With the Internet dominating over and influencing a large part of our lives, especially now with the work from home set-up and the norm of social distancing, more people are looking for ways to earn money online to increase their income streams.
1. Online surveys
What is it?
Possibly one of the easiest ways for teens to earn money is through paid online surveys. Swagbucks is among the most well-known sites and pays for participating in several activities like filling out surveys, watching videos and shopping, among others. Some of the other sites which offer surveys are Toluna, Telly Pulse, CashCrate (aggregator of survey sites), ValuedOpinions, OpinionBureau, Streetbees (app), etc. Each site typically has a fixed number of surveys a person can attempt in a month.
How to do it?
Step 1: Register with the website by giving basic personal information and an account will be created for you.
Step 2: The surveys will be sent through the registered e-mail to you.
Step 3: Fill up as many surveys as you can and the points will be credited to your account. Redeem these as you want.
How much can you earn?
You usually earn points, which can be redeemed in the form of cash (PayPal), via cheques or through gift vouchers and cards. You can earn Rs 1,000-2,000 a week. It is better to register with at least 8-10 sites or apps to earn well.
2. Design t-shirts online
What is it?
If you have an artistic flair, you can earn by creating designs for t-shirts. There are several websites, both Indian and foreign, that allow you to do so. You only contribute the design and don’t have to worry about manufacturing, selling or shipping the t-shirts. Some Indian sites are TeeShopper, The Souled Store and My Home Store, while foreign sites include TeeSpring, Zazzle etc.
How to do it?
Step 1: Create an account with the website.
Step 2: For some sites, you can simply create the design on the shirt and upload it. Others allow you to choose the t-shirt style, colours, and text fonts, fix a price and upload the shirt to be sold.
Step 3: Though the website will advertise your ware, you will have to make an extra effort to market your designs on other social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, etc, if you want to sell your work.
How much can you earn?
Different websites have their own methods of payment, which can be monthly or as per its sale schedule. Some pay a royalty of 10-20%, others let you fix your own price over the base price and keep the profit (Rs 30-300 per piece), and some pay a fixed price.
3. Blogging/Vlogging
What is it?
What was, till a few years ago, just a platform to give expression to one’s passions, is now a good way to earn money. By blogging about a specific topic of your interest, you can pull in readers or traffic, which in turn can translate into money. There are various ways in which you can earn through a blog or vlog on Youtube, such as ad placements via Google AdSense, affiliate marketing (promoting others’ products on your blog), doing product reviews, guest posts in others’ blogs, or product sales on your blog.)
How to do it?
Step 1: Choose a blogging platform. While there are several free blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, Medium, Ghost, Squarespace, etc. it is advisable to set up a self-hosted blog (preferably with WordPress. org). This is because free blogs have a lot of constraints when it comes to customising and features, have low storage capacity, and don’t allow ads or affiliate links, the best ways to make money. You will have to pay for the blog and domain name, but it will be money worth spent.
Step 2: Pick a domain name and a hosting plan. You will be treated more seriously and professionally with your own domain name, and buying a Web hosting plan will give you complete control over the look and feel of your blog.
Step 3: Next, pick a topic of your interest and start writing, sharing information or posting videos. It will take hard work, effort and time if you want to gain expertise and loyal following. You also need to post consistently and share unique information.
Step 4: Promote your blog on all social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, etc. to direct more traffic and increase your earning potential.
How much can you earn?
A blogger can start earning Rs 20,000-30,000 a month in a year or so. Teens, who are just starting out, may earn less. The top Indian blogger, Amit Agarwal, earns $60,000 (Rs 44.4 lakh) a month.
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