s time to use that knowledge to your advantage.
Making money from hiking isn’t just about posting affiliate links. It’s about providing real value to other hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Your experiences and insights can help others make better decisions, stay safe on trails, and enjoy nature more fully.
In this section, we’ll explore different ways to earn from your hiking knowledge. We’ll cover strategies for beginners and experienced hikers alike. From writing helpful gear reviews to creating your own digital products, there are many options to choose from.
Let’s dive into some practical ways to monetize your hiking expertise.
Join hiking gear affiliate programs
The best way to start making money with your hiking affiliate website is to sign up with outdoor retailers like REI, Amazon, or BackCountry.
You can write honest, detailed product reviews of gear you’ve used and trust. Include pros, cons and your personal experiences.
Another strategy you can use to promote hiking affiliate programs is to create helpful buying guides. Make lists like “Best Hiking Boots for Wide Feet” or “Top 10 Ultralight Tents”. This type of content often lead to sales.
Create and sell digital products
Another monetization strategy is to design downloadable trail maps, packing checklists, or meal planning guides. Price them affordably for quick sales.
You can use a platform like Etsy or sell them on your own website using an ecommerce plugin or integration.
Offer online hiking courses
Teach skills like navigation or wilderness first aid through video lessons or webinars.
Course platforms like Thinkific and Learnworlds make it easy for you to create courses and have all the tools you need to manage students, payments and more.
Start a YouTube channel
Make videos to compliment the content on your website – on gear reviews, trail guides, or hiking tips. You’ll get traffic from YouTube users searching on the video platform instead of searching on Google – traffic you’d probably miss out on if you didn’t have a channel.
Monetize your content with ads and put your affiliate links in the video descriptions.
Building your income takes time. Focus on creating valuable content first. As your audience grows, so will your earning potential. Keep at it, and you’ll soon see your hiking passion pay off!
Tips For Growing Your Hiking Online Business
Once you’ve started making money with your hiking affiliate marketing business, it’s time to think about growth.
This is the next phase of your online business. In this section, I’ll offer a few times on how to grow after you’ve achieved success with your website.
Growing your hiking business is a lot like planning a long-distance trek. It takes time, effort, and smart planning. But with each step, you’re building something amazing.
Conclusion
You now have all the info you need to start an online business based on your passion for hiking. I’ve covered everything from finding your niche to building a website and earning from it.
Remember, success won’t happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and a bit of trial and error. But with each step, you’re getting closer to your goal of earning money doing what you love.
Start by exploring Wealthy Affiliate’s AI-powered tool to uncover your perfect hiking niche. Then, set up your website and start creating valuable content for fellow outdoor enthusiasts. As you grow your audience, try out different ways to make money to see what works best for you.
Don’t forget to keep learning and adapting. The online marketing world changes fast, and so do hiking trends. Stay curious, keep exploring new trails, and always look for ways to help your audience.
So are you ready to take the first step on your business journey?
There’s no better time than now to start. Your hiking knowledge is valuable, and there are plenty of people out there eager to learn from you.
So grab your virtual backpack, lace up your digital boots, and start your adventure in the world of affiliate marketing. Happy trails and even happier profits await!
