Making Money Online And Coming Away From The Standard Nine To Five

Julie Starr • Jul 30, 2020



Years ago to earn an income, it meant you went out to work each day. You worked from nine till five and then you went home. That happened five days a week. You took home a paycheck, and that was that. Some people are still happy with this traditional method of working, but with recent changes in the world, and people having to diversify the way they operate such as allowing employees, perhaps like yourself to work from home or to change the way a business operates, it has opened up a whole new world of opportunity. 

As technology has advanced and the digital world has taken over, the opportunities for earning an income have changed a little. Many people can now consider;y work for themselves and from their homes to earn a living. Sure, you can still go out to earn a crust, but more and more people are considering money-making ventures online. It could give you that work and home life balance that you crave, or maybe even enable you to have greater flexibility with the way your day operates. So are there real big bucks to be made? With that question in mind, here are some of the ways you could earn some money online. 

Making more use of social media profiles

Social media is huge. There is no shying away from that. First, there were some of the major platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The introduction of Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Youtube to name a few. All of which can provide huge money-making opportunities for engaging profiles. There will be brands and companies that are keen to collaborate with individuals with excellent social media profiles. But sometimes it can be difficult to build up a following, especially on platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Which is why it may be worth it to consider other strategies to increase your following. In the long term, the investment could pay off. 

Social media is a great way to earn some money for the things that you share, the products that you may review, and many people have gone on to become an ‘influencer’ and earn big money.  There are many ways to make money from using affiliate links or even content monetization allowing followers to purchase from your brand and earn money without directing them to other retailers.  There have been huge rises in this line of work, and while it can feel like a saturated market, you have your own unique selling point. You. So work on what you might want to do and share and just start. Who knows where it might take you. 

A blog can be a money maker

It seems like everyone has a blog these days. But, while many monetize their blogs it is only a small percentage that earns huge amounts of money from their blogs . So how do they do that? With hard work and determination. It’s possible for anyone to have a successful blog. Advertising income through brand collaborations. Or being commissioned to write articles is just some of the ways you can. Other options include using affiliate links. While success may not happen overnight, with careful planning your blog could be a moneymaker. 

Blogs are a great way to flex your creative skills as you not only need to think about the visual aspects of the blog but also the content that you share. When it comes to some of that hard work mentioned, it is about thinking of keywords and ensuring that your blog is organically shown in search engine results, so that you get the website traffic generator that so many brands will be looking for. It is important as well to consider other avenues that a blog will enable you to monetize. Coaching courses, memberships, an e-commerce store selling goods. These are just some of the things successful bloggers have gone on to do to enhance and diversify their original blog business. 

Create a video blog

Youtube is a big one. Making videos for your own channel and allowing advertising to take place. As your subscribers increase so does your opportunity to earn. Brands are looking to work with real people these days and video is one of the ways that they want to reach out to new and potential customers. Much like a blog, it does take a lot of work and dedication to build up the reputation of your channel. But some people prefer the video editing options that YouTube can give them. When it comes to making your video blog stand out, you will need to consider how professional it looks. A thumbnail before the video starts, decent captions throughout the video to make it inclusive and considering things like YouTube end screen templates to ensure that you give your viewer a call to action to check out other videos or visit social media or online websites. A video blog, much like a blog, can enable you to not only make money with advertisements, but also things such as affiliate marketing, and even using YouTube ads for revenue.

Consider other online ventures

There are other online ventures to consider and many people who work from home have many different income streams to enable them to create a wage that they can comfortably live on. If you are just working for yourself, you may want to think about diverting income streams so that if one option isn’t making as much money as it had done the previous month, you have other revenue options that can pick up the slack and vice versa. Here are a few of the ones to consider:

  • Mystery shopping – Mystery shopping can take place online these days. You can get the option to mystery shop websites and make purchases, handle online conversations and communications, and then review feedback. Mystery shopping can also take place outside of the home, so you can click on the job online and then perform it within the deadline. This can not only give you a fee for the job but also money towards meals and products if the job requires purchases. 
  • Website testing – More companies want people to test out their websites and report back on how easy it is to use. It can be big business. 
  • Matched betting – this is another tax-free option to earn some income and there is a lot of information out there about it to help you get started with it. 
  • Filling out online surveys – last of all there are website platforms that will ask you to fill out online surveys and the money can vary from a couple of dollars for a few minutes’ work to ongoing surveys that will give you consistent revenue. 

All these little options add up and can help you to steady your income online as you navigate some of your bigger prospects and keep the income topped up as and when you need it. 

Starting up an online business with a website

Last of all, there is the obvious option of earning money online and that is to create an online business and start reading, selling or offering up online services . This means creating a website and marketing your product and service online only. It enables you to not have as many set-up costs as it would if you had a shop or business premises, and the cost of setting up a business online is cheaper than other avenues you could explore. Buying products to sell, or sourcing them to be manufactured can also be done through online communication. After the current pandemic we have just gone through, many people have had no alternative than to shop online. It was becoming more and popular anyway but as people have had no choice, the online world for making purchases and starting up new businesses is a fast market right now. Online shopping can be anything from big purchases of furniture to food and clothes. The options are endless and there is money to be made.

So what’s the verdict?

Having only just covered a small indication on how you can make money online I think the answer is it can be very lucrative. Making money online gives you great flexibility in terms of what you can do and how you can earn your money. You no longer have that one option and instead could try a few different ways to increase your money-making potential. One big focus is always going to be ideal, for example starting a blog or a business, but then having smaller income streams can help you to top up the money that you earn online. So many people have done this and found that they not only feel passion for the work they do, but the work-life balance gives them options for flexibility in their life. If you have the time, the patience and the know-how making money online could be an easy income for you.  As a reminder, keep sustainability in mind when building your business.  Business sustainability is a win-win for growing your business and supporting the environment. 

Let’s hope this has inspired you to look into alternative ways to boost your disposable income or to even replace your income with a job online and to start working for yourself in different ways. Who wants the standard nine to five these days anyway?

 

How To Identify Companies That Match Your Values

By Julie Starr • 22 Apr, 2024
As you try to develop a sustainable brand , you need to consider what other companies you work with. These could be collaboration opportunities or suppliers and vendors that help you develop the product or service you want to sell. But, many companies may not share your values, so how can you identify the right companies that meet your eco-friendly attitude? Make Use Of Marketing Platforms It's frustrating to reach out to multiple companies to identify collaboration opportunities. For one, there’s no guarantee you even get a response, and cold emailing or other measures are rarely successful. However, you can use marketing platforms and their many features and resources to companies or influencers that align more closely with what you feel is right. Various platforms offer unique options that enable you to whittle down possible companies until you find the perfect match, saving you plenty of time. Research Their Website However, you can’t just leap into any partnership since these platforms may have outdated information, or companies could have selected everything they think will get them a partnership. As with any approach, extra research is essential. Once you’ve identified a company that seems to match your values, it’s with checking out their website. Look at their blog and customer reviews to get an idea of where their ideals lie so you can get a more transparent picture. Meet With Companies Businesses can also meet directly with potential companies when they have established the possibility of a partnership. Whether you’re looking for a better green transport service or need central laboratory services , having face-to-face conversations is a must. You can open discussions via video calls before arranging an in-person meeting which gives you the chance to visit their location, such as an office or warehouse, to ensure that you aren’t stepping into something you may regret. Look For Accreditation and Certification Modern businesses require certification and accreditation to back up claims they are the most sustainable or to prove they have adhered to necessary compliance laws and regulations. Usually, you can find this on their website but there could also be PR pieces on various industry news sites that can prove the company has obtained the necessary certificates. Identifying these certificates will add confidence they are the right company to work with. Offer Value To Them While you hope the potential partnership brings value to your company, you also need to provide value to them. This point is key for strategic collaboration as it otherwise means you take without offering anything in return. Consider what your business can do, such as increase their awareness or help them develop new research projects. In doing so, you will have a mutually beneficial partnership that helps both companies achieve the goals they have outlined for the year. Values and Value Every partnership or collaboration should bring value. This value should apply to your business and any partnerships but also your customers. If you can identify companies that align with your brand values, you’ll have an easier time developing a positive relationship that ensures you stay on track to meet your goals.

Fresh Content: Where Do You Get The Green For Your Green Business?

By Julie Starr • 19 Apr, 2024
If you’re looking to start up a business that puts environmental responsibility at the forefront of how it operates, or that aims to offer new eco-friendly products and services to the market, then you need to make sure you have a plan for it. In part, you need to think about where the money is going to come from to help you get the business up and running. Here, we’re going to look at a few examples of places you can get the funding your green business needs. Finding like-minded investors A lot of capital in the startup spaces comes from investors who will take the time to look over a host of prospective businesses that are looking to get their start and will choose those that best align with their goals. Finding an investor isn’t always easy, so start by networking in the right professional spaces, especially those that might built specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners in the green sector. There are websites that can help pair your business up with investors, as well, but this can be a fairly competitive space. You want to have the room to be able to talk to potential investors about the profitability of your business, as well as the values and dedication to eco-friendliness that drive it. Getting hold of some credit The other traditional means of funding any business is to get a loan that can allow you to cover all of the necessary upfront costs, and running costs until you’re able to get yours up, running, and making money. Banks were the typical method of borrowing money like this, originally, but as banks got bigger, they lent less to smaller businesses, and as such, commercial funding solutions rose up to take their place, to some degree. If you’re going to try to borrow money, then you need to ensure that you are completely prepared for the application process, which can necessitate a business plan, which is designed, in part, to help show the viability and path to profitability to any lenders. Finding green grants and other financial incentives The push towards greener businesses and more sustainable industries isn’t something that’s only on the minds of a few business owners. There are always state-funded and non-profit-funded initiatives that aim to help those with green businesses on their mind get their start. You should take a look at the range of green business grants and other funding options set up, be it locally, in your state, or federally. Some of these funds and grants will be set up for businesses tackling climate change, ecosystem change, and environmental waste in specific ways, but there are always more grants to keep an eye out for, so make sure you learn how to write a grant proposal well. Finding those who are like-minded, either in seeing the profit potential in your business, or in getting behind the values of it, can help you not only get the funding you need, but it can lead to very advantageous relationships in the future, as well.
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