Niche online newsletter or magazine

Subscribers who pay for premium content, and businesses that sponsor or advertise to your readers.

Paid subscriptions, sponsorship slots, classified listings or affiliate links where appropriate. It usually takes time to build an audience before income covers your hours.

• Writing clearly and consistently
• Knowledge or contacts in your chosen subject
• Basic website and email tool skills
• Promoting yourself online

• Data protection and email marketing rules: check UK GDPR and PECR requirements for storing and emailing subscriber details
• Check whether you need to pay the data protection fee to the ICO
• Copyright for images and quoted material
• Disclose sponsored content and affiliate links in line with ASA guidance
• Building an audience can take many months, so keep other income at first

Startup costs are typically around £100 to £800, depending on your website, email tools and how much you spend on promotion. These are estimates, and you may want other income in place while you build an audience.

Monthly revenue is typically around £100 to £800, depending on how many subscribers pay and whether you attract sponsors. Building an audience can take many months, so this is an estimate of revenue, not a guaranteed income.

Check UK GDPR and PECR requirements for storing and emailing subscriber details, and whether you need to pay the data protection fee to the ICO. Also check copyright for images and quotes, and ASA guidance on disclosing sponsored content and affiliate links.