Nowadays there are a million and one ways you can make money online. The internet, and consequently eCommerce, have opened up the doors to new business ventures and side hustles that should be taken advantage of. A lot of people feel like they’re running in place when it comes to their finances, and building another source of income can help you get to the next stage in your financial journey. Without further ado, let’s get into 10 ways you can make money online!
1. Become A Freelancer Or Consultant
In my opinion, this is one of the easiest and best side hustles for anyone to start, and it can be easily turned from a side hustle into a full-blown business. The most common way to do this is to take the skills you’ve gained from a 9 to 5 job and use them to start consulting on the side. Of course, you can also take other skills you already have and do some consulting using them too. For example, if you’re a tech professional, you could do some IT consulting on the side (which can make a lot of money). Alternatively, if you’re really good at something like copywriting, you could do that instead.
Regardless of what exactly you decide to do with it, freelancing and consulting can make you a lot of money, and if you get really good at it you could even replace your job. These days there are also tons of websites and services that can help you get gigs online – which is especially great if your work can be done remotely.
2. Flip Products
This one probably doesn’t come as a surprise, as it is getting increasingly common to buy items and then resell them online. If you are great at bargaining hunting, or know how to fix something up, this can give you a nice source of income. While this can become hard to scale, since it is usually time-consuming, it’s still a top pick for a lot of people seeking a side hustle.
3. Blog
If you pick a good niche, deliver solid content, and do it consistently, you can have a lot of success as a blogger. Most bloggers make little, or even nothing. However, most bloggers also don’t stay consistent and keep creating new content for very long. I’m sure you have heard some crazy success stories, and while that is entirely possible they are definitely outliers. Starting a blog isn’t that hard, as long as you keep some core components in mind, but it does take a lot of discipline.
A good affiliate marketing strategy can make a lot of money, but only if you’ve taken the time to build up enough of an audience for it to matter. In other words, blogging is more of a long-term project. In order to start seeing some serious returns, it could take a couple of years. If you decide to start blogging, make the commitment to keep at it for at least a year before you even think about quitting – otherwise it will be a waste!
4. YouTuber Or Social Media Influencer
This type of stuff has quite a few similarities to blogging, and it has just as much potential if not more (again, thanks in part to affiliate marketing). If you’re not camera shy, or you like to make a specific type of content, this could be for you. While blogging offers a way for people who enjoy writing to start making money, YouTube and social media can be a great medium for people who are talented with visuals like pictures and videos.
Depending on which platform you choose, this can also take a year or two to start getting off the ground. Of course, it all depends on your exact niche and platform, but don’t go into it EXPECTING to become an overnight sensation.
5. Create Educational Courses And Ebooks
If you have a valuable skill, other people are more than willing to pay top dollar to learn it. This can include things like playing an instrument, coding, giving speeches, or just about anything else you can think of. Creating courses are a solid way of setting up a supplemental income. Plus, you can even self-publish an ebook. Whichever format you prefer (courses or ebooks), get started, take some time to revise it, and start publishing and distributing it! This can make an outstanding amount if you have some platform to promote it on, like a blog or social media.
6. Photography
This is arguable loosely related to freelancing. A lot of people need top notch photos and are usually willing to either pay or give credit to you when they use them. It doesn’t take long to build up a decent portfolio that gets a lot of visibility online from interested businesses. Also, if you’re interested in making money offline too, photographers who know how to handle events well can make a substantial amount. Now, it may not average out to a lot each month (it depends on how many events you can get scheduled in), but each event will probably net you a lot of cash considering how many hours overall you’ll have to work.
7. Graphic Design
Along the same vein as photography, this is another gig where you’ll be providing visuals for other people or businesses. Of course, you’ll need a portfolio to start, but you’ll quickly find a lot of people reaching out for custom work. Couple that with something like a freelancing service, or making your own course on it, and you could potentially have a nice side hustle going for you!
8. Dropshipping
Dropshipping has become a bit of a hot button issue lately. While it’s getting increasingly popular, it is still a great way to make money online. If you take the time to get to know what you’re doing it can be especially rewarding. Of course, take the information you find online about dropshipping with a grain of salt. The best way to learn how to do it is by just taking the dive and getting straight into it.
9. Develop An App Or A Game
Coding is a great skill to have, inside or outside your career. If you know how to code, and have the time, you can create tons of useful apps or fun games. Pick something you’re interested in and create an app for it. For example, if you really like certain types of games, make one! Alternatively, if you see a big hole in your industry (like some low-quality software), you could always develop the app that can fill that gap.
10. Put Foreign Language Skills To Use – Translate!
While translating may not seem as glamorous as some of the other options listed, it is likely a bit more consistent than several. If you know the ins and outs of multiple languages (and can prove it) there is some decent money to be had by translating. Getting paid to translate is easier than ever, in fact, there are even websites you can sign up for that can connect you directly with people who have texts they need translated!
Conclusion
In the digital age, making money online is becoming commonplace, and it is a great opportunity for you to increase your household income. On top of that, it can help you live a freer and more financially secure life. While I only mentioned 10 ideas in this article, just know there are a plethora of others you could pick instead! If you have a recommendation on a way to make money online, let us know in the comments.
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