Whether you are a college student, a teenager, a stay-at-home mom, or a busy father, doing some extra work can help you earn more money. In fact, you may even make a full-time income from the comforts of your home. Luckily, there are more and more online jobs that you can enter quickly, and experts believe that this trend will continue well into the future.
So, if you are looking for a new career or a part-time job which lets you earn a profit from home, we have made a list of the 45 ways to make money working at home.
1. Take Part In Surveys
A lot of companies rely more on online surveys than interviewing one-by-one. This is a more affordable strategy that is less time consuming and simpler in profiling customers. With this in mind, more and more websites are offering cash and rewards just for answering product tests and service surveys. Many users have revealed that they receive approximately $200 per month along with some free products, gift vouchers, and prize drawings.
Remember, if a survey site asked you to pay a membership fee, these are probably scams. Do not trust them. Here are some of the legitimate websites you can visit:
2. Be An Airbnb Host
Do you have a vacation house that you rarely use? Or an extra room where you live? Why not maximize it and rent it out on Airbnb. According to statistics, you can pay up to 80 percent of your monthly rents just by listing these rooms or houses on the said website. You can even rent out a whole apartment where the rates are significantly higher. Believe it or not, the annual profits from doing so range from $15,000 to $30,000 for a two-bedroom apartment.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer. Because of its broad reach, there are a lot of people who buy and sell items on the platform. Professionals recommend that you sell stuff that you are most passionate about so that you can add some authenticity to it. For example, if you are more inclined to the world of fashion, then it’s better to promote items like clothes, makeup, and jewelry. This way, you’ll find satisfaction and enjoyment in this endeavor.
If you want to know the nitty-gritty of selling on Amazon, you may enroll in this FREE 7-day course by Jessica Larrew of The Selling Family.
Believe it or not, you can also earn money from a task that you do every day – searching the web. Qmee.com came up with an innovative idea by rewarding users when you surf in Yahoo, Google, or Bing. All you have to do is install an add-on to your browser, and you are good to go.
This organization sustains its operations through paid ads. So don’t be surprised when you see a few sponsored search results alongside the normal ones.
So, how does it work? Each result has a corresponding cash reward. If you click on it, you will be able to collect your prize. If you feel like cashing out your earnings, you can do it anytime since there is no minimum amount to do so. Just make sure to wire it to the correct Paypal account.
A lot of people watch videos in their free time. But, what if we tell that you can get paid for doing this as well? All you have to do is watch movie previews, celebrity videos, news, and other more.
There are websites that pay you to watch these offerings for a certain number of minutes, and like them rate them at the end. You may earn around $200 per month. You can earn even more if you want to spend your day doing this. Take note that some organizations give you a signing bonus of $5.
6. Be A Music Reviewer
Are you a fan of music? A website called Slicethepie is considered one of the largest paid music review sites in the world. It pays its users to listen to different kinds of music and write a detailed review about it. It does not work like a usual writer where you are given a base rate per word. Your earnings will depend on the quality of your review – the more constructive and more detailed it is, the higher the pay.
Remember, however, that the minimum cashout is $10. Once you have reviewed enough songs, your earnings will automatically be sent to your Paypal account.
Nowadays, becoming an online tutor does not require you to be with your students physically. All you need to have is a stable internet connection, a reliable laptop, a microphone, and a headset. These are the minimum requirements that online tutorial companies ask from their applicants.
Some websites help both high school and college students with subject and course-specific questions. Others even assist these students with their daily homework. Whatever your role will be, it will still require you with an excellent educational background and professional experience.
Overall, tutors earn around $15 to $25 per hour.
8. Review Apps And Websites
If you are a fan of appar and criticizing websites, then you can use this to earn extra cash. UserTesting.com is a platform that individuals use to review different types of sites. Each test and review will take approximately 20 minutes and you’ll earn an average of $10.
You probably won’t be required to review a site every day. Check your inbox once in a while to see if UserTesting.com has sent you a link to site or app for you to judge.
A lot of sites out there provide opportunities for their users to stay healthy. AchieveMint, a health app, rewards you with points for doing good deeds such as tracking your food, walking, jogging, and taking health surveys. For every 10,000 points you earn, you will be able to convert this to $10. You may redeem this in exchange for cash or Amazon Gift Cards.
What’s unique about this program is that you can connect it to your current fitness apps such as RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Fitbit, and Healthkit. This approach enables you to integrate your activities from your original apps to AchieveMint.
Several companies outsource their customer-service operations to third-party companies. Their reason for this is to cut their operational costs since they won’t have to rent a space where these people can do their job. These agents are home-based workers that take calls and orders for the outsourcing company.
The typical rate of this job ranges around $9 to $11 per hour. Some companies give their customer service representatives the same benefits as their regular employees. However, other employers consider these people as independent contractors, so they don’t provide the said benefits.
Some examples of companies which hire virtual call agents are as follows:
11. Write And Publish An ebook
There are a lot of writers who store their compositions on a notebook or laptop. However, you can take advantage of this skill by selling these through the Amazon Kindle Store. You can list your book for $1.50 to $8.00 and get 70 percent of the sale.
Remember, everything is going digital nowadays. A lot of people around the world already have the Kindle app on their devices, so your target market is enormous. At the same time, most customers trust the services of Amazon – you don’t have to worry about getting scammed by your publisher.
Here are some tips on how to make your eBook stand out:
Write non-fiction. Make sure that you write something that you are an expert in, bundle information that you have researched, and present it in an easy-to-read format.
Create a creative cover design that will entice your audience to buy it.
Ask for reviews from your buyers, so it shows up higher on the search results.
With the rise of the digital age, more and more people are relying on transferring information through the online platform. Usually, these clients look for freelance writers that can sustain the content of their websites and blogs. When in this arena, you will get to experience to write and edit about anything under the sun – from psychology to business to technology. Your pay for each article ranges from $10 to $20 per 500-word piece.
Take note that your salary will also increase depending on your skill, experience, and tenure. So, make sure to compile all of your compositions so you can show it as proof to your potential employer.
13. Become An Online Juror
Do you know that there is a thing such as an online juror? Several companies, such as eJury.com, look for online jurors to sit on mock juries virtually. Their role is to provide the jury consultants and attorneys their feedback and opinion on their plans on the cases they are currently handling. You can compare this with focus groups.
Remember, the cases are real. They just need to present their arguments to a mock jury so they can have an idea of how things might go when in court. You can earn around $5 to $60 per case. Just a little reminder: make sure to read the disclaimers and details on the contract. Be cautious since you are dealing with legal scenarios.
More and more individuals abroad are now seeking for an English tutor. One of them is VIPKID. VIPKID is an English tutor company which gives the privilege to work from home, work on your own schedule, and still make approximately $20 per hour. All you have to do is apply, study their modules, and have the patience to teach your non-English speaking clients.
Listed below are some of the requirements you need to fulfill before getting accepted in VIPKID:
If you have a website or a blog that already has high online traffic, then you can maximize this by engaging in affiliate marknadsföring. Affiliate marketing refers to the promotion of all sorts of products, services, and companies online. Once your visitors click on your affiliate link and buys products or seeks their services, you will receive a commission.
Make sure that you put your affiliate links on the right spots. For example, if your blog is about business, do not insert a promotion related to the skincare. This is a common problem that most bloggers face. Whenever they do so, the tendency is that their audience will only get annoyed with all of these links – especially if they’re unrelated. You will lose your authenticity, and they will see you as a monetizing blogger only. Believe it or not, you might lose their trust in this kind of system.
Visit this article to learn how to conduct affiliate marketing on Twitter.
16. Be A Virtual Assistant
Work for someone from the comfort of your home. In the course of business nowadays, the assistants of business tycoons don’t need to be beside them physically to serve them. These services are now transforming into virtual assistants (VA). VAs cover everything – from making travel plans, checking emails, handling internet research, and submitting reports.
The boss and the virtual assistant should only make sure that they use the best collaboration tools out there. This will make their work seamless.
If you want to be a virtual assistant, you may visit Upwork eller Zirtual now!
17. Be An Online Guide Or Expert
There are websites where people look for advice from people who are experts in specific fields or individuals passionate about some topics. For example, some will ask the technicalities of choosing a car, how to make a killer carrot cake, or where to bring your appliances for repair.
At JustAnswer.com, the users pay for their questions to be answered by trusted professionals such as lawyers, doctors, and veterinarians. Take note, however, that you won’t receive the full payment as a guide. The company will only give you a percentage of the fee. Nevertheless, not bad for just sitting in front of your computer, right?
Do you always cringe at writing errors? Or do you ever find yourself correcting grammar? If you want to put this practice into good use, then you can enter the proofreading world. All you have to do is search for online companies that upload work from other people, read it, and edit it as much as you can.
Remember, it’s not just the grammar that you should look into. You should also notice the cohesiveness of ideas and sentence composition to be able to submit the best output.
19. Recycle Mobile Phones
With more models coming out every year, it is not surprising that people change phones regularly. Believe it or not, you can earn good money from this. What you can do is to place several mobile baskets around your neighborhood where other people can drop their old mobile phones and some of their unused devices.
Some of the best mobile phone recycling companies you can sell your collection to are the following:
20. Rate Pizzas
Pizza is a big thing wherever you go. Therefore, a lot of companies pay their users for rating local pizza shops. This way, it will be easier for their website visitors to know which pizza place to order.
As a rater, you have to give a score depending on the quality of their pizza, customer service, and delivery time. Once you reach a certain number of reviews, you will get a free pizza on your doorstep, alongside an extra $5 bonus.
Do you consider your neighbors as a family already? Do they trust you enough that they will give you the green light to help them while they are at work? If your answer is yes to both questions, then you can consider signing up for eNeighbr.
The site gives you the power to accept and hold deliveries for your neighbors on times that they are not at home. This way, these shipments won’t get stolen. Every package is insured up to $300, and each eNeighbr account is verified, so they’re assured that these belongings are in safe hands.
It is a common misconception that becoming a bookkeeper requires an Accounting degree and experience. However, that’s not the case. Take note that a bookkeeper is entirely different from an accountant.
Accountants are in charge of preparing tax returns and auditing financial statements. Aside from these, they also assist individuals and businesses with the following:
Organizing financial records
Examining financial statements
Complying with state and federal laws
Evaluating financial records
Suggesting ways to cut down expenses
On the other hand, bookkeepers take charge of the daily financial health of the business. Their responsibilities include the following:
Paying bills
Collecting invoices and payments
Updating financial records
Checking the accuracy of records
Posting financial records in computer programs
Receiving accounts receivable
To keep it short, a bookkeeper is responsible for the money going and out of the company daily.
Think of Clickworker.com as an ‘internet crowd-sourcing’ business. This website mainly advertises scalable tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible. For many people, making money through this online business is the easiest way to receive fast cash from their couch.
There are different tasks laid out in Clickworker. The most common activities, however, are web research, form filling, and data entry. What’s good about this is that the job is pretty flexible – you have the freedom to choose when or for which company you work for. For every task you complete, you will be rewarded and paid in cash via Paypal.
24. Sign Up As A Cooking Host
A lot of people prefer eating home-cooked food instead of fast food. However, there are still others who cannot cook delicious meals on their own. With this in mind, sites like MealSharing, Cookening, and EatWith came up with the idea of serving home-cooked meals through the help of a cooking host.
As a cooking host, your role is to cook and serve meals inside your home for guests who booked for you. You have the option to cook what you want and how many people you can accommodate inside. Take note that no cash is exchanged physically since all the payment passes through the site. Your salary as a cooking host ranges from $50 to $100 per meal.
Transcription work is slowly growing nowadays, especially that we have to put a record for everything. The primary role of a transcriptionist is to convert the audio file into a text format. Depending on the industry they are giving their service to, they can be called legal, medical, or general transcriptionists.
26. Look For Gigs On Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the largest marketplaces when it comes to people selling small services called gigs. There are no limitations to what kinds of services you can post. You may offer the clients social media posting, writing, translating, teaching, creating music, becoming a voice-over actor, or even playing pranks!
The default price for each service is $5 – that’s where they got their name. If you feel, however, that what you did is not worth the said amount, you can attach extra services for your gigs.
You may also go to Redbubble to see your art and earn extra money. Check out this good article to know the ins and outs of this job.
If you feel that your fees at Fiverr are not enough, then there is another way to profit more using the same site. At the same time, this approach requires less work. All you have to do is resell your gigs.
For example, you can look for jobs on sites like Upwork that requires the creation of a logo. Once you have fixed your business with your client, you can then go to Fiverr and seek the services of a logo designer. Here, you will be spending $5, which in return will still give you profit if you charge $50 in your reseller.
28. Work For Amazon
There are microtasks available from Amazon Mechanical Turk – a provider of services that require human interaction. A lot of people crave for this job because it has flexible hours, you can work from home, and you get paid by one of the largest retailers in the world. Some examples of the tasks that they require include the following:
Providing reviews on whether a website is suitable for a general audience
Correcting spellings in blogs
Find the item number of specific products
Translate paragraphs from one language to another
29. Sell Your Notes
Do you love taking notes in your classes? Believe it or not, you can get paid by uploading your notes in sites like Stuvia or Nexus Notes. Take note that you will be the one who will determine the price of your records, but the companies will take a cut from your profit for handling the marketing side of the operations. This way, you won’t have to get out of your way just to promote these services.
Remember also that you are allowed to submit handwritten notes. The risk with this, however, is that some customers do not pay for it as compared to when it is in PDF form.
Do you have a love for traveling or do you like organizing trips for other people? If so, then you can be an online travel agent. All you have to do is visit travel websites such as Expedia in your free time and check their latest offerings. You can look for customers who do not have the patience to scroll through these sites to view for cheap travel needs. This kind of service can be an alternative to travel agencies.
31. Sell Second-hand Course Books
Another great way to generate profit is to buy student textbooks at the end of the year, and sell them at the start of classes. There will most likely be high demand at this time since first-year students are still keen on studying. You have the option to advertise this on campus or through the Amazon Marketplace.
As mentioned above, there are sites for students who want to look for useful school notes. Surprisingly, there are also websites for teachers, especially new teachers, where they can avail of lesson plans for a price. You also have the option to sell some of the teaching resources you use in class. Teachers Pay Teachers is a website you can turn to if you want to pursue this job.
Being a mystery shopper is easy. Agencies hire mystery shoppers to visit different kinds of stores and restaurants to be able to give feedback on how they are performing. They do this so that these places will act naturally as compared to when they send employees to audit them.
34. Maintain Fan Pages
Do you know that it is hard to maintain fan pages? You have to continuously create and post content related to the fan page, and interact with the online visitors at the same time. In fact, being a coordinator takes a lot of time. With this in mind, more and more fan pages are now hiring their own employees to take over their social media activity. All they have to do is to give you a marketing plan, and you will be the one who will execute all of these plans online.
Click here to see how you can make money on Twitter through handling fan pages.
35. Rent House For Filming
Directors and producers for television and movies are always on the lookout for houses where they can film. Their usual routine involves scouting some places, including the outskirts, pooling them, creating a shortlist, and evaluating which will be the best fit for them. As an example, a scene from Coronation Street was filmed in the house of a student where one of the editors of Save the Student used to live.
At the same time, it is an indulging feeling seeing your place on your TV. This is an excellent exposure to other directors and producers, who may also be interested in renting out your house.
If you are just at home with your kids, try building an at-home daycare. All you have to do is get customers (start with trusted friends) who will leave their kids at your house while they are away. Your primary goal is to set playdates, feed them, and generally take care of their needs while they are still in your care.
Take note, however, that you will need a certification from your state before having the green light.
37. Sell Unused Clothes On eBay
Whenever a person is getting rid of junk, they become best friends with eBay. Online auctions in these kinds of websites is an easy way to turn these unused clothing items into hard cash. Even if you feel that what you’re offering is out of the trend list, dare to still sell it. You don’t know what is running in the customer’s mind. Your outdated outfit might be the fashion style they want to portray in their everyday.
If you’re not a fan of the internet, you may opt to go for the traditional approach of selling your clothes in a garage sale.
If you don’t want to sell your clothes to random strangers, there is another way to maximize owning these. What you can do is to rent out these clothes instead of permanently selling them. What most individuals do is that they create a renting Instagram profile, dedicated only to showcase the pieces that they are renting. In there, they will upload the pictures along with the prices for renting.
To help facilitate the work, you can also create a form wherein your customers are required to fill up if they want to avail of your services. This way, all of your transactions get stored in just one place only.
39. Join Network Marketing
Network marketing has a negative connotation to it. In reality, however, there are companies that have a great and legal approach to Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). This model allows the agents to generate income in two different ways: by selling products and earning commissions from it and by recruiting other individuals who will sell the said products. The second way entails you to cash out your commission from the sales of your recruit.
Take note that this is not an illegal pyramid scheme since this process involves an end goal – convincing a customer to buy a product or service they offer.
40. Sell Antiques And Collectibles
Do you collect various random items when you were younger? Or do you have things that complement your last home, but does not fit your new one anymore? Whatever your reason is, there is a profit when selling your antiques and collectibles. Make sure that you appraise these to professionals since your customers might end up buying it at a lower price. Some examples of collectibles include trading cards, vinyl CDs, and coins.
41. Source Properties For Wealthy Investors
A lot of people know that there is money in property investments. However, because of the high capital that you should shoulder, a majority opted to stay away from this market. The truth is, there is still a significant chance of making a great deal of cash by just directly sourcing properties for wealthy investors who do not have the time to this themselves.
As a property sourcer, you should look for properties that are below market value (BMV). The easiest way to do this is to avoid real estate agents and give out flyers with your contact details to inform them that you are buying houses. Another approach you can take is to attend monthly networking events of property investors and landlords. Make sure to track these down, sign up, and introduce yourself in this world.
The goal of the Nielsen Consumer Panel is to know what lies in the refrigerators of the consumers. This way, they will be able to back up their consumer profiling data. All you have to do is to scan the barcodes of the products in your fridge and send it to them. There are also times that they will call you to ask for your opinion on specific products and to answer the survey questionnaire.
Once you have done all of this, you will receive points in the app. You have the option to convert these points into cash or redeem rewards instead.
What a lot of people do not know is that there is money in the junk. One of the most uncommon, yet effective, ways to earn money is by selling your empty printer cartridges to office supply stores such as Staples and Office Depot. Printer owners do not practice this since they’re not familiar that these cartridges are recyclable. Manufacturers use this as a container for their printer ink. Don’t worry since recycled cartridges do not negatively affect your printers.
44. Build A Baking Business
Do you know that selling baked goodies can be a tremendous source of income? There is a significant demand for these treats all year long – from birthdays to parties to the kids’ show and tell. The list is endless. If you do not want to sit on the office desk for so long, you can try building your own baking business. You can run your catering business from your kitchen.
Some tips in running this:
Ensure that you will abide by the food safety laws of your state.
Ask your friends for referrals. They might know people who do not have time to create homemade food, that they might ask for your services in their parties and other family events.
Publicize your business online. Make sure to create an eye-catching name for your business to provide some recall to your customers. Do not forget to post publicity materials that will make their mouth water.
45. Sell Calligraphy Items
If you are the artsy type and you’re fond of calligraphy, then you should try maximizing this talent. You can do hand lettering to come up with wedding cards, invitations, stickers, and other stationery items. To gain profit, you have the option to sell them online, through a website or social media page, or you can set up a one-day event where you can feature your work. Etsy Calligraphy is one of the most popular marketplaces for calligraphy.
You may also check our article on how you can make money on the comforts of your home without paying anything.
Final Words
The limit of making money while at the comfort of your home is limitless. Technology has opened tons of opportunities that don’t require you to get stuck in the traffic while going to work. With just a few taps on your smartphone or a few clicks on your computer, you can connect to tons of employers that are looking for remote workers. You can also reach more potential customers thanks to social media.
Find a side hustle that you are most interested in and start earning money even in your pajamas.
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Elysia Cartlidge is living proof that success will come if you work hard and don’t give up.
As a registered dietician with a full-time corporate job and two small kids, Elysia had a full plate and not much time. But she started her website, Haute & Healthy Living, originally as a hobby. A few years later, when she realized she could monetize it, she shifted her focus to healthy recipes, doubled down on SEO, and worked extremely hard on the weekends and when her kids were napping or sleeping.
Today she has a thriving website earning up to $15k per month.
Keep reading to find out:
Why she started her blog
What happened after she took her first blogging course
How long it took her to join Mediavine
Where her income comes from
How much she works on her site
Her marketing strategies
Her thoughts on SEO and social media
How she approaches keyword research and link building
How she creates content
Her favorite resources and tools
Her biggest challenge
Her greatest accomplishment
Her main mistake
Her advice for other entrepreneurs
Meet Elysia Cartlidge
My name is Elysia, and I’m a wife and mother to two little boys, Leo and Max, who are 5 and 2 ½ years old. I have a Master’s in applied nutrition and have been a registered dietitian for 11 years. I was a retail dietitian for 8 years before making the decision to quit and run my online business full-time in January 2022.
Why She Created Haute and Healthy Living
I decided to create my website Haute & Healthy Living, back in 2015 strictly as a hobby. I had just started my first corporate job as a dietitian and was looking for a creative outlet to work on outside of my day job.
When I first launched my website, it was intended to be a lifestyle blog. I posted about recipes, fitness, home decor, DIY projects, and beauty – pretty much all the things that I loved. I never had any plan to turn my website into a business.
I posted about random topics for about 8 months and then I completely stopped posting on my blog during 2016 and 2017 because I got engaged and was busy with wedding planning. Then shortly after the wedding, I got pregnant and had no energy or desire to blog.
During my maternity leave in 2018 with my first son, I decided to start dipping my toes in the world of blogging again. My mom sent me a link to a course called Elite Blog Academy, and I decided to take the course since I had some time while my baby was sleeping. Through the course, I learned that you could monetize a blog and turn it into a business, which to me was completely mind-blowing!
From that point on, I made it a goal of mine that I would monetize my blog and one day quit my job and blog full-time. My husband, family, and friends were supportive, but I think everyone questioned if you can actually make money from a blog. I made it my personal mission to prove that I could do it.
I niched down to just posting healthier recipes and started implementing some of the strategies from the course. I managed to grow my blog traffic to a point where I qualified for Mediavine a year later, in March 2019.
That was the game changer. Since being with Mediavine, my monthly revenue has continued to grow to the point where I was able to quit my full-time job after my second maternity leave in January 2022.
Although I started out covering a wide range of topics, I now focus on posting easy and healthy recipes for busy families.
How Much Money She’s Making
As I mentioned, every month my blog revenue continues to grow, but it’s currently bringing in about 10-15K per month, depending on the month. I’m on track to make around $130-150k this year.
The majority of my revenue comes from ads, but I do make some money from selling my ebooks (a few hundred dollars per month) and from affiliate marknadsföring as well (around $100/per month).
I will also launch another website in the next couple of months, which I hope to monetize in the next couple of years to help further diversify my income.
Although I launched my website in 2015, I started truly taking it seriously and treating it more like a business in 2018, so it’s taken me about 5 years to reach this revenue level.
I had to work on it very much part-time during this time period since I was also working full-time at my corporate job and tending to two young children.
I pretty much built my business at night when my kids were sleeping, on weekends when I wasn’t working my other job, and during my maternity leaves while my kids were napping or sleeping.
On average, I probably work on my business 35 hours per week, though it varies weekly depending on how much my kids are home with me.
Elysia’s Marketing Strategy
I don’t really have any unique marketing strategy that I’m using. My goal is always to produce high-quality content and to use keyword research to help people find my content. That’s my primary marketing strategy.
I’m always trying to improve my food photography as well, which can help with marketing since people will be more likely to want to try a recipe if it looks good.
Finally, I use Pinterest to help share my content, which also brings in some traffic.
Her Thoughts on SEO and Social Media
SEO is incredibly important for my business since most of my traffic comes from search engines.
Aside from Pinterest (which I outsource), I currently don’t use much social media to grow my website. If you saw my number of followers, you probably would think that my website isn’t very successful since I have less than 5000 followers on Instagram and Facebook combined and don’t even have a TikTok account.
I decided to stop posting on Instagram a little over a year ago and only post on FB when I think of it. I found that social media was a major time suck, the algorithms kept changing, and the ROI wasn’t there. So I switched gears and focused the majority of my time on SEO and developing blog content, and that’s when I started seeing the most growth.
If you compare this January and February to the same time last year, my traffic is up about 80%. The moral of the story is you can still be successful and see growth without having a massive following, so don’t get caught up in the vanity metrics.
Keyword Research
I search for my initial ideas using sökordsforskning to determine which recipes to develop. I implement strategies from Stupid Simple SEO and Cooking with Keywords, two courses I took to help me better understand keyword research.
I try to target lower competition keywords so that people can find my content, rather than going for super competitive keywords, which can be difficult to rank for.
Länkbyggnad
Link building is very important, although I probably haven’t devoted as much time to it as I should, as there aren’t enough hours in the day. I hope that focusing on SEO and getting content to rank in top positions on Google will help organically generate backlinks.
I also provide links to my content in roundup groups that other bloggers can use on their sites if they choose to help with backlinks. Additionally, I use my expertise as an RD to sometimes contribute to publications like Insider, Livestrong, Women’s Health, Eat This, Health, etc., when the opportunity presents itself to help build up authority since these sites have a high DA.
Her Content Creation Process
Currently, I try to post about 2 new recipes and update one old recipe per week. I’d love to do more, but at this point, quality is more important to me than quantity. This amount is what I find to be the most manageable during this busy phase of life with young children.
When it comes to my process, first, I’ll come up with initial recipe ideas by conducting keyword research. Then I’ll select a recipe idea from my list and test it (usually multiple times) and make any necessary tweaks before photographing it, editing the photos, conducting additional keyword research, coming up with a post outline, drafting up the post, and inputting the images.
A lot of work goes into creating each post, so it’s definitely more than just coming up with a recipe and posting it on the blog.
Her Email List
I do have an email list that I email weekly. I mostly grow it by using opt-ins on my site. People who choose to subscribe will be added to my email list.
Elysia’s Favorite Resources
Some of my favorite podcasts are EatBlogTalk, the Blogging Millionaire, and Food Blogger Pro. I also like the TopHatRank webinars for learning about best practices for SEO.
Her Top Tools
I use KeySearch for keyword research and find that it’s affordable without being overly complicated like some of the other tools out there.
I also like Asana for building my content calendar since I can easily move things around.
Finally, I use Excel spreadsheets. I find tracking my content in spreadsheets is the best way to keep track of content ideas and keywords since I’m constantly adding new ideas.
Her Biggest Challenge
The biggest challenge I’ve faced is staying up to date on the latest best practices, the constant fluctuations with algorithms, and the never-ending Google updates.
In the blogging world, things are constantly evolving, so you have to be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster ride.
Her Most Impressive Accomplishment
My most important accomplishment thus far has been building up my business to the point where I could quit my corporate job after my maternity leave and pursue my online business full-time.
This not only allowed more flexibility and time to spend with my children, but it also proved to myself and those around me that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Growing my business to this point was all done while having a full-time job and a very demanding newborn and a toddler. It was not an easy journey, but I feel incredibly blessed knowing that the hard work has paid off and that I now get to wake up every morning and work on something that I’m truly excited about.
What She Wishes She Knew When She Started
I wish I had known that you have to post content that people are searching for. If you fail to do this, chances are people won’t be able to find you, which can definitely slow your growth.
I probably would have been much further ahead if I had known this from the start. But learning and mistakes are all part of the journey!
Her Biggest Mistake
Speaking of mistakes, mine is not focusing on SEO sooner. In the beginning, I posted random recipes that had catchy titles, rather than focusing on what people were actually searching for.
When I started focusing on SEO and meeting my readers’ needs, my business began to grow. I’m still going back now and fixing the mistakes that I made.
Her Advice for Other Entrepreneurs
You can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
The key is showing up consistently and putting the work in.
The difference between those who succeed and those who fail, is the ones who succeed are the people who continue to put the work in even when the odds are against them.
Do more of what’s working and less of what’s not. Through consistency and regularly assessing and refining your strategy, you will eventually find success.
When you work hard on your podcast, it shows. Hours of dedication put into creating well-crafted, interesting content pays off with a fine-tuned product— your very own podcast. A show that listeners discover and keep coming back to week after week. And while having a great show and a growing audience is rewarding, you may want to get the full benefit from your work. We’re talking about a payday.
Whether you’re a bedroom podcaster or a seasoned pro, Acast believes that everyone deserves to find their audience and make money from their craft. So if you’re looking for tools to turn your passion into a side hustle or even a career, we’ve got you covered.
Getting podcasters paid is our business at Acast. We provide creators with the best monetization tools that enable them to find a model that works for both them and their audience. From ads and sponsorship to subscriptions and one-time payments, Acast makes it easy to get paid for doing what you love. We’ve already paid out over $240 million to creators, and they’re all earning in different ways — we put the creator in control.
In this article, we will talk about how to make money podcasting and the different monetization methods available on Acast and beyond. We’ll cover how to get started with ads, sponsorships, and subscriptions, and how you can track your earnings and growth with clear and transparent metrics. As well as touching on additional revenue streams such as merch, live events, and affiliate marknadsföring.
Why and when should I monetize my podcast?
Look, we know that not everyone gets into podcasting to make money. In fact, we don’t encourage people to start a podcast specifically to make a quick buck — it doesn’t work like that, but more on this later. But the beauty of podcasting is that it allows you to turn a passion project into a side hustle that burk earn you money and, if you’re lucky, even develop into a career. If you’re in it for the long haul, you’ll want a strategy when it comes to monetizing your show.
Getting paid will allow you to sustain making episodes. For example, if you have an interview podcast, you can attract more guests by offering a fee for their time. If your podcast involves traveling, you can fund your next trip to produce future episodes. You may decide to hire specialists such as sound designers, social media managers, or a producer, to take your show to the next level and improve the quality of the show going forward.
Having a little extra money in your pocket can pay for essential podcasting equipment and recording gear. Maybe there’s a snazzy new microphone you’ve been coveting, or you want to upgrade your editing software. If you don’t record at home, monetizing can also help pay for regular studio time in a professional podcast studio.
As for when to start monetizing, it’s down to the individual. You can start straight away with ads on platforms like Acast to open up an income stream, and there’s no risk in launching a subscription early on to start developing your offering. Keep in mind there are some limitations on how much revenue you can generate while your audience is limited, but there’s nothing wrong with starting early.
What do I need to start monetizing my podcast?
As we said, we don’t encourage people to start a podcast to make money fast. Podcasting is a medium that takes planning, managing, and a fair bit of hard work to start seeing success—don’t rush to the bank after starting a podcast with one episode.
While there’s no definitive list of things you need to start making money from podcasting, as it can differ from podcast to podcast. Here are the foundations that you should have in place before exploring monetization:
Quality content
When you’re starting out with a new podcast, it’s important to focus on creating the best possible content you can. This all starts with your idea, concept, and format for the podcast. Something that plays to your strengths as a creator, and offers listeners something different that they can’t hear on any other podcast. We love the phrase “Build it, and they will come” because it is so true in podcasting. We’ve got a great guide for how to start a podcast called Aclass Essentials with tons of helpful insights into how to create quality content, which is a great place to start.
Building an audience
Building and sustaining a podcast audience is crucial for monetizing — it’s your audience that advertisers are paying you to reach, or the listeners themselves who will support you financially. Ultimately, it’s a case of steadily growing your podcast and building your audience — keeping listeners tuning in, episode after episode. It’s about making sure that they don’t “dip in”, but rather hit the follow button and keep coming back for future episodes.
It’s all about consistency, which is the fuel for podcast growth. Keep a regular release schedule, and use seasons to give yourself a break. Your listeners are creatures of habit, and podcast listening is habitual behavior, so they’ll appreciate knowing exactly when new episodes are out.
The best and most obvious way of getting an audience to return is simply to ask them. Make sure you always tell listeners their support matters and tell them to follow wherever they get their podcasts — as well as leave a positive review. Point out you’ve got social media accounts they can follow, and that you’d love to hear from them. The relationship between the podcast host and the listener is an unusually close one, so make the most of this bond.
Some podcasters take advantage of other marketing channels to entice returning listeners. This could take the shape of an email newsletter, dropping a reminder of the next episode into listeners’ inboxes. Your podcast should feel like a club, where your most valuable listeners are the ones who keep coming back – the ones who reach out to let you know they’re listening. Let them know you’re listening, too.
Choosing the best podcast monetization platforms
If you’re serious about developing a successful podcast monetization strategy, your best bet is to work with specialized partners in generating revenue for your podcast. These platforms offer tools that do all the heavy lifting for you, so you can focus on doing what you do best — making podcasts. Platforms and tools vary in what they provide; from podcast advertising networks, membership subscriptions, one-off payments, donations, merch, and more.
There are a lot of choices out there, which can leave podcasters feeling overwhelmed about which platforms to choose. That’s why Acast developed its podcast hosting platform to be a one-stop shop for the most effective podcast monetization. Podcasters can access our podcaster advertising network, the ‘Acast Marketplace’, where they can monetize with ads and, once they’re big enough, sponsorships. We also have our industry-leading subscriptions and one-time payments tool ‘Acast+’, which allows podcasters to get paid directly by listeners in return for premium content, ad-free episodes, and much more. You can find out more about these monetization tools below.
How do podcasts make money?
Here we go, your complete guide to the various podcast monetization methods, along with helpful explainers and tips on how to get started.
Podcast advertising och sponsorships
Podcast ads and sponsorships are the bread and butter of podcast monetization. If you’ve ever listened to a podcast, chances are you’ve heard what these sound like. These commercial messages from brands and businesses are what put the most money in podcasters’ pockets and keep podcasts free for listeners.
First, let’s define a few important terms:
Annonser are shorter commercial messages in podcasts, usually, 30-60 seconds in length, that are typically created by the advertiser, brand, or business themselves. These will often feature their own signature voice, tone, or music associated with that brand.
Sponsorships are commercial messages that are direct endorsements of a brand, often read by the podcast creator themself — also known as host-read sponsorship. These are typically longer, around 1-3 minutes in length. As sponsorships are personally created and read by podcasters, this ad format is suitable for podcasts with bigger listenerships.
Dynamic Ad Insertion is a technology that inserts ads and sponsorships into your podcast, which Acast invented all the way back in 2014. Dynamically inserted ads and sponsorships are heard on your podcast episodes at the right time, targeting the right audience, across all of your shows’ episodes. This means that your podcast, no matter how far back in your catalog your listens are taking place, will generate passive income even from episodes published years ago. Neat!
In the majority of cases, it’s recommended that you sign up for a podcast host that’s got a built-in podcast advertising network, like Acast. On Acast’s platform, you have everything you need for podcast creation, publishing, and monetizing — including access to the Acast Marketplace where you can start making money through ads and sponsorship that uses dynamic ad insertion, and manage and track your revenue all from the same place.
Monetizing with Acast means you can make money from advertising no matter what app is used by your podcast listeners, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and any other app that catches your RSS feed.
Acast works with the world’s biggest and best brands, so you don’t have to worry about any dodgy ads. On top of this, we ensure that ads sound right at home on your show by putting you in control of setting criteria for any brands or categories that you don’t feel are right for your listeners. It’s our job to make sure your audience hears the right ad that won’t interfere with their experience.
You also have control of showing us exactly where you want ads to be heard in your episodes, using what is known as ‘Ad Markers’.
Pre-roll markers usually play at the very start of your episode
Post-roll markers usually play toward the end of your episode
Mid-roll markers can be placed in the middle of any episode that is at least 10 minutes long. And want to know a secret? – this tends to be the most lucrative ad spot.
Before an ad plays in your episode, we play our iconic audio logo (the Acast North Star) to let your listeners know the difference between your show and the ads.
Once ads are in your episodes, it’s time to get paid. The amount of money you earn depends on the number of listens, your show category, how brand-safe your content is, and a few other factors. Crucially, ad revenue is dependent on CPM (Cost Per Mille), which is a fancy way to say the cost-per-thousand impressions (listens) from your listeners. This can range between advertisers, but typically falls between $5-50 per CPM. Once you’ve reached a certain monthly threshold (for example, $50 in the US), you’ll receive simple steps to tell us where to send your money. You can also track your earnings through the dashboard with our transparent metrics.
As your podcast grows and you get bigger, you may find that advertisers want to hear from you directly, in your voice. These are podcast sponsorships, and Acast can help connect you with sponsors. Sponsorships are podcast host recorded endorsements of a product or brand read aloud by the podcast creator. Podcasts allow you to fully take control of advertising in your own style. In fact, it’s that personal connection between you and the listener that our advertisers want to tap into. Eligibility for the sponsorship on Acast starts at 500 listens per week, but sponsorship campaigns are managed on a case-by-case basis through our dedicated podcast sales team.
Of course, there’s the option of going it alone and pitching potential sponsors yourself for your podcast. Before you reach out, you’ll need to have some numbers ready. Advertisers will want to know how many downloads or listens your podcast gets, and therefore how many impressions their ad is likely to get. In other words, how many people are likely to hear it. You should also be prepared to talk in detail about who your listeners are, and why they’d be interested in the sponsor. For most podcasters, this is very time-consuming and difficult to manage whilst doing everything else it takes to create a podcast. And keep in mind, if you have your own baked-in ads you are not eligible for sponsorship opportunities from Acast.
Podcastsubscriptions, memberships, och premium content
Working with brands isn’t the only route for making money in podcasting, increasingly a lot of creators are supported directly by their listeners through subscriptions or memberships, as well as one-off payments for premium content. And you may not need masses of listeners to make this work – you just need them to be really into what you’re doing.
It’s a bit of a different approach to advertising – one that relies on building a loyal audience base before it can be truly sustainable. But when it works it can be so effective in creating revenue that grows alongside your show’s popularity and helps you build a strong, two-way relationship with the people who are investing in you.
There are a few platforms out there for podcast subscriptions, such as Supercast and Patreon—which Acast has integration with. Acast also has its own supercharged subscription tool called Acast+, which is included in its hosting platform. Think of Acast+ as the ultimate podcast membership club, all available through the same platform you host and publicera your podcast.
Podcast subscriptions and premium content are a way to offer listeners all sorts of benefits or perks in return for a monthly fee, or one-time payment. Essentially you’re creating a paywall for exclusive content. Acast+ subscriptions work across pretty much every listening app including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, and many others. This means a super seamless experience for your listeners. No changing apps or even feeds to access their Acast+ benefits.
Let’s look first at monthly subscribers—that is, listeners who pay a monthly subscription fee, set by you to access benefits. On average, we’ve seen that around 2-5% of audiences could become paying subscribers using Acast+. Shows that promote frequently and persistently can see upwards of 7-10%. This process can take a while – podcasts are slow-burning experiences built on trust and faith so don’t be disheartened if things take a while to ramp up. Persevere, focus on your show, and the subscribers will come in time.
You’ll need to work out what you can offer your listeners in return for their subscription. You can set up a range of tiers for different amounts of money and assign perks to each. Benefits that you can offer through Acast+ include:
Ad-free episodes: Acast can automatically remove ads from episodes for paying listeners.
Bonus episodes: Exclusive podcast content for the people who love it most.
Early access: Get episodes to your superfans before anyone else can listen.
Access to archive: Holding back your archive is a great way of turning new listeners into paying subscribers
You can also customize these tiers to fit with the themes and stories of your show. Take a look at some of Acast’s popular podcasts that are using Acast+, including WTF With Marc Maron, Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed, och Owning It.
Acast+ brings all the tools you need to convert your audience to membership, including a dynamically-inserted intro message added to your regular episodes, explaining what your subscription is and how to subscribe. And cleverly, you can make sure these messages aren’t served to any existing subscribers. You can also put a custom call-to-action in your show notes so people can easily click straight through to your subscription offering.
You can also test your listeners’ appetite for subscriptions with one-time payments for special episodes, bonus content, or bundles of episodes in one go. This can be a really great, low-stakes way of bringing them closer to your show without the pressure of ongoing payments. You’re also not limited to podcasts. Audio content like audiobooks, stand-up sets, live recordings, and more can all be delivered to your audience through Acast+.
You don’t just make money with Podcast subscriptions, they’re also a great way of building an email list—which you can use to build a closer relationship with your biggest fans.
Podcast subscriptions work because they are a great example of what makes podcasts so special. It’s about you, it’s about what you love and connecting you with the people who love what you do.
Affiliate programs
Affiliate programs allow you to earn commission by promoting a business’s products or services. When your listeners use your affiliate link to make a purchase, you earn a percentage of the sale. Here are some steps to help you make money in podcasting using affiliate programs:
Choose a niche: Identify a specific niche that your podcast caters to. For example, if you host a podcast about personal finance, you can promote affiliate products related to finance and investments.
Find affiliate programs: Research and find affiliate programs that align with your niche. There are several affiliate networks available, such as Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Commission Junction. Acast also has its own affiliate program.
Select products: Choose products or services that you genuinely believe in or have used yourself. It is crucial to promote high-quality products that will provide value to your listeners.
Promote products on your podcast: Once you have selected the products, you can promote them on your podcast by creating engaging ad spots. You can also add links to the show notes or your podcast website.
Track your earnings: Keep track of your earnings from affiliate marketing to determine the effectiveness of your efforts. This will help you make adjustments to your strategy and optimize your earnings.
Acast has its very own affiliate program, which can earn you a 30% recurring commission every month for each podcast customer you refer to Acast who signs up for one of our paid-for plans. This is perfect for podcasters as you’re already speaking to people interested in the medium, and can talk from experience about the joys of podcasting.
Additional ways to monetize your podcast
Donations and crowdfunding
Similar to one-time payments, there are tools to request one-off donations from your listeners to support the podcast. People often phrase this to their listeners as helping them buy a cup of coffee, a beer, or an in-joke related to their podcast. You can do this through Acast+ easily by creating a one-time payment tier and customizing the message.
Crowdfunding is a slightly different approach than a donation, but still involves your fans contributing to support the podcast. Usually, creators will launch a crowdfunding campaign to launch a new podcast or series, using platforms like Kickstarter—which has a whole section dedicated to funding podcast projects. For example, James Acaster, co-host of Off Menu, funded a new podcast using Kickstarter.
Merch
Another way to earn money directly from your diehard fans is by selling merchandise. This is a great way to put money in the bank but also to build a community with your audience around your podcast — like a real fan club. Using e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Everpress or specialist merch platforms like Spring, you can create branded t-shirts, mugs, hats, or even books or an online course that ties in with the topic of your show.
Live events, live streams, and gigs
In-person live events and live streams offer podcasters the opportunity to connect with their audience in a more intimate way. The relationship between podcasters and listeners is unlike any other medium, so many fans want to be able to interact with their favorite podcasters. You can run events such as live Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes looks at your show, and even exclusive interviews with your guests. And the best part? You can charge your audience to access these events.
To get started, you’ll need to choose a platform to host your live events and live streams. There are plenty of options out there, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Zoom. You’ll also want to promote your event through your podcast, social media, and email list to get as many people to attend as possible.
And here’s an idea, why not try using one-time payments on Acast+ to sell tickets to your live events?
Sammanfattning
There you have it, a comprehensive look at all the different ways to earn money through podcasting. Monetizing is just one aspect of podcasting, but an important one if you’re looking to turn your passion into a profitable venture. From ads and sponsorships to merchandise and subscriptions, there is a monetization strategy that can work for you and your audience. At Acast, we offer a variety of tools and features to help you monetize your podcast on your own terms. Get started by signing up or switching to Acast today.
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