Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Can you really live off Internet income? A realistic analysis
Kelly
10th Sep 2019
While we live in the digital age, some view earning income from the Internet with a certain level of scepticism. Can you really earn serious money online, without the safety net of a “real” job?
The answer is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. Employment of any kind is rarely 100% stable, and most work doesn’t exactly pay a fortune.
Thankfully you can make a decent level of income from the Internet, provided that you know where to look and follow some sound advice. Which is precisely where our article comes in!
It takes a look at the main areas that people rely on for earnings, giving you an overview of what to expect in terms living off the Internet. Read on to find out more…
5. YouTube
A popular option for those wanting to make money online from home is videoing yourself. But is it as easy as it sounds, and what are the financial returns like?
Here’s the thing. The marketplace for YouTube videos is over-saturated, but if you have that something people are looking for, then you could do well out of the process.
To monetise or not to monetise? One thing you should know is there are conditions that apply to monetisation. It pays – quite literally! – to be up to speed on the latest news.
You also have to be careful about any copyrighted elements that might be included in your video. If you’re mindful of all these factors you stand a chance of financial success…
Find out more about making money from YouTube in our article here.
4. Freelance writing
If you have a way with words, then working online is a potential marriage made in heaven. The pathway to earning an income via writing is a diverse one.
Be warned. Millions of people want to be full time writers, and the marketplace reflects that competitiveness. You have to be good, but also patient.
Many writing jobs online are something of a Wild West when it comes to payment. A platform like Upwork provides vacancies of varying rates, from top dollar to a pittance.
Working for free in order to gain experience is the norm for writing talent. However, once you’re established you need to be aware of what professional rates are, so read up.
3. Online selling
The most direct method of making money online is selling stuff. Quality used items, or things that were bought brand new and never taken out of the box, are good starting points.
Where are the best places to sell? The choice is vast. eBay is long-established for general sales, whereas craft giant Etsy specialises in a particular area.
The main things that trip you up are how each site operates and the inevitable presence of scammers. Ensure you use a reliable platform and keep your eyes peeled.
Making a steady stream of income from online sales is quite a realistic proposition. And while becoming wealthy off it requires lots of hard work, it can be achieved.
Read our 7 easy steps to make money with eBay.
2. Affiliate marketing
Should you want to avoid putting your old clothes on eBay and branch out into something more interactive, you might want to think about affiliate marketing.
How does it work? By signing up to a network, you then have the opportunity to promote people’s products via the likes of social media posts.
Provided you don’t mind chatting online to potential customers and have the “gift of the gab”, the earning possibilities are numerous. Yet as with anything, there are pitfalls.
For starters, you have to be an influencer. That means having a decent following online already, though influencing has received a bad press of late.
The role of the affiliate marketer is popular because of its simplicity and proven results. It’s tough to predict what you’d make, but a benefit is you can receive free products to test!
1. Tutoring
Skilled individuals are always in demand. Of course certain industries are packed with talent and competition is fierce. Having said that, there is one way you can make skills pay.
Have you thought about this? Sharing your wisdom with the world as an online tutor? Some students have even started doing it to take the edge off their finances.
The good thing about tutoring online is you don’t need much beyond a basic qualification, and you can generally do it all from the comfort of your front room.
Find out how you could make £80 an hour as a tutor here.
Making money from the Internet seems easy, but don’t be fooled. You’re sitting on your butt, however you should put in the legwork just like any other job!
Very useful article.
Good tips! I also make money through my blog and social media channels too. However, it normally takes a while to establish yourself before you can start earning!