Starting an online venture with the intent to make money should not be too complicated these days. More and more people are giving online jobs a try, and they do not necessarily have to leave their regular work.
Because of the pandemic, some workers do not have to commute to their offices. Staying at home and working from there means that you have more free time. Even if it is just an hour or two every day, you can take advantage and use it to create a source of income.
The methods below should give you some ideas on how to start. And do not fret if you are unsuccessful at first. Take the experience you gain to move forward and continue looking for a method that works out in the end.
Method #1 – Print on Demand
Starting a print on demand venture from scratch can be difficult, particularly if you manage every aspect of the business alone. If it is too much of a challenge, get yourself a partner. It is likely that you lack design skills and will need to hire a freelancer who can take care of the designing part of the project. Having someone like that would give you more time to focus on promotion.
Printify explains what prints sell best on their website, but what sells better for some may not sell the same for others. After all, entering a saturated market would mean more competition, and for someone with next to no experience and few resources to spare, fighting against already established brands is not the best approach.
Nevertheless, if you are not sure what to pick for your merchandise line, consider the list of top 10 items sold on Printify. T-shirts, hoodies, face masks, and calendars are some of the suggestions to consider.
Also, keep in mind that you will not sell merchandise if it lacks the necessary quality, not to mention the designs that need to be catchy and persuade potential shoppers to spend their money on your POD products.
Method #2 – Blogging
Blogging can start as a hobby, or a means to express yourself. However, if you have a knack for writing and can produce quality content consistently, monetizing a blog is not a far-fetched idea, even when there are so many bloggers who have already established themselves.
Some of the blog monetization methods include running ads, selling digital products like e-books, and starting a crowdfunding page.
Method #3 – Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing may have fallen out of favor recently, but it is still a good way to make extra money. Finding a product you want to promote should not be a problem because there is a wide range of options on Amazon, ClickBank, and other popular affiliate programs.
You will need a website where you can publish product reviews. There are multiple examples of affiliate sites you can find online for some inspiration.
Focus on search engine optimization and other means of advertising the site to make sure that the traffic is relevant and can convert. You get a commission for every person that clicks on your affiliate link and purchases a product or service from the original seller’s store.
Method #4 – Online Courses
Creating and selling a course on Skillshare and Udemy is worth considering even if you have no background in education. The important thing is to focus on content quality.
Pick a topic and find as many sources for it as you can. Compile the information into an easy-to-digest video tutorial, a series of articles, or another form of content, and publish it. If you have done a good job, the course should sell on the platform and bring you money.
Method #5 – Surveys
Online surveys are great for those who have only an hour or so to spare and would like to spend that time improving their financial situation. One survey takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete on average, so you can finish as many as five surveys in an hour.
The available services may vary depending on where you live, but platforms like Swagbucks and Inbox Dollar offer surveys for most people. Also, keep in mind that if you run out of available options on your computer, switching to a smartphone or a tablet might give you more surveys.
Method #6 – Customer Support
Customer support may not be the most exciting type of work in the world, but it is still a good way to gain valuable experience in addition to making money.
Businesses need more reps, particularly now when more people are shopping online because of the pandemic.
As a rule of thumb, you may be better off working in a store where you can solve customer issues via emails and direct messages on a website rather than phone calls. Speaking with customers on the phone is not a fun experience, and it can really drain your energy.