In today’s world, nearly everyone owns at least one set of headphones, but in most cases, usually more than one pair.
Audiobooks and podcasts have increased the amount of headphone usage. People don’t have time to stand and hold a book to consume content in today’s fast-paced world. Wearing headphones whilst running, walking, working and doing other things with your hands is commonplace these days.
Earbuds have been a revelation in recent times as they avoid all the tangled and damaged wires that a wired set of headphones are prone to. Most people you see out and about wearing headphones these days are using earbuds.
Within the music and sound niche, the sub-niche of headphones is filled with lots of big websites and brands reviewing headphones.
Status: Difficult space to get into, but it will always have opportunities as headphones are always going to be around.
Top Opportunities
- Gaming headsets – With the rise of Esports and competitive gaming, gaming headsets are one of the most common types of headphones purchased these days. Reviews and help for popular headset brands, such as Razer, SteelSeries, HyperX, Corsair, and Turtle Beach, are always sought after.
- Cleaning headphones – With headphones being used so much, people always want to know how to clean wax and dirt off headphones without damaging them. An idea is to create different guides (especially videos) on how to clean different types of headphones at home with various household items.
- Solving technical issues – Because there are new releases of headphones every day, it creates more technical issues to troubleshoot and solve. Video tutorials on how to fix Bluetooth connecting issues, volume control trouble and general audio issues for different models are always in demand.
- Health issues wearing headphones – One of the most common headphone questions is whether they create a dent in your head, showing that people are conscious of the health impacts of wearing them. People are also interested in how wearing headphones can damage your ears, create tinnitus, and cause hearing loss and infections. It overlaps with the health niche, and a popular sub-niche is hearing protection for things such as going to music gigs, construction work, using machinery and people with sensory issues such as Autism.
- VR or AR headset sound – A potential upcoming sub-niche for sound and headphones could be to do with VR or AR sound. Virtual reality headsets or glasses are on the rise, and all use some form of sound, creating an opportunity to suggest headphones to be used with different models.
- General reviews – Always popular, especially in video format. Make sure you actually get your hands on the headphones to review or get someone else with them to do a review for you. The competition is stiff in this space, but there are always opportunities to give an honest, personal opinion on how headphones work, sound and look.
Challenges
- Cheap earbuds – With the rise of earbuds in recent times, there’s lots of poorly manufactured in-ear headphones going around. You’ll find a lot of the cheaper earbuds on the market are just the same, poor-quality models re-branded over and over. If you’re promoting or selling headphones, these types of earbuds are best kept away from.
- People using headphones whilst driving – A commonly asked question with headphones is whether you can wear them whilst driving. Although it’s still legal to wear headphones while driving in many places across the world, it’s not recommended as they can become an unnecessary distraction. With in-ear headphone use on the rise, trying to promote other, safer ways to consume audio when driving is an idea.
- Trying to promote healthy usage – Wireless in-ear headphones have changed the whole headphone usage game. More and more people wear earbuds in public, at work, working out and even in social settings because of how practical they are. Trying to promote a healthy amount of headphone usage from a social, health and safety point of view can only be beneficial.
- Review competition – The whole headphone space is very competitive, with many big media brands producing in-depth headphone reviews at scale. You have to find a unique angle for reviewing headphones, ensuring you’re authentic and give your own opinion of a model rather than regurgitating what another headphone review says.
Headphone Affiliate Programs
- Sennheiser
- Bose
- Sony
- Steelseries
- HyperX
- Amazon Associates