Five easy ways to make money online

In the age of the internet, working from home has never been easier. Even if you don’t want to start your own business as such, the World Wide Web is still an extremely powerful tool for making money.

In recent years, a variety of channels and practices have emerged that enable almost anybody to boost their income online – and more often than not, all you need is an internet connection. We take a look at some of the most effective, yet low-effort, ways to make money online.

1. Become an e-seller

Amongst other things, the internet is an enormous marketplace, offering almost anything and everything imaginable. This is great for consumers, and even better for anyone looking to boost their income. There are countless ways to sell goods and services online, and the route you decide to take will depend on what you are selling. Platforms like eBay or boot sale app Shpock are ideal for selling off used items you no longer need, such as books and clothes, whilst Etsy is the go-to for selling handmade goods. If you are a talented photographer, you can even sell the rights to your photographs online. The possibilities are endless, and as long as you find the right platform for your product, you can start making money fairly quickly.

2. Monetise your website

If you already have a website and are good at managing your money, you are in prime position to make some money online. Even if your blog just for fun, there are opportunities to turn it into a secondary income stream. An increasingly popular method among bloggers and online publishers is affiliate marketing. Put simply, this involves promoting or recommending a product or service and earning commission if it leads to a purchase. If you decide to act as an affiliate, it is extremely important to keep your audience in mind; only include things that are relevant to them. It’s beneficial to search for affiliate programs by industry, which some affiliate marketing platforms offer, such as affilinet. Other ways to monetise your site include banner ads, sponsored posts or even premium content such as an e-book. Whichever method you choose, the same rule applies: keep it relevant to your readers and in keeping with the theme of your blog.

3. Get paid for your opinion

Paid polls and surveys are an quick way to boost your income, regardless of whether or not you have your own website. There are countless platforms online which will pay you to take part in various surveys – although compensation may be in the form of vouchers and coupons rather than money. If you are willing to try something a little more interactive, UserTesting is a site that will pay you to visit certain websites or apps and providing live, spoken feedback as you do so. You make money whilst helping businesses to improve their websites – win-win!

4. Become a virtual assistant

If your schedule allows for it, you might consider working as a virtual assistant. As a VA, you work remotely from home to provide ad-hoc support to your clients. Working as a virtual assistant does not only cover administrative tasks – you can provide services in practically any field, be it graphic design, sending out emails or offering customer support over the phone. More and more businesses are also hiring virtual assistants to manage their social media. It all depends on your skillset and the level of commitment you wish to take on. Either way, this is an extremely flexible option that could potentially evolve into a full-time endeavour.

5. Tweet for cash

If you’re a social media enthusiast with a substantial following, you can even monetise your social media accounts. Much like affiliate marketing for blogs, advertisers will pay social media users to mention their products or brand. The success rate of this method depends largely on how many followers or friends you have – that is, how much exposure you can offer the advertisers in question – but is by no means reserved for celebrities. Brands also want “ordinary” people to promote their products, so it’s definitely worth signing up to some social media affiliate programs.

Making money at home needn’t take up too much time or effort. With these five methods, you can boost your income as and when you like, and with minimal resources.