How Irish Around Oz Built a $10K/Month Travel Blog Serving a Niche Audience

Introduction

Irish Around Oz started in 2013 as a side project by Irish expat Stephen Palmer, who wanted to share tips about moving from Ireland to Australia. He focused on a very tight niche—just 0.5% of Irish citizens travel each year—but crafted detailed guides and personal stories that resonated deeply. After one year it was earning $2,500 a month, convincing Stephen to go full-time. Today it brings in over $10,000 monthly.

Finding a Gap in the Market

Stephen’s big breakthrough came when he published “50 Things You Need to Know Before Moving to Australia.” That single article skyrocketed traffic, showing him exactly what his audience needed. He covered visa options, tax rules, money transfer, and shipping costs—all in one place. That approach pushed site bounce rate down to just 3% and built trust fast.

Building a Community

Instead of scattering efforts, he created Facebook groups segmented by Australian city—Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Canberra. Each group attracted thousands of members sharing advice and questions. Stephen positioned himself as an expert in these forums, generating free word-of-mouth that drove steady monthly traffic of about 30,000 visitors.

Traffic Sources and Growth

Organic search and social media are Stephen’s main referral channels. He tracks performance using SimilarWeb and Google Analytics, adjusting content to match keyword demand and seasonal spikes—especially around UK summer holidays when Irish families plan trips down under.

Monetization Strategy

Revenue is split between affiliate marketing (60%), sponsorships (30%), and display ads (10%). His top affiliate vertical is money transfer, promoting TransferWise, OFX, and CurrencyFair. Other partnerships include CoSeats for moving vans, Seven Seas Worldwide shipping, Airbnb rentals, Taxback for Australia taxes, Golnsurance insurance, Send My Bag luggage shipping, and True Blue Migration consultancy. He also runs a job board charging businesses AU$50 per listing.

Scaling and Results

By zeroing in on a defined audience and offering solutions to real problems, Stephen grew his site to average $7K–$10K per month. It has attracted over 4 million unique visitors in the past three years. The low bounce rate and engaged community make sponsors and affiliates eager to partner.

Conclusion

Irish Around Oz shows that niche focus, community engagement, and the right mix of affiliate offers can turn a small blog into a profitable travel business. Serving a specialized audience with genuine needs can outperform broader travel sites that try to cover everything.