In the last few years, many legitimate businesses have sprung up to take advantage of the demand for online tutoring and learning.
These companies offer a variety of online courses and certification programs designed to help students improve their understanding of specific subjects like math, science, or English.
While there is certainly no guarantee that you’ll make money online teaching others, there are plenty of legitimate opportunities out there for educated and experienced individuals who want to earn a living online.
Here’s a roundup of the best programs to make money online.
Online Tutoring Jobs
There are several companies that serve as intermediaries between teachers and students; for example, Tutor.com connects high-quality tutors with students wishing to study anything from English to Computer Science.
Tutor.com (which is owned by the major online education companies of Coursera and ALEKS) connects online tutors with students. You simply need to have a high-quality internet connection, a microphone, and you can get to work. You will get paid per lesson or per hour, depending on the agreement you reach with the student.
The best thing about these kinds of jobs is that you can do them from the comfort of your home. You are not required to be in a location where you can be reached by students (although some tutoring companies will allow you to schedule live sessions).
Another great thing about these jobs is the variety of tasks you can take on. You will definitely not get bored, as there are always multiple tasks to do and new things to learn.
Many of these tutoring companies offer training and support so that you can succeed as a tutor. If you’re looking for a way to earn side money, you could do worse than look into online tutoring. There is certainly no downside to trying out a few free trial lessons to see if online tutoring is the right fit for you.
Online Teaching Jobs
Traditional teachers often have to spend hours preparing for each class, sometimes even traveling to different locations to give the required lectures. With the rise of video lectures and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), that all changed. Nowadays, you can teach online and even make money while you do it. This is most likely the type of teaching gig you will fall into if you decide to go the online route.
To start, you will need a webcam, a microphone, and high-speed internet.
ZeeBiz hosts a variety of online learning platforms, including Video Lectures, Tutorials, Courses, and Certificates. They allow teachers to stream video lectures to students anywhere in the world, on-demand. This can be a great way for world-class lecturers to share their expertise with students, even those unable to attend live classes.
The best thing about teaching online is that it allows you to build your schedule (and modify it whenever you want). This way, you can plan your working hours and fit them around your personal life. You can even set your own price and schedule. And if you’re feeling extra creative, you can come up with ways to engage your students and make the lessons more fun. You will certainly not get bored teaching online.
On the downside, since this is largely independent work, you will have to put in the legwork to find students and teach them. You will also have to market yourself and build a reputation as a qualified teacher. All of this can be more work than getting paid to just hang out and study.
Affiliate Marketing Jobs
Nowadays, affiliate marketing is a popular way of making extra cash online. This is where you get paid for recommending products and services that you think are valuable to the people you are promoting. In return, you will get a commission when someone clicks a product or makes a purchase after being presented with your affiliate link.
Some of the big names in affiliate marketing include Amazon, eBay, and Google. If you can get a reputable affiliate marketing program, you can make a lot of money online without leaving your desk. The best part is you can do this while following a schedule that suits you.
The downside to affiliate marketing is that it can be a bit tricky to figure out. You will need to have a decent amount of knowledge in sales and marketing in order to succeed in this field. Plus, you will need to build a brand for yourself, get others to join you in the affiliate program, and continuously generate leads.
Copywriting & Content Marketing Jobs
If you’re a fast typer and always looking for ways to make money online, copywriting and content marketing are perfect opportunities for you. At its most basic level, copywriting is the process of taking existing content and formatting it in a way that will make it more appealing to potential customers. You will usually be asked to come up with copy for websites, social media posts, emails, etc.
If you’re just getting started, you might want to consider taking advantage of free blog posts on content mills like Blogger or WordPress.com. You can also look for guest posting gigs on other people’s sites. Just make sure you select quality content that is actually valuable to your audience. You will not make money off low-quality content that will just get lost in the digital shuffle.
The most successful copywriters and content marketers I know work hard to build their own personal brand. They choose their own hours, work remotely, and often publish eBooks and audiobooks to build their audience. Once you have enough of an audience, you can pitch them products you think they will love and they will be more likely to purchase. This is how you become a thought leader in your industry and gain credibility with your audience. You can even create lead magnets and other sales funnels to get more subscribers.
The advantage to copywriting and content marketing is that you can usually find work whenever you want it. It can be quite flexible. As an added perk, you can often get freebies or discounts for the products you promote. The disadvantage is that you have to be able to write compelling content that will keep people coming back for more. It is not always easy, especially if your talent is hard to decipher. Also, you will need to have a team of people helping you to spread the word about your work. Hiring interns to help you with content can be a great way to gain experience and get ahead in your career.
Surveying & Data Entry Jobs
Data entry is the process of converting information from one form to another. If you’re a fast typer with basic computer skills, you can take advantage of the demand for online data entry by doing simple tasks for cash. Some of the more popular data entry jobs include:
- Taking surveys
- Verifying customer data
- Categorizing products
- Counting items
- Taking orders
- Taking photos
- Typing letters
- and much more
Surveys are a great way to make money online. You will simply need to identify high-quality survey sites that pay well and from which you can make a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per month. To start, you can do simple surveys for CashCrate, Swagbucks, OneOpinion, or Survey Junkie.
Once you have enough surveys completed, you can move up to more reputable businesses like Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, OneOpinion, or Ipsos iSay. From here, you can transition into more technical tasks like data entry or taking customer calls. You will need to have a solid grasp of computer skills and be able to work quickly and accurately to make money as a data enterer. In some cases, you may also need to take a survey for a company that does not pay well but has a lot of value for the consumer.
To make money online as a survey worker, you will need to build a following. Once you have enough followers, you can start making money through affiliate marketing, selling your own products (with affiliate links), or becoming a freelance writer. You can use your blog to build credibility and make money off content that is relevant to your niche. Be careful not to click on too many affiliate links at once, as that can cause your account to be flagged by the companies you are promoting. After being flagged, the company may revoke your ability to make sales or offer content to other customers.