How to Make Money Online in Canada: 27 Ideas for 2024

There are a lot of reasons to look for ways to make money online in Canada. It can be a continuous form of passive income. It can also be a cool side hustle to bring in some extra dollars on top of your 9-5. Maybe you have a specific goal in mind like saving for a vacation or trying to get out of debt. You might just be searching for something more aligned with your passions and values.

Regardless of your intentions, generating income online is an especially valuable skill for Canadians, given how sparsely populated much of the country can be. Even if you live in a tiny town at the end of a long highway, you can potentially reach millions of customers online with the touch of a smartphone. Here are some thought starters for ways to make money online in 2023.

Top ways to make money from home

Everyone who makes good money online has their special skills and preferences, but on average there are some opportunities that are inherently more accessible and profitable.

Learning new technology might seem a bit daunting, but it’s not always as complicated as it seems. There are even ways for kids to make money online. You have so many different options to creatively make money online. It’s likely that at least some of these options will be appealing.

Here’s a list of how you can capitalize off the internet to either make a living or earn some extra dollars:

Start an eCommerce website and sell products online

eCommerce technically refers to all online exchanges of money for goods and services, but most people use it to describe the sale of products. Even though there are easier ways to make money online, selling physical goods through a website is still what many people think of first when they envision an online business.

If you think you have (or can produce) a product that people want, then starting an eCommerce site might be your best option. You’ll have the chance to sell products directly to consumers with no middleman. Of course, this means you’ll have to take on a heavy share of the responsibilities. That includes the following:

A website or app to host your products
A merchant account to accept payments (Something like Stripe or Paypal)
Logistics strategy, meaning a way to accept orders and deliver products to consumers
Somewhere to house all your products
A marketing strategy so people are aware of what you’re selling and why they should buy it

If you don’t have your own products, you can also consider selling products that aren’t your own through Dropshipping.

Dropshipping doesn’t involve you owning or keeping any products. Instead, you offer products on your website and fulfill those orders by purchasing the product from a third party who ships it directly to the customer. You’ll have to decide whether you want to sell commodities (essential products in high demand), niche products, or a combination of both. You’ll then need to decide which platform to sell on, regardless of if you’re selling your own products or curating products to sell online.

The major benefit of dropshipping is that you don’t need to purchase products upfront. You don’t need to purchase stock until you get paid by the customer. This is lower risk than selling your own products, but also takes more work in curating the right mix of products that will be enticing enough for consumers.

Some popular eCommerce platform options include:

While there are many ways to create a profitable online store, these days eCommerce works best for companies that offer a product that is unique or offers some unique value. That could mean it’s cheaper without losing quality, that it’s made from more sustainable materials, and many other things.

Each eCommerce platform comes with unique pros and cons. WooCommerce is highly customizable, for example, but requires more due diligence in terms of maintenance and security by the owner. Squarespace is simple and straightforward but lacks customization and advanced shopping capabilities.

Shopify and Wix both handle security and maintenance while providing a surprising amount of features and customizations, while Amazon gives you the ability to list your products on a massive marketplace in exchange for a cut of the profits.

Find freelance jobs

Freelancing is a great option if you enjoy working on multiple projects. You can pretty much freelance any skill — writing, photography, graphic design, handyperson, developer — and never need to commit to any single project for too long. Freelancing is a proven way to earn cash and can lead to a new career. If your goal is to make a full-time living as a freelancer, you’ll likely need to secure several gigs at the same time.

One contract rarely pays enough to cover the cost of living. This means you’ll need to develop some kind of system for finding leads, learn how to craft cold pitches, and understand where there are opportunities for work outside of regular channels.

Top platforms to find jobs for freelancers:

Each specific industry will have its own set of freelance platforms, but these sites are a great place to start.

Promoting yourself as a freelancer

Being a freelancer means you are your own boss. There’s no one handing you work and telling you to get it done. You’ll have to take the initiative. Part of that initiative involves marketing yourself through various channels. Depending strictly on freelance platforms to find you high paying jobs won’t cut it. People need to know what you do.

Social media is one of the first places you should start. You’d be surprised what kind of response you’ll get if you just let your friends know what kind of services you’re offering.

Posting about what you do is one tactic. What’s more effective is compiling a list of your friends that you think may be interested in your services or know someone who might be interested. Send these friends a personal message. They’ll become your first advocates.

Another means of promotion that freelancers ignore is partnering with agencies. Signing on to a recruitment agency reduces the amount of effort it takes to find leads. Agencies are typically connected to several large companies that are looking to engage freelancers. The contracts with agencies tend to be larger because they also need a cut.

Some of the more well-known agencies for freelancers include:

Freelancing is fun and does give you a degree of control over your own time. But you’ll still be working with deadlines that need to be met so don’t think all your days will be wide open. Time management will be key, along with staying resilient enough to keep pushing through the months where cheques aren’t piling up.

Start a YouTube channel

Of all the ways to make money online, this is probably the boldest. You can’t be afraid of criticism, you’ll need to have some technical know-how, and you absolutely must be consistent. That said, some YouTubers make serious income. And you don’t need to be the most charismatic personality to get there. Even kids and teens can earn money on YouTube.

Before you go out and buy a fancy camera and lighting, take a step back. The most important step in starting a YouTube channel is figuring out why. Not why you want to try YouTube, but why should anyone watch what you’re producing. This is one of the top reasons for the success of any YouTuber, along with what your videos will be about and who they will be made for.

The reason it becomes important to determine why anyone would watch you is simple: YouTube is a highly saturated platform. Even if you think your videos are niche, there are likely thousands of videos already available on that topic. For that reason, you must start with a differentiator. What makes you different?

YouTube Shorts

With more and more people choosing to browse the internet on mobile devices, short vertical videos have exploded in popularity. YouTube’s answer to this trend was introducing “YouTube shorts”. Shorts appear in their own feed separate from longer videos which makes them great for attracting new viewers.

When you upload vertical videos that are 59 seconds or shorter, they will automatically be classified as shorts. When the feature was first introduced creators were told to add #Shorts in the description and/or title, and many still include the hashtag.

How to make money on YouTube

This is the question many people want to know the answer to. Youtube pays YouTubers based on ad views and ad clicks, so the simple answer is to get as many views as possible. Most YouTubers earn between $1.50-$3.00 per 1,000 views. That can work out to $300-$2000 (roughly) for every million views.

Your first step is to create a YouTube account, which is connected to your Google account (if you have Gmail, you already have a YouTube account).

Once you’ve completed any necessary verification and added channel branding, you can start publishing content. After you achieve 1000+ subscribers (followers) and 4000+ hours of watch time in a 12-month period, you’ll be invited to apply to YouTube’s partner program.

Once you’re accepted as a partner, you need to turn on monetization. That’s how you’ll get paid.

Google, who owns YouTube, actually outlines five ways you can get paid:

Advertising revenue — We’ve already discussed this. You get paid from display or video ads.
Channel memberships — You can get your subscribers to make monthly payments in exchange for some kind of premium membership.
Merchandise shelf — You can sell merchandise that’s displayed on what’s called watch pages.
Super chats — This gives fans the option of paying to have their messages featured in a chat stream.
YouTube premium revenue — Google describes this as getting a piece of a “YouTube Premium subscribers fee” whenever any of your subscribers view your videos.

Teach English online

Teaching English online is a relatively new hustle. Before all of these online platforms started popping up, teachers who wanted to teach English would fly to the country they’d want to teach in. While that’s still an option, teaching online has become a popular alternative.

What makes teaching online appealing is the relatively low point of entry. All that’s required is for you to be a fluent English speaker and in some cases, have a college or university degree. Once that’s established, it’s all about finding the right platform, and there are plenty. Here are a few of the platforms that have had success pairing teachers with online teaching jobs.

Popular platforms to teach English online

How much money can you make teaching online?

The amount you can make varies. It depends on the platform and, in some cases, on your experience. Some platforms pay up to $25/hour while some will pay 0.17 cents/minute which adds up to roughly $10/hour. If you join a platform like Cambly, the requirements are a lot less rigid and the students are looking to improve their English rather than learn. Other options like DaDa or iTalki require you to teach lesson plans to younger students who may not speak much English at all. You’ll have to decide on which experience matches your goals.

Do jobs on Amazon Mechanical Turk

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is essentially a crowdsourcing site. It allows businesses to hire remote workers temporarily to complete tasks virtually. These tasks usually involve research, conducting surveys, or validating data.

How much money can you make on MTurk?

The overwhelming majority (if not all) of the tasks on MTurk pay cents on the dollar. You may make $1 for completing a psychological survey, but that’s considered extremely high on the pay scale. Many of MTurks gigs are in the 0.01 cents to 0.35 cents range. On top of that, Amazon takes anywhere from 20-45% off of each transaction.

A recent academic study concluded that Turkers (workers on MTurk) make an average of $2/hour. It’s not too surprising that Turkers are willing to take this pay considering one-third of them are otherwise unemployed and most report a household income under $47k USD.

If you’re looking to earn a living, this may not be the best platform. If you’re between jobs and looking to make a few extra dollars, then give MTurk a try.

Sell your craft on Etsy or Ebay

Creatives often have a hard time finding ways to earn a living. In many instances, it’s not a matter of the quality of work they produce, but how to get that work in front of people willing to spend their dollars. That’s the beauty of Etsy.

Etsy has made its name as one of the premier destinations for selling arts and crafts, unique vintage products, and handmade items. They operate more like a community for creators and small business owners interested in rare pieces that can’t be purchased in traditional stores or on larger consumer shopping sites.

If you have a talent for creating your own work — be it visual art, postcards, photography, or accessories — then Etsy is the right platform.

Getting started on Etsy

Setting up shop on Etsy is fairly straightforward.

Create an account — which includes adding a photo and bio.
Click the Sell on Etsy link then Open Your Etsy Shop.
After filling out some general demographic info (country, language, currency), you’ll get to name your shop.

Sell stock photos online

Photographers should not feel at all discouraged that anyone with a smartphone can theoretically be a photographer. Instead, get excited!

Businesses and influencers are looking for content more than ever, and most pieces of content need photos to go along with it. If you’re just starting, you need to focus on two things:

Finding your niche — As a photographer, you need to establish a consistent style. There has to be something your audience can expect from your photos. Are you focusing on fashion photography, travel, portraits, nature; whatever you choose, stick to it. At least for as long as it takes for your audience to get accustomed to the fact that they can depend on your output.
Building your audience — Exposure is key early on, so platforms like Instagram will be your best friend. Be consistent in how much you post and do some hashtag research to make sure you’re reaching the right audience. If you change your Instagram account over to a business account, you’ll be able to have people purchase pictures directly from your stream.

Monetizing comes after these two parts of your brand have been established. Selling photos can be tricky, but getting on the right platform is key.

Where to sell your photos

Here are a few that you should consider:

There are many more, but these give you a good start and are well-known to consumers.

Become a Virtual Assistant

This is becoming a popular means of earning an income online. A Virtual Assistant (VA) is just what it sounds like—someone who can lend their skills to support a project virtually. Most of the time, VAs are tasked with admin or secretarial tasks, but that’s not the full scope of being a VA.

Some of the services provided by Virtual Assistants include:

Blog Manager
Digital Marketer
Bookkeeper
Newsletter Writer
Online Translator
Plus many more.

Becoming a Virtual Assistant

The key to becoming an effective virtual assistant is to learn or sharpen a skill. Start with free learning. Spaces like LinkedIn and Hubspot offer free courses where you can actually become certified. You can then move on to platforms like Udemy, which does cost but isn’t as expensive as it would be to take a full semester college course.

Where to find clients as a Virtual Assistant

Before thinking about where you can find clients, you need to think about attracting them. That means that you are your best promotion. Find ways to demonstrate your skill set so people are aware of what you can do. If you want to manage blogs, then prove your case by managing your own blog.

With that said, here are some places Virtual Assistants can find clients:

LinkedIn
Indeed
Upwork
PeoplePerHour
Networking Events

It might also be worth it to start your own website. Your site will act as a hub for all of the work you’ve done, plus showcase your skills.

Transcribe audio and interviews

One of the most time-consuming parts of conducting an interview is transcribing the recording. It can take hours to get it done right and using transcription software isn’t always accurate. Not to mention that there are several other needs for transcription outside of interviews. For those reasons, human transcription is a service businesses will pay for.

Types of transcriptions

In addition to general transcription of voice-to-text, there are other opportunities to utilize transcription services.

Legal transcription
Medical transcription
Financial
Data entry
TV and Film

Where to find transcription gigs?

There are several places to find transcription jobs. Be sure to use a trusted site. There are known scams where you won’t end up getting paid for your work.

How much can you make transcribing?

This completely depends on the client. Rates vary from .60 cents/minute – $1.20/minute for audio transcription. You may also get paid by the “audio hour.” This can range from $10-$20/audio hour. However, according to the Bureau of Statistics and Labor, the average salary for a medical transcriptionist is $34,770.

Put your apartment on Airbnb or Vrbo

This is kind of an online/offline hybrid but is still worth mentioning. Airbnb has made it possible for anyone to make some money leveraging their home.

It’s a simple system: you put your home up for short-term rent on the Airbnb platform and travelers check in. You control how much you charge and AirBnB handles the transactions.

Pros and cons of starting an Airbnb business

There are lots of reasons that Airbnb is a great way to make money online, even though it does involve a lot of offline demands.

Pros
Flexibility — you can hop on and off AirBnB whenever you choose. If you’re going away on vacation, you can make your home available and earn some revenue while you’re away.
Airbnb does the work — they provide a system to handle all communication and transactions, as well as rating potential tenants of your home.
Control — if you rent out your home on a full-time basis, you don’t have the same amount of control as you would with AirBnB. Imagine you have a difficult tenant. You’re likely locked into that contract for a full year. That’s not the case with Airbnb.
Revenue — You control how much money you want to make. You get to price your property and schedule how often you make it available.
Cons
It’s a lot of work — you’ll be constantly checking your app for guest inquiries, taking questions before and during check-in, and dealing with any complaints.
Nothing is certain — yes, Airbnb is the top service for renting out your home, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be booked up every time you make your home available.
Bad reviews — AirBnB host system is based on reviews. If someone staying in your home has a negative experience, that could turn people away from staying at your property.

How much do AirBnB hosts make?

According to Priceonomics, Airbnb hosts make an average of $924/month. That’s a pretty good side hustle. Some hosts can make up to $10,000, but that depends on many factors, including the size and location of their home and how often they’re willing to host guests.

Airbnb vs Vrbo

The primary difference between Airbnb and Vrbro is the variety of rental spaces they offer. Vrbro exclusively features independent houses, whereas Airbnb also includes shared units such as apartments or even extra rooms in an occupied home. This means that Vrbro is likely to be more expensive on average, but also may make it easier to find an ideal listing if you’re looking for a full house rental.

Another key difference is the way fees are structured. Airbnb allows hosts to charge guests additional fees on top of the base rental rate, whereas Vrbro charges most fees directly to the host. In order to host a profitable Vrbro rental you’ll need to factor all fees and expenses into the rental price, but this ultimately means you can be more transparent with your guests.

Complete online surveys

Many companies and organizations are willing to pay for consumer feedback, which can lead to better products and increased profitability. There are a number of sites where you can earn a small amount of money for each survey you complete.

This is a low-stress way to make money online. It doesn’t take a lot of effort and you don’t need any predetermined skills. Time is all that’s required, and even that is usually minimal. That also means that you shouldn’t expect to make this your main side hustle. Some surveys don’t even pay in cash but will give you points that you can redeem at specific outlets.

Best places to find surveys to earn cash

Here are a few places to find surveys with solid payouts:

While completing surveys may not make you rich, it can be a simple and easy way to earn some extra cash in your spare time. If you need an extra $100 per month to pay rent, this is a simple and reliable way to earn it. Just be sure to research the survey company before signing up to ensure they are legitimate and not a scam.

Start a niche blog and leverage affiliate marketing

Blogging is no longer the simple act of typing up a few thoughts and publishing them for your friends. Many people turn to blogs for answers to questions, guides for learning new skills, product recommendations, and more.

While there are a number of ways to monetize blog traffic, one of the easiest and most effective is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing means promoting another company’s products or services in exchange for commissions for any sales you generate.

Many different types of companies have affiliate programs, and commission rates vary from 1% for many Amazon products up to 50% or more for information and SaaS products. The key concept is finding a blogging niche with lots of topics to write about and relevant products you can promote.

Top affiliate networks in Canada

There are quite a few Canada-based affiliate networks, as well as many international networks that are available to Canadians. Here’s a list of some of the best and most popular:

Amazon’s associate (affiliate) program is accessible and profitable for most people who have a popular website, app, or a large social media following.

The great thing about Amazon is that people buy a lot of stuff there, and most affiliate marketers can find something on Amazon relevant to their niche. The downside is that Amazon has some of the lowest commission rates in the industry, even within the eCommerce space.

That said, if you have a large audience that shops on Amazon or even a small audience that spends a lot on the website, Amazon Associates Canada can be extremely lucrative.

Partnerstack focuses exclusively on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products. While this means that you need an audience that buys SaaS, they have some excellent commission rates. Also, SaaS isn’t just for entrepreneurs anymore – more and more types of software are being offered to the average consumer to help solve problems and improve their lives.

Impact, ShareaSale, and Rakuten all provide large databases of a wide variety of companies whose offers you can promote. These can be useful for finding new products just by searching the databases for relevant niche terms.

Offer online tutoring

If you have a particular skill or knowledge base, you can monetize it by offering online tutoring services. Whether you’re a math whiz or an expert in a foreign language, there are students out there looking for someone to help them learn.

Online tutoring can be a lucrative side hustle, with some tutors earning up to $75 per hour. Plus, it’s a fulfilling way to share your knowledge and help others achieve their goals.

How to get started with online tutoring

If tutoring seems like an ideal method for making money, start by deciding what you’ll teach and assembling your credentials. While some tutoring platforms don’t require specific academic accreditation, many do, and being able to back up your skills with experience is always important.

While finding your own tutoring clients will grant you more freedom and the ability to potentially earn more per hour, if you’re new to online business you’ll probably be best suited to starting on a tutoring platform.

Tips for promoting your tutoring business

Whether you choose to find your own clients or join a platform, you can always promote your services to help people who need them find you.

If you think your ideal clients are on a social media platform like YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, consider making an account and publishing educational videos and engaging images. Conversations in social media comments and direct messages often lead to lucrative business connections.

Create and sell digital products

Selling digital products is one of the fastest ways to start making money online. It’s also highly profitable because most digital products can be sold an infinite number of times with little increased cost to the vendor.

Types of digital products you can create and sell

Information products such as online courses, memberships, and communities are popular, easy to create, and extremely lucrative. Other popular digital products include e-books, music, art, software, templates, and stock photos.

Platforms for selling digital products

The best platforms to sell digital products depend on the type of product you’re selling and your target audience. Gumroad, AppSumo, and Amazon subsidiaries like Kindle and Audible are all examples of trusted platforms that serve as marketplaces for digital products.

If you have a good marketing strategy you can also create your own app or website for selling your product, but this typically requires greater investment and experience.

Marketing strategies for your digital products

Marketing can be broadly divided into two categories: outbound and inbound marketing. Outbound involves tracking down your ideal customers and offering them your product. Inbound focuses on finding ways to consistently attract ideal customers. The right approach can be one or the other, or a combination of the two depending on the offer.

Examples of outbound marketing include advertising, cold outreach, and influencer sponsorships. Examples of inbound marketing include content creation, search engine optimization, and referral programs.

Start a podcast and monetize it

Podcasting is ideal because it requires little startup investment and there are many different formats and niches to choose from. If you build an audience with a proper plan for monetization, podcasts can be highly profitable.

How to start a podcast

If you want to pursue serious success as a podcaster, start by determining your main target audience. This will help you pick the best format and topics for future episodes.

Next focus on the logistics. Who will be your podcast hosts? Will you have guests? Who handles production, editing, and promotion? Determining this beforehand will allow you to hit the ground running.

There are many apps for publishing podcasts and platforms for distributing them. Popular publishers include Libsyn, PodBean, and Soundcloud and some of the top distributors are Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Tips for growing your podcast audience

One of the benefits of podcasting is that most publishing apps can push your episodes directly to most of the major distributors. This gives you access to a massive and varied audience, but promoting your podcast even further will help you grow.

While many people still enjoy long-form content like podcasts, short-form video is currently the biggest trend on social media. If you clip 20-120 second segments from your podcast and add them to images featuring your branding, you can easily create short-form videos that receive increased reach pushing new people to listen to your show.

Ways to monetize your podcast

There are essentially three ways to monetize a podcast: Selling your own products or services, selling ads, and affiliate marketing.

If your topics relate to a product or service you produce, you can use your podcast to promote it and generate sales. If you don’t have any, you can always sell “merch”, which is often generic products (such as clothing and office supplies) with your branding on them.

Many advertisers prefer podcast ad reads over other types of marketing, and other companies include them as part of a broader strategy. Podcast advertisers are often called sponsors or partners, and usually pay the hosts to explain the product and/or talk about their own experience with it.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most underappreciated ways of making money online, and it’s an ideal place for growing podcasts to start. If you don’t have your own products to sell and you haven’t attracted any advertisers, you can sign up for a relevant affiliate program and promote their products to your audience.

Try dropshipping or print on demand

Dropshipping and print-on-demand are not as popular as they were during an initial boom, but they’re still workable business models if you find the right product for the right audience.

How dropshipping works

A dropshipping eCommerce store promotes and sells products but outsources the shipping and fulfillment to a third party. This means the store owner doesn’t have to invest up front to acquire products, and gives them more time to focus on finding customers.

Starting a print-on-demand business

Print-on-demand explains itself well; products are created (printed) only after they’ve been ordered. Most POD stores focus on clothing like T-shirts, but the same system works for books and other objects. This can be a great way for artists or anyone with recognizable branding to make money and spread brand awareness.

Top platforms for dropshipping and print on demand

The two largest suppliers of drop-shipped products globally are Alibaba.com and Aliexpress.com, which are both part of the Alibaba Group based in China. Most eCommerce stores can integrate directly with these websites to make dropping your orders to suppliers as simple as possible.

Other dropshipping suppliers include SaleHoo and Worldwide Brands, and apps like Oberlo help store owners find the best products.

While the largest suppliers often have the best prices and are easy to integrate with, consider your buyer’s expectations and potential supply chain issues before going with an overseas company. If your customers are in Canada they may prefer a locally produced option, and by paying more for local goods you can avoid being impacted by any global issues that slow down supply chains.

Popular POD suppliers include Printful, Printify, and Teelaunch, but there are many others so it’s worth doing some research and shopping around before choosing a printer.

Become a social media influencer

Social media influencer is one of the most coveted careers among Canada’s younger generations, and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. While it’s often not as glamorous as it looks, it is an accessible career for anyone with a smartphone who can connect with an audience via digital content.

Choosing your niche and platform

The first step to becoming a social media influencer is choosing a niche or a set of topics to create content around. This can change and evolve over time as long as your actions and messaging continue to resonate with your followers.

Once you’ve chosen a niche, think about what type of content your audience will most appreciate and which platform(s) will give it the best home.

TikTok is currently popular and provides easier growth, but the short-form nature of its content makes monetization more difficult. YouTube promotes both long and short videos and has the added benefit of being the world’s second-largest search engine. Twitch is the most popular platform for live streaming, but other platforms like YouTube and Meta properties also allow live video.

Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) offers a variety of publishing options from plain text to multiple video formats and image carousels, but organic growth is more difficult than other platforms.

Tips for growing your social media following

There are several tried and true ways to grow on social media, but if you’re just starting out with a limited budget you should focus on consistent, high quality content and social interactions. While content publishing is obviously necessary, beginners often forget the “social” side of social media. One of the best ways to get people to pay attention to you (and your content) is to start and join conversations in existing communities.

Ways to monetize your influence

There are three main ways to monetize your following: Selling products or services, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. Most small influencers will start by selling a low-cost product or service such as an online course or consultation, or by promoting affiliate products. Once you have a growing influencer business, selling more complex products and services and connecting with brand sponsors is more achievable.

Develop and publish a mobile app

Modern mobile apps are extremely versatile and can enhance lives and solve problems in a variety of ways. If you can find a way to solve a problem or enrich lives better or more efficiently than any current solutions, it might be worth putting your ingenuity into a mobile app.

How to create a mobile app

Basic mobile apps can be created using no-code builders such as Appy Pie and Bubble, but more unique and complex programs require custom development. If you’re not a programmer you’ll need to outsource the work to an agency or freelancer.

Top platforms for publishing your app

The two main mobile app platforms are Google (Android) and Apple. It’s ideal to launch simultaneously on both platforms, but if you have a limited budget you may consider choosing one.

Marketing strategies to promote your app

If your app is used for business purposes, there are a number of marketplaces such as AppSumo and Product Hunt which can give you immediate access to a significant customer base. For personal use apps, other marketplaces, and communities can be great places to find buyers.

A popular marketing strategy among app owners is a special initial offer called a “launch sale”. Appsumo popularized the “lifetime deal”, in which the customer pays an upfront price equivalent to several months of premium access and never needs to pay again.

Lifetime deals are obviously not as profitable as recurring payments, but they are a great way to build an initially satisfied customer base and attract some quick capital. You can also do other types of launch discounts such as locked-in or extended discounts.

Leverage AI tools for content creation and other online services

While AI writing and AI art tools have been around for a while, they recently exploded into the mainstream and are becoming much more popular than even a year ago.

How AI tools can help you make money online

There are many AI-powered tools that can improve your online business, but we’ll focus on two specific types that almost any business can use: AI writing and AI art software. AI writers are extremely helpful for writing content, copy, and pretty much anything else. They can also amplify your brainstorming and research sessions and summarize or rewrite existing text.

Popular AI image creation tools to sell photos and create art

AI art generators have also become extremely popular, with the frontrunners like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion capable of creating everything from beautiful “paintings” to photo-realistic images. They’re so useful that some AI writing tools (like Jasper) have added image-generation tools to their apps.

Some stock photo websites will buy AI images, and they can also be used as source material for artwork, posters, NFTs, and print-on-demand designs.

Work as a proofreader or editor

Proofreading and editing require a specific skill set, because there are always lots of professional writers whose copy needs to be double-checked. Editors don’t just work with grammar; they are also responsible for ensuring that the content is consistent with any applicable styles and the company’s overall brand voice and messaging. With effective feedback, editors help writers deliver their best work as efficiently as possible.

How to become a proofreader or editor

While there are no consistently specific qualifications for this type of work, most proofreaders and editors have a degree in English, journalism, or some type of writing. Their experience in using proper grammar and writing in specific literary styles will be useful, and they may be tested to verify their knowledge.

Top platforms for finding proofreading and editing jobs

Freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can be a great source of clients, and general employment databases like Linkedin Jobs and Indeed usually have lots of options.

Tips for promoting your proofreading or editing services

One way to promote your services is by building an audience in the writing/editing space on social media. If you regularly publish viral content like infographics or memes that communicate your skill and style, writers and companies in need of your services may reach out.

Become a search engine evaluator

While search engines like Google and Bing use AI to measure lots of things, no robot can entirely understand the human experience. Because of that, large search engines will hire evaluation agencies to judge the quality and efficiency of the results they serve to searchers around the world every day.

How search engine evaluation works

To qualify as a potential search engine evaluator, all you need is reliable internet access and the ability to follow directions. Research, reading, and comprehension skills can certainly be useful, and specific requirements may vary from task to task.

When evaluating search results you may be asked for feedback on the information and the method in which it is delivered. For example, search engines make a lot of money by selling ads, but if the ads are irrelevant or annoying then users will be less likely to click on them or continue using their platform.

Top companies that hire search engine evaluators

Two significant search engine evaluation providers are TELUS International and Appen. Search engine companies don’t generally handle evaluation in-house, so those types of agencies are your best bet.

Tips for succeeding as a search engine evaluator

The key is following your instructions, paying attention to detail, and delivering insightful feedback. You can also make yourself more valuable by enhancing any secondary languages you may speak and by gaining subject matter expertise.

Offer consulting services

If you have a useful skill or body of experience that is teachable and/or coachable, consulting services are a simple and effective way to monetize it. Types of consulting services range from general business consulting to more specific marketing consulting, and even personal things like weight loss, improving sleep, and confidence building.

How to get started as a consultant

You’ll have trouble finding clients as a consultant if you don’t have a discernible skill, body of work, or knowledge base that you can use to help others. While consulting sometimes has elements of teaching, the real goal of consultation is to devise strategy and tactics that will move your client as close to their goal as possible.

Top industries and niches for consulting

Some highly profitable consulting niches include tech, finance, and business development, strategy, and growth. Say you want to build an app; a tech consultant can tell you how to build it, a finance consultant can tell you how to fund it, and a business consultant can tell you how to sell it profitably.

Platforms to offer your consulting services

You can offer services on general platforms like Upwork, LinkedIn, and Fiverr, but there are also marketplaces that are specific to consulting like TopTal, Fintalent, MeasureMatch, and Maven.

Tips for promoting and growing your consulting business

Most consultants will benefit from a congruent online presence whether they use a platform, their own website, or a combination of both to sell services. Organic content marketing on platforms like Linkedin, YouTube, and Instagram can be a great way to display your ability to help clients.

Another way to attract clients while creating a second stream of income is to sell an inexpensive online course and upsell consultations either immediately or at the end of the lessons (or both). This brings in pre-qualified clients that have the base knowledge necessary to benefit from your advice, which can also lead to better reviews and testimonials.

Become an online fitness instructor or create fitness courses

This business model works very much the same way as consulting, but with a focus on fitness and physical exercise.

How to start your online fitness business

A great way to start an online fitness business is by creating relevant content on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Educational videos, workout tutorials, and fitness challenges can all attract your ideal potential customers. If you do a great job of publishing and promoting content, before long people will be begging you to teach them via individual sessions and courses.

Popular platforms for offering fitness classes and courses

There are many options for offering online fitness services. You can sell fitness courses using any online course platform such as Kajabi, Thinkific, or Shopify paired with the Courses Plus app. For online personal training there are marketplaces like Exercise.com and TrainHeroic, which both also offer client management software and other features.

There are many other personal training apps out there, but those that are specifically designed for online businesses are likely to be most useful.

Tips for marketing and growing your online fitness business

While standard content marketing is a great way to build your credibility and establish your brand, more advanced tactics can be helpful for increased growth. Customer testimonials are extremely powerful from people who have achieved fitness goals, so making them a regular part of your content strategy is advisable.

One simple and effective way to get started is to offer a free fitness challenge in order to build a list and get people excited about working with you. Then offer a longer challenge or an ongoing service with a built-in referral program exclusively for people who finish the free challenge. This will encourage people to promote your brand and share their positive experiences everywhere.

Trade, create, and sell NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens)

NFTs exploded onto the online marketplace with the growth of blockchain technology, but so far many of the big-name tokens have led to disappointment. The idea behind an NFT being “non-fungible” is that each token is entirely unique, like a masterpiece oil painting. The issue is that digital assets have much less inherent value than physical assets and are less likely to appreciate in value naturally. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make money ethically with NFTs.

Understanding NFTs and their potential for making money

In order to ensure that your NFTs have a chance of being good investments for customers, focus on two things: Uniqueness and lifetime value.

A common mistake in making NFTs is creating many identical or very similar NFTs. If the art aspect of the NFT is low quality or unoriginal, it will have less initial value and a harder time appreciating.

Lifetime value can be delivered in different ways, for example, an eCommerce store could mint a limited number of launch NFTs and give the owners a lifetime discount to their store. This would give the buyer ongoing returns on their investment, and the NFT would retain value if they ever choose to sell or trade it.

How to create and sell NFTs

NFTs can be any type of digital asset including images, audio files, videos, and more. Once you’ve created your asset there are several online platforms that allow you to mint and list tokens for sale. You also need to prepare any ongoing value that buyers secure with their NFT.

Popular platforms for trading and selling NFTs

Blur.io and OpenSea are the two largest NFT marketplaces, controlling 90% or more of the market share between them. Even so, there are many other platforms which can be good places to sell NFTs in specific niches.

Tips for finding success in the NFT market

The NFT space is well known for disappointing products and lost value, so it’s important to make an effort to create a truly unique and worthwhile offer.

Invest in and trade cryptocurrencies

Crypto markets experience harsh turbulence regularly and house many scammers and schemers, so this approach is best taken with caution. If you’re not committed to understanding crypto, you’d be better off dabbling elsewhere.

Understanding cryptocurrencies and their investment potential

True cryptocurrencies are built on a public blockchain, a type of automated record which is visible to all users at all times. Crypto has different pros and cons compared to fiat (traditional) currency, and many wealthy people and corporations use it to diversify their assets.

How to start investing in cryptocurrencies

There are two main ways to invest in crypto; by buying the currency on an exchange like Coinbase or Binance, or by buying shares of an asset that tracks crypto markets such as a Bitcoin ETF. While you don’t own actual crypto with ETF investing, you can benefit from market growth without needing to create a crypto wallet.

Once you have an account on a crypto exchange and a wallet you can use fiat currency such as Canadian dollars to purchase different coins.

Top cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms

The top crypto exchanges for Canadians include Binance, Coinbase, Wealthsimple, and Kraken, but many others are available. It’s worth putting some time into learning about crypto and deciding which platform will serve you best before signing up for any of them.

Become an online video game tester

Being a videogame tester is a unique and interesting job you can do from the comfort of your own bean bag chair.

Understanding the role of a video game tester

Video game testers are responsible for evaluating and troubleshooting the features of a game before it goes to market. Testers provide feedback on game play, artwork, audio/visual content, and more in order to ensure that a game is enjoyable and glitch-free before its release.

How to get started as an online video game tester

The base requirements for being a game tester are having an up-to-date, reliable computer or gaming console and excellent communication skills. Other relevant skills like programming, software development, and game design are highly beneficial but not always necessary.

Tips for succeeding in the video game testing industry

You can get a leg up in the game testing industry by continuing to improve your understanding of the gaming industry and their audience. While you’ll gain valuable experience on the job, external education can help you go above and beyond with your feedback.

Write and sell ebooks

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, there’s still a massive market for ebooks. It’s an excellent source of passive income if you write well and know how to market and monetize your books.

Choosing a topic for your ebook

Think about your ideal audience and what lessons or experiences you want to share with them through the book. This works for both nonfiction and fiction, and will make choosing topics and genres much easier.

Tips for writing and formatting your ebook

You can format ebooks correctly for most platforms using Google Docs or other word processing software, but it can be a tedious and time-consuming process. If you’d prefer to spend more time creating, you can hire someone to format books for you on a platform like Fiverr or Upwork.

Platforms for publishing and selling your ebook

Amazon is by far the largest ebook marketplace, and it can be very beneficial to new and experienced authors. That said, there are a number of other self publishing websites like Apple Books and Smashwords that may be better options depending on your preferences and topics.

Marketing strategies to promote your ebook

Nothing sells people on the idea of buying and reading books better than a trusted personal reference. You can create a buzz in relevant communities by distributing ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies) to writers, influencers, and other industry figures.

Running a referral contest or something similar is an ideal way to boost a book launch, which in turn will give you higher priority among listings.

Making money online works best with persistence, passion, and a plan

The internet is a realm of almost infinite possibilities when it comes to earning cash, but it’s also competitive.

Some new entrepreneurs (especially creative people) feel stifled by putting adequate time into planning. Think of your business plan as a series of steps and milestones that guide you along your way. You can consider alternate routes when you want, but if you get lost you can always go back to the original path.

Now you have a short list of online opportunities to pursue. If you want to get started right away by registering your business, Ownr can help.