Ok, you’re BROKE! And it sucks…
I get it. I’ve been there. And like you, I turned to the internet for a solution. Now in my case, (And this was many years ago) I was brought down many MANY rabbit holes of people trying to sell me stuff that was of little to no help.
Now in my case, I didn’t manage to make any money when I needed it, but I managed to eventually get a job that got some money coming in, and once I was no longer under financial pressure, I did eventually start to figure out the SECRET to making money online.
For the last 7 years, Online Income has been my sole source of Income. I work from home, and while I do still put in a lot of hours, I have recently started to move into more Passive Income streams to build out my Work/Life balance.
BUT… how about YOU?
The not so secret, SECRET to Making Money Online
Ok, you may have heard this before and it will likely make perfect sense. But unless you internalize this 1 key concept, you can spend years chasing rabbits online and never making any real money. And that SECRET is…
GO ALL IN ON ONE THING
Shiny Object Syndrome is a REAL problem. This is when people jump from one thing to the next thing trying to make money online, and because they continue to do this, they never really put enough work into one strategy in order for it to pay off.
If you’re reading this post, it’s likely you have experienced this yourself whether you care to admit it or not.
But there is a logical reason for this. When we learn something new, it’s often sold as a Solution.
Make Money Online by Starting a Youtube Channel
Make Money Online by Starting a Blog
Make Money Online by Starting a Podcast
Make Money Online by Starting a Social Media Management Agency
And on… And on…
The PROBLEM is, when you get sucked into something, you get started and you’re all excited. But all of these things take time and consistency before they start to show fruit. And when MOST people don’t get instant results, they move on to the next Shiny Object to see if that will work.
This is not to say these strategies don’t work. Most of them actually do. But unless you go ALL IN on one of them and decide that no matter what, this is the way you will make money online, it’s MOST likely you will fail.
And of course… there can be overnight successes. But these are the exception to the rule, not the rule. In fact, it’s most likely a 0.0001% chance that you are going to get instant results from a strategy without putting in some consistency first.
So before we jump into some of the ideas to Make Money Online for FREE… can we agree that no matter what you pick, YOU WILL STICK TO IT?
My Favorite Method – Starting A Blog
Ok ok… I know straight away you are thinking that starting a blog is going to cost money. After all, you need web hosting, and probably need some Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools, Email Marketing Software, etc., etc.
But you don’t have to START where you intend to end up. It’s better to get started using a less pro approach, than not getting started at all.
And there are FREE tools out there to help you start your blog, without having to buy domains and all that.
Tools like Blogger, WordPress.com are powerful ways to start building your authority as a blogger online. But my favorite tool is Medium.
What is Medium?
Medium is a blog writing platform. You can sign up and start writing articles straight away without having to worry about buying hosting, domains, or any of that technical stuff.
Why I like it?
I like Medium because it’s a great way to get started with your blogging journey without having to pay anything upfront. It’s also a great platform to build your authority as a writer.
You can build authority on Medium with your Profile, and even begin to earn some money from Medium by placing Ads on your Content.
But the best part of Medium is the SEO authority it holds. It can be VERY effective at ranking for difficult keywords. So you can rest assured, that the amount of effort you put into Medium won’t all be wasted when you decide to Start Your own Website.
You are essentially BORROWING some of their authority to help get you started. And once you build that authority, you control it somewhat. So you can even use your past articles on Medium to link to your new website when you are reading to launch it.
If you’re not Camera Shy – Start a Youtube Channel
You might not be aware, but Youtube is the SECOND largest search engine in the World.
That’s right, after Google, people are searching on Youtube for solutions to their problems… AND they are willing to watch videos for hours on end if it means getting a solution to what they are looking for.
I’m one of those people. I would rather watch a 10-minute video that goes into great detail about something I want to learn than read an article that just scratches the surface.
And because of this, there has been a HUGE surge in people creating ‘How To’ videos and Make Money Online videos over the past few years. And there is still room for you in this industry!
You don’t need any fancy equipment to get started. Just your phone will do.
And if you’re not confident in front of the camera, that’s fine too. You can create ‘Slide Show’ style videos using software like PowerPoint and Camtasia Studio which is what I used to get started with my Youtube Channel.
The best part about starting a Youtube Channel is that it’s COMPLETELY FREE! And once you have built up an audience, there are many ways you can monetize your channel, such as placing Ads on your Videos or promoting Affiliate Products.
If you want to see an example of a Make Money Online Youtube Channel done well, check out Stefan James from Project Life Mastery. He does a great job of providing value and also promoting products that he is an affiliate for.
Why I like it?
Ok, there’s a good chance that you already have formed plenty of opinions about YouTube. You’ve seen how much top YouTubers get paid, and you KNOW it’s a great way to make money online.
But there are a couple of key factors I like to think about with YouTube. Yes, you can make money on YouTube with Google Adsense. But this can take time and how much you make, also depends on what Niche you are in and the quality of your videos. (Not amind the fact that you actually need to apply and be approved by YouTube to even begin making money with Adsense)
But… there are other ways to monetize a YouTube channel BEFORE you are approved. Affiliate Marketing would be one of the more popular methods, and instead of earning a few cents per action, you can earn serious commissions with Affiliate Marketing.
And the second thing I like to think about with YouTube is the power of Compounding. Because Youtube videos often grow over time. That makes it a Passive Source of income. Make a video once and continue to earn revenue from it for months even sometimes years after.
The Most Reliable Strategy – Start a Digital Marketing Agency
This is the Make Money Online method that I am currently using to Make a Full-Time Income Online.
For this to work, you will need to be somewhat skilled in Online Marketing Skills such as SEO, Social Media Marketing, or Facebook Ads. But learning a Skill in one area is all you need to do. You don’t need to know EVERYTHING about Digital Marketing to make money from it.
The reason this method works so well, especially if you don’t have any large followings online is that businesses are ALWAYS looking for help with their Online Marketing. But they often don’t want to hire someone full-time because it’s too expensive or they are worried about the results they will get.
So what most businesses do instead is outsource their Digital Marketing to Agencies or Freelancers like yourself.
You can start charging $500-$1000 per month per client and because the work is mostly done online, you can easily scale this business to multiple clients and potentially make 6 figures per year.
If you want to learn more about how to start a Digital Marketing Agency, I recommend checking out Sam Ovens who is one of the most successful consultants in this space. He offers a great training program that will teach you everything you need to know to get started.
Why I like it?
This was the strategy that I first decided that I was going to go all in on and I actually did start making money online with it. And so I know from first-hand experience, that if you are serious about Making Money Online, this method works! All you need to do is put in the work.
This is a Strategy that scales well too. There is an endless list of Companies out there looking for Digital Marketing services. And once you are able to show an ROI for the business, they will pay you whatever price you decide.
It does take time to build up a reputation of course though, and while you are doing that you will want to charge less. But $500 – $1000 per month per client is totally realistic. You can even offer a 1 week’s Free Trial.
Doing this will quickly get you enough clients to replace your full-time job.
But once you do build a reputation, you’ll start to notice people start referring more business to you, and all of a sudden, you’ll have prospective clients coming to you!
AND YES… you can start this Strategy for FREE!
Do you know something about anything? Launching Online Courses!
Nowadays, there are multiple platforms you can use to launch an online course with very little upfront costs. You don’t need to create a website, you don’t need to worry about hosting fees, and best of all, you don’t need to produce any products!
The two most popular platforms for launching an online course would be Udemy or Teachable.
With Udemy, they take care of everything for you. All you need to do is create the Course content which can be in the form of videos, PowerPoint presentations, or even just a PDF document.
Once you have created your course, you can then launch it on their platform and start promoting it. They will handle everything else such as payments, hosting, and delivering the content to your students.
The only downside to Udemy is that they take a large percentage of the revenue. But it’s still a great platform to get started with.
Teachable is very similar to Udemy, but they don’t take as big of a cut of your revenue. So if you are looking to keep more of the money you make, then Teachable would be a better option.
But again, both platforms are great and will allow you to Make Money Online for FREE!
Why I like it?
The Online Education Industry is growing at an Exponential Rate so this market is BOOMING. But there is often doubt in people’s minds about their ability to teach something. So let’s get this straight…
YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AN EXPERT, IN ORDER TO TEACH ONLINE COURSES
For example, if I read the first chapter of a book, I wouldn’t need to be an expert in the Book in order to teach you the first Chapter right?
That’s the concept here. All you need to know is more than someone else that is looking to learn. But of course, if you are passionate about something or an expert about something, it’s probably best to start there. The more expertise you have on a subject, the more you can charge for the content you are going to teach.
But my FAVORITE thing about this strategy is its passivity. You build it once, and after that, you can sell it again and again. And you can continue to build more and more Online Courses or add more to your existing Course.
This makes it a Passive Strategy to Earn Money Online and Selling Online Courses is actually a LOT easier than you might think!
Prefer Talking than Putting Face On Camera? – Start a Podcast!
If you love talking and sharing your voice with the world, then starting a Podcast is an excellent way to Make Money Online for FREE.
The great thing about Podcasts these days is that you don’t need any fancy equipment in order to get started. You can just use your iPhone and start recording!
Also, pricing is very flexible with Podcasts. You can choose to make it free or charge for it if you want. If you do choose to charge for it, you can set up a Paywall on platforms like Patreon where people can pay monthly to listen to your Podcasts.
Not only is this an excellent way to Make Money Online, but you will also build up an audience of raving fans that will love everything you do!
As your Podcast starts to grow, you can then start to monetize it in other ways such as selling products, services or even launching your own Online Course! But no matter what way you decide to Monetize your Podcast, there’s no doubt it’s a GREAT way to earn cash and is one of my favorite ways to make money.
The options are endless and the best part is, it’s all FREE to get started.
Why I like It?
Similar to YouTube and Blogging, Podcasts grow over time giving them the compounding effect. But one of my favorite benefits of the Podcast Online Business model is the networking aspect of it. Podcasts are a great way to get others in your niche to join you as a guest.
Asking someone to join you as a Guest on your Podcast is a much Warmer approach to building a relationship that can then be mutually beneficial.
Become a Life Coach (or Even a Travel Coach)
The great thing about the Coaching industry is that it’s one of the FASTEST growing industries right now. And people are always looking for help in ALL areas of their life.
This could be anything from Health and Fitness, to Love and Relationships, to Career Coaching and so many other topics.
Not only is this an excellent way to Make Money Online for FREE, but you also get to help others improve their lives! What could be better than that?
The best part is, there are NO barriers to entry in this industry. You don’t need any special degrees or qualifications. All you need is a desire to help others and the willingness to learn some essential coaching skills.
If you’re not sure where to start, I would recommend checking out this excellent Coaching Certification program. It’s helped me immensely in my own coaching business and I’m sure it can do the same for you!
Why I Like It?
I love being a coach because it allows me to be 100% authentic with people. When you are a coach, people see you as someone who is an authority in their life and are willing to listen to everything you say. This helps create an instant connection and rapport with your clients which then leads to results!
Plus, I get to make my own schedule, work from anywhere in the world, and charge premium prices for my services. If you’re looking for a way to Make Money Online for FREE, then I highly recommend you check out this incredible industry!
Fancy yourself a bit of a Photographer? Why not Sell Your Photos online?
If you’re good with a camera, then this could be the perfect way for you to Make Money Online for FREE.
There are sites like Shutterstock and iStockPhoto where you can upload your photos and get paid every time someone downloads one of them.
The great thing about this is that it’s 100% passive income. Once you’ve uploaded your photos, you don’t need to do anything else. The site will take care of everything and you’ll get paid automatically!
The downside is that it does take time to build up a portfolio of high-quality photos. But once you have a few hundred photos online, you could start seeing some serious cash flow!
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it’s completely passive. I can upload my photos once and then get paid over and over again for something that I’m already doing! Plus, it’s a great way to Make Money Online without having to sell anything or interact with customers.
Do you Speak English? Why not Teach English?
If you’re a native English speaker, then you could Make Money Online for FREE by teaching others how to speak English!
There are sites like VIPKid where you can sign up to teach English to kids in China. The pay is great and you can work from the comfort of your own home!
All you need is a computer and a good internet connection. You don’t even need to be a qualified teacher!
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it’s so flexible. I can work whenever I want and I don’t have to commute anywhere! Plus, the pay is really good considering all you need is a laptop and an internet connection. This is an excellent strategy to earn some extra cash!
Start an Online Store with Etsy!
If you’re creative and enjoy making things, then why not Make Money Online by selling your creations on Etsy?
Etsy is a marketplace for handmade and vintage items. It’s the perfect place to sell things like jewelry, art, clothes, and so much more!
The best part is that it’s completely free to set up your own Etsy store. You only pay a small fee when you make a sale.
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it allows me to be creative and Make Money Online at the same time! Plus, it’s really easy to get started and there are no upfront costs, and a great way to make extra cash.
How about Drop Shipping to Earn Money Online?
Drop shipping is a great way to Make Money Online without having to carry any inventory!
Basically, you set up an online store and when someone buys something from your store, you order it from your supplier and have it shipped directly to the customer.
The great thing about this is that you don’t need to worry about storage or shipping costs. Plus, you can start with very little money!
And if you mix this with tools like Etsy, eBay, Amazon, or even FREE classified Ads, you don’t even need to pay for the Store itself!
This makes Drop Shipping a great way to make Extra Cash!
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it’s really easy to get started and there are no upfront costs. Plus, you don’t have to worry about carrying any inventory which makes it a great option for people who are just starting out.
Become a Freelancer to Make Money Online!
If you have any skills, then you can Make Money Online by becoming a freelancer!
There are sites like Fiverr and Upwork where you can sign up and start offering your services.
You could do things like social media marketing, SEO, web design, graphic design, and so much more!
The great thing about this is that you can work from anywhere in the world and you can set your own hours!
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it’s really flexible. I can work from anywhere in the world and I can set my own hours. Plus, there is a huge range of services that I can offer as a freelancer. This is a great way to Make Money Online!
Do you have a knack for cooking? Start a Food Blog!
If you love to cook, then why not Make Money Online by starting your own food blog?
You can share your recipes, cooking tips, and photos with the world! And if you get popular enough, you could even start earning some serious cash flow from advertising and sponsorships.
All you need is a computer and a good internet connection. Plus, it’s a great way to Make Extra Cash!
Why I Like It?
I love this method because it’s really easy to get started. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. Plus, it’s a great way to Make Money Online!
Wanna start building your Passive Income Portfolio? Check out our post on 62 Passive Income Ideas To Help You Retire Earlier
