A Simple guide to making money online
In the digital world of today, making money online is no longer a mere side gig but it has become a full-fledged career option for a lot of people. Whether you are a student, a homemaker or you just need some extra money, there are plenty of ways to make money on the internet without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. The best part? Several of these tactics are cheap or require no up-front investment.
In this guide we’ll look at some ways in which you can earn money online some you may have heard of, others you haven’t, but all are legitimate. What links them all is their potential to generate genuine income, if worked at with patience, perseverance and effort.
Freelancing: Make Money with Your Skills
Freelancing is still one of the easiest ways to make money online. No matter what your talent from writing, graphic design, programming and video editing to translation platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer and Total are filled with people hiring others to do work for them.
Here, the beauty was the fact you were your own boss, with your own rates and your own hours. Over time, with good reviews and a portfolio to boot, you’ll reach a high earning potential.
Pro Tip: Initially offer competitive pricing, but don’t sell yourself short. But as you fill out your profile, start pricing up.
Online Tutoring and Teaching
And if you have expertise in a subject, you can teach students in your field using tools you’re already familiar with (and perhaps own) such as a webcam, an internet connection, and Skype or Zoom.
Teaching online doesn’t always require a teacher’s license. Plenty of platforms care nearly as much about subject expertise and the ability to communicate it effectively. You can teach school students, offer tutoring in assignments or a new language.
Content Creation on YouTube, Blogs and Podcasts
If you can be creative and push through obstacles, content creation can be fruitful and monetizable. Services like YouTube, Medium and Spotify let you share your work and make money from it in various ways.
YouTube: Get paid through ad revenue, sponsorships, or affiliate links.
Blogging: Monetize with advertising (such as Google AdSense), affiliate marketing or selling a digital product.
Podcasting: Attract sponsors and provide exclusive content to subscribers paying to listen.
Affiliate Marketing
In affiliate marketing, you promote another company’s product and earn a commission for each sale through your referral. It’s a great method if you have a blog, YouTube channel, or a solid social media following.
Some common affiliate networks are all: Amazon Associates Share Sale CJ Affiliate Impact Depending on your niche, you can sell anything from software to fitness equipment.
Tip: Only promote products you truly believe in and have used yourself Transparency is the name of the game and trust is paramount, especially when it comes to conversions.
Selling Digital Products
Digital products include downloads and online access. That can range from eBooks or internet courses, to printables, to photography presets. And once they are made, they can be sold as many times as you want, free.
Platforms such as Gum Road, Teachable and Etsy (for printables) are a good place to begin.
Drop shipping and E-commerce
But you no longer need huge inventory or warehouses to run an online store. In drop shipping you sell products through your website to a third party, who ships and stores them.
Good starting points are Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce. Find products you can sell with tools like Oberle or AliExpress.
Though the profit margin is likely thinner than at traditional e-commerce businesses, the low start-up costs make it an appealing starting point for novices.
Online Surveys and Microtasks
For people just trying to earn a few bucks when they have free time, online surveys and micro tasking apps like Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, Amazon Mechanical Turk and Click worker can be a good fit.
Although the payments are usually tiny, they don’t require much skill and are an easy way for newer players to get started before venturing into anything else.
Virtual Assistance
Small businesses, startups or even busy executives, for example, are often looking for virtual assistants (VAs) to help with tasks such as customer support, handling emails, scheduling and data entry.
VA gigs can be found on sites like Belay, Time Etc and Zirtual, or you yes, you! could roll the dice and pitch entrepreneurs directly on LinkedIn or through freelancing websites.
Stock Photos and Videos for Sale
If you’re an amateur or professional photographer/videographer, you can sell your content on stock marketplaces like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock, and Pond5.
And after they’re uploaded, your images or footage can earn you passive income anytime someone licenses your work.
Investing and Trading (Carefully)
And although it’s not the conventional sort of “earning” categorically, your investment and trading through the internet could be fruitful if wisely exercised. Shares and ETFs, cryptocurrency and forex are accessible on online platforms such as Robinhood, eToro, Binance which provide access to global markets.
Final Thoughts
The internet has leveled the earning playing field. What once required a brick-and-mortar storefront or access to a full-time job is now possible straight from your computer, anywhere you please, 24 hours a day.
That said, true success doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Online learning opportunities take time to learn, develop and adapt to. But if you’re willing to put in the time, the payoff flexibility, freedom and the potential to earn large amounts of money can be life-changing.
So, choose one path, take small steps and grow from there.