How to Make Money Online
2020 was a year that outlined the importance of having different income streams regardless of your employment status. It was a year of many firsts for many people and it made them want to delve into making money online.
The internet has revolutionized and paved way for people to make money from home. You need access to a computer, the internet, and some knowledge of navigating online.
It is also true that whenever a new opportunity arises, scammers have a field day. Do your due diligence whenever looking for money-making opportunities online.
Many sites offer to get rich quick opportunities and end up taking your money instead. The worst of it is when they scam you and get your information and then access your accounts.
Before I get into some ways of making money online; here are some safety measures that might save you from getting scammed.
- Wi-Fi – Avoid using public Wi-Fi whenever possible, it is the easiest way for hackers to get your information. Most people do not know how to protect their devices enough and hackers take advantage of this.
- Devices Sharing – Avoid sharing your devices that contain your information on them, anyone can get to your information without your knowledge.
- Passwords – using passwords is the best way to secure your devices, however, avoid using the same password for different things and on different sites. Also, avoid using passwords of things in your life like your kids' names; this will make it very easy for your information to get stolen.
Those are some of the basic ways you can protect yourself when working online. Now let me get into some ways of making money online.
#Transcription
This means converting audio into words by typing out recorded conversations. This requires you to have tools like ExpresScribe, which adds to your typing speed. You get paid per minute typed and so, typing speed is very important.
Foot pedals and a good pair of headphones are other tools you can use to aid in transcription.
Most companies will have guidelines on how they want their work done, you will also be required to submit the work at a specified time.
Some that offer transcription work includes; Rev, Gotranscript among others. You can also source for clients on sites like Upwork and Fiverr.
# Article Writing
This way of making money online has picked up in recent years due to the high demand for content on online publications and blogs.
Previously, publishing work used to be very tedious and was left to a few people who could see the process through. Nowadays, you can self-publish your written work on platforms like Medium and LinkedIn among others.
It is a very lucrative way of earning because blogs and online publications will pay very well to have good content for them to keep their audience captivated.
# EBooks
The internet has now made it very easy for you to publish books online compared to getting out physical books. Platforms like Kindle have made it possible for anyone who loves writing to get their work published and earn money from it.
You can write and publish; courses, fiction, romance, education, etc., and no one will ask you for qualifications or have to wait years upon years to have your work approved for publication not to mention the financial toll that comes with it.
# Proofreading and Editing
With so many people now self-publishing their content online, the need for proofreading and editing has grown tremendously.
Editing is the first process that a book undergoes before it reaches the proofreading stage. It is the point at which, grammar is corrected, and the document gets a go over. Then, it is proofread to get it to the publishing stage.
You do need some form of certification to work as an editor or proofreader, you can get these from different courses offered online like; Proofread Anywhere Course.
# Virtual Assistance
Virtual assistance has amazingly grown during the COVID time. Not to say that it has not been around, people didn’t know much about it.
You can offer services like; data entry, calendar management, social media management, bookkeeping, and any service that doesn’t require you to be physically present, can be done virtually.
You can earn upwards of $25 an hour as a virtual assistant depending on the service you are providing.
# Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a very lucrative way of earning online since you get a unique link to the product you are selling and whenever a purchase is made using the link, you make a commission out of it.
You have to promote those products you are selling and the best way to do that is by having a blog and driving traffic to that blog.
It is also called passive income because you can continue making money from those links as long as they stay active and the product is on sale.
# Blogging
If you love to create engaging material, then blogging may be for you. You can make money by running adverts that align with your blog or even include affiliate links in your blogs to drive traffic to them.
Companies can approach blog owners to advertise on their blogs or even promote their products.
# Ad Viewing
It is an online system you need to open an advertisement for at least 10 to 15 seconds, then get paid for it. This will not make you rich by any means, but it will help in ticking off some bills. Most of these ads will require you to have a smartphone to work.
# Music Review
You can make money by reviewing music online if you love music. Although the pay is not that good, you can Google and find platforms that offer this service. It is a good way of using up extra time you may have in your day.
# Taking Surveys
Tons of platforms offer surveys online. You don’t require any experience whatsoever to take part in these, you only need to follow the instructions, finish the survey, and get paid. Most surveys typically pay below a dollar, which isn’t much, but any income is better than none.
# Test Products
Many products are coming into the market that requires people to test them out for them to be approved. After taking part in the test, you typically get to keep the product and also get paid. Signing up for these tests is done on the portals and it is free, then the product is sent to you once the approval process is complete.
# Test Games
Gaming has become one of the more lucrative businesses online today. With more young people getting into it at an early age, the need for more games has risen over the years. It has created a need for people to run tests on the games before they hit the market. They ensure that the games do not have any glitches and are market-ready.
Payment will depend on the type of game and the company developing it, but if you are an avid gamer, getting the game for free and getting paid to play is a no brainer.
# Selling Antiques
You only need to create a free account on the selling platforms, upload photos and descriptions of the items you are selling. It is a straightforward process done solely online and after reaching an agreement with the buyer, the item is delivered and payment made.
People are making good money re-selling old and used items online. They source them from garage sales and auction yards, then post them online and make some money.
# Photography
With the onset of phones with cameras, more people are taking to the internet to post photos. You can make money by selling to publications or blogs and many other platforms that offer paid opportunities.
You can decide to capture moments during a nature trip or vacation and sell your photos to platforms interested in them. If it is a truly unique photo, you might get good money from it.
Other platforms will buy your photos and put them for people to purchase them, to use on their projects that require specific photos.
# Dropshipping
Many people have taken to this method of making money online because of how little capital is required to set it up. It just means you sell a product from a distributor who then ships it directly to the client without the product coming to you.
You do not need to have storage space because the products go directly to the customer, you are only the middleman.
You need to research the best distributor to partner with for your supplies because there are many scams on the internet. You get a commission for any sale you make from the distributor.
# Stocks
This is one area where you need to know before going into it. Making money requires you to learn market trends. It is easy to lose money on stocks if you are not careful, however, if you know what you are doing, you can make a lot of money too.
You can also decide to hire a stockbroker who will handle your money and trade for you. But remember to start small and do not invest a lot of money until you are more confident and have learned the ins and outs of stock markets.
# Be an Influencer
Being an influencer goes hand in hand with social media. People who have many followers can become influencers’. Brands and companies target people like those to advertise their products and services because they can reach many people.
People typically follow what influencers’ advice or do; if an influencer suggests a particular product and people use their links to buy the product, they make money from all sales made from the link.
# Podcasts
If you have a large following, you can make podcasts on topics you are passionate about. You can then market the podcasts and make money from any sale that you get from people buying them or booking seats to be part of the podcast.
# Translation
The world has been united by the internet in turn creating a need for translators. Some countries have still not adopted English as a language. English being the most spoken language in the world, a need for translators has risen.
Translators can moderate in meetings where people without a common language have gathered to make it easier to communicate. Another way for translators to make money is by typing out conversations from different languages as needed.
# Bitcoins
Last but certainly not least, Bitcoins have become a popular way of making money online in recent years. It is an online currency that has grown in leaps and bounds and can be traded and exchanged for money.
Choosing a legitimate platform to trade in Bitcoins cannot be emphasized enough. Many people use Bitcoins to scam people out of their money, but there are platforms for example CEX IO that offer ways of mitigating scammers and offer a safe environment to trade.
Just like trading in stocks, I encourage you to do research before embarking on this venture and start trading small amounts of money. Bitcoins can be used as a mode of payment for online transactions and has been deemed very secure.
Opportunities for making money online are immense you have to look at where you fit and go for it. Just make sure to do your due diligence before diving into it.
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