You’re here because you want financial freedom.
If you’re anything like me, you want financial freedom so bad you can probably taste it. You visualize it, hustle towards it, and you won’t stop until you obtain it.
If I just described how you feel, then you’re in the right place.
You’re probably working a job (or career if you’re smart) and you’re realizing your paid much less than your value. In fact, you’re paid only about 10% of the revenue you’re probably generating for your company.
That’s deeply unsettling for me, especially since I come from a sales background where you’re always trying to get any money left on the table.
It’s why I poured mind numbing hours into building a side hustle that helps me create financial freedom.
Don’t believe me?
Here…
I don’t bring this up to brag.
Seriously. I don’t.
I only added that screenshot above because if I can build it, so can you. Trust me on this, I failed out of college. When I was in the beginning stages of my career I wasn’t able to make over $40,000 per year.
I had to grind because I had no money. I had to make it on my own.
You can do it too.
You (yes, you my favorite reader!) live in the greatest time in human history.
You’re alive during the birth of the internet. Even with all the centralization taking place because of the walled gardens of Facebook, Google, and the like, you’re still here to experience the Wild Wild West of this amazing technology.
Why does this excite me so much (and should excite you too!)?
Because for the first time in human history, you can create a business, or side hustle, online with location independence.
Even better…
There’s nearly unlimited opportunities to create a lucrative online side hustle. You just have to be willing to put in the work.
So, can you create a lucrative online side hustle to help you achieve financial independence?
Yes, of course!
If you’re ready to take action, like move mountains level action, keep reading for the best online side hustles you can start right now to make $1,500+ per month.
Best Online Side Hustles
I’ve been in the digital marketing space for about 6 years now (since 2015 when I first learned about freelance writing) and I can say with certainty building an online side hustle is going to be hard. There’s no doubt about it.
Yet, when it’s all said and done, the work to build an online side hustle will prove to be the most valuable work you do for all of your life.
So valuable that I implore you to dedicate just 90 minutes per day to building your side hustle. Even if the time you spend ends up creating something that doesn’t take off, you’ll still gain massive experience to build the next thing.
Climb the mountain one peak at a time, and you’ll be truly happy for the journey.
Anyways…
Here’s the best online side hustles you can start right now.
Niche Blog Side Hustle
You’ve probably already heard this before by another personal finance or marketing expert.
And then you search a little more about it online, and you’ll find people saying: “Blogging is dead. It’s all social media now. Nobody reads. Blah. Blah. Blah.”
No. Not true.
Content marketing (especially niche content marketing) is more alive than ever. It’s actually more important now because of the new iOS14 update which is just running roughshod over online advertising right now.
That’s nice and all, but why do I recommend niche blogs as my favorite online side hustle?
Because it’s both online… and passive.
Remember the screenshot above? Yea, that was considered “passive” because I didn’t trade my time for the income.
That’s the beauty of building a niche website.
Trust me when I say, the moment you get your first deposit, you’ll be feeling like this guy!
Anyways…
If you want to get started, here’s a recommendation. Start by looking at this graph below:
This is a good starting point because it helps to drive home the point that you should focus on the Big 3 when building your niche blog.
What are the Big 3? They are:
- Health
- Wealth
- Relationships
- BONUS: (Hobbies)
Once you pick the niche, then you’ll want to dive deeper into it with a topic, within the niche.
Let’s say you decide to start in the pet niche (because who doesn’t love pets, right?).
For the sake of the example, let’s say you have a bearded dragon, and you just love beardies.
Side Note: Don’t smirk! Here’s the Google Trends for bearded dragons!
Well, once you have your topic picked, and you’re committed to taking action, you’ll want to do keyword research.
Here’s a quick glance at the keyword opportunities:
Looking juicer and juicer!
Once you complete the keyword research, you’ll have a list of articles you can write about.
Then you’ll want to focus on two things:
- Create Content
- Build Links
If you consistently do this over a period of time (typically between 6 to 12 months) you’ll see results like below:
Yes, it takes time to get to results like this, but I promise you it works. It really does, you just have to be willing to put in the effort to create content and get links.
Here’s some other topics you can blog about to help you on your journey:
- City guides
- Travel tips
- Learning a new language
- Yoga for specific age groups
- Crossfit training
- Cycling for beginners
- Gardening for condo dwellers
- Drawing for newbies
- How to draw anime
- Wines
- Sparkling wines and champagnes
- Exotic cuisines: culture and tutorials
- Eco-friendly homes
- Living green with a family
Freelance Copywriting Side Hustle
I’ve spoken with many successful business owners and entrepreneurs because of my sales career.
One thing I always ask them is: “What’s the one skill they recommend people learn?”
Over the years I’ve noticed a pattern emerge. The most successful entrepreneurs always respond saying: “Sales over everything.”
When I dive deeper, they usually mean advertising or copywriting.
What exactly is copywriting?
Copywriting is the process of persuading people to take action through written words.
It is a humble opinion, but I believe copywriting is the most important skill a person can learn right now.
It’s the most transferable skill (which means it can move across industries) and it will never be automated (and trust me, people are trying).
Plus, you’ll make BIG money.
If you can generate revenue for a company, you’ll never be out of work or hungry.
Example of copywriting
This is a Facebook ad (although a couple years old now) and it’s the perfect example of copywriting in action.
The entire goal of this ad is to get you to click and learn more about what Russell Brunson is talking about.
Just look at the dang thing – it’s a solid ad. He has a curious headline, enticing sub heading, and body text that makes you want to watch more.
It’s why Russell Bruson is worth literally $100 million plus!
There are many more examples I can show you, but that’s what copywriting essentially is, creating ads.
With freelance copywriting – you’re creating ads for businesses as a contractor. Essentially you’re a mercenary hired to write a high performing ad, and then you move onto the next client.
It’s a fun gig, and it pays pretty well! Here’s a quick snapshot of freelancers on Upwork and what they’re charging right now.
It doesn’t just have to be ads either. Here’s a list of copywriting you can do for clients:
- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
- Web Content
- Sales Emails
- Authority Blog Posts
- Whitepapers
- PPT/SlideShare
- Flyers/Brochures
- Press Releases
- Video Scripts
- Product Descriptions
- And so, so, much more.
It’s one of my favorite online side hustles anyone can do. And you’ll get paid to learn!
YouTube Videos Side Hustle
Who doesn’t love YouTube?
It’s the second most used search engine, behind the big guy Google (who’s the parent company anyways).
I was doing a little research and found that YouTube boasts over 1 billion hours of videos being watched on their platform every single day.
In the words of the almighty Shaq…
From my research (mainly speaking with YouTube creators) there are two main methods for monetizing YouTube:
- Adsense
- Affiliate Marketing
In many regards it’s a lot like creating a blog, but with a different medium (video). So, the most important thing to focus on is…
Creating content!
If that’s the case, here’s the quick and dirty of getting started.
First, like with any content creation, you need to do some keyword research to learn what consumers are asking. Ahrefs has a pretty solid YouTube keyword search tool, so that’s what I used, although there are other tools available.
For this example, I choose makeup because it fits within the health niche (remember – start with the big three!).
As you can see – there’s a good deal of content ideas just in this one screenshot. You can create videos like:
- Best Makeup Products
- Best Makeup Remover Wipes
- Best Makeup Brushes
- Best Makeup Transformation
- And much more…
The only thing limiting you from executing is your own imagination!
Virtual Assistant Side Hustle
If you’re brand new to the online space, you need to seriously consider this side hustle.
You have no idea the kind of learning and growth you’ll experience being the virtual assistant for a successful entrepreneur.
Not only will you get the chance to earn between $20-$50 per hour, but you’ll be able to do it completely online while gaining high quality skills and connections in the process.
Do you like leadership depending on you?
Are you persistent, organized, and an effective communicator?
Will you like being the right hand person to super successful entrepreneurs and executives?
Then become a virtual assistant.
It doesn’t have to be organizing calendars or writing emails either. Here’s a quick list of services you can offer:
- Customer Support
- Virtual Office Administration
- Project Management
- Internet Research
- Financial Management
- Lead Generation
- Blog / Website Management
- Manage Editorial Calendar
- Document Preparation
- Audio / Video Production
- Graphic Design
- Social Media Marketing
- Internet Marketing Support
- Manage email lists and email marketing campaigns
- Manage affiliate marketing campaigns
- Research keywords and optimize content for the Search Engines
- Track website analytics
- Virtual Events Management
- Technology Support
- Manage CRM (Customer Relationship Management) databases
- The list is literally infinite.
As more online businesses get built, the executives and entrepreneurs will need help managing and systematizing their projects. There’s always a need for a high quality assistant to these people.
In fact, Harvard Business Review had this to say about assistants in 2019…
“As Robert Pozen writes in this issue: A top-notch assistant ‘is crucial to being productive.’”
Basically he’s saying…
So, what kind of money can you actually make with this online side hustle?
Here’s a quick sneak peak…
Not bad right?
This can easily be you if you take action right now!
Print On Demand Side Hustle
Do you like designing new logos or t-shirts?
Then get paid for your work!
With print on demand, companies like Printify and Printful will handle literally everything related to getting your shirts created and shipped to customers.
All you need to do is create the designs, and you’re off to the races!
And, you can create pretty much anything you can think of. Here’s a couple ideas:
- T-shirts
- Tank tops
- Hoodies
- Mugs
- Frames
- Yeti Cups
- Book Sleeves
- Socks
- Pillow Cases
- And much more…
Don’t believe me? Here’s a look at a vendor selling a print on demand pillow case…
I’m positive all it took was getting the design created, and connecting with a print on demand shop for production, and they’re selling on Etsy!
It’s a great online side hustle for those with a more creative streak, and who want to get their start with e-commerce.
Final Thoughts – Best Online Side Hustles
Do you think these are the best online side hustles?
If you have an idea, feel free to share below!