You only need 1000 followers to monetize your YouTube channel, but there are a lot more ways to make money online than that. In today’s economy the cost of living is vastly outpacing wage growth, which has necessitated side hustles for many just to remain in the lower middle class. Fortunately there are technologies that can help you sell your knowledge online, creating an additional income stream that can eventually in many cases become your full-time job.
By 2026, the global e-learning market is projected to be valued at $398 billion, and earning a piece of the pie for yourself might be easier than you think. Start by thinking about your own knowledge base, whether professional or hobby-related, and whether there might be an audience interested in learning what you know. Once you choose your niche, there are a multitude of options available to you for packaging up and selling your skills and expertise online.
If your expertise lies in the visual arts realm, there are many different places to sell your designs or wares online. Etsy is a massive online marketplace where people can sell both handmade items and unique designs such as tattoo designs. Redbubble is another online site that allows creators to upload visual designs and have them printed on a wide variety of items, and the built-in network of printers and shippers makes for hand-off selling of your designs. Of course, you don’t only have to sell designs - you can also teach others how to follow your path using e-books, online courses, blogs, social media, and more.
E-books are a great way for anyone to sell their knowledge, and as long as you have enough material to fill a hundred or so pages you can make a decent amount of money doing this. Kindle has publishing templates, help with cover design, and support with marketing for those who publish on its platform, and authors can expect to take home as much as 70% commissions. Barnes and Noble press is similar, and the commission rate is around 65% for those publishing e-books to the NOOK as well as print publications.
Adding a side job can increase the average American’s take home pay by 25% each month, but it’s important to understand that with knowledge commerce it can take a bit of time to build an audience.
In order to build your audience, you need to have a blog and a social media presence. These are the places where you will talk about the process of your work and gaining knowledge, and they can also at some point become another stream of revenue for your side business. Social media accounts with large audiences can be monetized through sponsored posts, while blogs with high readership can be monetized through advertising (such as Google AdSense).
When you want to get really serious about selling your knowledge online, it’s time to look into one of the many e-learning communities that can help you to set up and market your online courses to students around the world. Gumroad is a great place to build online course material with help on analytics and marketing of your courses. Skillshare is another option, and teachers get paid per minute watched and student referred.
When you are starting a side hustle, it’s important to carve out specific time to make it happen. Plan a schedule, put it in your calendar, and stick to it. Dedicate a work space that is free from clutter and ergonomically functional. Set a schedule for content and social media creation to keep things moving in the right direction.
Learn more about entrepreneurial tech to help you sell your knowledge and skills online below!
Read next: Top 10 YouTubers and Their Pay Rate Per Minute Will Motivate You to Become a Content Creator
By 2026, the global e-learning market is projected to be valued at $398 billion, and earning a piece of the pie for yourself might be easier than you think. Start by thinking about your own knowledge base, whether professional or hobby-related, and whether there might be an audience interested in learning what you know. Once you choose your niche, there are a multitude of options available to you for packaging up and selling your skills and expertise online.
If your expertise lies in the visual arts realm, there are many different places to sell your designs or wares online. Etsy is a massive online marketplace where people can sell both handmade items and unique designs such as tattoo designs. Redbubble is another online site that allows creators to upload visual designs and have them printed on a wide variety of items, and the built-in network of printers and shippers makes for hand-off selling of your designs. Of course, you don’t only have to sell designs - you can also teach others how to follow your path using e-books, online courses, blogs, social media, and more.
E-books are a great way for anyone to sell their knowledge, and as long as you have enough material to fill a hundred or so pages you can make a decent amount of money doing this. Kindle has publishing templates, help with cover design, and support with marketing for those who publish on its platform, and authors can expect to take home as much as 70% commissions. Barnes and Noble press is similar, and the commission rate is around 65% for those publishing e-books to the NOOK as well as print publications.
Adding a side job can increase the average American’s take home pay by 25% each month, but it’s important to understand that with knowledge commerce it can take a bit of time to build an audience.
In order to build your audience, you need to have a blog and a social media presence. These are the places where you will talk about the process of your work and gaining knowledge, and they can also at some point become another stream of revenue for your side business. Social media accounts with large audiences can be monetized through sponsored posts, while blogs with high readership can be monetized through advertising (such as Google AdSense).
When you want to get really serious about selling your knowledge online, it’s time to look into one of the many e-learning communities that can help you to set up and market your online courses to students around the world. Gumroad is a great place to build online course material with help on analytics and marketing of your courses. Skillshare is another option, and teachers get paid per minute watched and student referred.
When you are starting a side hustle, it’s important to carve out specific time to make it happen. Plan a schedule, put it in your calendar, and stick to it. Dedicate a work space that is free from clutter and ergonomically functional. Set a schedule for content and social media creation to keep things moving in the right direction.
Learn more about entrepreneurial tech to help you sell your knowledge and skills online below!
Read next: Top 10 YouTubers and Their Pay Rate Per Minute Will Motivate You to Become a Content Creator