Looking for a new side hustle that you can do online? You're in the right place! In today's digital era, making money online has never been more accessible. Now's your chance to explore how. We're diving into 21 unique opportunities that can help you start your online side hustle today!
1. Transcription Services
Offer transcription services on platforms like Rev or TranscribeMe where you transcribe audio clips into text. The work varies from all kinds of different topics - commercials, investigation hearings, lectures, and business meetings.
Most options will pay a fixed rate based on the length of the audio file; and they can be anywhere from a couple of minutes to hours. Hours are usually flexible, you work when you want to, but the files will usually have a time limit or due date.
You may be asked to do a preliminary screening or test. Do not rush through these, take the time to sit down and carefully pay attention to the test. Some transcription services only allow you to take these tests once, so you don't want to miss out from carelessness.
2. Digital Products
Selling digital products can be an extremely profitable side hustle. A digital product can be anything from a planner to birthday invitations to wall art and so much more. The best thing about digital products is they can be sold on a variety of platforms and customers can usually access them instantly. You can use social media and content marketing strategies to show off your product and reach more customers. Digital products are especially attractive side hustles because they only need minimal upkeep once they're created.
3. Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is an awesome side hustle for anyone who is organized and great at multitasking. This kind of work is usually catered to businesses or busy professionals to help them streamline their operations and boosts their own productivity.
As a VA, you can offer services like email management, scheduling, bookkeeping, and content creation, all from the comfort of your home (or wherever you are!). Start by identifying your skill set, setting up a professional online presence, and connecting with potential clients through freelance platforms or networking.
4. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a method of sourcing and selling products without having inventory or making it yourself. In this method, a customer orders something from you or your website. You then reach out to your supplier and order the product, but have it shipped directly to the customer, not yourself. Think of yourself kind of like a middleman between the manufacturer and the customer.
The trade-off here is that you are responsible for bringing in 100% of your audience. Marketing, website creation and hosting, and customer service all become your responsibility.
5. Content Creation
When you hear create content, you'll probably think of people online creating YouTube videos and memes, but anyone can create content. This is a flexible side hustle where you can express yourself and earn money. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok allow you to showcase videos, photos, and articles to a global audience. Monetize your content through ads, sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and merchandise.
Focus on a niche that interests your audience, and post regularly. Consistency is key with this type of side hustle to build a following. To make content creation easier, create in batches and schedule the posts ahead.
6. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing - the original influencer job. In this side hustle, you earn commissions by promoting other people's or companies' products. You find a product you like, promote it to others, and earn a piece of the profit for each sale you make through your unique link or code. Promote products on blogs, YouTube channels, social media, or any other form of online communication where you have an audience.
My word of warning with affiliate marketing - don't be shady. Don't recommend products that you wouldn't use yourself or that don't work as intended. Maintain your integrity - it's extremely easy to lose trust and almost impossible to regain it.
7. Sell Clip Art & Graphics
You can build a profitable side hustle selling clip art and graphics. People use these for all kinds of projects - website designs, printable products, or merchandise. Digital artists can sell their work on online marketplaces like Etsy or Creative Fabrica, or start your own website. If you know how to use AI, you can use programs like Midjourney or ChatGPT to create graphics.
Using my Etsy referral link will get you 40 free listings to start your shop!
8. Podcast
Like to talk? A podcast might be the side hustle for you! Podcasting has become a popular method to share your views on any topic - seriously, anything. There are podcasts for technology, education, true crime, sleeping, business, dating, or even just conversations.
You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get started - just a microphone and some audio editing software. As your audience grows, you can monetize through sponsorships, ads, and listener donations. Podcasting not only helps you generate income, but it helps you build a personal brand and connect with like-minded people.
9. Write eBooks
Ebooks are rising in popularity as people move to more digital platforms. If you have specialized skills or knowledge, you can share this through ebooks, which you can self-publish using websites like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Alternatively, you can sell them products on your own websites or other marketplaces. For anyone who enjoys writing fiction, this could be a way to monetize your stories.
10. Print-on-Demand Products
Print-On-Demand is perfect for anyone who wants to put their designs on merchandise. All you do is create the design, upload them to a POD platform like Printful or Printify, and market your products. You can do this with your own art, or designs you purchase with commercial licenses. This could also be a great add-on for anyone who already has an established brand because you can add your logo or designs to products and market to your audience.
If you want to learn more about Print-On-Demand, you can check out my POD 101 guide for additional details and guidance on how to get started.
11. Record fitness videos
If you're a personal trainer or have some fitness expertise, create workout videos! Especially if you are already working out, this can be easy content that doesn't require you to do a lot of extra work. Record workouts, instructional videos, or motivational sessions for people at all fitness levels. Monetize this by offering subscriptions and customized plans, live classes, or affiliate marketing.
12. Create meal prep plans
Everyone is busy these days and looking to outsource whatever they can. Part of this includes meal prepping! Create and sell meal plans tailored to different dietary needs, preferences, and goals like weight loss, muscle gain, or even just healthy eating. You can monetize this by selling meal prep plans directly to clients, offering monthly or weekly subscriptions, or partner with local gyms and trainers.
I would like to add a disclaimer here that you should be careful with promising health benefits if you have no medical training. Be clear about this with your customers - tell them it's based on personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice.
13. Sell Stock Art Photographs
Whether you're a professional photographer or just like taking pretty pictures, you can create an income stream by selling stock art photos. Stock art is used by people for product promotion, website art, or even blog posts like this one. A wide variety of subjects can be made profitable, from nature and cityscapes to everyday people and business settings.
Stock photos can also be created with image generation programs like Midjourney. If you're good at creating prompts that lead to stunning photos, this could be profitable for you.
14. Create Business templates
Business owners are always looking for ways to streamline their processes. A great way to meet this demand is by selling templates for business owners. These could be templates for presentations, spreadsheets, business plans, and invoices to name a few options. Think about the pain points you face as a small business owner and identify areas where you can solve them.
15. Social Media Management
Social Media is everything for businesses. They need a strong social media presence, which means they need someone to manage it. This can be anything from creating the social media content to posting and managing the content to engaging with users on social media. Business owners who are uncomfortable with technology or solopreneurs with limited time can use the most help.
16. Online courses
Online courses have been getting a bad rep lately, but they shouldn't. When done correctly, an online course can be a great way to learn something new. If you have a skill that you can teach others, creating an online course could be a great way to capitalize on it. People love to learn new things and will pay for an expert to teach them. These courses can be sold on your own websites or platforms, as well as websites like Udemy and Teachable.
17. Video Game Streaming
Video game streaming allows you to share your gaming sessions live with an audience across platforms like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, or Facebook Gaming. To get started, you'll need a reliable gaming setup, a good microphone, a webcam, and streaming software. Focus on building a community by interacting with your viewers through chat, offering gameplay tips, and sharing your gaming experiences.
You can monetize your stream through subscriptions, donations, ad revenue, and sponsorships from gaming brands. As you grow your channel, consider diversifying your content with game reviews, tutorials, or co-streaming sessions with other gamers.
18. Blogging
Blogging is one of the original online money makers. They originally were focused on a lot of lifestyle content, but these days there are blogs about everything (like this one😉). Use a blog to share your expertise and experiences on a subject you love. If you have a business, add a blog to your website where you can add more in depth information about topics related to your business. For example, if you are a hair stylist, you can add a blog to your booking website that gives hair care tips and guidance.
If you're interested in blogging, you should consider taking the free Blogging Foundations course hosted by a friend of Pretty Little Hustlers. I can personally vouch for Sadie's course - this is the first step I took when I decided to start my blog.
19. Mindfulness and Meditation Instruction
We could all use a little bit of mindfulness. This side hustle can include guiding individuals or groups through meditation practices to help them reduce stress, enhance focus, and improve overall well-being. You can do live sessions, create pre-recorded sessions, host a membership, or create meditation journals.
20. Online Tasks
While the use of AI is rapidly rising, there are some tasks that require a human touch. Companies may need help with things like data annotation, image tagging, surveys, or data entry. Platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), Appen, and DataAnnotation connect you with these microtasks and you can get paid from them. They're great because of the flexibility - you can work when you want and as much as you want. Each task may only pay a small amount, but they can usually be completed really quickly, and the earnings add up over time.
21. Online Coach or consultant
The greatest thing about the internet is the wide reach. Being online opens up more connections, so people who may be looking for a coach or consultant have a wider array to choose from. You can offer consultations for anything that you are skillful in - marketing, SEO research, spirituality, tarot, Etsy audits, artificial intelligence. The possibilities are endless.
Consider combining activities that pair well together - like blogging with affiliate marketing or virtual assistance with selling business templates - to maximize your earnings and keeping things manageable. But be careful - start with one idea, master it, and then consider add ons. Don't overcomplicate yourself in the beginning.
If you're ready to take the next steps and get started, check out my comprehensive guide to starting your side hustle. Maybe you're still unsure and need help figuring out the perfect side hustle for your skills? I've got you covered there!