If you’re looking to make some extra money, you have a number of options. You could become a virtual assistant, sell your photos on stock photography websites, become a social media influencer, or start your own business. All of these are profitable and much less stressful than you’d think, so research and diligence should not be discarded as a viable option. In fact, becoming your own boss and controlling your own destiny could prove to be the most rewarding and stress-free experience you’ll ever know.
Sell Your Photos Online
Stock photography websites, like Shutterstock, Unsplash, and Pexels, are the best places to make money off your photos. These are large platforms that connect marketers with art directors searching for still images to feature in their marketing material. You’ll need to sign up with a creative commons license to be able to sell your photos to these companies, but the freedom is worth it.
Selling your photos online is a way of making money you’ve probably never thought of. All you need is a good camera, the ability to edit photos, and a computer or mobile device. You can use sites like Fiverr and Upwork to connect with potential clients, or you can develop and maintain your own website.
The advantage of having your own website is that you can drive traffic to it. To attract potential customers, you can offer special deals and discounts, as well as showcase your work. Once you’ve got a decent amount of content, you can consider exploring affiliate marketing, which will boost your revenue and cut down on your marketing costs.
Start A Blog
Blogs don’t just have to be about fashion and style; they can cover anything from beauty and lifestyle to food and drink. If you want to start a blog to make money, the most essential thing you need is a good idea for a niche. Once you’ve got that, you can look into the various options available to monetize your blog.
The most straightforward and perhaps the most popular way of making money from a blog is through affiliate marketing. That is, when a reader clicks on a product or service linked to from your blog, you’ll earn a commission.
If you’ve got a popular lifestyle or fashion blog, you can sign up for a free account with Shopify and use their platform to sell and promote products that are relevant to your niche. You’ll need to set up shopify online store, create product pages for the items you’re selling, and track your sales to see how it’s going. If you want to see what kind of passive income you can generate without breaking the bank, try out affiliate marketing.
Create And Sell Videos
Videos are the future of content marketing and advertising. Not only do people love to watch videos of the products and services they use, but also the videos themselves become highly engaging content that viewers want to see more of.
Creating videos is very easy and can be done with either a paid tool or even a free one such as YouTube. The more videos you create, the more you’ll be able to charge for them. Platforms like YouTube are also fairly easy to use and can be customized to fit different layouts and branding. When creating videos for marketing purposes, you should use a product review to demonstrate the features of the item being promoted. If possible, try for video interviews with relevant industry figures, and always make sure the person in the video is clearly identifiable as the source of the information. In video marketing, the search engine optimization (SEO) process is very different from the typical SEO process, so make sure you understand how to properly apply the algorithms on these platforms to ensure your videos get the most bang for your buck when it comes to reaching your target audience.
Start A YouTube Channel
YouTube creators can make a living off their channels, whether they’re based on gaming, comedy, or music. The best part about YouTube is that you don’t need to have a massive following to become a recognizable name. As long as you can get enough views to your content, you can then use the platform’s built-in tools to grow your audience and make money off the videos you create. Since most people use YouTube to find and follow videos they find interesting, it follows that a person interested in food or fashion will also use YouTube to discover content.
Creating a YouTube channel is very easy and can be done virtually on any budget. It doesn’t necessarily require a huge amount of equipment or special toys to get started. As long as you can record video clips with a phone or webcam, you can use the platform’s built-in tools to edit and upload your content. Once your channel is up and running, explore the many different ways you can promote your channel and make money off the videos you create. You can also consider using YouTube to host live chat sessions with your audience or even interview guests or celebrities.
Become A Social Media Influencer
If you’re a highly-active social media user, you likely already know what kind of influence you can have online. As a social media influencer, you’ll be able to leverage your following to make money online. You’ll need to build a platform on social media and attract an audience, and then you can scale your income as you grow your community.
To find relevant and engaging content to share on social media, start with your niche. If you’re a fashion influencer, for example, you can explore the many fashion and style trends active on social media, and then craft content that will resonate with your audience.
Once you’ve got your audience, you can consider pursuing sponsored posts, where you’ll effectively be advertising and promoting a product or service for a brand. You’ll generally need to have a significant following to become a reliable and in-demand source for these kinds of posts.
Start A Business
If none of the above seem like a good fit for you, you can always try your hand at entrepreneurship. You’ll need a good idea, a decent amount of capital, and some legal paperwork to get started. Bootstrapping, borrowing from friends and family, and tapping into your network of contacts to get some customers are all viable options if you want to start a business and never have to work for a company again.
The best part about all of the above is that there are so many different ways to make money online. You don’t need to have a sizable following to make money from a blog or YouTube channel, and even if you do, you don’t necessarily need to monetize your content. There’s truly an option for everyone.
If you’re interested in pursuing any of the above, make sure to do your research and due diligence before committing. There are a lot of scammers out there, and you don’t want to get burned by a shady opportunity. Take your time and make sure you’re working with a reputable and established company, agency, or individual. Above all else, be creative and have fun with it! If you’re passionate about a topic, you’re more likely to create content that will resonate with your audience.