By
James
Updated on
Nowadays, most people look for and have a side hustle that complements their full-time job.
Creating an alternate source of passive income is a sensible way of supporting a healthy lifestyle. For this, there are multiple online business opportunities in recent times that one can consider for making money online.
But, not every business idea is legitimate or profitable in the long run. The get-rich-quick money-making gigs like online lottery or rummy games would not fill your pocket, nor will they give you a career boost.
With a lucrative side hustle or online gigs, you can quickly reach your financial goals and have more money to spare. You can use this spare money towards paying your student loans, retirement funds, down payments, or emergency fund.
To help you earn money online through proper sources, we have curated a list of short and long-term digital business and profit-making ideas to earn extra money.
15 Real Ways To Make Money Online
1. Own A Professional Blog
Opening a website is easy and comes with a lot of advantages. A well-made blog can not only make you money, but it can also build you an online presence. Further, it connects you to influencers and other experts in different fields.
Before setting up a blog, you should decide the niche you want to focus on. This preference should be based on subjects and things you are passionate about or have experience with. So, for those who love writing, owning and managing a blog may be an excellent way to hone your skills and showcase your talent.
Your content should ideally target a specific audience to have better reach and reads. The platform for your website also depends on your target audience. For example, if you wish to sell products or write product reviews, you can create a blog on Shopify.
Multiple Content Management Systems (CMS) offer paid and free domains to start your first blog post, such as WordPress, Joomla, Ghost, etc. However, if you want to buy a separate domain name, you can buy them from sites like GoDaddy and Hostgator.
Moreover, publishing great content consistently and using SEO principles that can increase website traffic and make you more money is crucial.
2. Start A YouTube Channel
Creating your own YouTube channel is another excellent way to make money online if you love creating content and public speaking.
A successful YouTube channel can build an enormous online personal brand that can earn you thousands of dollars. But ensure your content in your chosen niche is comparable to top channels in the field.
Sticking to a single niche is beneficial to create a loyal and like-minded audience. Popular YouTubers have made millions through consistent and engaging content in various niches.
For example, you can upload makeup tutorials, how-to guides, and product reviews, teach skills, cook recipes, stream video games or create daily vlogs based on your life.
However, your content should be witty and appealing to ensure better audience retention and a longer attention span. You can also increase your popularity through catchy headlines, aesthetic and informative thumbnails, and entertainment on the side.
Once you reach the first 1,000 followers, you can monetize the YouTube channel with ads and make good money.
3. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has been a popular way of creating a secondary source of income throughout the years. Although the revenue generated through this is not always stable, it is a tried and tested passive income method.
An affiliate marketer is usually a professional who promotes brands as a side hustle. This marketing process involves promoting digital and physical products, where every affiliate or publisher earns a commission each time someone purchases a particular product or brand.
To start, you can choose from a variety of companies to partner with, including popular multinational brands like Amazon, Shopify, Uber, etc. Even though some commissions may seem inadequate, you can promote multiple products simultaneously by linking them to your website or YouTube channel.
Moreover, many companies and brands provide marketers with an affiliate link that tracks conversions and drives traffic to their websites. The monthly revenue potential for affiliate marketing is $1000 for beginners and $10,000 to $100,000 for mid-level to advanced affiliates.
4. Dropshipping Business
Dropshipping is a viable and popular way to make money online. This side hustle idea is gaining more and more fans as it is a very convenient way to sell products from a website without the processing and shipping hassles.
It includes the process of selling products through supplier stores which package, process, and deliver the item to the customer. Briefly speaking, you act as the middleman between the supplier store and customers in a dropshipping business and receive commissions on every purchase.
This business model entails low risk and is, therefore, a convenient way of opening an online store without much investment. It is also an easy way to start an eCommerce business.
Moreover, having a dropshipping business allows you to add thousands of products to your own website to ensure a solid income. For example, websites like Shopify enable you to access many products and decide on your product images, item descriptions, and taglines.
First, pick products with high demand and use SEO techniques and keyword research to optimize your site. Selling trendy products will also give you better exposure. Some of the ways you can generate sales are:
- Promoting products on the Facebook Marketplace
- Reach out to potential customers
- Hire influencers to review products
5. Create Online Courses
If you are an expert in a particular field or subject, you can monetize specific skills by sharing them through online courses. Selling courses is one of the most profitable yet enjoyable ways to earn money online.
You can sell online courses on educational platforms like Udemy, edX, Udacity, etc. Selling courses on multiple personal websites is lucrative if you’re known for your strong expertise that caters to particular audiences.
Creating courses that cater to trending subjects or recent educational advances can boost your exposure and create a good customer base. You should also be at par with what other creators are offering to ensure you remain at the top of the competition.
An informative and resourceful online course is one that has clear objectives, key points to be covered, reference to multiple resources, and engaging content. To help with this, you can create an email list, forums, and communities where your clients can send their queries or discuss matters concerning a particular topic or subject.
6. Offer Freelance Services
One of the most basic ways of earning extra money to increase your monthly income is through freelancing. The world of freelancing is vast; you can offer services for almost anything at the rate you decide.
You can also turn your full-time job into an online freelancing business and provide services when hired. Some of the domains you can specialize in are:
- Graphic design
- Web development
- Copywriting
- Content marketing
- Administrative assistant
- Subject-matter expert
- Digital Marketing
Freelancers are in high demand in today’s market since more companies and brands are shifting their business models into a completely digital one. Therefore, properly managing websites and online stores can become difficult without hired help like freelancers.
Moreover, every individual offering freelance services requires different platforms. For example, if you are a freelance writer, you can take up jobs from portals like Upwork, Freelancers, Fiverr, etc. But, if you wish to create your own brand, using a free domain is ideal.
To ensure a successful freelancing career, you must gradually create a strong portfolio showcasing your skills and promote your freelance services on social media platforms like LinkedIn.
7. Become A Virtual Assistant
With the increase in new business ventures and entrepreneurial companies, there is a huge demand for virtual assistants on the market. Since it is pretty challenging to handle administerial management alone, many entrepreneurs hire virtual assistants to help them with specific tasks.
A virtual assistant provides part-time assistance in tasks such as bookkeeping, scheduling appointments, customer support, social media management, etc.
The virtual assistant role is ideal for people with less availability since it requires less time and is entirely remote. Moreover, this job requires little to no experience, so if you are looking to make more money besides a full-time job, this is perfect for you.
To be an ideal virtual assistant, you must have specific skills, including time management, perfectionism, attention to detail, and organizational skills. You can find these part-time gigs on websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Wishup, and on various social media platforms or job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, and CareerBuilder.
8. Become An Online Tutor
In the post-pandemic era, people have adopted new learning methods to ensure comfort and accessibility. As such, online tutoring jobs are an easy way to make money online at your own convenience and availability. If you are an expert in any particular field or subject, you can earn money to share knowledge with students who are eager to learn.
Various online platforms can be used for online tutoring, including Zoom, Google Meet, TrueConf, etc. Furthermore, if you have a teaching degree, you are more likely to find better tutoring opportunities.
But, even someone with sufficient knowledge but no experience can create a huge client base by delivering good teaching and promoting their services. You only need a stable internet connection and a computer to start.
However, since an online tutor needs to work and communicate with people directly, you may need to be more diligent about this gig.
Aside from subjects like science, math, and history, online tutors are often in huge demand to teach English online. Since it is an international language, you can find students worldwide, helping you create a solid income source.
Many platforms help you earn money fast through online tutorials:
- Chegg Tutors
- Tutor.com
- Cambly
- Tutor Me
- Yup
9. Become An Influencer
If you dream of having a substantial social media presence and love creating content, consider becoming an influencer.
Celebrities are not the only influencers on social media apps right now. With an increase in the popularity of social platforms like Instagram and TikTok, many lesser-known people have been building an online presence.
The first criterion you must gradually fulfill is having a good following. Post consistently with engaging, pleasing content and create viral videos to gain more followers. After your follower count grows, you can expand into different niches and content types to gain more sponsorships and drive engagement.
Moreover, there are various ways of making money on a social media platform. These include selling pictures, opening your own store, making your own podcast, adding affiliate links in your bio, etc. To earn extra money while being an influencer, you can also make your own website catering to a specific audience and sell merchandise online.
10. Offer Translation Work
Although the translation industry is fairly underestimated, there are a lot of opportunities to make money online by translating texts. And since it is less recognized, there’s very little competition in the market.
To become a translator, you should be fluent and experienced in at least two languages. It also helps if one of your languages is a popular international one and the other comparatively minor.
Moreover, if you are a native bilingual or have language or fine arts degrees, providing translation services may be one of the most lucrative money-making ideas for you. Several businesses, researchers, and even professors hire part-time translators to aid in their customer reach, customer support, research development, book completion, etc.
However, to show that you are a capable translator or provide a satisfactory service, building a strong portfolio showcasing your works is a must. If you do not have an extensive portfolio, showing your previous experiences in translation work is also a good idea.
Building an online presence as a language expert and translator will further help you build a strong client base and gain more work. Here are some platforms where you can find translation jobs to make money fast:
- Upwork
- Pro Translating
- People Per Hour
- Gengo
- Translators Base
11. Create A Podcast
If you harbor a passion for narrating stories and talking about your field of expertise or your favorite things, we suggest starting a podcast.
Here, too, you will need to decide on a particular niche to target a specific audience base. Podcasters cover a wide variety of topics, including music, literature, lifestyle, motivation, yoga, mental health, true crime, etc., which are in high demand today.
You can start your own show on popular platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Music. Moreover, creating content on relevant topics which are popular among your competitors is a great way to ensure wider reach.
Your podcast can also be entirely solo or feature guests with expertise in your particular niche. And besides your podcast, you can make money online through affiliate links for digital products, sponsorships, and direct audience support through Patreon.
Moreover, podcasts are a multi-purpose earning option since you can combine them with other money-making gigs like affiliate marketing, ads, and sponsorships, offering educational courses, consultation, etc.
Once you find the podcast gradually gaining ground, you can even make an RSS feed on podcast hosting websites and create a brand or personal business for increased profits!
12. Participate In Online Surveys
Completing online surveys is a quick and efficient method to earn a few bucks online without any investment.
Multiple companies and businesses pay online survey sites to conduct surveys to help improve their digital products or unreleased services. Each survey website caters to a specific niche or product, making it easier for you to choose.
To become a member of such survey sites, you will have to pass a qualification test. Upon qualifying, they will provide you with surveys that are suitable to your demographic information.
Moreover, you will have to follow each website’s instructions carefully to ensure your submissions are approved. Nonetheless, participating in online surveys requires no skill or experience, so everyone can earn a few dollars on the side.
You cannot expect to earn a lot from surveys alone. Each survey usually pays around $1 to $15, depending on the length and importance. But if you wish to earn some pocket money, you can try this out.
Some websites that offer surveys to make money online are:
- Swagbucks
- Branded Surveys
- Survey Junkie
- Vindale Research
- Pinecone Research
- InboxDollars
13. Sell Second-hand Clothes And Other Products
Selling second-hand clothes and products are a great way of getting rid of things you don’t need and earning money from them. The revenue you can make from this business depends on what items you sell and their quality.
To begin, find all items in your home that you longer need, but make sure they are neat and in proper condition. You can sell anything from t-shirts and appliances to furniture and home decor if you offer good quality and speedy delivery.
Moreover, you should sell your items at a reasonable price. To help with that, you can search for the original price of an item and reduce it based on its present condition.
Although selling second items is not a long-term source of income, you can get more sales that will help you earn money faster. To reach a wider audience and potential clients, consider promoting your products on shopping platforms like Facebook marketplace, Instagram, or Craigslist.
However, for your product to get approved on selling platforms, you will require to upload proof of quality, such as clear photos and videos. You can also open an online store if you wish to sell multiple items.
14. Test Apps And Websites
The user-testing industry is a new way of making money online. If you are tech-savvy, have good communication skills, and pay attention to detail, you might make a great web or app tester.
Game and app developers partner with certain websites to help improve their user experience and tech quality. These sites, in turn, pay people who are willing to try these unreleased apps and websites.
This testing process includes qualifying for certain tests, navigating new apps and sites, and then sharing feedback upon completion. You will have to carefully comment on their design, functionality, and user-friendliness to receive more test invites.
The rate per task varies between different websites, but you can earn up to $15 with each trial. However, testing apps and websites are only to be taken as side hustles since they cannot guarantee a steady flow of income.
Some websites that offer paid website and app testing tasks are:
- BrowserStack
- Usertesting
- PlaytestCloud
- Ubertesters
- Userbrain
Furthermore, if you have relevant skills in UX Design, Web Development, or Quality Assessment, you can have the edge over other reviewers and competitors.
Also, to ensure you get adequately paid on time, use only trustworthy job boards and platforms like those listed above.
15. Buy And Sell Domain Names
Although the domain-selling industry, free or paid, is highly competitive, you can make a good profit out of this side hustle. This is suitable for those who already have purchased a domain name, including free domain privacy which they no longer use.
However, domain names with a single word or phrase have higher chances of selling since they look more appealing. Trendy and highly searched words or niches are better received as well. You can also buy custom domain names from sites like Shopify’s domain platform and sell them at a higher price.
Moreover, there’s the option of selling domain names on GoDaddy Auction. Here, you can find domain names with the highest bidders to get an idea about what kind of names are profitable to buy.
Final Thoughts
As we explained each money-making idea, we found that multiple side hustle options provide essential financial security.
Before choosing your side business venture, make sure to calculate the desired income based on your availability and skills. Also, do not begin working on a secondary source of income with very high expectations. Start humble and then improve your venture with gradual growth.
Although some side hustles may seem easy, they often require lots of effort and lead to burnout. It is, therefore, essential to choose a side gig that you are passionate about.
Lastly, you should beware of scams and fraudulent websites before signing up for work. Thoroughly research the particular company or site before registering or partnering up with them.
That ends our discussion on tangible ways to make six figures online in 2023. We hope this guide encourages you to pursue your passion and earn big right from the comfort of your home!
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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