10 Ways to Earn Money Online

If you have always dreamed of building your own business or are simply looking for ways to expand your income, the Internet is the perfect place to turn to.

Over the past decade, the digital world has seen massive growth, making more room for budding entrepreneurs who are eager to monetize their talents and creativity.

With digital marketplaces, free advertising via social media and so many different platforms where you can turn a profit, it has never been easier to make money online!

Whether you’re looking to create a fully-fledged international business or monetize a side hustle locally, the Internet provides various business opportunities that can generate cash.

If you want to take advantage of these opportunities, but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve created a full breakdown of ways to get your foot in the digital door.

What’s In This Guide?

1. Create a Unique Product
2. Make Digital Products
3. Sell or Resell on a Marketplace
4. Monetize a Blog
5. Create Video Content
6. Monetize your Skills
7. Sell Your Services
8. Use Social Media
9. Start a Podcast
10. Sell Photos or Artwork Online

1. Create a Unique Product

One of the easiest ways to make money online is to create a unique, useful product that can be marketed on social media and sold on online stores like Amazon or eBay, or even your own website! If you have an idea for an original product, design a prototype and find a manufacturer to create it. Just make sure you consider things like labelling laws before you begin selling.

If you’d prefer to start off small and want to keep your business closer to home, you should also consider selling handmade products. If you have a craft that you’re passionate about, try advertising your skills and allow customers to purchase bespoke items that they can customise to their liking.

Perhaps you make clothes, bind books in unique covers, or bake impressive cakes, whatever your passion, why not try monetizing it? Even if it starts as a side hustle, it’s a bit of extra cash and experience in the e-commerce market.

Tip: Not sure how to transfer your craft skills into unique products? You’ll find tons of inspiration on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Try creating an account for your work on these apps and see if you can gain any traction or potential customers.

2. Make Digital Products

If you want to operate your business from home and keep costs and ongoing effort at a minimum, you should consider creating digital products. If you’re a keen illustrator, try designing digital prints or art that can be sold and downloaded in PDF format.

You can also design things like planners, templates, and guides that can be tailored to suit a variety of needs. Whether it’s a money-saving planner, a digital meal plan or a virtual travel guide, create a basic design and simply edit it for each customer. Market your digital creations on social media and sell them on marketplaces like Etsy. This platform is also a great place to look for inspiration and any potential gaps in the market.

3. Sell or Resell on a Marketplace

If you don’t have any craft skills or ideas for a unique product, you can always opt to sell or resell existing products. Marketplaces like Depop and Vinted are ideal for this type of business. If you’re a collector of things like vintage fashion or rare shoes, you can make a pretty profit from selling and reselling on these apps. If your account gets big enough, you can then consider incorporating some of your own designs or partnering with small regional brands to scale up your business.

Tip: Make sure to ship orders on time and keep good communication with your customers to ensure 5* reviews and customer trust. Free shipping also helps items sell quicker on Depop. If you want to separate your account from other part-time sellers and make it seem more professional, you could also invest in bespoke packaging or business cards that can be included in your orders.

4. Monetize a Blog

If it’s your personality or experiences that you’re looking to monetize, you should consider creating a blog. These are perfect for jet setters and fitness gurus who want to bring people along on their personal journeys. If you have a website for your unique products, a blog can help drive traffic to it, but it can also earn money all by itself. Include ads and affiliate links to your blog articles or partner with brands to create sponsored posts and start generating some profits from your writing. 

The best thing about blog writing is that it can be done from anywhere, it also allows you to develop a rapport with readers which can then help you curate a brand and sell unique products.

5. Create Video Content

Another great way of getting your personality across is to market yourself or your products via video content. As we’ve seen over the last few years with the emergence of apps like TikTok and Twitch, video content is the way forward. With video content, you don’t need a specific item to sell, you just need a likeable persona that people will want to keep watching. 

Top YouTubers like Mr Beast have proved this, and now make millions from extravagant video ideas instead of actual products. Twitch streamers also make a profit from their gaming skills, all it requires is time, effort and a personable attitude. TikTokers like Alix Earle have also generated millions of followers by documenting real, personal experiences that people can relate to.

Of course, if you do develop an audience on TikTok, YouTube or Twitch, this can lead to paid brand deals, sponsored posts and the development of your own unique products. Once you reach 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, you can also use YouTube ads and start earning revenue from your videos. 

Social media is a great way to make yourself a household name and create a lucrative business and, in the future, video content will prove the key to your success as an influencer.

Tip: A great way to build a personal brand is to create your own branded merch. You can sell this on your own website and link to it on your channel. The more subscribers or followers you accumulate, the more sales you should drive.

6. Monetize your Skills

If your skillset is your biggest asset then why not use it to create workshops and online courses that can help other people learn. Transfer your skills into digital guides, videos and workshops and make money from your experience in a specific industry or area of business. You can use free gated content to build a customer list and give free samples of your product. This can take the form of short tutorials on YouTube or TikTok. Give audiences a taste of your expertise on these platforms and include a link to your website where they can purchase full in-depth courses and resources.

7. Sell Your Services

As well as skills, you can also use the web to sell virtual services. Become a consultant and advise people on everything from social media management to home decor. You can even transfer real-world job roles to an online format. If you’re a personal shopper or personal trainer, create a website, an online booking system and a live chat and deliver your services over platforms like Zoom or Skype.

Tip: This type of business will require word-of-mouth and quality reviews, so make sure you encourage clients to write testimonials of their positive experiences on your website or social media page.

8. Use Social Media

You may have noticed that social media is a recurring theme in this list and that’s because it’s an integral part of the online experience. Social media is one of the best ways to advertise your brand, products, services and expertise and, the best part, it’s completely free! 

Viral TikTok accounts, Instagram pages and YouTube channels are some of the best tools for creating successful businesses. And, although not everyone will experience the luxury of going viral, social media will still prove a handy feature for generating traffic to your website and getting across your brand’s voice.

Social media also provides individuals with opportunities to monetize themselves and their experiences. By becoming an influencer, you can gain followers and paid partnerships by simply taking aesthetic photos or creating relatable videos. Although the influencer space is becoming more and more saturated, if you have a unique point of view, you should still see some engagement.

Tip: These days, relatable, honest content is proving more and more popular. Integrate some lowlights into your highlights and create realistic content that will appeal to the average person.

9. Start a Podcast

Speaking of relatable, what’s more, accessible than two people having an honest conversation about an interesting topic? Podcasting is another form of content that has grown massively over the past few years, and it isn’t slowing down any time soon. This popular audio format allows listeners to enjoy funny stories, news and unique perspectives. 

Podcasts like The Diary of a CEO have proved extremely popular with celebrity guests and experts that are interesting and inspiring. If you love to talk or have a special interest or point of view you’d like to share, a podcast is your go-to platform. Generate listeners by putting out regular episodes and when you have enough, you will be able to monetize your podcast through sponsorship deals, paid content offerings, in-podcast ads and even donations and tips.

10. Sell Photos or Artwork Online

We’re not talking about Only Fans (although that is a great way to make money online), we’re referring to professional photographers and how they can generate a profit from selling images on the internet. Whether you shoot on an iPhone or the latest Canon camera, you can sell photos online using marketplaces like Etsy or social media apps like Facebook and Instagram. Just make sure you specify size details and a returns policy to avoid any issues with customers.

Partner with a local printer or invest in your own and print your images onto various materials that can be shipped directly to customers through a website. If you’d prefer to stay local, you can always create a photography side hustle. Set up a studio where you can take professional photos of clients and create high-quality images or personalised photo products like calendars and mugs. 

Printify is also a great platform for selling prints and artwork. Join for free and create and sell print-on-demand products featuring your own designs. Printify will then print your artwork on things like clothing, phone cases, and bags and ship them directly to your customers.