You wake up one morning and decide to try something new. After months of thinking about it and some research, you finally decide to make the plunge and sign up for a gig-working platform (if you don’t know what that is, you’ll soon find out). Before you know it, you’ve got a few gigs lined up and are earning enough money to cover your monthly bills. You decide to continue working for the month and decide to try something different. Before you know it, you’re making money online without a website or blog!
If this sounds like something that interests you, then continue reading. We’ll discuss ways in which you can make money online without a website or blog.
Blogging
Although it’s not always necessary to have a website to make money online, it’s always a good idea. The two are similar in that they both allow you to post content (blog articles) and connect with potential customers. But, while a website provides a storefront through which you can sell products, a blog doesn’t necessarily have to. A blog can simply be used to publish helpful content that provides value to your potential customers. In fact, many well-known blogs don’t actually sell anything at all. They simply provide helpful information that people can use.
In order to create a blog, all you need is an HTML template (this can be found free online), a domain name, and a web hosting service (which can also be found free online).
A simple tutorial on how to publish a blog can be found here. Don’t worry; this isn’t technical stuff you need to be familiar with. Simply follow the steps and before you know it, you’ve got a working blog!
Selling Physical Products
While blogging is a fantastic way to monetize a site, it’s not the only way. One of the absolute most prosperous industries online is the digital product sales industry. People are buying and receiving gifts cards online for just about any type of product you could think of. If you’ve got a physical product (e.g., an ebook, a DVD, a shirt, etc.) that you think people might be interested in, you can use a platform like Flipcart or Storeify to monetize your product.
These platforms let you embed a shop into your website. When a user clicks on an article or an image that takes them to an online store, you’ll earn a small slice of the sale. The great thing about this approach is that it doesn’t require you to build a company website or blog. Simply insert a few words describing your product and the platform takes care of the rest.
Vlogging
If you’re someone who is very comfortable in front of the camera, you can take this approach and create what is called a vlog. A vlog is much like a blog, with the exception that it is more video than text. You’ll need a good camera, a decent microphone, and some creativity to pull off a decent vlog. If you’ve got all three, then it’s time to make some money online!
There are many platforms that you can use to create and publish a video blog, but unless you’re specifically looking for a way to make money, it’s not necessary to limit yourself to just one. For the sake of this tutorial, we’ll be using YouTube.
The first thing you need to do is set up a simple YouTube channel. In order to do this, visit the YouTube homepage and click on the Get Started button. This will take you to the Creators Studio where you can choose from a variety of templates to build your channel. Once you’ve chosen a theme, you can go back and edit the text, add music and videos, and start broadcasting!
Freelancing
If none of the previous options seem like a good fit, then perhaps you should consider becoming a freelancer. Getting paid to do what you’re already doing online (i.e., writing or designing content for websites and online magazines) can be quite profitable. It can also be a great way to gain experience and move up the ladder.
There are many platforms where you can find freelance writing jobs. You can also use specialized tools like Fiverr or Upwork to connect with companies that need content. Designing and creating online stores, landing pages, and blogs is something that many companies are searching for, so you can definitely make a good living doing this.
Podcasting
Another great way to make money online is podcasting. Podcasts are all the rage these days, so much so that there are entire platforms designed for creating and distributing content in the form of podcasts. The content typically focuses on sharing valuable information in a conversational manner. Interviews with prominent figures, the sharing of wisdom and experience, and the telling of compelling stories are all parts of a podcast’s makeup.
While podcasts can be completely standalone, meaning that you don’t necessarily need a website or a blog to listen to and enjoy them, many podcasts are associated with, or at least subscribe to, a specific theme. For example, there are many spiritual podcasts, where the main thrust is to help individuals find peace in their own walk of life. Or, there are many technology podcasts, where the main goal is to explain how technology works and how it can be used effectively.
No matter what your interests are, there’s probably a podcast out there that you should listen to. Getting started is easy: all you need is a Google account and a mobile device. After that, it’s up to you!
Creating a YouTube channel, publishing a blog, freelancing, podcasting, and selling physical products are all viable ways to make money online without a website or blog. As you can see, none of these require a lot of technical expertise, and many use platforms that can be accessed easily through a web browser. With the right guidance, anyone can make money online. So, don’t be afraid to try something new!