If you’re looking for a side hustle or a new business idea, you may have thought about ways to make money online.
When you know what you’re doing, making money online is pretty straightforward. In this article, we explore some different ways to earn money online. To learn how to make money online, read this article from start to finish.
Yes, you can make money with an online side hustle.
Bankrate.com wrote in 2023 that 39% of working Americans report having a side hustle. The average person makes $810 a month from that extra work. But before you get too optimistic: Only 15 percent of side hustlers make more than $1,000 a month.
According to a 2024 Side Hustle Nation survey, having an online business, such as blogging, podcasting, online courses, social media, YouTube, newsletters, and affiliate marketing, or running an e-commerce business, including selling on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, as well as setting up your own online store, are the most popular side hustles.
As we mentioned above, there are a variety of ways that you can make money online. Read on to discover 10 side hustle ideas to make money online.
1. Find Freelance Work
Freelance work is when you work for yourself and complete projects on a contract basis. Even if you take on a contract to work for a company, you are still self-employed when you are a freelancer. And there are plenty of freelance jobs online. In fact, there are plenty of freelance websites that list jobs.
Be sure to check out Upwork. They are the world’s largest freelance marketplace. Upwork offers a large volume of remote freelance jobs.
You’ll see listings for freelancers as web designers, project managers, writers, graphic designers, and other specialties. There are also over 2 million jobs for freelancers listed on Upwork. Over 15 million freelancers get their work from Upwork, and it’s free to join.
FlexJobs and SolidGigs are also excellent sites for freelancers who are looking for work. In general, you will not have to worry about any scam jobs at FlexJobs. They research the jobs very thoroughly and monitor everything very closely. You can find many niche jobs on FlexJobs.
Time is always money, even for a freelancer. If you need work fast, check out SolidGigs. They filter out all the jobs fast and then send you the best ones, thereby vetting the opportunities for you. With SolidGigs, you won’t waste time scrolling through dozens of jobs listed.
Most popular freelancing website: Fiverr. UpWork Freelancer
2. Start a YouTube Channel
There are many ways to make money online with a YouTube channel. The most popular way is to add AdSense ads to your videos. Every time someone clicks on your ad, you make money.
You can also promote products in your videos on YouTube by wearing or using certain products in your videos. Add a link to your online store to get people to visit your online store and buy your items or contract with third-party companies to promote their products. Just make sure you have a compelling offer for your viewers.
Another way to make money on your YouTube channel is to create sponsored content. This way, you can make a profit by endorsing branded products or creating content marketing videos.
3. Start a Dropshipping Business
Dropshipping can be a simple (and profitable) business model. You don’t have to pay for storing your inventory; instead, you act as the go-between. Find suppliers online who will sell you products wholesale, then mark it up and earn a profit for yourself.
From computers and clothing to jewelry and health food, there are thousands of suppliers who can provide you with your inventory. When you do this, you will need to have your own website and/or online store of your own to market and sell the products.
Most popular dropshipping website: Shopify Spocket AliExpress Dropshipping
4. Take Online Surveys
Believe it or not, you can make money online by taking surveys. There are online survey websites where you can take a survey in your spare time and earn gift cards or cash. Just keep in mind that some paid survey sites are better than others.
Branded surveys are one way to earn money online. They’re also a favorite of many. They offer a signup bonus, competitions, a loyalty program, and competitive payouts. You can earn up to $5 of extra cash for each survey you complete.
Keep in mind that different surveys have different methods of compensation as well. Some survey programs will offer you a bonus just for signing up. Other survey programs will deposit cash into an online account for you. Some surveys will provide you with loyalty points that you can cash out for a gift card to a favorite store or restaurant.
Remember that you will not necessarily be eligible for every survey you see. It would be best if you thought about what survey programs are best for your background. That way, you can maximize the money you make per survey.
Most popular survey website: SurveyMonkey SurveyJunkie ySense PaidWork
5. Create a Blog
Blogs are a popular money-making tool because they’re easy to create and offer many routes to make money online. If you have some knowledge on a subject, you could create an online course and sell your expertise to people who come to your blog.
Or, maybe you’ve got a blog that specializes in a particular topic. You could sell digital products related to that topic—like guides, templates, ebooks, and more—to folks that visit your blog.
If you don’t have your own goods to sell, you could become an affiliate marketer. Affiliate marketing is a way to earn money online by promoting other people’s goods on your site.
Whenever someone clicks on the link, you receive a commission from the sponsoring company. There are plenty of affiliate networks that have an extensive list of companies for you to join and become an affiliate marketer with.
Another way to make money with your blog is to put AdSense ads on it. Every time someone clicks the ad, you make money. It can be a great way to earn passive income.
6. Develop an App
By developing an app, you can help put a brand right on the home screen of its audience’s mobile devices. This way, they can enjoy gamification, dedicated communities, and interactive content. App developers are in-demand, so developing your own app or working for a company in need can be a great way to earn extra income.
7. Build Websites
Today, every business needs its own website. There is a huge market for web designers, and these days, you don’t even need to know how to code in order to build a site.
Using a service like Mailchimp, you can easily build a website that looks sleek and professional. If you’re building a website from scratch, you can even buy a domain through Mailchimp that aligns with a particular topic or business. You can create your very own web development business with few startup costs to help you earn a little extra money on the side or as a full-time gig.
Just keep in mind that it’s best to pick a niche before you start creating websites. Put together a nice portfolio of the website that you have created, then get out there and market yourself.
8. Start Investing
Even though you can certainly take a look at alternative investment strategies, such as real estate and cryptocurrency, don’t forget about the traditional stock market. There are a lot of people who feel like they cannot invest in the stock market because they don’t have enough money to do so.
The good news is that there typically is no minimum balance to get started in the stock market. There are plenty of brokerage platforms out there, so you may want to take a look at a successful YouTube channel that will explain the differences between them. That way, you can select the best option to meet your needs.
Remember that you do need to be careful when you invest in the stock market. It is difficult to predict whether the market will go up or down, and anyone who promises that they know what the market is going to do does not have your best interests at heart.
That is why you may want to take a few classes, watch a few videos, or read a few books about the stock market. Diversifying your investments is always a good thing, and you may want to consider investing in an industry that you know well.
9. Sell Your Art and Photography
Another option is to sell your art and photography. If you are a creative person, you may want to consider selling your creative products to start making money online.
For example, if you love taking pictures of animals, you might be able to sell them online. Or, if you have a knack for taking pictures of people, you may want to get hired as a photographer.
You should try to take advantage of different social media marketing startegies that can help you get your name out there. That way, more people will learn about your art and photography, and they will be interested in the services you provide.
Keep in mind that art comes in many shapes and forms. You might be skilled with a paintbrush, or you might be skilled with a computer. Digital artwork has become very popular during the past few years, and you might want to use your skills with the computer to produce digital artwork for other people.
With so many people interested in starting an online business or their own online store, you might even be able to produce artwork and photography that can double as a logo for a new company. Do not forget to ask your customers to leave reviews that can help you expand your online presence. That way, you can generate more business for yourself.
Most popular selling website: ShutterStock Alamy AdobeStock
10. Try Drop Servicing
Drop servicing is similar to drop shipping. However, instead of selling products, you’ll act as a middleman or intermediary between clients and freelancers by outsourcing service-based tasks like graphic design, digital marketing, writing, or programming and earning a profit margin on each project.
To start to drop servicing, you can identify in-demand services or skills and create a service offering tailored to target markets or industries. Building a network of reliable freelancers or service providers through freelancing platforms, social media, or professional networks helps in sourcing talent for client projects.
