As a creative, making money online can seem like a foreign concept. It can be challenging to think about how to make money using your creative skills — especially if you haven’t done much business work before. However, there are several ways that you can make money using your talents and skills. Here are some ideas on how to get started:
Editing videos for vloggers and businesses
This is a viable option if you have a passion for video editing and a strong interest in social media. You will be editing vloggers’ videos that have already gained traction on YouTube or Instagram. You can look for these individuals through social media or simply search “vlogger” on Google.
You can also approach businesses looking to grow their social media presence by hiring an editor who can create custom videos using footage from their website or promotional materials.
At first, you will need some essential equipment such as:
- A computer with video editing software, high-speed internet access, and storage space for multiple files
- A DSLR camera (one that allows you to shoot in full HD or 4k resolution) if you want to shoot your footage
Selling on Etsy
Etsy is a great place to sell handmade and vintage items. Many people use Etsy to sell their products because it has a good reputation and search engine, good customer service, marketing tools, and payment options.
One of the main reasons why Etsy is so popular is because you can trust it to find quality products from professional sellers. The website has been around since 2005, so it’s been trusted by many users over the years.
The search engine on Etsy is excellent because it finds exactly what you’re looking for based on words you type into the system. It also allows users to filter results according to price range or keyword tags like “customizable”.
Etsy also has an app that lets people shop offline using their phones while still being connected online. This means no more forgetting about special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries without finding out until they’ve come around again next year.
Designing graphics and websites
Designing graphics and websites is a great way to express your creativity. Graphic design is trendy in the digital world, but it’s not for everyone. To start making money online as a graphic designer, you must know how to design and draw with computers.
While learning the basics of coding or website-building will take some time, many free programs allow anyone to learn these skills quickly and easily. Patience is the most important thing when learning how to code or build websites. Everyone starts somewhere, so don’t rush yourself through creating websites if it makes sense. Once you have mastered these basic skills, it won’t be long until others recognize your talent as a creative professional.
Blogging
Blogging is a great way to earn money as a creative, whether you’re a writer, photographer, designer, or another artist. You can earn money from ads and affiliate links on your blog, by selling your products and services, or even through sponsored posts.
Here are some examples of how this works:
- Ads & Affiliate Links – If you have a successful blog with lots of traffic, companies may be willing to pay you to run their ads on your website. In addition to earning income from the ad revenue itself (which varies depending on the size of the audience), there’s also potential for indirect income if these firms use an affiliate program where they pay commissions based on click-throughs from readers who buy something after seeing an ad on your site.
- Selling your product/services – Many bloggers sell physical products like books or CDs through their websites rather than on Amazon because they get higher royalties this way; others offer services like coaching sessions or webinars in exchange for payment. As long as people want what you’re selling —and find it valuable enough — there’s money in it!
Self-publishing e-books, music, and photography
One of the best ways to make money online is by self-publishing e-books, music, and photos. This will require you to write your books, but it can be done quickly with a word processor like Microsoft Word. You will also need an email account, which is easy to set up these days.
Once you have written your book and sent it off for editing, all that’s left is to get it published and marketed online via sales pages or Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). The main thing here is that once you have written the book, there are no variable costs involved as everything else has already been paid for. It’s estimated that each sale earns around $1 per book. This means even if only 100 people buy one copy each month, this can still generate a decent yearly income, depending on how many copies are sold monthly.
Unlike digital products on iTunes or Spotify, the great thing about selling physical products, such as CDs/DVDs, etc., is that they do not lose value over time. Once downloaded, there’s no more value added from them other than maybe hearing them afresh after some time has elapsed since being purchased originally.
Freelancing
You can make money online by selling your services on freelance websites. These sites connect freelancers with clients who need help with a wide range of projects, from web design and coding to graphic design and copywriting. Two popular options are Upwork and Fiverr.
You’ll find many similarities between the two platforms: both are free to use and allow you to set your own hourly rate (up to $500 per hour). They also have an extensive library of gigs you can bid on or take on as a project manager. The main difference is their target audience — Upwork is geared toward higher-paying jobs that require more experience, while Fiverr caters more toward smaller projects like voiceovers or product development.
If you have some prior experience in web design or marketing but don’t have all the skills needed for some of the better jobs, Upwork might be a good fit for you. Conversely, suppose you want something smaller than what most employers offer on Upwork but still want it done right without having any overhead costs associated with running your business. In that case, Fiverr may be worth exploring further as well. But regardless of which platform attracts your attention most strongly based upon these factors alone —and indeed others worth considering — the best way forward right now involves signing up for free accounts before doing anything else.
Selling stock photos
If you’re looking for a way to make money online that doesn’t involve writing or any other kind of content creation, selling stock photos is an ideal opportunity.
Stock photo sites such as Shutterstock and Getty Images take charge of selling your images and pay you through their system. They also help find buyers for your photos, in addition to helping with copyrights and licensing.
To get started with this method of making money online as a creative person, you only need a good camera or phone and the know-how to edit your images to look professional enough for marketability on stock photo sites. Most of the time, photographers use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
Once you have those basics down, it’s time to submit your photos. Each site has its requirements for submissions. That said, ensure that before submitting anything anywhere, it meets their guidelines first by reading all their tips or contacting them directly if need be. These sites want only quality work sold through them, not just anyone’s personal shots taken during lunch break at work when everyone else was grabbing something quick from nearby vending machines.
Creating an online course
If you have a skill that you can share with other people online, creating an online course may be the best way to make money. Online courses are top-rated, and everyone is trying to create one. The idea is simple – think of something you’re good at or know about, create an online course, sell it for money, and watch your earnings increase.
If this sounds like something up your alley, we recommend reading and researching more on how to create a successful online course. But before doing so, make sure that there are no roadblocks in your way and get some advice from experienced course creators on how best to go about this endeavor.
Takeaway
There are several ways to make money online as a creative, and the ones we’ve listed here are just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to get started as quickly and efficiently as possible, stick with one or two of these options while planning your next steps. If you want more control over your income stream, consider freelancing on Upwork or Fiverr to build a client base before branching out into other areas like e-books or stock photos — or even starting your blog! But whatever direction you go, remember that success doesn’t happen overnight – patience is key.
Angeline Licerio
Angeline Licerio is the blogger behind Dollarmize.com. After working online as a writer and SEO strategist, she decided to start this blog to give advise to people who would like to earn money online. She is also the founder of SEO Tutorials for FREE, a Facebook community that helps aspiring freelancers and SEO specialists to kickstart their work from home journey.
