Inflation has reached record levels and while there are signs it may be easing, prices on just about everything remain high. Congress has worked to pass legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at lowering costs for consumers but without much success. There are ways you can make money online anyway so you don’t have to rely on the government to help you out.
1. Start a blog.
You can make money off a blog in multiple ways. The most common is to use Adsense – you’ll find banners and sponsored posts throughout the site. When a reader clicks on one of these, he is taken to a page with additional ads on it. When someone makes a purchase, you receive a commission from the sale.
If you are currently making zero to modest income off your blog, there are several ways you can improve your odds of profiting from blogging. You can use affiliate marketing to promote products you’re passionate about – in exchange for a commission you’ll earn if someone clicks and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a commission for every sale that comes from a click on a product you promoted.
Or, you can use a content strategy firm to get ranked for keywords and terms relevant to your niche. In exchange for a monthly fee, you’ll receive traffic and potentially make sales from organically discovered content on your blog.
2. Start an online store.
If you’re the creative type, you can also make money off your talents by starting an Etsy shop. Etsy is a platform where independent artists, designers and small businesses can sell their goods. While there are many Etsy shops that only sell clothing and accessories, you can also set up a shop to sell handbags, home decor items, or even candles if you are feeling extra creative!
Etsy is a great place for beginners to start an online store because you don’t need to have a large amount of inventory to cash in. This can be a blessing since you don’t always need to have hundreds of thousands of dollars to invest in inventory – especially if you’re just starting out. You can create your store in literally no time at all and start selling your goods right away.
One of the biggest advantages to Etsy is the community that forms around the platform. If you run a fashion blog, for example, you can share your passion for clothing with others and form a community of like-minded people who share your interests.
3. Start an online store in a themed app.
If you’re the tech-savvy type, you can also set up an e-commerce store in a themed app such as Shopify, Woocommerce, or Amazon’s own Shopnow.
Shopify was the first of these platforms and offers a minimalist interface that lets you get your store up and running in no time. Once you’re up and running, you can add products from creators who have built a following on the platform – whether you are a blogger, author, or social media personality, you can connect with thousands of creators who are available to sell their products to your audience.
WooCommerce is another popular option with a lot of features. This e-commerce plugin allows you to set up an online store in no time at all. Amazon’s Shopnow also offers a simple e-commerce setup with tons of features to help you run your store – from shipping to stock control and management. For those who want a bespoke store experience, Shopify and Woocommerce are great options. For instance, with Shopify you can choose from hundreds of free designs or you can hire a professional designer to help you create a unique look for your store.
4. Start an online store in an adult entertainment or social media app.
If money is no object to you and you’re willing to take on the risk of being judged, you can start an online store in an app specifically designed for the over-18s such as AO.com, Mykonos, or Tumbler.
Mykonos is best known for its adult entertainment platform where users can connect with other users for online group chats and webcam sessions. TUMBLER is another option where users can upload their own videos and content to a central hub – you choose the themes and colors, and other users can leave comments and rate your content.
If you’re looking to make money off your hobbies – be it photography, writing, or crafting – you can use a platform such as Amazon Mechanical Turk to get paid to take on small tasks for customers. Alternatively, you can use a task-winding site such as Fiverr or Upwork to connect with customers who want various online marketing tasks carried out.
5. Start a YouTube channel.
YouTube is one of the most popular social media platforms and a great place to make money off videos that you create and upload yourself. You can make money from ads on YouTube or become a partner and make money off other creators’ content – whether you specialize in beauty, fitness, or lifestyle videos, there is a niche platform for you to discover.
The best part about YouTube is how easy it is to get started with. All you need to do is register a free account and you’re good to go. Then, you can start creating content and attracting subscribers.
YouTube is great for branding and to gain credibility – it’s very easy to share a link to your channel on your website or social media accounts and potentially boost your SEO as well.
6. Use your smartphone to make money.
If you’re tech-savvy and have a smartphone, you can make good money from taking on small tasks for businesses and individuals via an app called Swipt. All you need to do is download the app, create a profile, and you’re good to go – then, you can start taking on tasks and earning money in real-time via your phone or tablet.
If you want to make quick cash, you can use a tool like Swipt where you can search for tasks that you can complete – whether you want to translate a phrase, take a photo for a business, or design a mock-up, you can get paid to complete these tasks. Just remember to be professional and make your work look as good as new – you’ll be able to complete these tasks quickly and easily, so don’t waste time with sub-par work.
7. Start an online store in an auction website.
If you’re not the tech-savvy type but still want to get involved in e-commerce, you can start an online store in an auction website – whether it’s an established market leader like eBay or a smaller platform like Stellify.
Auction websites like Esty are great places for beginners looking to get started since you don’t need a lot of inventory to get going. You simply set up an online store within the platform, add your products, and start advertising – once you start getting traffic, you can take on more involved tasks such as selling items for other people or moderating auctions.
8. Start a YouTube channel and live stream.
Nowadays, people are getting more comfortable with being online while watching content on their smartphones or tablets. So if you’ve got a YouTube channel with a decent following, you can package up some LIVE events and sell them as video content – whether you want to cover a relevant current event or interview famous guests, you can put together a special event that you can monetize later.
If you’re a fitness guru or have a following on social media, you can also live stream workouts and Q&As via Hootsuite – whether you want to showcase your skills or educate your audience about a topic, you can use your webcam to hold open house meetings and seminars via GoPros, FaceTaks, or Amazon’s own Rekognition. Simply download the app, set up a meeting, and you’re good to go – or, you can call in guests using your phone’s voice call functionality.
Nowadays, with so much competition and so many people vying for your attention, it’s crucial to develop strategies to boost your income. The most effective way to make money online is to be as versatile as possible – whether you are experienced or simply getting started, you can find a way to earn revenue.