Making money online used to be associated with scams such as Nigerian emails requesting funds which would return you millions, not to mention get-rich quick schemes. Now it’s possible to earn real money online by selling your services, items, or even your knowledge.
The best part is that you don’t have to worry about a long traffic laden, or snowy, commute into the office. Consider these four quick and convenient ideas for making money online without much effort.
YouTube
If you have a hobby that you’re passionate about and want to share it with the world, you can monetize it by making YouTube videos. The gaming community has exploded thanks to online streaming through YouTube and Twitch, but other hobbies can benefit too.
Amateur make-up artists are earning six-figure salaries from their instructional videos for how to apply makeup. Aquarium set-up, car repair, cooking, and just about any kind of DIY service will get hits on YouTube.
The main benefit of monetizing your video content is that you continue to earn money from the views as long as the video gets watched. Educational and entertainment content performs well on the video streaming service, so sharing your hobby with the world could earn you big bucks. Just how much can be a bit more complicated.
The translation of YouTube followers into a revenue stream can be confusing when trying to forecast future potential earnings. There are plenty of online calculators that will help you do the math. They have average engagement rates that you can apply to your average daily views, and based on the industry you are in, it will translate into a revenue per action number for you.
Don’t expect to make millions right from the start. It often takes years to build up a loyal following that can help you earn real money. But keep at it and you might be surprised by what you can achieve.
Record a Podcast
If videos aren’t your thing, but you’d still like to share your knowledge or entertainment with an audience, then podcasting might be for you. Podcasts can be both educational and entertaining, or a combination of both.
One of the most popular podcasts in the world is called Serial, and it looks at whether or not a man committed the crimes he is accused of committing. Your show doesn’t have to involve investigative journalism.
Two of today’s most popular podcasters got their start in gaming journalism before becoming full-time podcasters. Justin and Griffin McElroy host several entertainment variety shows with different themes. Sawbones is an educational podcast about the history of medicine, while the Adventure Zone podcast is about playing D&D with their father.
Podcasts can be monetized through sponsorships and direct advertising. There are even sites like Patreon that allow for monetary donations to consumers favorite “works of art”. Admittedly, podcasts are the most common placements on Patreon, but there are other amateur works of art that people will donate to on there. There are typically monthly recurring donation levels that lead to small benefits like advance episodes or small gifts in return.
Sell Crafts Online
If you’re the handy type who likes making new items to give to friends and family, you can put that talent to use online. Etsy is an online marketplace that lets you sell any handmade item. You’ll need at least ten items to get started with your online store.
Remember, before Etsy, we had eBay and Amazon that allowed you to do the same thing, but somehow Etsy has cornered the crafts market in a more unique and thoughtful way.
Try Online Trading
Day trading has long been touted as a way to earn money from home, and this was before the advent of online brokerages. Back in the hey-day of Wall Street, you could actually call your broker from home to buy and sell as needed. Fortunately, it has gotten much easier over the years.
Day trading is a term that many novice traders are familiar with, but it’s the strategy of day traders that you may be less familiar with. Swing trading is the method of many successful day traders. Swing traders take advantage of known market highs and lows to turn a profit over several days or weeks.
A good swing trading strategy is to buy the sell-off at the end of the year before selling the stock at earnings for a profit. Swing trading isn’t without its risks, and you’ll need a bit of money to get started, but once you learn the ups and downs of the market, it can be fun to earn money this way. You should always educate yourself on proper trading practices and consider the advice of a tutor or mentor to help you get started with swing trading.
