5 WAYS TO EARN MONEY ONLINE
1.Start a Youtube Channel
MAKE MONEY YOUTUBE If you’re a film student, you may have already considered sharing your filmography talents on YouTube. YouTube isn’t just for video experts, however. If you’re charismatic, funny, or have a talent to share, a YouTube channel could be a fun way to make a little extra money.
Content on YouTube includes a wide range of material, from casual diary-style vlogs, to product reviews and “unboxings,” to video game walkthroughs. Getting started on YouTube is straightforward. Sign up with a Google account, and simply record and post your first video.
You can use a phone camera or webcam, although you’ll have better results with a higher-quality camera. Once you have an account established, you can enable your account for monetization and then have individual videos approved. Videos that include any copyrighted materials (such as background music) aren’t eligible for monetization.
You’ll be able to choose from different kinds of ads: text ads on the bottom of the video, video clips before your video, and sidebar ads. YouTube charges advertisers and then gives you a percentage based on impressions. You won’t make a fortune immediately (unless you get lucky and go viral), but you can start making enough to cover your daily coffee as you build more views.
Tips
• Consistency is key! If you want to build an audience of subscribers, you’ll have to post new videos regularly. At least once a week is a good rule, and 2-5 times a week can be even better. Just don’t lose quality as you work for quantity.
• Titles are going to be a big factor in whether people click on your video, so make sure you think of catchy keywords to include in each video’s title.
• Before you start making too many videos, spend some time on your channel page. You’ll need a logo and a cover image (a lot like the banner on Facebook). Your logo can just be a picture of you, and the cover image is often your channel name, with or without some extra decoration.
• Viewers on YouTube connect with people who come across as genuine, so do your best to be yourself. It’s okay to make small mistakes or laugh at yourself; that can make you more approachable.
Resources
• YouTube has created a helpful Creator Academy, where you can search for information and tutorials. This is a good place to help you get started and clear up any technical questions.
• Sharing your videos is a key way to get more views. Websites such as Buffer and Hootsuite let you post your videos (or any other social media content) across all your social media profiles.
• YouTube isn’t the only option out there for videos. If short videos are more your style, Vine may be your best option. If you’re a video game enthusiast, you can create streams and tutorials on Twitch.
• Patreon is a paid subscription website for video channels that have an established audience. If you’ve developed an enthusiastic fanbase, they may be willing to support you financially.
2.Put Your Instagram Skills to Good Use
make money instagramInstagram isn’t just for the Kardashians. If you have an active account and a large number of followers, you may be able to make money by promoting products through your posts.
There are a couple of ways Instagrammers can make money, the most popular of which is by serving as a “brand ambassador.” If a business feels you’re a good fit for their brand, they may pay you to create a post promoting their product. Generally this includes an attractive photo of the product plus a caption that links your followers to the product or brand. Some businesses will pay with free products, while others may pay up to hundreds of dollars per post.
The amount you make will vary based on the campaign and on how many followers you have. A slight variant is affiliate marketing, which works much the same way, except that you’ll get paid per sale that comes from your post. The key is that you’ll need to have a successful account before advertisers will consider your posts worth their money.
Generally, brands are looking for users that have at least 5,000 followers, and they also like to see high levels of engagement. If you want to start making money on Instagram, first you’ll have to work on building up your base of followers.
Tips
• The hardest part of making money on Instagram is establishing a large group of followers. To get started, make sure that you’re posing consistently – ideally at least once a day. Multiple posts a day can be even better, but make sure that they’re spaced out.
• Find more followers and build engagement by getting involved in the Instagram community. Browse through hashtags that interest you, and like and comment on posts that you like. Often, engagement goes both ways.
• On Instagram, hashtags are key to getting more views. Users often browse hashtags related to subjects they’re interested in, so your photos can easily end up in front of more eyes when you pick the right hashtags. Spend a bit of time browsing other photos and hashtag groups to see what’s popular. A lot of successful posts use a few hashtags, so don’t be afraid to use variants of a similar thing. For example, an Instagram blog post recommends using #vwbus, #volkswagen, and #vw on a photo of a Volkswagen van.
• Once you’ve built up a solid group of followers, you don’t necessarily have to wait for brands to come to you. Many businesses with active social media profiles have open applications for brand ambassadors. Don’t see an application? Try contacting a brand you’re interested in. If it’s a perfect match for your style and group of followers, they may want to hire you.
Resources
• TagsForLikes: This popular app lets you browse popular hashtags and can copy and paste groups of tags so you can caption your photos quickly. It can be a helpful tool to gain more likes and followers.
• Foap: If your Instagram is full of professional-quality photos, you may be able to make extra money by selling them. On Foap, you post your photos to an online marketplace through their app. Customers can buy them for $10, and you split the money with Foap.
3.Get Creative on Fiverr.com
make money on fiverrFiverr is a freelancing website that’s great for some kinds of work we’ve already talked about, such as writing and working as a virtual assistant. It’s also a great place where you can turn unique talents (or even just extra time) into money. Popular services include graphic design, social media marketing, copywriting, short videos, data entry, and voice-overs.
You can also find more unique services such as fortune telling, customized cards and clothing, recipes, advice, and even spells. Once you create a seller account, you’ll be able to create a “gig” offering a product or service. Sellers who are just starting out have to sell their gig for $5. Once you’ve been on Fiverr for a month and have completed some sales, you’ll be able to start adding gig “extras,” which let you charge more for things like express delivery or higher quality.
In a number of categories, sellers can design their own pricing structures entirely. So don’t be put off by the $5 gimmick; established sellers can make a significant amount (up to $995) per order. Fiverr is a popular marketplace, so your gigs can potentially get a lot of traffic. The catch is that Fiverr takes a 20% commission on all your sales, plus a $1 fee each time you transfer money out.
Tips
• Remember that at least at the beginning, you’ll only be making $4 per order. You need to structure your gig so that it’s something you can complete quickly. That doesn’t mean you can’t offer high-quality services. For example, if you want to offer a video making service, you may want to create a gig for videos that are only 30 seconds long. If a customer wants a longer video, they can order multiple gigs.
• The hardest part of success on Fiverr is getting started. When you’re starting out, it’s a good idea to browse through customer requests. Look for requests that match your service, and respond with a quote and link to your gig. This can help get you going before customers start coming to you.
• Fiverr uses an algorithm to decide where gigs rank in search results. One factor they include is your “response rate,” or what percentage of messages you respond to within 24 hours. This means it’s important to check and respond to your messages at least once a day.
Resources
• Fiverr Academy: This is Fiverr’s collection of guidelines for sellers. It contains explanations of all of Fiverr’s features, as well as helpful tips for generating more sales and becoming a better seller.
• Fiverr Forum: Fiverr has an active forum where both buyers and sellers come to ask questions, complain, and celebrate their successes. There’s a strong community of experienced sellers who can answer your questions whenever you run into trouble.
4. Profit from Your Old Textbooks on Explorite.com
make money exploriteWhen you think of college textbooks, you probably think of losing money rather than making it. However, you can easily make some money back by selling your old textbooks. College book stores will usually only give you a tiny portion of the book’s price back, but you can make more by selling them yourself.
There are a lot of places to do this. One of the most popular, of course, is Amazon, where you can post your books as an individual seller and then ship them to the buyer. Another option is to sell them to students right on your own campus. After all, there are going to be other students taking the same classes and probably needing the books you used last semester.
Explorite is a marketplace where college students can post items they want to sell to their fellow students, and it’s most popular for textbooks. The site is simple; you list your item, and other students can message you if they’re interested. You can then negotiate a price and meet right on campus to trade. Explorite just facilitates the meeting; you can arrange whatever method of payment you want in person. It’s an easy way to find people who may want your old books and get some extra cash.
Tips
• Explorite will let you post your items with a set price, say you’re willing to negotiate, or say you’d like to swap. Often, posting “negotiable” is the best way to find interested buyers.
• While you’re selling your textbooks, take a moment to browse through the listings and see if you find any books you need. You may be able to save even more money by getting your books for cheap – or by trading.
• Make sure that you’re honest when describing your book’s condition. You don’t want to agree on a price only to have the buyer reject the book upon seeing it in person.
Resources
• Amazon: Explorite tends to be easier than Amazon for book selling; you don’t have to worry about shipping, and you can get paid in cash. However, Amazon can be a helpful guide for figuring out a fair price for your book.
5. Flip Items on eBay
make money ebayeBay can be good for more than just selling your old, unwanted items. If you have a good eye for a deal, you can make money by buying cheap items and then selling them for a profit. You can be successful at this by buying items both locally and online. Look through local Craigslist ads or peruse garage sales, estate sales, and thrift shops.
Or look for cheap items posted on eBay or Amazon. Before making a purchase, check what similar items are going for on eBay. That way you’ll know what kind of profit you can expect to make and whether an item is worth your effort to flip. Before long, you’ll start to develop an eye for what makes a good deal.
You might even build up a niche of a particular kind of product. If, for example, you’re a fashion enthusiast, you’re likely to know which styles and brands will be in demand.
Tips
• Some items tend to be more profitable than others. Video game consoles, electronics, collectibles,
sports equipment, tools, and furniture are all popular.
• Sometimes, it pays to think outside of the box. You can make money by buying (or finding) broken items and selling the parts. This goes for car parts, old electronics, and more. Some items can be broken up and sold for crafts. One eBay flipper, for example, buys old Scrabble sets and sells the letters as craft supplies. When possible, think creatively! There may be secondary uses for products that someone out there will pay for.
• Look for sellers who need to sell their items in a rush, such as people who are moving. In these situations, you can often get items for very cheap and sell them for considerably more.
Resources
• Amazon Price Check: This app makes it easy to check product prices on eBay. You can even scan an item’s barcode to search for the same item online. This app is a great tool for when you’re out and about shopping at yard sales or thrift stores