Whether you’re looking for a better way to make ends meet or just need a reliable way to save extra money for the future, making money online is a perfect fit for just about everyone.
You can build a side hustle that plays to your passions, fits into your schedule, and makes you money. You don’t need to be a seasoned expert to get started, either.
However, you do need a good idea of what’s out there so you can make an informed decision.
Whether you’re a whiz at digital marketing, someone with a keen eye for design, or an ace writer dying to get your voice heard, there’s an online gig out there that’s right for you.
Here are some of today’s best options regarding how to make money online for beginners.
1. Start a blog
In most cases, making money online by starting a blog means being willing to play the long game.
But if you’re a would-be writer with a knack for words and something important to say, it’s a must for several reasons.
Your blog can make you money directly through options like digital ads, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing. However, you can also leverage a successful blog to attract private writing clients, offer coaching services, and more.
All-in-one platforms like WordPress or Wix make it a snap to get started.
You can also choose to blog on platforms like Medium or Quora and earn engagement-based royalties on what you write.
Such platforms occupy an interesting middle ground between a blog and a social media platform, so they come complete with an engaged audience you can tap right into.
2. Become a freelancer
If you’ve always dreamed of running your own business, then you owe it to yourself to consider freelancing.
As a freelancer, you decide what you’re good at, hire yourself and your expertise out to paying clients, and grow your business over time.
You also get to call all your own shots, including your pay, work hours, working requirements, and so forth.
What you do as a digital-age freelancer is up to you, but you have many options. Many people offer creative services like graphic design, writing, or website development.
However, there are freelance administrative assistants, publicists, and just about everything else you can think of, too.
3. Start consulting
Some people genuinely love what they’re already doing for a living offline and would love a way to put some of that expertise into play online.
However, not every job or career may transition all that well into remote work. If that sounds like your situation, then you might consider becoming a consultant.
Consultants are professionals who use their experience, expertise, and industry knowledge to advise other professionals on how to reach their own goals or solve problems.
You can consult remotely on just about anything from law, to financial management, to SEO, so it’s an option that’s open to just about anyone.
4. Create and sell your own e-courses
Many people looking for ideas on how to make money online for beginners are thinking of full- or part-time work that can supplement (or even replace) what they’re already doing.
But there are lots of money-making opportunities that can generate indefinite amounts of passive income, as well.
Creating online courses is one of today’s more popular options.
You can create an online course on just about any subject you’re knowledgeable about. Topics like entrepreneurship, investing, crypto, copywriting, and personal finance are especially popular.
Just compile what you know, upload it to a course-sharing platform like Teachable or Udemy, create a strategy to market your work, and you’re all set.
5. Start an eBay store
If you’ve got a knack for spotting bargains at garage sales or thrift stores, you might want to consider flipping those items for a profit on a selling platform like eBay.
It’s a great way to transition a hobby you might already have into a viable way to earn some extra money on the side.
You can also use eBay and similar platforms to resell items you already own, as well as put original creations up for sale.
Think artwork, handmade jewelry, refurbished home décor, and more. Don’t be afraid to get creative, as there’s a market out there for just about everything.
6. Participate in market research
You don’t necessarily need a well-developed professional skill you can leverage right off the bat to make money online as a beginner.
Your experience as an everyday consumer is enough to potentially make a few extra bucks participating in market research if you play your cards right.
Numerous companies are perpetually searching for everyday people like you to try out new software, websites, games, or digital products and give them honest feedback on how to make them better. And most importantly of all, they’re willing to pay for your time and insight.
There are platforms out there — like Branded Surveys and Swagbucks, to name just two — offering consumers paid survey opportunities, as well.
Potential payouts vary from opportunity to opportunity.
7. Launch a YouTube channel
Successful YouTube creators can pull in a small fortune via their channels.
So if you’re a natural in front of the camera and love creating video content, consider launching your own channel and building it to the point where it’s eligible for monetization.
Criteria you must meet include:
- A subscriber count of 1,000 or more.
- A total of 4,000 watch hours or more over the past 12 months.
- A linked AdSense account for receiving payouts.
Like blogging, building a YouTube channel that’s also a solid income stream takes time.
It also takes effort, as competition is fierce on YouTube thanks to its 2.6 billion active users. But if you’re willing to work at it, you stand to earn a sizeable income, as well as a variety of additional opportunities.
8. Explore affiliate marketing
When most people picture the best solutions to how to make money online for beginners, affiliate marketing is generally one of the first options that come to mind.
In affiliate marketing, you actively promote third-party goods and services via a unique seller link. Whenever someone completes a sale through that link, you collect a commission.
Most companies that offer affiliate programs let you get started for free, so there aren’t upfront costs to worry about.
And, of course, commissions will vary according to the product being sold, so opt for big-ticket, high-value items to maximize your profits.
The right options can pay out hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in commission.
9. Try video editing
If you love working with video but aren’t particularly keen on being in front of the camera, there’s plenty of potential room for you behind it instead.
Video content is increasingly in demand these days, with many thousands of companies and content creators looking to create steady streams of it.
All those videos naturally need to be edited, making video editing a great potential income stream as far as how to make money online for beginners.
You can also market yourself as an audio editor, a sound mixer, and more.
10. Be a social media manager
A strong social media presence isn’t just a good idea for a digital-age business looking to get ahead. It’s an absolute must.
However, many business owners don’t really have the time to personally manage the entire suite of social media profiles modern consumers expect brands to have these days.
That’s exactly why social media management is one of the more popular tasks to outsource these days.
As a social media manager, you’ll likely be responsible for curating and posting timely content.
You’ll also be in charge of ensuring messages receive timely responses, engaging with audiences, and boosting the associated brand’s following.
11. Try your hand at investing
Although investing is potentially quite lucrative as far as how to make money online for beginners, it may not be the right fit for everyone.
To succeed as an investor, you really need to know what you’re doing, as it can lead to losses that are as significant as the potential gains.
But play your cards right, and it could become a truly reliable source of extra income.
Start by researching the basics of how the stock market works. Develop a basic understanding of consumer stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrency, stock options, and other investment opportunities.
Then dive in. Trading platforms like eToro and RobinHood make it easy to get started for a relatively modest initial investment amount. A stock trading journal will help you track your progress over time.
12. Design an app
App-making is another online business that’s positively booming right now and will only continue to grow into the future.
So if you’ve got a great idea for an app that just might change the world, you owe it to yourself to get it developed.
If you understand app-building basics, you can naturally do the work yourself. But if not, you can outsource the portions of the task you need help with.
Digital-age consumers are perpetually in search of apps that can save them time, make them money, or keep them entertained, so the sky’s truly the limit.
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At this point, you know how to make money online for beginners.
You likely already have some idea of what type of income stream or business you’d like to pursue, as well. Now it’s time to ensure your future career starts on the right foot.
How to take care of finances as a freelancer is perhaps one of the most important concerns new freelancers don’t consider early enough. So the sooner you can get your affairs in order here, the better.
Check out our helpful write-up on finances for freelancers for some great tips to get you started!
