Resources

What to Sell on Amazon in 2024: Product Research 101

Written By:
Last Updated:

So you’ve decided to jump on the ecommerce train and that Amazon.com is a good place to start. But how do you decide what to sell on Amazon?

Well, you’re right to set your sights on selling on Amazon as a business; after all, it’s the largest online marketplace, with millions of shoppers already on the platform.

The downside of this is that choosing what products to offer on Amazon can feel overwhelming.

I’m sure you’re thinking: “If there are millions of shoppers, there are probably hundreds of millions of products on Amazon.”

While the statement above can be true, you can solve this with proper product research.

Thorough product research helps you determine which product is going to get you the most profits.

Today, this guide will help you sort through millions of products, narrow them down, and figure out what to sell on Amazon.

Product Research: 9 Tips to Help You Decide What to Sell on Amazon

The purpose of product research is to find a product that has high demand and low competition. In other words, a profitable product.

So don’t get too overwhelmed by this decision.

I agree that this is one of the most important decisions of your ecommerce business, but getting ahead of yourself can cause perfect product paralysis.

It’s a very common pitfall wherein people who want to begin selling on Amazon look far and wide, research for months and assess thousands of products, then end up not choosing anything because they’re not the “perfect product” yet.

Follow these 7 tried-and-tested techniques of filtering out products and discover what to sell on Amazon.

1. Find a product that solves a problem.

You know why men’s subscription grooming kits exploded?

It’s because the products included in the monthly box are shaving cream, razors, and other grooming items that they’ll be using for as long as they live (or feel like grooming).

While it doesn’t fall under basic needs like food and clothing, toiletries like these are part of one’s everyday routine.

The problem is having to remember to change your razor or restocking shaving cream; a monthly subscription kit with grooming essentials solves it.

Start with yourself.

What problems or inconveniences in your life do you wish could be solved?

Is there a product or two that you think would solve it?

Survey your friends or family members for challenges they’re facing daily, weekly, regularly.

The odds are many other people are having the same problems.

2. Find a product you’re interested in.

Some would say to choose a product that you’re passionate about, but I think having some kind of interest will do.

This is important because you’ll be working on your ecommerce business for months or years.

As such, it’s understandable to choose something you won’t quit once you get bored with it.

3. Check out your competitors.

Having some competition is good—it means your product is popular and there is a market you can tap.

But don’t pick a product with tens of thousands of competitors because you could drown even before you can begin selling on Amazon.

If you do find a product, but it has over 100k search results, you have two options:

  • Skip that niche and find one that has less competition.
  • Or dig deeper into that niche and follow tip #4 below.

4. Find a gap in the market.

All hope is not all lost if you get stuck in the middle of your research with a good product that has high competition.

You still have a chance of making it here.

However, you do need to be smart about it and find a gap in the market.

Make your product super-specific.

For example, if you’re interested in selling cooking equipment, you can target a precise group of people if you offer “cooking equipment for low-carb cooking” instead.

Include egg boilers, vegetable steamers, and other commonly used tools by people who follow a low-carb diet.

Even if you feel a niche is absolutely saturated, brainstorming ideas can help you discover that there are still smaller niches within larger markets that have lesser competition.

Want to sell books on Amazon?

You’d likely face plenty of competition with new books, but if you target hard-to-find books or sell books as a collection (grouped by theme), you’re giving customers a reason to check out what you’re selling.

5. Aim for products with high profit margins.

You don’t need to get a lesson in finance to figure out if a product has an excellent profit margin and ROI.

You just need to check the products of other sellers on Amazon, note down prices from wholesalers, and add all expenses (like Amazon fees, taxes, and so on) to weigh your option.

There’s even a simpler rule of thumb “the 3x rule” that you can incorporate into your product research.

With this rule, your goal is to sell a product 3x its purchase price.

If you bought an item for $20, your target sales price would be $60.

This rule assumes that a third will go to fees and other costs, while you get a 100% return on investment.

6. Check what people are buying.

Of course, you’ll need customers. You need to find a product that people want to buy. How do you do this?

Use social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) to see what people are sharing, what products are in demand, and what seems to be the “next best thing.”

And while you’re at it, make sure to follow trendsetters (known as influencers) of a niche you’re interested in.

Whenever you see a product heating up in social media, use tools like Google Trends to double-check if that product is hot locally, within a particular country, or around the world.

7. Check out brick and mortar stores.

So what do brick and mortar stores have to do with selling on Amazon?

Even as online shopping becomes more and more popular nowadays, people still buy from physical stores.

Paying attention to what they’re selling and what customers are buying can give you an inspiration or an idea of a product to sell.

8. Stick to products that meet certain proven criteria.

When deciding if a product can be profitable, these proven criteria can definitely help:

  • Evergreen — You want a product that you can sell all year round and possibly something that customers need to purchase again and again. If a product is seasonal (Christmas lights, Halloween costumes, etc.), it means your revenue is seasonal as well.
  • Available on wholesalers — If you plan to sell on Amazon, you should also have a manufacturer or supplier in mind to get the products from. (Check this list of private label manufacturers, if you have no idea where to start).
  • Weight and Dimensions of the Product — Shipping fees add up costs quickly. A product that’s heavy or fragile will definitely have higher shipping fees than one that’s smaller and lighter. Look for a product that is simple, easy to pack, and hassle-free to ship.
  • Price — Go for products that you can sell for $20 to $75. Aiming too low makes it hard to earn a profit unless you’re going wholesale with thousands of inventory. Aiming too high means you might not have enough buyers.

Note that not every best seller fits these criteria, and not every product that meets these criteria will be a best seller. But these criteria are a good measure of how profitable a product is.

9. Read blogs of other Amazon sellers.

People who sell on Amazon and share their journey about it on a blog will post a list of the best selling products on Amazon every so often.

This type of list is also popular during Thanksgiving week (Black Friday, Cyber Monday), Christmas, year-end sales, and other popular shopping days.

You can learn a lot by reading these blog posts.

Other Tools to Help You Find Products to Sell on Amazon

The above product research tips can help you find products to sell on Amazon as well as other ecommerce sites.

Here are some more tools to help you with your product research.

Amazon-Specific Tools

Customer Reviews

Read customer reviews of products you’re interested in on Amazon.

Positive reviews give you an idea of what makes the product popular, while negative reviews alert you to what you can improve in the product or what to look for in alternative products.

Going through reviews takes time, but it’s worth it if you’re digging deep into your product research.

Best Sellers Rank (BSR)

When you search for a product, the results often show you products with the “Best Seller” tag.

Don’t just ignore this when you’re doing product research.

Know that Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank uses both recent and historical sales figures of a particular item.

This means that if you search a product and it brings back 2-3 (or more) products with the BSR tag, it indicates that the product you just searched is in demand and that there’s room for more sellers to sell the same thing.

Popular categories

Aside from researching individual products, checking which of the categories and subcategories are popular can help you decide which products to sell on Amazon.

Popular categories that have plenty of products in the BSR have products that have high market demand. However, the more popular categories and subcategories have more competition, so consider this too when doing your product research.

Chrome Extensions

Browser extensions are such an underrated source of tools for business.

If you’re looking for something that can help you sell on Amazon, make sure you get Jungle Scout.

Known as the best tool for finding products to sell on Amazon, Jungle Scout gives you details of monthly sales volume of any product and information about your competition.

This is a paid Chrome extension though, so it may not be in your budget if you’re just starting out.

Amazon Sourcing and Research Tools

These tools are paid ones, and you can invest in them a little later on in your Amazon journey when you’re making enough profit to afford these tools.

However, if you’re willing to shell out a little more capital for greater returns, here are some Amazon tools to help you research what to sell on Amazon.

Keyword Research Tools

Once you’ve decided on a product, make sure to let it run through a series of SEO tests.

For example, if you decided on “sportswear,” use tools like Ahrefs to find better keywords that people actually use, such as “sports shorts,” “running shirts,” and so on.

Start Researching What to Sell on Amazon

Product research is the first thing you should master when you’re learning how to make money with Amazon.

Finding products to sell on Amazon isn’t easy, but it’s a necessary step you should never skip, especially if you’re serious about your ecommerce business.

Once you’ve got this phase down to a science, you’re off to the next step – actually selling your items and advertising your store.

If you’re ready to learn step-by-step instructions on how to sell on Amazon, market your products, and get the most out of your business, check out this beginner’s guide to Amazon selling.

How to Make Money on Instagram: 10 Ways to Strike it Rich

Written By:
Last Updated:

Would you like to know how to make money on Instagram in 2024?

Instagram is an awesome place for looking at gorgeous pictures and shopping, but earning some kind of income through the app is my favorite reason to use it.

When Instagram launched in 2010, it was a simple photo-sharing app.

Without the noise and fluff on Facebook, Instagram was a respite, only featuring visual content.

Eventually, it expanded into a video-sharing app as well, with users initially being allowed to upload a 15-second video, which increased to 60-second videos. Then came Instagram Stories for shorter-form videos, followed by expiring content and IGTV for longer videos.

By 2020, Instagram saw over a billion active users monthly, with 500 million users daily logging in and actively engaging on the platform.

Instagram usage

Obviously, the demand is there, and marketers, brands, and companies willing to ride the wave will be there too.

Yes, even if TikTok seemed to be growing by the day.

So how do people as young as 13-year-olds make money on Instagram?

Let me explain the tried-and-tested income-generating methods for you, and give you real-life examples and success stories for each one.

How to Make Money on Instagram: 10 Ideas to Try in 2024

Before we dive in, I just want to refute a point that you might have encountered when reading about making money on Instagram.

Don’t believe anyone who says you can make money on Instagram WITHOUT followers.

You’d need customers to buy what you’re selling—whether you’re selling an idea, information, or an actual product.

The first 5 methods below can be used by Instagram users who are just starting out, while the last 5 money-making methods are best for influencer-level users.

1. Affiliate Marketing

In traditional affiliate marketing, you’d need to set up a website and promote products on multiple platforms in hopes of getting a commission.

Affiliate marketing commissions are possible whenever one or more people click on the link you posted and buy at the third-party website. You then get a cut of the sale.

To make money on Instagram via affiliate marketing, you only need your Instagram account and accounts on various platforms like Amazon, Clickbank, Skimlinks, Shopstyle, Shopify, and others.

Probably one of the most popular affiliate marketing tools for Instagram comes from LTK (formerly rewardStyle), a members-only affiliate network with only a 10% acceptance rate.

What makes rewardStyle amazing is the invention of its LIKEtoKNOW.it app.

You can download it on Google Play Store or Apple Store.

With LIKEtoKNOW.it, followers of your Instagram account can just “like” your post and they’ll be e-mailed details of your outfit, products included in the shot your posted, and so on.

liketoknowit screenshot

This is how LIKEtoKNOW.it works:

  • You post a photo on Instagram.
  • The photo featured a close-up of your makeup-perfect face with a pair of gorgeous earrings.
  • A follower likes your post.
  • If that follower also has LIKEtoKNOW.it installed on their phones when they liked your post, they’ll receive an email with links directing them to where they can buy the earrings and all the makeup products you used.
  • If this follower buys from when they clicked the link, you get paid a commission from the sale.

Imagine how much money you can earn from Instagram if you have thousands of people stalking the things you wear, use, or feature via LIKEtoKNOW.it.

2. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is similar to affiliate marketing, in that you don’t have to manufacture or buy stocks of products to sell them and make a profit from selling them.

Here is what happens with dropshipping:

  • Choose a product that you know people will buy.
  • Make a deal with a dropship supplier, such as AliExpress, that sells that product.
  • You promote a product on Instagram and direct it to your store.

Note that if you use Instagram Business, you can integrate it with Shopify seamlessly.

  • When an Instagram follower buys that product on your store, the dropship supplier will handle processing, shipping, and post-sale customer service on your behalf.
  • You earn either a pre-discussed flat fee or a percentage of the sale as commission.

To learn more, read this case study on Seven Kingdoms Mart and how they promoted their dropshipping business on Instagram.

3. Sell Photos

Instagram is full of fantastic photos from both beginner and professional photographers.

If you have an eye for photography or exceptional graphic design skill, you can sell your photos on Instagram.

It’s up to you if you want to sell usage rights, print them as posters, or just sell digital copies of your drawings, paintings, animations, and so on.

Forbes featured photographer Daniel Arnold’s story in 2014.

At that time, Arnold had about 22k followers and decided to put all his Instagram photos for sale on the eve of his 34th birthday. He priced a 4×6 print of any of his Instagram images for $150, even if he hasn’t really sold any of his images professionally.

Arnold Daniel Sale

24 hours after announcing the sale, he has sold $15k worth of prints and extended the sale.

Learn all about hashtags. Mastering hashtags is the secret to reaching the right audience for your products.

4. Create Masks and Filters for Instagram Stories.

Back when Instagram Stories were introduced, skeptics thought it was a mere Snapchat knockoff and wouldn’t last.

Today, over 500 million users watch or create Instagram Stories every day.

Because there’s a time limit on these stories, users who see them are highly engaged.

Businesses see this as an opportunity to engage their target audience through Instagram masks and filters.

They usually hire graphic artists to do this for them, but many brands also work with Instagram influencers who specialize in Instagram masks and filters.

You can start with Facebook’s Spark AR Studio to create masks and filters.

You can do this as a side gig, or even turn it into a full-time job.

5. Set up an Instagram Shop – Enable IG Shopping Features

Social media platforms are no longer just exclusive for “socialization.”

Social selling has been growing in the last two years.

If you have products to sell, this is great news for you since Instagram gives you native features to just turn on the ability to sell stuff directly from the platform.

Meaning, even if you have a separate website (and ecommerce store), you don’t have to make your Instagram followers go “out” of the platform in order to buy.

Plus, even those who are not your followers can find your products because of Instagram’s smart shopping tags. These tags can reach over 130 million people on the platform.

You do have to work on setting up your Instagram shop at first. From there, you have an option to post products on Stories or posts, buy ad spots (and include shopping tags), or conduct live shopping.

6. Sponsorship: Earn Money Promoting other Brand’s Products

This is the most common way to get paid for your Instagram posts.

Companies can make a deal to sponsor a few posts on your Instagram feed to market their product to your followers. In most cases, companies give an Instagram influencer control over how the sponsored post looks, feels and sounds like.

Sponsorship can be pitched by the Instagram influencer, or submitted by companies.

You can actively search for brands with the help of tools like TapInfluence or Ifluenz.

The important thing is you disclose to your followers that a post is sponsored and follow FTC guidelines.

Shelcy Joseph began her personal fashion/lifestyle blogging with her sister on Instagram and YouTube around August 2014. By 2017, she was earning between $75 and $100 per sponsored post. Imagine how much she’s been taking home by now.

7. Become a Brand Ambassador

Ambassadorship is a bit more long-term than sponsorship.

Depending on the company you talk to, this deal can go as long as several months to over a year.

The following three websites are all looking for influencers/ambassadors to help shape their future products:

I highly recommend signing up will all three to increase your chances of actually making money as an influencer.

As a brand ambassador, the company sees you as someone who is in line with their values, products, and future.

Coca-Cola’s #ThisOnesFor Instagram Campaign is a great example of this. The cola giant enlisted the help of 14 Instagram influencers to create over 20 posts in a span of several months.

Earnings as a brand ambassador can be per-post or per-campaign. It can be a mix of photos, videos, and other types of media too.

Join an Instagram influencer community like Shoutcart, Tribe Group (Australia-based), and Popular Pays (among others) to find brands willing to hire you as ambassador.

Read my full guide on how to become a brand ambassador for step-by-step instructions on how to get started.

8. Promote Your Own Products or Services

You can mix the brick-and-mortar retail business with the modern magic of Instagram by selling your own products and promoting them online.

If you have thousands upon thousands of followers who just can’t get enough of what you’re selling, then you can get paid for Instagram posts through product sales.

There are a ton of “slime famous” Instagrammers out there, but you can’t look away from the creations of Nicolette Waltzer, whose Glitter Slimes Instagram account gained 2 million followers.

The New York-based, DIY slime creator began sharing mesmerizing slime videos in 2016. She then eventually began selling her creations, leading to about $500 sales from slime each week.

Waltzer now sells her slime on her own online store and sells out every time she uploads new slime variants.

9. Teach Others Instagram Marketing

Many people make money on Instagram not by selling products, but by providing useful information. Long-term experience as an influencer is a must.

Your Instagram feed can be your résumé as proof of your marketing prowess and communication skills.

As a travel blogger like Veera Papinoja, a huge chunk of her Instagram income comes from consulting for companies and other organizations. She makes around €500 to €2,000 every month to maintain Instagram accounts of other companies.

Veera also does training and lectures about successful Instagram marketing on the side. She takes home somewhere between €500 and €10,000 a month from these side gigs.

10. Earn from Instagram Badges and Subscriptions

There are two ways you can earn money directly from Instagram without selling anything.

  • Instagram Live Badges – “Badges” are like tips that your followers send your way if they love the content you share during a livestream. Badges are icons people buy in increments of 99c, $1.99 and $4.99, then give away to whoever they like on Instagram (this could be you!).
  • Paid subscriptions – If you offer valuable content on Instagram and have a solid following, you can definitely monetize your account by offering paid subscriptions. This is like a VIP section where members who pay can see your extra content. The subscription program is open to US creators only though. Plus, you should have over 10k subscribers. A good alternative to this is using third-party subscription tools like Patreon or Substack.

How to Become an Instagram Influencer

Out of all the social media platforms today, Instagram has the highest engagement rate.

Companies know this and have included Instagram into their marketing efforts.

And why shouldn’t they?

If you have at least 2,000 to 15,000 followers, fall under a trusted niche, create eye-catching content, and have a loyal audience who trusts your judgment, here are the steps to take to become a full-time Instagram influencer:

So, how do you cash in on the opportunity to make money (and more) as an Instagram influencer?

1. Grow (the quality of) your Instagram following.

Companies have gotten pickier about the caliber of Instagram influencers they’re willing to work with.

It’s not unheard of for current brand requirements to include a minimum of 100K followers and/or 1K likes per post.

Before you get discouraged, consider that many brands are also looking for a certain type of audience, regardless of the actual number of followers.

For example, if you have only 1,000 followers, but they are top-level hospital health professionals, then a company like Johnson & Johnson might be very interested in talking with you.

In light of this information, you should consider cultivating your audience to reflect a specific interest, such as beauty, travel, health, etc.

Post photos that cater to just one or two subject areas and follow influencers who do likewise.

If you repost, like, or comment on their photos, those influencers are likely going to do the same for you.

Their followers may then notice you, and then you’ll get more followers that are interested and engaged in your content.

2. Create example campaigns.

Just as you would do an unpaid internship at a company you were hoping to get hired for, you could create example campaigns on Instagram to showcase your social media talents.

Consider generating a series of photos around something that interests you, such as healthy eating.

Then, follow businesses that are also focused on this topic.

You can learn which businesses are into healthy eating by doing a hashtag search using Instagram’s search bar. Instagram will then provide you with content that uses that hashtag.

As you post your photos, use the hashtags that your targeted businesses and audiences are using.

3. Complete your profile.

Businesses and companies can’t contact you if they don’t know who you are.

Be sure to complete your Instagram profile and add your name, a phone number, a web address, Facebook page URL, etc.

You may wish to add some information about your geographic location too, especially if you are generating content about travel.

Use your Instagram profile as a mini-résumé and list your experience in the topic of your interest.

Maybe you’ve been in the food business for a few years and that’s why you started a healthy eating-themed Instagram account. Or maybe you’ve been running marathons and are trying to incorporate better eating habits into your active lifestyle.

4. Reach out to marketing agencies.

To increase your chances of being selected as an influencer, you should sign up with as many social media marketing agencies as you can find.

A good selection of these agencies focus on Instagram; two examples include Instabrand and Hashmeta.

InstaBrand

hashmeta

Why should you partner up with marketing agencies?

Because some companies, especially big companies, will not bother to manually research, contact, and negotiate with individual influencers.

They either don’t have the time or would rather expedite the process using third-party mediators who can choose appropriate influencers.

Having said that…

5. Reach out to individual companies and businesses.

Smaller companies and businesses typically do not have the budget to work with agencies.

That doesn’t mean that they don’t have the budget to work with individuals, however, and this is one of the best chances you have at seeing how to make money on Instagram.

Consider reaching out to smaller operations with a proposal package that includes a set number of Instagram promoted posts, blog posts, and comments on fellow influencer sites.

You might easily score a work contract for several hundred dollars compared with three times that amount for a standard agency’s deal—as noted by this business owner’s comment on Ecommerce University:

Ecommerce University

6. Keep track of your followers.

As you grow your audience and followers, keep tabs on who these followers represent.

Companies will first follow you to learn about how popular you are and how relevant your content is to their goals.

Only after learning these facts will those businesses reach out to you.

So, if you know ahead of time who they are, you can channel your energies on specific products, trends, etc. that they are also focused on.

Making Money on Instagram still Possible in 2024?

Anyone can join, become an influencer, and make money on Instagram.

You don’t even have to follow the footsteps of the Kardashians when it comes to the number of your followers, or look like a Victoria’s Secret model to get paid for Instagram posts.

Brands and marketers prefer to work with micro-influencers (those with less than 10k followers) instead of macro-influencers (celebrities/famous people with over 10k followers) because followers of micro-influencers trust their recommendations more.

Even regular people like me and you can take Instagram for a spin and try your luck earning life-changing cash with the platform.

Did you know Instagram isn’t the only social media platform you can use to earn insane amounts of money?

If you’d rather try out other platforms instead, here are my guides for others:

25 Companies Offering Online English Teaching Jobs

Written By:
Last Updated:

Education has always seemed like a location-dependent vocation. But technology has made it possible for teachers to spread their wings and gain the freedom to pursue things like online English teaching jobs.

Demands for online ESL teachers have skyrocketed in the past few decades.

Thanks to the internet and globalization, it’s now entirely possible to teach English online as a lucrative side gig or a well-paying, full-time job.

In this article, you’ll learn what you’ll need to start teaching ESL online, as well as some of the best companies to apply for.

Starting an Online ESL Teaching Job

What you’ll need to get started as an online English teacher will depend on each individual company you apply to.

Some don’t have many requirements while others have a whole laundry list of requirements that need to be met before you can teach ESL online.

Here are some of the requirements you might need to fulfill:

  • Be a native English speaker
  • Your own desktop or laptop computer
  • A strong, stable internet connection, a high-quality webcam, and a clear, low-noise headset and microphone
  • A Bachelors degree (usually doesn’t need to be in education)
  • A Masters or Doctorate (if you’re planning on teaching at a college level)
  • Teaching experience (can be some tutoring hours or a set amount of hours in a classroom)
  • A TOEFL, TESL, TEFL, CELTA, or other teaching English abroad certification
  • Some companies have specific requirements for your work environment too, like whiteboards etc.

25 Websites and Apps Offering Online English Teaching Jobs

I’ve rounded up 25 different companies that are currently hiring ESL tutors and separated them into two categories.

  • The first 20+ jobs are your regular ESL jobs where you need to work from a computer.
  • The last few jobs are companies that allow you to work entirely from an app on your smartphone.

If you’re an ESL tutor trying to find work, these top 25 highest-paying websites could help you turn this online gig into a full-time career:

1. FlexJobs

Flexjobs ESL

The fastest and easiest way to land a full-time job as an ESL teacher is through Flexjobs.

While I update this post as often as I can, FlexJobs adds hundreds of new legitimate job postings daily. They scour the web for you and research the companies and post only legitimate job ads to their board.

At the time of this posting, FlexJobs has over 4,000 active listings in their education category alone.

2. italki

italki was founded in 2007 and is more of a teacher marketplace.

You can teach any language you want, as long as you’re a native speaker of that language.

The best thing about italki is that you can decide your own rate (other online English teaching jobs have a tier system based on experience or rating).

Teacher rates range between $5 and $40.

As Chris Rush revealed in his guest blog post, he earned over $2,200 teaching 71 lessons within 90 days.

3. VIPKID

Online English teaching jobs with VIPKID

What sets VIPKID apart from other ESL websites is that they have their own curriculum that teachers follow.

Children are also taught American culture on top of speaking proper English.

VIPKid has one of the biggest network of teachers with over 65,000 teachers teaching 500,000 students on their platform.

Rates run between $14-$18 per hour, which can go up to $22 an hour with incentives.

Class times are usually around 25 minutes each.

4. Voxy

This top-rated education app occasionally opens up to fill online English teaching jobs for certified teachers of any subject.

However, the job is only open for U.S. citizens.

The hourly rate starts at $18/hour with complete benefits, despite being a remote position.

Teachers who speak Portuguese or Spanish earn higher rates.

5. VerbalPlanet

Verbal Planet is one of the oldest ESL learning websites on this list.

The company must first approve your profile based on your teaching qualifications and experience.

Once you’re accepted into the Verbal Planet family, tutors can create their profile and dictate their own rates.

Students choose their tutors. Classes last up to 45 minutes.

Rates can run as high as $40 per hour.

The downside of Verbal Planet is that they’re not constantly receiving applications, so bookmark the site and check back from time to time.

6. Englishunt

Englishunt was founded in Korea in 2000.

Since then, they have expanded their English language video instruction services to Japan and China.

English Hunt only accept tutors who are U.S. citizens and have U.S. bank accounts.

Tutors here work part-time with an average workload of 8 to 12 hours weekly. Rates start at $14 per hour.

The best thing about Englishunt is that classes only last a maximum of 20 minutes.

The downside though is that the shifts are typically in the afternoon Korean time, which means the busy times are between 1 AM to 3 AM EST.

7. Qkids

As a Qkids tutor, you will be teaching Chinese children aged 4 to 12 through their patented and interactive gaming-based learning platform.

Qkids hire tutors to teach a maximum of 4 kids per lesson, with each lesson lasting a maximum of 30 minutes and at a rate between $16 to $20 per hour.

They hire native English speakers from the US and Canada and assign them to 6-month contracts, with the chance to continue your contract at the end.

Qkids sets your schedule for you each week and they also pay out attendance and performance bonuses.

8. TeachAway

TeachAway accepts licensed teachers, university graduates, and ESL instructors to fill online English teaching jobs from a number of different companies.

TeachAway offers a wide variety of online ESL teaching opportunities.

You can find opportunities for online English teachers with a choice of students ranging from kindergarten to high school. Teachers can also focus on adult education, college-level online teaching, course developers, and more.

They offer both full-time and part-time online ESL jobs.

TeachAway also opens its doors to freelance teachers who want to make an extra income over school breaks.

9. Magic Ears

This company prides itself on being one of the more open and friendly job sites for teaching ESL online. Teachers don’t have to compete for jobs as the site books classes for you.

With Magic Ears, you’ll be teaching to students in China ranging in ages between 4 to 12 years old.

They pay between $18 – $26 per hour on average.

10. English First

English First offers flexible online English teaching jobs for U.S. or U.K. citizens or residents who have a bachelor’s degree and a 40-hour minimum TEFL certificate.

You can choose between teaching children or teaching adults.

English First pay ranges from $12-$19 per hour.

11. Open English

Open English hires practicing ESL or TESOL professionals to teach their 500,000 students who are mostly based in Latin America.

The site offers classes 24/7, and you can schedule your own classes, so you can work when you want and take on as few or as many students as you want.

12. EnglishKey

EnglishKey is yet another company that offers English classes through live video streaming.

You must be able to work at least 10 hours per week, with the busiest time being 1pm to 8pm EST.

Experience and certifications aren’t required but certainly preferable.

In addition, knowing either Spanish or Portuguese is an advantage that you can get extra pay on top of the $10  to $15 per hour base rate.

13. Skooli

If you have a bachelor’s degree, government-issued teaching license, and a specialized instructor qualification (in English), then you can apply to become a Skooli online tutor.

Skooli doesn’t just hire ESL – they hire a whole roster of teachers with varying specializations.

With Skooli, you can convert your knowledge into cash and earn extra money in your spare time as a tutor.

14. Lingoda

As an international language teacher with Lingoda, you can work online, anytime, anywhere.

Your students are adult students and you teach with a small-sized group class.

Since Lingoda doesn’t have its own video-based platform, you need to be able to use Zoom for your lessons.

Rates range from $8 to $13 USD per hour.

15. Learnlight 

Join an exceptional team of foreign language teaching professionals and become a part of an innovative online language training program helping thousands of students from across the globe.

You’ll need a TEFL certificate, 2 years of experience, and proficiency in the English language. Plus reliable tech (working computer, stable internet, headset and webcam).

16. Tutlo

Tutlo is a Polish-based language learning platform. It accepts native English speakers from the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and the UK.

Teachers must have TEFL certification and at least 6 months of English teaching experience.

Rates range from $5 to $11 USD per hour, depending on experience. Payouts are sent via PayPal.

17. BookNook

Here’s something different.

Aside from just teaching kids how to write, read or speak English, BookNook takes it to another level and focuses on reading comprehension and literacy.

Teachers who are accepted into BookNook teaches a group of 1 to 4 students from the United States.

Pay is $18 per hour.

18. Verbling

Open to English teachers from anywhere in the world, Verbling is looking to expand its network.

You need to do have teaching credentials and experience (they ask for certification). Verbling accepts non-English speakers, but you must have exceptional command C2 of the English language.

Teachers set their own hourly tutoring rates individually, with Verbling getting a 15% cut of your rate. Payments are sent via PayPal, Payoneer, TransferWise or their in-house Verbling Credit.

19. BEILS Turkey

Unlike other online English teaching jobs on this list, working for BEILS Turkey means you receive a fixed income.

Teachers here work an 8-hour shift from Mondays to Fridays, Turkish time. They then earn up to USD $1,400/month.

20. Whales English

Whales English wants you to join their team if you meet the following requirements:

  • If you’re a native English speaker from USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand
  • A Bachelor’s degree or higher,
  • Teaching certificate (TESOL/TEFL/CELTA) ,and
  • At least 1 year experience teaching children,

You can earn $18-$27 per 50-minute class taught plus performance based bonuses.

21. Preply

Let Preply take care of the networking and marketing for you.

With access to over 200,000 students from all over the world, Preply allows you to grow your own online language tutoring business.

ESL tutors must be fluent English-speakers with a high school diploma, teaching license, and a minimum of 2 years teaching experience.

What’s great about Preply is you can receive payment immediately after class. There also isn’t a payout schedule, so you can withdraw your earnings anytime.

4 Ways to Teach ESL From Your Phone

In the past, ESL students needed to sign up for classes and work with instructors through video conferencing on computers.

Nowadays, with the advancement of mobile technology, online English teaching jobs can occur via smartphone using different mobile apps.

What that means for you is that you can now earn money as an ESL instructor directly from your smartphone.

That’s right!

You no longer need a computer to start making money as an ESL instructor.

You can download specific ESL mobile apps to your smartphone and use them to tutor students via video and/or audio chat.

Your tutoring time is compensated by the minute and could grow to as much as $45/hour, depending on your skill level and past experience.

Below are the apps that pay you for English lessons.

22. NiceTalk

nicetalk

This learning platform was created in China and is supported by both Android and iOS systems.

Once you download the app, you’ll be asked to record a short interview video so they can assess your English-speaking capabilities. Following approval, you can start accepting student requests.

Most of the students who use this app are native Chinese speakers who will request to chat with you via the app’s video chat function. You need to make sure your phone can accept video chat requests and stream them at a normal conversational pace.

NiceTalk pays you $10/hour for your talking/teaching time.

Keep in mind that most of your conversations will not last an entire hour. Luckily, NiceTalk also pays by the minute. The app will also tack on bonuses to your account if you work with students during peak hours, which in the case of Chinese students is 11 pm – 6 am.

As a new user, you’ll receive a $10 bonus just for signing up with NiceTalk.

You are able to cash out of your account once you reach $20.

23. PalFish

Palfish

PalFish enables you to set your hourly rate from as low as $4.80 to over $45 per hour.

Incidentally, your pay is denoted in yuan, not dollars. However, the app will convert your wages to your local currency upon cashing out.

There is a short verification process that you’ll need to undergo before you can start working with students.

That process involves writing a 200-word description of you and your teaching style and posting a photo of your face.

You also need to post a voice recording so that students can determine if you speak clearly enough for them to understand your words.

Unlike NiceTalk, you aren’t stuck earning a specified rate per hour or minute; with PalFish, you can set your own rates and earn as high as $45/hour.

Also, there is no set payout minimum.

24. Cambly

Cambly

This app pays 17 cents/minute or $10.20/hour ($12/hour) to talk to people all over the world and help build their English skills.

You can work as little or as much as you want, and any money you earn is automatically sent to your Paypal account twice a month.

You can also sign up for two-hour shifts, which guarantees a certain amount of money for your time. Payments are made once a $20 threshold is reached.

Students can peruse tutor profiles and ‘ping’ those tutors that they want to interact with.

If the tutors are otherwise occupied and/or miss those ping(s), they are redirected to other tutors. You can opt to pick up the pings that are missed by other tutors for extra money.

Once you register with Cambly, you will be prompted to fill out your profile and record a video.

The more teaching experience/certifications you can list on your profile, the greater the likelihood of you being pinged by students for tutoring.

Students can also leave reviews on how well they thought you tutored them.

If you accumulate a lot of positive reviews, you’ll increase your chances of being pinged.

25. SkimaTalk

SkimaTalk

This app will pay you $15 for each completed hour (as opposed to per minute) and the chat sessions are conducted over Skype (which is available as an app for your smartphone).

SkimaTalk even offers you a range of lesson plans so that you have a template to follow during your sessions.

Just like with Cambly, your students can leave reviews about you and your teaching style. More good reviews will lead to more students.

To get started, use your Facebook account or email to register with SkimaTalk. Fill out your profile information, including both your photo and a description of your teaching style, any applicable experience, etc.

SkimaTalk will then assess your English reading abilities with a 19-question test.

Once you pass this exam, you’ll be able to start accepting and talking with students almost immediately.

Are Online English Teaching Jobs for You?

Becoming an online ESL teacher has many benefits attached.

It could be one of the best ways to balance work and life while helping young minds all over the world.

Other ways to earn side income for teachers

Being an online English teacher can be extremely rewarding, but there are other online jobs for teachers out there for those who want more.

If you’re a teacher and you love teaching, but the idea of teaching English online doesn’t appeal to you, here are a few other ways to earn some side cash:

12 Online Research Jobs You Can Apply For Today

Written By:
Last Updated:

Two quick questions before you start looking for online research jobs:

1. What was the first quarter of 2012 revenues for Sturm Ruger?

2. How much did the average U.S. wedding cost in 2019?

If you answered $112 million (surprisingly, NOT the wedding cost) and $33,900, then you may have a bright future as an online researcher.

In this article, learn more about being an online researcher, what it involves, and where you can find online research jobs to apply for.

What Does an Online Researcher Do?

Many publications are moving from print to digital format, placing a significant amount of information online for users to sift through and try to make sense of.

WIkipedia online research

However, despite the rise of powerful search engines such as Google, online information is not always readily accessible.

This is particularly true of technical and scientific data that are often restricted to subscription-based journals and esoteric publications that aren’t listed on page one of Google’s search results.

Likewise, finding correct and relevant information takes time, a luxury that many companies and businesses do not have.

Here are some scenarios that require the job of online researchers:

  • A law firm may wish to provide its readers with an article documenting traffic accident statistics per state but not have the time to research every state.
  • A debt consolidation company may wish to know about the most common sources of unsecured debt so that it can offer services tailored to those debts.

The solution to such dilemmas has been to hire online researchers who are adept at finding information on a wide variety of topics.

To qualify for online research jobs, you need to be highly skilled in using various search engines (that is, not just Google).

Your goal is to find legitimate peer-reviewed scientific research, industry-specific publications, and various other research materials to gather the information you need.

More than finding and accessing information, online researchers must also have:

  • advanced comprehension skills to be able to understand the information gathered,
  • exceptional analytical skills to be able to interpret the information, and
  • strong communication skills to be able to present the information to those who need it.

Internet Research Process

How Much Can You Make as an Online Researcher?

At the start, when you’re probably doing more generic online research, $10 an hour is the usual rate.

The pay in this field varies depending mainly on one’s research skills.

But experience and specialized knowledge can be additional factors.

When you eventually get more experience and gain positive feedback from clients, your pay can increase up to $20 per hour.

If you have a master’s or doctoral degree, and advanced or even expert-level on specific, in-demand subjects such as those in the scientific, legal, or financial fields, you can potentially earn $50 to $80 per hour.

How do you get started as an Online Researcher?

You actually don’t need to be a professional researcher to begin this career. The job doesn’t involve

Here’s the basic process online researchers

  • Just visit various third-party answer sites. (Don’t worry, I’ll list the legitimate ones below)
  • Perform generic Internet research online on a requested topic.
  • Submit your results.
  • Wait to get paid by the client.

Unfortunately, such work is often low-paid because it is considered unspecialized.

The tasks also usually require a significant amount of time to complete because the subject matter may not be familiar to you and thus involves a steep learning curve.

However, the benefit of such work is that it’s not hard to obtain clients.

12 Places to Find Online Research Jobs

Here are a few sites that offer online research jobs:

1. Wonder

Wonder is a resource site for researchers in need of instant feedback for their studies and it’s easily the most prolific site on this list.

As part of the Wonder team, you’ll receive questions directly from customers and your job will be to find the best available information on the topic.

Jobs typically take around 3 hours to complete, making pay range around $15 to $25 per hour, depending on your speed and expertise.

Wonder prides itself on answering questions within 24 hours.

However, be prepared to work under tight deadlines.

2. Maven

Maven

Maven allows you to advertise your services as a so-called “micro-consultant” in the fields of your choosing.

You will receive contracts to answer questions and provide insights from all over the world and from all walks of life: from college students doing homework to CEOs making high-impact decisions.

Executives from some of the world’s most prestigious companies, like Boeing or Intel, have used this site.

3. JustAnswer

JustAnswer offers subject matter expert positions in the fields of medicine, law, veterinary science, etc.

To become a subject matter expert, you must show proof of a relevant degree (e.g., M.D.) and/or professional experience. Verification will take a few days.

If you’re admitted, you’ll get started by meeting with JustAnswer experts to learn how to navigate the platform.​

4. Experts123

Experts123 is constantly looking for online researchers and article writers who will create content on their site about topics that users want to know more about.

This site operates on a revenue-share platform where page views amount to a specified amount of money; for example, you might earn $1.50 for each PPM (i.e., thousand page views).

Experts123 does offer upfront payments of $10 to $20 per approved article for more seasoned researchers.

5. PrestoExperts

This company also serves as a platform for those in need of answers to questions in the field of medicine, business, technology, social media, law, and so on.

When invited to join, freelance experts are given a profile where their education, work experience, specialization, and rates are displayed.

Clients could then contact experts directly (via phone, email, or online chat) for a job.

You are in control of your fees, so you may set it by the hour, per project, or so on.

6. Studypool

Studypool invites students around the world to submit questions about every type of subject imaginable so that online researchers (or so-called micro-tutors) can see them, bid on them, and answer them.

You’ll get paid when your answers are accepted.

There are StudyPool volunteers who earn up to $7,500 USD monthly working from home tutoring students.

7. Answeree

Earn rewards by answering questions, which you can exchange for actual dollars.

Earning here takes a bit of time because:

  • 1 answer = 10 points
  • 10 points = 1cent

You can request payment via PayPal or Binance once you reach $2.

You can make additional money by getting more users to like your answer best of all.

8. 10EQS

10EQS prides itself on providing on-demand insights and expertise to leaders and decision-makers in different industries.

To qualify as an Industry Expert, you’ll need to have extensive experience with your particular subject.

In other words, this opportunity isn’t for beginners.

That’s also a huge perk if you’re starting an online research career with decades-long experience in marketing, business, accounting, or any other industry.

It’s a perfect side hustle for retirement.

9. MyLot

myLot is an enormous discussion board, blogging community, questions and answers hub, social network and online hangout that pays you for your valuable time.

On top earning from answering questions, you also get to earn cash when you participate in discussions.

You can make a payout once your wallet reaches $5.

Anyone can join, as long as you’re 18 years and older.

10. Weegy

Anyone can join Weegy, but experts are rated better whenever they contribute excellent answers.

Newbies can keep up by improving their research and written communication skills.

All you need to do is create an account and pass a small True-or-False questionnaire, and you’re good to go.

There also aren’t any limits to the number of questions you want to answer. Just be accurate to earn points, which you can withdraw as PayPal cash once you earn enough to equal $20.

I like the simple interface of Weegy – no busy ads. Just questions and answers directly from the main page.

11. FixYa

With over 19 million products, it’s easy to find information about whatever needs fixing.

If you love DIY-ing and fixing appliance and gadgets in your spare time, you can join over 20 million Fixya users in helping others who need quick answers.

Do note that you aren’t paid for answers initially. But if you level up to “Premium Expert Level,” you can be sent special requests for reviews and be paid between $3 and $5 a pop.

You can even help customers on live sessions, which bags higher rates.

12. HelpOwl

There’s competition involved in HelpOwl, so you have to be at the top of your game.

Whenever someone posts a question, HelpOwl experts can then provide the correct answer. The poster will then decide whose answer is correct.

The one picked to have the right answer gets 100 points, while the first answer accepted gets an extra 1,000 points.

There are deductions too! For example, if you added a misleading answer, your profile gets deducted 10 points.

Save points and exchange them into gift cards (Amazon/Walmart/iCard) once you reach 50,000 points.

BONUS Resource: Online Research Jobs Posted on Job Boards

Sites such as FlexJobs, Indeed, LinkedIn, and other job sites list plenty of online research jobs.

Use keywords such as:

  • “internet research jobs,”
  • “online researcher,”
  • “work at home research jobs,”
  • “web researcher,”
  • “remote research assistant”
  • “virtual researcher”
  • and other similar keywords to find online research jobs.

The benefit of going this route is that these opportunities are usually full-time or part-time work paid on an hourly basis. Instead of just minimal earnings from get-paid-to sites.

Make extra money while you research

We’re big believers here at optimizing your earnings while you spend time online.

We highly recommend clicking here to create a free account at SwagBucks.

They pay you to use their search engine and the results are provided by Google.

It’s a great way to pull in a little extra cash while researching without changing any of your online habits.

Start Your Own Online Research Business

What if you want to strike out on your own because you don’t want to give up a portion of your earnings to a third party site?

Although it is more challenging, you can start your own Internet research business.

  • Todd Tresidder offers personal finance and investment coaching via his website FinancialMentor.

In both of these cases, Internet researchers who could have continued to sell their services through third-party sites decided to start their own businesses- and reap all the profits (and risks) as a result.

Getting new clients will probably be the trickiest part of starting your own Internet research business.

You will need to create a professional-looking website and business cards.

You will also need to network heavily.

Google Ads and Facebook ads may spark initial interest but in this line of work, a personal approach works best.

Consider joining your local chamber of commerce or civic association and marketing your services to local businesses.

Attend some professional happy hours in your chosen area(s) of expertise. Cold calling may also succeed if you’re comfortable speaking on the phone to business owners who could use your services.

You simply can’t be shy about tooting your own horn in this line of work- and putting an actual face on your business.

If you still find yourself stuck, The Association of Internet Researchers offers plenty of useful advice and networking opportunities for would-be Internet researchers. The AoIR also organizes several yearly conferences that enable you to hone your skills and make vital contacts.

For example, you could benefit by partnering with other AoIR members, gaining their client lists, and expanding your business offerings through them.

An Online Research Job is What You Make of It

You know that saying “you only get out what you put in”? This is certainly true of online research as a career and eventually as a business.

The more expertise and experience you accumulate, the more money you will make as an Internet researcher.

The more you market your services, the more clients you will gain.

If you are satisfied with just making a few bucks by answering Yahoo! Answers questions, then that’s exactly where your online research business will remain even after several years.

On the other hand, if you like helping people and are willing to learn, grow, and sometimes even take a few hits to your self-esteem, then this line of work could eventually become your calling.

You may also want to consider looking into getting paid to answer questions online. It’s a very similar field, but with more opportunities and higher pay rates. Although, you do need a little more specialized knowledge to get the big bucks.

On the other hand, if you have a legal background and like hands-on, up-close-and-personal research, being a court researcher may be more up your alley.

How to Sell Books on Amazon: A Step-By-Step Guide

Written By:
Last Updated:

Of all the goods you can sell and all the online marketplaces you can sell them on, selling books on Amazon remains one of the best ways to make money online.

Amazon may be the largest online retailer in the world now, but did you know that the company started out as a marketplace for new and used books?

In fact, CEO Jeff Bezos operated the “Earth’s Biggest Bookstore” straight out of his garage when Amazon opened for business in 1994.

Look familiar?

Amazons Original Website

Three years later, the company carried 2.5 million titles and earned a whopping $148 million in 1997 alone.

Amazon sold books exclusively from its launch until 1999 when the company expanded into selling toys, electronics, tools, and hardware.

Even with the recent success of online bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble, choosing to sell books on Amazon remains a smart decision because Amazon continues to grow at an outstanding rate, and more and more brick-and-mortar Amazon bookstores are popping up.

Why Sell Books on Amazon?

You’re probably looking for a more sophisticated answer than “to make money.”

But really, this is the main reason to choose Amazon over other booksellers: it’s lucrative.

And it’s lucrative because:

  1. the demand for books is as high as ever, if not higher
  2. shoppers trust Amazon
  3. selling on Amazon is simple (as you’ll see below).

3 Ways to Sell Books on Amazon

Amazon has been around for over two decades, so it’s no wonder the company has come up with different ways to accommodate various types of sellers.

If you want to sell books on Amazon, you have three options (each with varying steps to follow):

1. Amazon Trade-In

Technically, you’re not actually selling books on Amazon with the trade-in or buyback program. Instead, you are trading old books in exchange for Amazon gift cards.

To do this, you have to check if your books are currently being accepted in the trade-in program.

Amazon Trade-In

If they are, continue with your submission form and add more if you plan to trade in more books.

When ready, enter your address, print a prepaid shipping label, and send in your items within 7 days free of charge.

The books will be sent to Amazon’s warehouse. You’ll be notified when your book is either accepted or denied.

You can also check the status of your trade-in anytime in Your Trade-In Account or the “payment” by viewing your gift card balance.

If your items are denied, you’ll get your books back with no cost for return shipping.

The trade-in value of your books will be significantly lower than what you paid for them, but really, anything is better than nothing for a book you will never open again.

2. Kindle Direct Publishing

If you’re planning to write a book and want to sell it online, you don’t have to sign with a publishing house anymore. Amazon’s KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) gives anyone a chance to create, publish, and sell their own books, ebooks, and audiobooks on Amazon.

With KDP, you get to keep and control 100% of your book’s rights, which means you can make changes to the books any time you like and earn up to 70% of royalties.

Of course, the most obvious benefit of self-publishing via Amazon is that your book reaches the market quickly without additional expenses.

I’ve fully outlined the process of how to self-publish a book here. It’s a more in-depth guide than you’ll find on this page, so click through if this is the route you want to pursue.

3. Sell Books on Amazon for Cash

You don’t have to trade in used books or publish your own books to take advantage of Amazon’s millions of potential buyers.

You can still sell books on Amazon, even if you didn’t author those books.

There are three ways you can do this:

  • Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) – You post a book for sale, but let Amazon handle the storage, shipping, and post-sale customer support. Many beginner sellers choose this option until they get a solid fulfillment system in place.
  • Fulfillment by merchant (FBM) – Customers order the books from Amazon, but as an FBM seller, you handle everything—storage, packing, shipping, and customer service—every time one of your items gets sold.
  • Amazon vendors (AMZ) – You sell all your books directly to Amazon. They will obviously be a lot cheaper, but if you just closed a brick-and-mortar bookstore and want to unload plenty of books, this is the fastest way possible.

Four-Step Guide to Selling Books on Amazon

At this point, you should have already decided which way you want to sell on Amazon (FBA, FBM, or AMZ). Now, it’s time to get started selling!

Step 1: Create a regular Amazon account and a seller account

  • Join Amazon. If you aren’t already, note that you have to be a member of Amazon to begin selling on the site. Registration is straightforward – enter e-mail address, create a password, and all that jazz.
  • Create Seller Account. Click on the “Your Account” tab and find “Your Seller Account” to begin the process of opening a seller account.
  • Decide on a selling plan. The Individual plan has no monthly subscription fee but has a $0.99 as a per sale closing fee. You can also only sell up to 40 items each month. On the Professional plan, you’d have to shell out a $39.99/month subscription fee plus per-item selling fees, but you get access to spreadsheets and other inventory-related reports.
  • Enter payment information. To receive payment from the books sold, you’ll need to provide a valid checking account. Under “Settings,” find “Account Info.” Find the “Deposit Method” section on the page and click “Edit.” Select your bank’s country/location and make sure to enter the correct routing number. Amazon will send you a confirmation e-mail once it has verified the account with your bank.

Step 2: How to Sell Books on Amazon

  • Find the title of the book you plan on selling. Click “Sell Your Stuff” on the main seller account page and type the title or ISBN into the search box. Tick the “Books” category, before clicking the “Start Selling” button. You can also search for a book normally (as any buyer would), visit the product page, and click the button that says “Sell on Amazon” to begin filling out information on your own book listing.
  • If you can’t find the title on Amazon, list a new book title. If for some reason you can’t find the title of the book you want to sell on Amazon, you’ll be directed to a different form to begin a new listing. From there, you’ll have to enter all details about the book, including the complete title, author name/s, publisher information, and ISBN.
  • Decide on a price. The easiest way to set the price of your book is to compare it with other listings. Beginner sellers often sell their books at a lower price so customers purchase theirs over other sellers’ copies.
  • Enter the book condition. If you’re selling a new book, you can do this portion quickly by just picking paperback or hardcover. But if your book is used, you have to describe the condition of your item (“Like New,” “Very Good,” “Good,” or “Acceptable”). Consult Amazon’s Marketplace Items Condition Guidelines to make sure you’re describing the condition of the book accurately. Books with missing pages, ripped covers, or erased text fall under “Unacceptable” condition and cannot be sold on Amazon.
  • Select the shipping method. If you chose the fulfilled-by-merchant (FBM) approach, you’ll decide everything about shipping and handling.
  • Save your listing. Once you save your listing, the book will now be up for sale on Amazon.

Step 3: Set Up Fulfillment by Amazon

If you want to skip the handling, shipment, and post-sale customer service, FBA is the way to go.

But the steps are a bit different from the regular way of selling books on Amazon. Sellers ship their books directly to one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers (FC).

Whenever a sale pushes through, Amazon packs and ships the book to the customer and handle complaints, returns, and other inquiries on your behalf.

  • Convert any listing into FBA. You can change a regular listing into an FBA version by going to your account’s “Inventory” and clicking “Manage Inventory.” Choose the listing you wish to convert, check the box beside it, and click “Change to Fulfilled by Amazon” from the “Actions” pull-down menu. You will be directed to a new page, asked to “Convert” with a click of a button, and review your revamped listing. (Note that when you convert a regular listing, the original listing will be temporarily removed from Amazon. Don’t worry, since it will be back live once the book arrives at Amazon).
  • Sending books to Amazon. You need to ship your book/s to the nearest Amazon fulfillment centers. Amazon will send you shipping instructions, along with PDF product/shipment labels for your books. Print and stick them to the package as instructed. You can use any courier, deliver them manually, or use Amazon’s discounted shipping to send the book to the fulfillment center; it’s totally your call.
  • Check the status of your books. Once Amazon receives your books, you don’t have to do anything else. You can check the status of your books, monitor listings, or just let Amazon do its thing and wait for notification when your book gets sold.

Step 4: Get Paid

The reason why you sell books on Amazon ultimately boils down to getting paid real cash.

All earnings you get from the sales (minus Amazon fees, outward shipping fees, and so on) will be listed in detail on your Seller Account.

If you wish to withdraw your funds, log in to your Amazon Payments account, click the “Withdraw Funds” tab, and select a bank account from the dropdown menu. Enter the amount you want to transfer to your bank account. Finish by pressing the “Continue” button.

How much money can you make selling books on Amazon?

Given that there are three distinct methods outlined above, the amount of money you can make selling books on Amazon can vary.

For trading in books, you’re limited to what you have to sell from around your house. Textbooks are going to fetch the most amount of money, and even then, you’re selling them for about 10-15% of what you paid. Still, that’s better than letting them sit and collect dust forever.

As for Kindle Direct Publishing, the sky is the limit here. You’re selling a digital product and are in control of pricing, but you’re also responsible for the marketing and sales as well.

Finally, reselling books. This is the area you’ll want to focus on if you want to make serious money in this space.

Scan the UPC codes of the books in your inventory and see how much they’re currently listed on at Amazon. You can quite easily find books that sell for 2x, 5x, and even 20x what you pay for them. Granted you need the right buyer, but with enough inventory, you can pull in a few extra thousand per month.

Where Can You Get Books To Sell On Amazon?

Here are some of the popular sources of inventory where you can get books to sell.

Your own books. This is probably the easiest way to find books to sell and how most beginners get started.

Start looking around your house, and maybe even your parents’ house, for old books that you haven’t read in years and don’t plan to read ever.

Some surprising finds in your house can include textbooks, comic books, and limited edition books.

Used bookstores. Another popular source of books to sell is your local used bookstores.

There’s a good chance you can pick up some surprisingly profitable books here.

Plus, these are almost always in good condition, since used bookstores don’t normally sell stock that’s too damaged.

Local library. Your local library also holds sales periodically because they have to raise some funds and make room for new books.

Estate sales. Estate sales and auctions are other great sources of books to sell on Amazon because they are motivated to liquidate these books and turn them into cash and they normally sell them for a good price.

Try to look for closing out sales or moving out sales, too. Again, these are the ones who are motivated to sell.

Online retail arbitrage. At its simplest, online arbitrage is shopping for books online at a low price and then turning around and selling them at a higher price.

This might take more time than the others, but at least here, you can shop for books from home and not have to get out and go places.

Craigslist. If you’re lucky, you might find entire lots of books being sold cheaply. If you’re super lucky, you might even find free books on here.

The Future of Book Selling on Amazon

Jumping into any kind of business not backed by research is dangerous, so if you plan to sell books on Amazon but was worried about the future of this venture, consider these:

PROS:

Selling on Amazon remains a lucrative venture because it is home to a market that buys.

Amazon has more than 300 million active users, with 150 million Prime subscribers.

Net sales in 2021 amounted to $469.8 billion.

Amazon has a 50% share of the US print book market as of 2018.

Whether you’re on the verge of self-publishing or launching your own online business, partnering with Amazon continues to be a safe business model.

CONS:

However, Amazon is in control of service fees and future policy changes, whether you like it or not.

As a bookseller on Amazon, you’d have to agree to the changes or look to sell somewhere else.

For example, when Amazon upped the FBA fees, about 10% of booksellers stopped shipping their products to Amazon.

Will you be willing to comply when changes like these happen in the future?

Before you invest everything into selling books on Amazon, weigh these pros and cons carefully.

Other Things To Sell In Amazon

Of course, books aren’t the only thing to sell on Amazon.

If at this point, you’ve changed your mind about selling books, here are other things to sell on Amazon that can make you some money as well.

5 Legit Paid Online Survey Sites Worth Your Time

Written By:
Last Updated:

Paid online surveys attract many people since it’s an easy way to make money online.

Who wouldn’t want that?

I’ve resisted touting survey sites because, for the most part, I’ve felt that they waste too much time and effort.

Sure, you can make a few bucks here and there with a survey. You might even score an in-depth webcam-enabled interview that nets you $40 or $60.

However, getting decent-paying surveys is a crapshoot, and best not relied upon for a steady income.

Or is it?

I went through the hundreds of survey sites that are out there and found the 5 best paid online surveys you should consider joining.

Below are an additional 15 that, while they aren’t as good as my top 5, they are still worth joining to maximize your number of survey invites.

My 5 Best Paid Online Survey Sites

1. Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost logo

Opinion Outpost leads off this list by keeping things simple.

I’ve been recommending them since I first started this site way back in 2007, and their longevity is proof enough that they are as legit as they come.

Register an account, answer surveys, get paid in cash. They make the process as easy as possible and are committed to providing you with as many surveys as you qualify for.

2. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie

If you’re after the highest paying online surveys, then look no further.

Survey Junkie is home to over 5 million members, and so far, no major complaints about lack of surveys or payment delays.

A survey can take around 10 minutes to complete.

You earn points after finishing a survey. You can then have it converted into cash via PayPal (or Amazon gift cards) once you reach the $10 payment threshold.

Generally, you can earn from $10-$15 an hour with Survey Junkie surveys.

TO JOIN: Create an account, fill in your profile, and wait for Survey Junkie to match you with their surveys.

You’ll be notified when surveys are available. Complete them, then earn points.

3. Swagbucks

Swagbucks Surveys

Swagbucks isn’t just a survey site. It provides dozens of ways to earn money by doing ordinary online activities, such as watching videos, playing games, online shopping, searching the web, and so on.

Swagbucks has been paying people around the world over $600 million in rewards and they’re not stopping anytime soon.

I’ve personally cashed over $1,000 in rewards from Swagbucks.

Swagbucks Proof

You can answer surveys and polls daily, which take a maximum of 10 minutes to complete. The coolest thing about Swagbucks is that you can even receive consolation points if you don’t qualify for a particular survey.

Generally, you can earn around 30 to 150 Swagbucks per survey. That’s probably around $6.50 an hour. You can then have your Swagbucks converted into cash or vouchers, or you can use these to join Swagbucks-run contests.

TO JOIN: Create an account (and be awarded $5 for signing up), fill in your profile, then explore what Swagbucks has to offer.

4. Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research

Pinecone Research is probably my favorite paid online survey company in this group.

Surveys come in at a flat rate of $3 per survey and generally take around 10 minutes to fill out, making this the highest pay-per-hour survey site you can join.

Your first check will be issued on completion of your first survey.

On top of normal surveys, you may be sent new products in the mail to try out. You get to keep whatever they send on top of being paid to answer questions about it.

TO JOIN: Create an account here, confirm your email address, and fill out the demographic survey to immediately start making some money.

5. Inbox Dollars

InboxDollars

InboxDollars is another site that offers paid online surveys that pay you in cash instead of points.

From their website, InboxDollars has paid over $80 million in cash rewards to its members for answering surveys, as well as doing relatively simple tasks, such as watching videos, playing games, and shopping (through cashback).

TO JOIN: Sign up on their website (and get a $5 bonus just for signing up!). You’ll then have to answer a few simple demographic questions, such as your income, race, education, and other information that will help them match you with surveys you’re eligible for.

15 More Survey Companies to Join

The following companies are legit and are worth joining if you want to maximize the number of surveys you get each month. I’d suggest clicking through to all of them and seeing which ones feel like they’re worth joining.

  1. American Consumer Opinion
  2. SurveySavvy
  3. Toluna
  4. PaidViewpoint
  5. PointClub
  6. LifePoints
  7. Global Survey Group
  8. Maru Springboard America
  9. Panda Research
  10. OneOpinion
  11. Survey Voices
  12. i-Say
  13. Harris Poll Online
  14. Valued Opinions
  15. Branded Surveys

That wraps up my list of approved survey companies, but keep reading to learn how to maximize your earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Paid Online Surveys

The following questions are probably the most-asked questions about online surveys, and it’s worth going over the answers to these for good reason: they’re going to save you a lot of time.

How much can you really make taking surveys?

Yes, you can make some money.

But most of the time, the amount is totally exaggerated.

  • Yes, you can earn an extra $500 to $1000 a month answering online surveys, but this would take up all your time throughout the day (8 working hours or more).
  • Yes, you can get paid just by joining online survey sites, but you can’t withdraw that signup bonus immediately. In most cases, you’ll need to earn your first $20 before requesting a payout.
  • Yes, there’s no stopping you from joining all the survey sites you can find, but some just pay pennies.

Realistically, you can earn an average of $5–$10/hour for paid online surveys.

You could be picked for special $50-per-survey gigs, but this rarely occurs.

How long does answering surveys take?

The time you need to complete a survey varies completely.

Some surveys are as short as regular sign-up pages, while others are part of a full-blown study.

If you’re planning to do this on the side of a full-time job, or during downtime at school, then you’d probably just commit an hour or two for surveys.

Is everyone qualified to take surveys?

Generally, the best survey sites welcome individuals 16 years old and above.

Countries allowed to join vary, but they’re mostly available for everyone around the world. The problem lies in the payment method since some countries do not have PayPal options, while others cannot accept remittances.

Why do these survey sites pay you, anyway?

Brands, companies, and organizations will pay a premium just to know what and how their target audience thinks.

Opinions of survey takers such as yourself shape the products and services that these brands develop and how they are marketed.

What types of questions can you expect to be required to answer?

You can expect to be asked about your activities, interests, and hobbies.

You’ll also likely be asked about your spending habits and decisions; for instance, what makes it likely for you to choose a brand over another?

Essentially, expect questions that will help a brand develop new products or fine-tune existing ones.

How do you get paid?

Depending on the survey site you chose to join, you can either be paid through:

  • Cash – Straight to your PayPal or a bank account
  • Points – You can use these points to buy stuff from the survey site’s store, or convert into cash
  • Gift cards – If you love shopping online and prefer to be paid with Amazon gift cards or other types of online gift cards, some survey sites provide this option.
  • App store credits – Maybe you’re just answering surveys because you need extra cash for your games and apps. If this is the case, you can actually get paid with Google Play credits.

How to Make Paid Online Surveys Worth It

There are literally hundreds of survey sites around, but they’re not built equally.

If you decide to answer surveys for money right now, it’s important that you choose only the best and highest-paying online surveys.

Doing this saves you a lot of time and headaches that scammy survey sites may bring.

1. Calculate how much your time is worth.

The first thing you should do before taking any online surveys is to calculate the least amount of money you are willing to make per hour.

Typically, this is done by taking your current yearly compensation and dividing it by 2,080, which is 52 weeks per year multiplied by 40 hours per week.

Use this hourly rate to determine the value of your time.

If you are unemployed, don’t assume that your time is free.

You can still complete other tasks to make money, including taking up a part-time job, house and pet sitting, becoming a microjobs agent, etc.

2. Learn how much each survey is worth.

It’s easy to get sidetracked by a supposedly easy survey that takes just “minutes” to complete.

For example, a survey that claims to take 20 minutes to complete and pays $3 may not really end up making you the equivalent of $9/hour.

Because many surveys require a pre-qualifier survey, you may end up working 10 minutes on the pre-qualifier before you even get to the real survey. That drops your earnings significantly. And if you fail the pre-qualifier, you’ve just wasted 10 minutes of your time.

If you have a selection of surveys to choose from, choose those surveys that pay you at least $10/hour.

Also, it’s far better to spend more time and effort on surveys that promise to pay $50+ even if they do take more time to complete because, once you’re in, you’ll probably be webcam interviewed.

That may sound intimidating at first; however, webcam-enabled interviews are better because they last a shorter time and are more likely to send you a payout.

3. Download online survey mobile apps.

If an online survey site announces that it has a mobile app version of its platform, download it.

Why?

Online surveys are best performed when you are already wasting time standing in line at the store, waiting for a doctor’s appointment, etc.

They are usually not the best use of your time when you are sitting at home and could find many other (and better) ways to make money.

4. Choose survey sites with low payout thresholds.

Back in the early 2000s, a steady crop of survey sites popped up and promised large amounts of money to survey takers.

What they didn’t advertise was the fact that survey takers would not be able to cash out until they had reached $100+ thresholds. By the time such thresholds were reached, the sites had either disappeared or just didn’t have enough work for their survey takers.

Before you commit to working with any online survey site, read the site’s fine print about payout thresholds.

Alternately, if you’d rather collect gift cards, find out how much you need to spend to obtain those gift cards. You don’t want to be almost at your points goal for payout only to learn that your survey site shut down.

5. Don’t game the system.

Many survey takers try to fool survey sites by deliberately lying on pre-qualifying surveys and claiming to have tried product X, have children ages 2–4, etc.

While such lies may initially get you qualified for a higher number of paying surveys, eventually, your lies will catch up with you.

How does this happen?

Survey sites track survey takers and create profiles on them. Some survey sites work with other survey sites.

If your supplied information doesn’t match up across different platforms, or even across different surveys, you’ll eventually be found out and banned from these sites.

6. Use survey sites as a stepping stone.

Online surveys can lead to better-paying opportunities.

Oftentimes, survey companies collaborate with clients that want more direct feedback than just online answers.

Once you are recruited into a more “live” panel, your pay can jump from a few dollars per survey to $100 or even higher.

How to Know Which Paid Online Survey Sites to Avoid

The survey sites on our list are legit, but you’re probably going to want to search for new ones, especially when there is a lack of surveys on some of the sites you’re working with.

Here are some telltale signs that a survey site is not worth the time or effort.

When you do a search, it turns up nothing or mostly negative reviews. Survey sites that are trustworthy are talked about and even praised by their users. They also have proof that these survey sites indeed pay.

They ask for payment. A legitimate survey site will NEVER ask you to pay in exchange for surveys.

They ask for personal information. You should not be asked to provide your social security information, driver’s license information, or bank account information (if they’re not going to pay through your bank account).

Their websites look sketchy or outdated. If they can’t be bothered to update and maintain their website properly, they probably can’t be bothered to pay their members, either.

They continually disqualify you for surveys. Of course, there are surveys that you’re not going to be qualified to answer or to be paid out. But if it’s proving to be too difficult to even be qualified for surveys, it might be wise to just cut your losses and move on to another site.

The Bottom Line

Paid online survey sites can be a good way to supplement your income.

The caveat to this conclusion is that you should be aware of how much time you spend filling out those online surveys.

Valuable surveys should take up the majority of your time and energy.

Less valuable surveys are better off being filled out when you are bored and/or waiting for something else, such as a dental appointment.

Look into getting paid to join a focus group, test products, or participate in online research studies.

All of those offer higher-paying alternatives for similar lines of work.

Which of these paid online survey sites have you encountered or signed up for? Can you share your experiences with them? Tell us in the comments!

12 Best Digital Nomad Jobs You Can Do From Anywhere

Written By:
Last Updated:

Digital nomad jobs have been around for over a decade and these lifestyles seem to be working as evidenced by YouTubers sharing their day-to-day adventures in another city, state, or even country.

Becoming a digital nomad has been a “dream opportunity” for many people wanting to escape the monotony of 9-to-5 jobs.

However, after Covid-19 caused many travel restrictions, I’m sure you’re wondering: Is the digital nomad lifestyle still feasible today? If so, where can one find digital nomad jobs? And most importantly, “how much do digital nomads earn?”

If you’ve been planning to leave the rat race for digital nomad jobs this year, here’s everything you need to know.

Digital Nomad Lifestyle 101

It’s hard to pin down a single definition of what a digital nomad is, but they all meet specific criteria, such as using technology in an internet-enabled location to be able to work remotely for various reasons, locations, and length of time.

If we’re going by this definition, then even those who are working from home can be a digital nomad; whether you travel to the coffee shop downtown or to another state or another country, and whether you stay there for hours, days, weeks, or months at a time, then that’s being a digital nomad as well.

As you’ll see below, digital nomad jobs can vary widely, but an important thing that digital nomad jobs have in common is that they make achieving a proper work-life balance more attainable than conventional office-based jobs allow.

Things You Need for a Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Here are some of the important things you’ll need to have to be able to live the digital nomad lifestyle.

  • Essential equipment and software — It’s nearly impossible to find and keep digital nomad jobs if you don’t have the essentials: your own laptop, a portable Wi-Fi device or any other way to get reliable mobile internet, a decent headset and web camera, and communication software to stay connected to your employer, customers, or clients.
  • Travel documents — If you’re traveling outside your home country, you always need to have your passport and visa (if your host country requires it) with you, as well as the local address and telephone number of your home country’s embassy. It’s also prudent to have a scanned photo or photocopy of them in a secure location in the cloud in case they get lost or stolen.
  • General skills — Aside from your chosen field, you’d need advanced computer skills since you’ll be your own technical support while traveling. You’d also need exceptional communication skills mostly for talking to your employer, employee, or clients.
  • Career-specific software — Again, depending on your career, you may have to use specialized software. For instance, if you’re a graphic designer, you likely need to have Photoshop installed on your computer.
  • Insurance — Getting paid to travel the world seems like such a glamorous lifestyle until you get sick in a foreign country and end up spending more than you should. Be smart and get health and travel insurance that covers you during your journey.

Other gear that digital nomads have shared that was useful to them include a portable solar charger (especially for those working near the beach), a global SIM card to remain connected with loved ones from home, and an anti-theft bag or backpack to protect your precious equipment from thieves and robbers.

Considerations Before You Live the Digital Nomad Life

Not everyone who sets out to be a digital nomad becomes successful, especially those who leave their home country. Consider the following before you uproot yourself and wander off.

Emergency funds and plans — We never know what might happen while you’re away from home. A family member might get sick, you might get robbed, or, which came true in 2020, you might find yourself stranded in a foreign country while a pandemic rages on.

You’ll want to have a plan and funds to implement that plan. Whether you’ll need to go home quickly or you’ll have to stay in a different place, you have to be ready to do that plan.

Travel fatigue — You might assume that because you love to travel back home, you’ll automatically love traveling in a foreign country as well.

However, travelers who move about constantly are always on high alert and can never pin down a routine, which will eventually take its toll.

You might say that there’s such a thing as too much flexibility.

Also, homesickness, loneliness, and burnout are very real things that many digital nomads have to fight, especially since they affect not only productivity while working but also one’s long-term mental health.

How to Start the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Generally, there are three ways to go about this:

The best path for you depends on your skills, experience, budget, and how much risk you’re comfortable assuming.

The Best Digital Nomad Jobs

In the past, software developers had the lion’s share of remote work opportunities, but as the list of professions that can be done remotely grows longer, the range of industries becomes larger and pretty much anyone with a laptop and internet connection will be able to find digital nomad jobs.

Here are some of the best ones you can do from anywhere.

1. Virtual assistant

This job is an assistant-type position that performs a wide range of small tasks for an individual or a company.

Examples of tasks you might be asked to do include managing schedules, handling email correspondence, operating an Amazon store, and many more.

2. Copywriter

Copywriting involves writing content for the purpose of promoting a product, service, or brand.

It aims to increase brand awareness and persuade audiences to take a particular action, whether it’s to register on a website, subscribe to an email list, or purchase a product.

Your “copy,” as it’s called, will usually be used in digital media such as emails, videos, social media, and websites.

3. Online tutor or online English teacher

You’ll need to find someplace quiet to teach anything online, and that can be a struggle.

But if you manage to find one, this type of teaching job allows you plenty of flexibility with a decent take-home pay.

Companies don’t normally require online tutors and online English teachers to have teaching certificates, but they’re definitely an advantage.

Having plenty of teaching experience is more valuable, especially if you’re going to be accepting non-English speakers or children as clients.

4. Translator

Are you fluent in one or more other language aside from English?

If so, you might find being an online translator to be fun and interesting.

5. Software and app developer

As I’ve mentioned, there is no shortage of opportunities out there for programmers, so if this is you, jump right in!

6. Graphic designer

Graphic designers have plenty of options as well.

They could find a company and work as a graphic designer remotely, or join the gig economy and pick andchoose graphic design projects that they’re interested in doing.

7. Digital marketer

Whether you have a marketing background or not, if you are knowledgeable about promoting, marketing and managing campaigns for a company to drive more sales, then you’ll have a lucrative career as a digital marketer.

8. Consultant

Are you an expert at anything? Hunting? Travel? Electronics? Carpentry? Personal finance? SEO? Psychology? Love life?

You can offer your consultancy services from anywhere in the world by applying to online consultancy companies or building your own consultancy business online.

9. Transcriptionist

If you have stellar listening skills, excellent spelling and grammar skills, and a typing speed of greater than 60 wpm, transcription may be a good fit for you.

10. Video Editor

From YouTube to Twitch to TikTok, online video content is booming. With the increase in content comes an increase in demand for video editors to make the video content as entertaining and engaging as possible.

This may require you to buy more equipment than the usual digital nomad, but if you find steady work through a company or build a solid client base while working on a freelance basis, this can be a lucrative career for you that you can do anywhere.

11. Freelance Writer

If you love writing but not selling, copywriting isn’t the only writing career you can pursue. There are many other freelance writing opportunities available for anyone who wants them.

12. Proofreader

Non-stop written content creation means that producers of this content need people to check this content for spelling and grammar errors, syntax, and continuity.

As an online proofreader, you might be asked to check various types of content, from blog posts to ebooks, and sometimes even homework.

Where to Find Digital Nomad Jobs

Now that you know what kind of jobs are in-demand and can be completed no matter what part of the world you are in, where do you start looking for these digital nomad jobs?

General Job Boards

General job boards have been around for years and have proven to be a good source of remote jobs if you know where to look in these sites.

  • FlexJobs: We highly recommend starting your search here. This job database accepts listings for remote/flexible jobs, and they vet all the companies who are submitting listings to their company. Use the search filters to get results that would fit your skillset and circumstances.
  • LinkedIn: This platform was built specifically to network and look for employment. It also serves as an awesome résumé for clients and potential employers to check out.
  • Upwork: You need to create and send your pitch to companies and hope they notice it and hire you.
  • Fiverr: One of the most popular gig sites around, Fiverr lets you have control over the services you want to offer.
  • Freelancer.com: An oldie but goodie, this remains a favorite of freelancers who are looking for legit job opportunities.

Digital Nomad Job Boards

These job boards are specifically focused on remote opportunities. Some of them even have resources and tips within the website to help digital nomads land their dream jobs and work while traveling.

  • We Work Remotely: With over 3 million visitors every month, this is one of the most popular job boards for both employers and applicants.
  • Virtual Vocations: If you want to be a digital nomad within the country, this is your best bet. They comb through thousands of websites and social media to find all the best jobs.
  • Remote OK: They claim to be the most popular remote jobs board in the world, trusted by leading remote companies and millions of remote workers. The opportunities here are largely tech jobs, though.
  • Power to Fly: Not only do they make remote jobs available to digital nomads but they also aim for more diversity, equity, and inclusion in virtual workspaces.
  • Jobspresso: They pride themselves on thoroughly researching potential employers and posting only high-quality job leads.
  • Working Nomads: As their name implies, their job board specifically targets digital nomads.

Digital Nomad Jobs In A Post-Covid World

One of the biggest changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic was that workers who held “traditional” office jobs have been forced to either adapt their jobs into flexible setups or quit and find digital nomad jobs because of lockdowns.

The good news is that the demand for remote workers has increased substantially as well.

However, if you’re a digital nomad who literally travels to different cities or countries while working, then travel restrictions may cramp your style.

There’s also the changing attitude of people toward travel in general. The trend seems to be leaning toward visiting fewer locations but staying longer, plus favoring locations that are closer to family or at least closer to healthcare facilities.

No matter how or when the COVID-19 pandemic finally ends (or when humans adapt to live with it, much like we live with the flu), remote work is here to stay, and digital nomad jobs will become more of the norm than a mere trend.

After all, once workers experience not having to be tied down to a location, schedule, or even a single employer, going back to the traditional setup will seem less appealing.

Final Thoughts on Digital Nomad Jobs

Becoming a digital nomad can be a truly life-changing experience, and I hope this article helped you see the possibilities and opportunities.

With this list of digital nomad jobs and where to look for them, taking that first step is easier now than ever before.

Already working remotely? Which one of these digital nomad jobs are you considering? Share it with us in the comments!

Get Paid to Travel Around the World: 22 Legit Ways

Written By:
Last Updated:

Wouldn’t it be fantastic to get paid to travel?

Imagine the places you can see…

World Travel

the culture you’d experience…

World Travel

the food you’d taste…

Exotic Food

the friends you’d meet…

and the beauty of beaches and other natural or handmade destinations around the world you’d be able to keep in your memories.

Sightseeing

If you’ve been stalking travel bloggers forever and wondering how these seemingly ordinary people can travel around the world, this post will answer all your burning questions about this “industry.”

Sure there are various ways you can travel for free, but wouldn’t it be even better to make money while you travel?

Here’s how to get started:

22 Ways to Get Paid to Travel

You’ll likely encounter two main types of jobs:

  • Jobs with travel and accommodation included – You apply to these jobs abroad because it gives you the opportunity to travel without spending a lot upfront. Jobs like ski instructing and cruise ship gigs are perfect examples of these jobs.
  • Odd jobs in the city you plan to travel – Those who rely on real-world skills to go wherever their feet take them, get by through finding seasonal jobs. Bartender gigs or teaching how to speak another language fall under these types of jobs.

Whatever job you end up taking, always make sure that it’s legal, and you can do it legally (that is, don’t get deported or worse, arrested!).

Here are some of the ways you can get paid to travel.

1. Get Paid to Teach

Not a lot of people can do this, but there is always a demand for teachers, regardless of the topic that you plan to teach.

a. Teaching Skiing and other Specialty Sports

Depending on your travel goals, teaching people to ski can get you a job and a place to stay at popular ski resorts in New Zealand, California, Colorado, and other places.

Other similar instructor jobs involve scuba diving, yoga, fitness, surfing, rock climbing, and a whole lot more.

You usually have to get certifications and other requirements to land these jobs, but it is worth it.

b. Teaching English and other languages

Most travelers opt to teach English abroad as it involves a skill they already possess. Plus, depending on the company they work for and the type of equipment they have, they can do it anywhere in the city or country where they are.

The requirements are easy to meet too!

In most cases, you’d only have to be a native speaker to get the job. Some companies require a college degree and a teaching certification (that you can easily obtain online).

Legit companies will pay teachers their airfare and housing on top of a monthly salary with benefits.

There are plenty of resources about teaching languages either online or office-based, but you can start with Dave’s ESL Cafe if you’re serious about going this route.

2. Get Paid Housesitting & Petsitting

Taking care of other people’s houses and pets when they’re away is a real job.

Some people have been housesitting professionally around the world for years. Of course, accommodation is free and as long as you’re not breaking the terms of your contract, you have the freedom to tour locally for extended times.

Want to know more? You can learn more about housesitting in this article.

3. Apply to Cruise Ship Jobs

For people who want a bit of security as they roam around the world, cruise ship jobs are the perfect gateway to living the nomad life.

The best thing about landing a cruise ship job is you get free fare and free room and board while traveling, plus you’ll get a salary.

You’re essentially getting paid to travel, which is the whole point!

 

Get paid to work on a cruise ship

 

The jobs vary wildly; from entertaining (singers, dancers, hosts, tour guides, etc.) to day-to-day cruise ship work like housekeeping, cooking, waitressing, bartending, and more.

Work hours are long in cruise ships, but it gives you a chance to see the world, one port of call at a time.

Requirements depend on the position you’re applying for, but at the very least, you’ll have to know how to swim and be physically, emotionally, and mentally able to stand months at sea.

Start by checking out jobs on All Cruise Jobs, Cruise Jobs Guide, or CruiseShipJob.com if you can find something you’d be interested in.

4. Explore Hospitality Jobs

Working in a hotel or hostel as a front desk officer, housekeeper, cook/chef, bartender, waitress, etc. can certainly pay off, especially if you do your job in many different places around the world.

You’ll have a better chance of getting these jobs if you apply in hotels that are in areas with plenty of tourists all year round.

This is one of the most straightforward ways to meet locals and actually experience their culture, as well as speak to tourists and learn travel tips and destinations.

This route can be hard because it involves back-breaking, labor-intensive work, but this can be fulfilling for the right kind of traveler.

5. Become a Farmhand

This is one job where you’ll need to be strong and have plenty of stamina.

Becoming a farmhand is no easy endeavor, but if you’re strong and have plenty of stamina, it’s a good way to earn while you’re traveling.

If you’re looking for something that gives you time to explore, why not check out WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms)?

They offer opportunities to work on organic farms throughout the world.

You’d work for a set number of hours a day (around 4 to 6 hours) and you get room and board in exchange. That leaves you plenty of time to go exploring.

6. Be an Au Pair

If you’re an unmarried young adult with no children but are good with them, working as an au pair in another country is a good way to earn money while traveling.

An au pair is an individual who travels to a foreign country for a definite period of time, usually a year, to support a family through childcare and housework in exchange for room and board, as well as a salary.

The main purpose is a cultural exchange; you get to learn about a foreign land and possibly a new language, while your host family gets childcare, housework, and learns your language and your culture.

The benefits of being an au pair are triple: you get to live in a foreign country, you get free room and board, and you get paid a salary!

There are horror stories behind jobs like this, so it’s usually a good idea to use a trusted agency like GoAuPair.com, AuPair.Com, AuPairWorld, or Great AuPair.

7. Work on a Yacht

Working on a yacht is much different from working on a cruise ship. You’ll need to wear many more hats and be a team player as well.

Finding yachts to work on is made much easier by using The Crew Network, a site designed to match up crew looking for work and boat owners looking for crew.

Even if you don’t have experience working on a yacht or any kind of boat, you can still apply to entry-level yacht jobs, such as deckhands or stewardesses. Of course, you can also apply as a chef or an engineer if that’s your professional experience.

While you will get to work in and visit many new and exciting places, be aware that you won’t be in control of your destinations.

8. Alternative Travel Jobs

If you’ve never been comfortable with 8-to-5 jobs, alternative jobs would probably work better for you.

These jobs are often under-the-table, so don’t expect overtime salaries, benefits, and all that jazz.

But you’ll be able to get paid to travel and support your adventures day in, day out by:

  • joining a group of fire dancers,
  • drawing/painting people’s portraits,
  • becoming a camp counselor,
  • singing or playing music for the quirky bar,
  • helping local farmers,
  • …or doing other cool jobs.

There’s not much security in these kinds of jobs, but it gives the most freedom to earn from various tasks each day.

9. Get Paid to Travel while Doing your Old Job

There’s a term for a growing number of people who sold everything they owned, packed a bag, and traveled to Bali or somewhere exotic.

The only thing they kept from their old life is their jobs.

Called “digital nomads,” these groups of people work from their computers. Their location is irrelevant, as long as there is access to the internet.

If you’re lucky and your current company offers to turn your office job into a remote position, then you can adapt to the digital nomad lifestyle easily.

For those who can’t continue doing their old jobs, there is a wide range of jobs available for you to do.

10. Earn from Travel Photography

If you have an eye for travel photography, you can sell your images to the right people.

Matthew Karsten of ExpertVagabond.com sells images from his travels to National Geographic, tourism departments of various countries, magazines, tour companies, book publishers, and more. He even teaches fellow “vagabonds” how to earn money with travel photography.

11. Get Paid to Travel with Freelance Writing

Those who have a flair for words can earn money while traveling through freelance writing. Magazines like The Travel Channel often hire third-party writers to share their stories with their readers.

Since traveling could be your forte by now, travel writing often comes out naturally.

However, you don’t necessarily have to write about travel. You can earn as a freelance writer even if you talk about finance, IT, or even product reviews.

Freelance writers earn somewhere between 1 cent to $1 per word, depending on their skills, experience, popularity, and the company they’re working for.

Interested? Here are 153 other writing jobs you can check out.

12. Work as a Travel Nurse

Travel nurses work temporary, short-term assignments (as short as 18 weeks up to 6 months) at hospitals or other healthcare facilities to fill positions when there is an unusually high demand for nurses in a certain location.

You’d need the same educational level and licenses that traditional registered nurses and nurse practitioners who work in hospitals and clinics, with the added requirement of being willing and able to travel and relocate.

Travel nurses usually find employment in other states and sometimes other countries by signing up with a travel nurse staffing agency. Some reputable ones include American Mobile, Onward Healthcare, and Aya Healthcare.

13. Move Cars

If your idea of traveling is driving cross-country, perhaps working to deliver cars from one point to another may appeal to you.

Customers may hire drivers to drive their cars home from a vacation while they get home through other means of transportation. Still others may want their vehicles driven home when they move to another state.

14. Haul Boats

For much the same reasons as customers want drivers to move their cars, some (probably more affluent) customers may want to hire people to move their boats; either they’re moving or going home after a vacation.

They may either hire people to haul their boats by loading them onto a trailer and driving them, or they might be willing to hire a sailor to drive the boat.

This type of job isn’t very much in demand, but this might be a good supplemental income if you like driving.

15. Rent Your House

If you own your house and don’t want to sell it when you travel so that you’ll still have a “home base,” you can make money off it by renting out your house through Airbnb, other similar apps, or through a property management company.

This way, you can earn side cash from a property that will sit idle otherwise, and you’ll have a safety net in case you have trouble getting a steady income while traveling or you decide you want to come back home.

You might think it’s better to rent out to people you know, but there are pros and cons to renting out to friends versus strangers, so learn them before you finalize your plan.

How to Earn Money from a Travel Blog

I’m now going to talk about how travel bloggers earn money that could sustain their adventures.

Before we begin, you have to understand that it takes a lot of hard work, no-income months, and budget traveling for travel bloggers to be able to live the life they project on their social media.

Some bloggers even use up their entire life savings or sell everything they own just to be able to travel the first several months from their own pockets.

Simply put, the success of travel bloggers doesn’t happen overnight.

And they all got their start by following quality Internet Marketing training.

16. Google Adsense and other premium ad networks

Anyone can join Google’s advertising platform, as long as the website has been live for at least six months and meet other requirements.

Once you join AdSense, you can start placing special code on your blog, which then displays ads that are relevant to the content of your site.

You earn cents per view. It doesn’t sound much, but if your blog is visited by thousands of people every day, those cents can add up pretty quickly.

When your audience grows bigger, you can apply to other ad networks that have better rates. MediaVine or AdThrive, for example, are known to pay higher rates than AdSense but require your blog to have a minimum number of visits monthly.

17. Affiliate Marketing

With affiliate marketing, you mention products and services on your blog, add a link going to a third-party store like Amazon and WorldNomads.com that sells these products, and receive a commission from a sale if someone clicks on your link and buys anything from that store.

The more affiliate links you post on your blog, the higher chances of receiving bigger commissions.

Be wary of doing it too much (especially if the products are no longer relevant to your brand). Too much advertising is generally frowned upon by readers/viewers.

Instead, only recommend products that you actually use. For example, a new camera or phone that you use for recording your videos, travel gear given to you by a friend, books you just read, and so on.

Aside from third-party stores, you can also check out dedicated affiliate networks like Commission Junction that organizes affiliates from multiple brands.

Popular travel blogs with over 500,000 monthly page views earn $10 to $15k per month.

18. Brand Partnerships

Many bloggers say you’ve made it big when companies begin noticing you, your blog or social media accounts, and the network of audience you’ve built.

Their goal is to establish a partnership with you.

These companies will pay to advertise on your platform. This could mean a blog post, tweet, mention on newsletters, Instagram feature, and so on.

The cool thing about sponsorships is that the income potential is endless.

From several hundreds of dollars for a post on Facebook to over $15,000 for an ad package or long-form post, the deals depend largely on the company you’re talking to and your bragging rights (how popular is your blog, how much audience do you have, etc).

A note about sponsorships/partnerships: Make sure to always include a disclaimer whenever you post a sponsored video, article, photo, and so on. This way, you remain honest with your audience and maintain their loyalties.

Take a look at our BIG list of brands looking for influencers to partner with.

19. Long-term Ambassadorships

If you get paid to travel as a brand ambassador, you’re living the dream many bloggers aspire to achieve.

When you become a brand ambassador, you’ll be featured in that brand’s commercials, social media marketing, and other activities of the brand.

Think about how successful athletes become icons for Nike, or famous actresses become spokespersons for CoverGirl, and so on.

Brand ambassadorships are longer than a typical sponsorship and include more than one promotion.

What’s great about these deals is that more often than not, the brand pays more or less $10,000 per project. And the greater reach you have, the higher rate you can ask.

20. Tourism Marketing

The viral potential of blog posts or videos is unquestionable, and tourism departments of many countries are catching up to online advertising.

If you’re in the rockstar levels of travel blogging, you’ll be invited to visit a country (usually with flights, accommodation, and tours paid) on top of a project fee. This fee can go as high as $20,000, depending on the type of promotion included in the campaign.

Tourism boards, tour companies, and local brands and industries are other groups willing to sponsor trips and travel expenses of travel bloggers to promote their regions and products.

21. Get Paid to Travel with Social Media

Even if you don’t maintain a travel photography website or travel blog, you can still get paid to travel with social media. You have several options, including:

Facebook – Nas Daily, a traveler who tries to inspire people with 1-minute video snippets of his travel around the world, uses Facebook indirectly to make money traveling.

Capitalizing on his fame from making 1,000 one-minute videos in 1,000 days, his page currently has 20 million followers on FB, which helps him earn from his merch and land video editing jobs, consulting gigs, speaking engagements, and other opportunities.

His current endeavor is Nas Academy, which aims to present engaging courses targeted to content creators.

Instagram – Travel bloggers on Instagram produce some of the best-looking travel photography today. Just a quick look at the best Instagram travel bloggers gives you an idea of how talented they are.

These Instagram stars earn money through sponsorships (mostly in the travel industry) and brand placement.

22. Become a Local Tour Guide

Being a local tour guide isn’t as hard as you think.

Sure there are plenty of agencies you can join, but there are usually no set laws surrounding this job.

If you have a solid knowledge of the area, plenty of stories, anecdotes, and trivia, and a good sense of humor, this is probably a good fit for you.

Plus, you can use your travel blog to promote your tour guide services and vice versa.

And don’t underestimate how much content you can mine from your tour guide sessions. You can write about your clients (don’t name them if you don’t have their permission) or something interesting or new you’ve learned.

You CAN Get Paid to Travel!

Getting paid to travel is the dream, really.

Just remember: it’s a combination of a ton of hard work and a little bit of luck.

Your best bet is to find jobs that take you around the world and then create a blog about your adventures.

Once you have a big enough following, that’s when the magic starts to happen.

In the meantime, browse my list of work-at-home jobs. These are jobs you can do anywhere in the world.

Which job or option looks most attractive to you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

How to Sell Your Wedding Dress: Make Another Bride Happy!

Written By:
Last Updated:

For many, a wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase and won’t think twice about spending thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on a dress they’ll wear on their wedding day and never again.

But a new generation of brides agree that wedding dresses can get pretty expensive.

One way to compromise is to splurge on the wedding dress and then recoup some of the cost by selling the wedding dress by selling it when the wedding is over.

If this is what you’re planning to do after your own wedding, or if you have a once-worn wedding dress that you want to sell, you’ve come to the right place.

Read this guide to selling wedding dresses: the best places to sell them, how to set the price, and more tips to sell your wedding dress.

Where Can I Sell My Wedding Dress Online?

You don’t have to go far to sell your wedding dress.

Just visit any of the websites below and pick the one that fits your situation best (price-wise and overall service):

1. Nearly Newlywed

This website is highly recommended in wedding groups and forums as the process of listing and selling your wedding dress with them is among the easiest.

To get started, create a seller account, upload photos of your wedding dress along with detailed information about the dress (where you bought it, its condition, the reason for selling, etc.), pay a $19.99 listing fee, then wait for your listing to be approved.

Once approved, Nearly Newlywed will take care of everything: advertising and marketing your dress, answering buyer inquiries, processing payments, covering shipping fees (provided your dress is priced over $500), and after-sales support.

You’ll come back into the picture once someone buys your dress. You’ll be given a prepaid shipping label to ship off the dress to the buyer (again, as long as your dress is priced above $500; if your dress is priced less than $500, you’ll have to cover shipping fees).

After the 5-day return window, if your buyer decides to keep the dress, Nearly Newlywed will pay you 70% of the list price of your wedding dress through PayPal or check.

If the buyer changes their mind within the return window, they’ll ship the item back to you, and you’ll need to confirm that you received the dress in good condition so Newly Newlywed can refund them (less a $50 return fee). The dress goes back up for sale until it finds its permanent home.

  • HOW MUCH YOU EARN: You get 70% of the sales price, while Nearly Newlywed earns 30% commission for every wedding dress
  • PROS: Hands-off selling, simple process
  • CONS: $19.99 listing fee + 30% commission is a bit steep for many sellers

2. Stillwhite

This site claims to have sold over $52 million worth of wedding dresses since it opened its doors.

Its buyers and sellers come from around the world, which makes your market reach a whole lot wider.

As a seller, you get to choose from two plans: standard (one-time $20 fee with 4 photos max and no more commission fees to pay when sold) or premium (one-time $30 fee with all standard features plus a gallery feature on the Stillwhite homepage and up to 8 photos and 1 video).

There are branded wedding dresses here, from Maggie Sottero to Vera Wang.

You can search by brand, color, size, and location of seller, among other filters.

  • HOW MUCH YOU EARN: Depends on how much you priced your wedding dress and what type of plan you chose.
  • PROS: No commissions
  • CONS: Upfront fees are high

Sell wedding dress online

3. Wore It Once

This online marketplace looks like Etsy but is focused on buying and selling used wedding dresses, gowns, coats, bags, shoes, or jewelry.

Sellers can create their own custom shop, so you can add your wedding dress and everything else you want to sell.

You only have to pay a one-time $15 setup fee to set up your own shop, then list as many products as you want. These listings don’t expire and you can set your own price, as well as shipping and return options.

Plus, no need to pay monthly hosting and domain fees for your own website. It’s like you paid WoreItOnce to do all that for you.

When buyers see something they like, they can message the seller securely via the WoreItOnce messaging system.

  • PROS: No limits to items you can sell
  • CONS: Payments are made through PayPal and transactions go directly between buyer and seller. Wore It Once isn’t involved directly except as a platform.

4. PreOwned Wedding Dresses

Like Stillwhite, this website accommodates buyers and sellers from all over the world and focuses exclusively on second-hand wedding dresses, shoes, and accessories.

For a flat fee of $25, you can list your wedding dress on their site, and the listing lasts until the dress is sold. There are no commission fees or renewal fees.

You can also sell items from your bridal party, so bridesmaid, mother-of-the-bride, and flower girl dresses can also be put up for sale ($5 listing fee per item).

Your wedding shoes and accessories are also welcome here ($5 listing fee per item), so if you want to sell your veil, tiara, or purse as well, you certainly can.

Buyers who are interested in your listings will message you directly through your PreOwned account to discuss the condition of the item for sale, as well as negotiate the selling price, shipping fees, return policies, and other terms of sale.

Once you reach an agreement, you can invoice your buyer directly and then ship the item to them.

PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com has been around since 2004, so you know you’re dealing with a legitimate company.

Plus, their history puts them at the top of search engine rankings, which means your items are seen by more people and thus have greater chances of getting sold. The site even claims to have an average sell time of 70 days.

5. Sell My Wedding Dress

This website offers two ways to sell your wedding dress:

  • Basic (Free!) – 10 active ads with 10 photo uploads. Each listing is active until it’s sold.
  • Premium ($29 one-time) – 25 ads active with 10 photo uploads. The $29 listing fee applies to a wedding dress, but listing all other types of dresses is free. Each listing is active until it’s sold. Your dress is shown as a featured listing on their homepage as well as the category page for free.

For both registration options, you can buy add-ons to help improve your chances of a sale, such as better placements for your listing, bold fonts to catch buyers’ eyes, and a YouTube video.

You’ll be responsible for writing out the description, such as brand, size, color, style, and so on.

Dresses of your wedding party (bridesmaid, mother-of-the-bride, and flower girl) are also welcome to be listed here.

Their messaging system allows buyers to directly communicate with the sellers.

  • PROS: No commissions to pay, no hidden costs
  • CONS: Steep fee for the premium plan

6. OnceWed

The selling process on OnceWed is similar to some of the other websites above, in which you can register on the site, pay a listing fee for your dress, discuss with buyers, ship your dress, and get paid.

You can list a wedding dress for $19.95 and $5 per additional item, which will be valid until the items are sold.

  • PROS: No commissions, over 10 years in the industry
  • CONS: Separate listing fees can add if you’re selling to multiple items

7. Poshmark

Poshmark is an app where you can sell your wedding dress and other clothing, shoes, and accessories (even those not related to your wedding).

Just click “sell” and follow the instructions. You put details of each item, upload photos, and finalize your listing. You then wait for people to buy your items.

Poshmark gets a 20% cut on items over $15, while a flat rate of $2.95 for any item below $15. Once your buyer has received their items, Poshmark pays you either by Poshmark credit or by direct deposit to your bank.

If you’re interested in selling apps, I’ve previously written an extensive Poshmark review recently. Check it out here.

  • PROS: Very easy to use
  • CONS: High fees

Other resources you could check include:

  • Wedding Bee – a forum focused on the wedding industry. This link leads you to a section where people buy and sell used or never-worn wedding dresses.
  • Tradesy – A general online marketplace for designer clothing and other goods. There are no up-selling fees here, but you’d have to pay 19.8% commission.

How to Sell a Wedding Dress Locally

If you want to handle everything and even meet the buyer in person, you can sell your wedding dress locally, too!

Wedding Dress Consignment

For a hands-off approach, find a wedding dress consignment shop in town.

Your wedding dress will be evaluated for quality and price, then if you give your go signal, the shop will sell the dress on your behalf.

The problem with consignment shops is that they tend to charge super-high commission fees (often up to 50%) of the final sale price of your dress.

I only recommend going this route if you’re in an exceptional hurry to sell but have no time to find a buyer on your own.

If you’re not in a rush, either Craigslist or Facebook are better options for selling your wedding dress to local buyers.

Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace

Craigslist continues to be a contender in the online buy-and-sell space, even if there are tons of selling apps available these days. The reason for this is Craigslist’s undisputed way of targeting buyers by town, city, state, and so on. Plus, it’s free to list as many items as you want.

You do need to be flexible with pricing since Craigslist is a place where buyers haggle freely.

If someone tries to buy your wedding dress and decides to meet up, keep yourself safe by choosing a public place with a lot of people. If possible, get someone to go with you and always let someone you trust know where you are.

Facebook has more modern features but it works mostly like Craigslist since it’s up to you and the buyer to negotiate the selling price, discuss shipping the wedding dress, and so on. You do have to be more aggressive in spreading the word about your wedding dress for sale on Facebook Buy and Sell groups, Facebook Marketplace, or even on your own profile.

You can search for ultra-specific Facebook groups, such as “2021 Florida brides,” “Miami wedding planners,” or “Buy and Sell Wedding/formal dress in [city]”.

It’s free to post items on Facebook, and if you don’t want to go to groups, you can list the dress on Marketplace and spend some advertising money to target potential buyers.

Facebook lets you choose demographics when you boost a post, so it’s possible to choose local buyers exclusively.

Tips to Help You Sell Your Wedding Dress

How quickly you’re able to sell your wedding dress depends on multiple factors, such as the brand/designer, age, condition, and where you choose to sell it.

Here are other things you can do for you to be able to sell your wedding dress more quickly at a fair or more-than-fair price.

Make sure your listing is truthful and detailed.

Brides buying secondhand wedding dresses want as much information on the dresses they’re looking to buy so they can make the right buying decision.

When creating your listing, make sure that you include who designed or who manufactured it, what year, color, collection, and which store you bought it from. Also, indicate if you had it altered in any way.

If you had the dress professionally made, make sure you indicate it, as well as the exact measurements.

All of the information you include should be the truth; if you lie, your buyer will find out when they get the dress anyway. You don’t need the aggravation and bad karma of a return or a PayPal dispute, so just tell the truth the first time around.

Learn how to take beautiful photos of your dress.

Gorgeous photos help boost your listing immensely. Learn the basics of apparel photography, such as the right lighting, angles, backdrop, and equipment to use.

Take pictures of the front, back, and any details your buyer should know, such as intricate beadwork, lace patterns, or any damage to the dress, such as stains or discolored patches. You need not include all the details in your listing, but if a buyer asks for more photos, you should have these handy to show them.

If you have photos of yourself wearing the dress at your wedding, have those photos ready, too. Buyers would have a better idea of how a dress actually flows when a human model is wearing it, as opposed to a hanger or a mannequin.

Know how to price your gown.

Setting a price is more of an art than a science. But there are some basic rules of thumb you need to know.

If your wedding dress is less than three years old, you can sell it for around 50% off its original price; a bit more if the gown is from a well-known designer, such as Vera Wang or Monique Lhuillier.

The style of the gown can also be a big factor. If your dress is in a classic style that’s sought after, it can still fetch around 50% of its price even if it’s older than three years old.

If a dress has never been worn, you can expect to sell it for around 80% to 90% of its original value, provided it remains pristine.

Include any fees you expect to pay, such as cleaning fees, listing fees, commissions, and other fees, in your computation.

Take excellent care of the dress.

Worn or unworn, immaculate or stained, taking care of the wedding dress before you sell it is a must.

Right after the wedding, hang it out to air dry. Don’t wrap it, especially in plastic, before it has been cleaned, as this is a surefire way for stains and gross smells to set in.

Wine, makeup, sweat, blood, and perfume are the usual causes of stains on wedding dresses, so try to remove the stains as soon as you can before they set.

Get the dress professionally cleaned. It will cost a few hundred dollars, but it’s a worthy investment, whether or not you plan to sell it.

After taking photos of the wedding dress for your listing, make sure it’s stored in a dark, dry place with constant temperature.

Other Ways to Offload Your Wedding Dress

If you haven’t been able to sell your wedding dress after a while, don’t get too discouraged. Here are other ways to “rehome” your gown.

Rent it out

Renting out your stuff can be pretty lucrative, as long as your stuff remains in demand.

Tuxedos are often rented, so why can’t wedding dresses, right?

Your best bet is to rent it out locally so that the turnover is quick and if the dress is damaged or lost, it’s less of a hassle to sort out than with someone who lives in another city or state.

Donate it

If you don’t mind eating the cost of the wedding dress and simply want to give to charity, you can donate your dress to websites, such as Brides for a Cause or Brides Do Good, who will sell your wedding dress and donate the proceeds to women-centered charities.

Maybe help a military or first responder out by donating your gown to Brides Across America.

Or help bereaved parents who have lost their baby by donating your wedding dress to NICU Helping Hands’ Angel Gown® Program who will turn them into custom-made gowns for final photos and burial services.

Repurpose it

You probably won’t be wearing your wedding dress to any other event, so if you’re comfortable with a sewing machine and don’t mind seeing your wedding dress in pieces, turn it into something you’ll wear again and love.

Create separate top and bottom pieces, or a cocktail dress you can wear to formal events.

Or turn it into a christening or first communion dress for a daughter or a loved one.

If you cringe at the thought of taking tailor shears to your dress but don’t mind someone else doing it, have the folks at Unbox The Dress help you out.

Sell Your Wedding Dress Today!

For many brides, their wedding dress is the most expensive piece of clothing they’ll ever buy and wear. It makes sense to want to recover even part of the cost of the dress.

Hopefully, this guide to selling your wedding dress has been helpful to you and given you plenty of ideas.

Planning to sell your wedding dress soon? Which of these options look most interesting to you? Tell us in the comments!

How to Make Money on TikTok: 6 Best Strategies to Follow

Written By:
Last Updated:

TikTok is a popular social media app that has taken the world by storm and has been the center of meme culture and viral dance challenges in the past few years.

Ever heard of the “Renegade” viral dance step or the Wipe It Down challenge?

TikTok fame has also catapulted creators like Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae, and Bella Poarch to stardom beyond TikTok.

And as with everything on the internet, it has people looking for ways to get rich off this app.

In today’s blog post, I’m going to discuss how to make money on TikTok.

What Is Tiktok?

TikTok is a video-sharing social network that allows you to create and share 60-second videos on an app. They’re now rolling out longer videos, and eventually, all users can share videos up to 3 minutes long.

It was formerly known as Musical.ly, which mostly featured videos of users lip syncing to popular songs.

Today, TikTok offers an extensive selection of sounds and song snippets. You can also add special effects and Snapchat-like filters.

A unique feature of TikTok is the Duets feature, which enables users to lip-synch or dance to their favorite song side-by-side with another TikTok user.

Another often-used feature is the Reactions feature, which allows users to record themselves while watching a video and publish the original video and their reaction on the same screen.

TikTok also allows its users to go live so viewers can watch them in real-time.

What sets it apart from other social media networks is that, unlike Instagram and Facebook, TikTok is more of an entertainment platform rather than a lifestyle one.

As of January 2021, TikTok has over 689 million users worldwide.

The app is still overwhelmingly more popular among teens and young adults,  but the use of TikTok among adults has been increasing among older adults, especially in the US. In 2020, 62% of TikTok users in the US were aged between 10 and 29, but as of March 2021, only 47.4% of them are in the same age range.

Set Up Your TikTok So You Can Start Earning Money

When you’re getting ready to make money on TikTok, every piece of content you’re posting should be geared toward entertaining your current followers while getting new followers interested in you and your content.

Here’s how you set up your TikTok so you can start making money from it.

1. Set up a TikTok Pro account with a unique profile.

When you first sign up with your phone number, email address, or registered social media account, the first thing the app will ask for is your username and profile photo or video.

Your TikTok username and profile photo/video are the first things people see when they browse, so make sure you come up with a username and an eye-catching profile photo, or better yet, a profile video that captures your personality.

TikTok Model

Your bio is another place where you can persuade people to follow you. Be as inviting and welcoming as you sincerely can.

Make sure to link your Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter to your TikTok account, so you can promote your TikTok on these other accounts, and vice versa.

TikTok designates all new accounts as Personal, and you’ll need to change this to Pro in your account settings under Manage Account > Switch to Pro Account.

Select Creator as your account type (Business is for brands, retailers, service providers, organizations, and the like), and then choose a category that fits your planned content.

Why do you need a TikTok Pro account?

Because you get access to your analytics plus the Creator Portal, which opens up a lot of monetization options for you (more on this later).

2. Start posting compelling videos.

If you want to be popular on TikTok, your content needs to be captivating, interesting, and shareworthy.

Here are some ideas for TikTok videos that you might want to use.

Lip sync videos. This was what the Musical.ly app was originally known for. Lip sync to a currently popular song and put your own creative twist to it.

Duet videos. There’s an option to share a non-private video and take a video of yourself singing along with it or interacting with it.

Reaction videos. React to a viral TikTok video or trend.

Pet videos. If you have a cute pet dog or cat, or any other adorable pet, videos of them just hanging out and being cute can become highly popular.

Challenges. When there’s already a viral challenge going around, it pays to hop on the bandwagon and do your own version of it. Remember, you want to create videos that your audience will like.

It has even more potential to be found by new followers when there’s a hashtag associated with the challenge, because your video will be “filed” under that hashtag, and can be found by those who are tapping that hashtag.

Dance videos. From time to time, viral challenges involve dance crazes, and you’ll probably need to practice a lot if this isn’t your strong suit.

TikTok Dancers

But posting your version of a dance challenge is one of the easiest ways to be found by TikTok users.

Events. If you’re in a highly popular event, like a music festival or a convention, take a video of yourself in the event while it’s going on.

Your talents. What unique talents do you have? Can you trap rap? Or do spoken word poetry? Or do calligraphy? Or paint? You can use TikTok to show off these talents.

Whatever’s trending. Pay attention to trending catchphrases, memes, concepts, and content on TikTok, as well as on other social media, YouTube, and Google Trends.

3. Boost your popularity on TikTok.

To be able to earn at least a few dollars of side cash on TikTok, you need to aim to have over 10,000 followers and a high engagement ratio; that is, the number of likes and comments over the number of views should be a high percentage.

Be consistent. If you need to create a schedule and an alarm to remind you, do it. Users need to consistently see quality videos on your TikTok profile.

Consistently doesn’t necessarily mean every day. If you commit to posting twice a week, for example, every Wednesday and Friday, make sure you stick to that such that your followers come to expect it.

Promote your TikTok on other channels. Link to your TikTok profile from your other channels: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc. Also, if you already have a website, you can promote it there as well.

Connect with other popular TikTok users. You don’t need to pander to them, but if you network with other TikTok users who are popular, you might be able to get into duets with them and you might be able to get more exposure to their followers.

Engage with your followers. Reply to comments on your videos, and at the same time, like and comment on your followers’ videos. Showing that you’re interested in your followers as more than just spectators makes them more loyal to you.

Be positive. Steer away from negative or controversial content. You’ll hear that “bad publicity is still publicity,” but given the current climate, users don’t want to see negative content on a platform where they expect to be entertained.

How To Make Money On TikTok

The main ways you can earn money on TikTok are dependent on your popularity on the platform, and this is why you need to have an extensive follower count first before you even think of monetizing.

Here are a few ways you can make money on TikTok.

1. Earn TikTok Diamonds

Even though getting TikTok Diamonds isn’t very lucrative, this is probably the easiest way to earn some cash from your followers.

How TikTok’s virtual items work is a bit complicated, so I’ll try to break it down.

TikTok users can buy TikTok Coins with their actual money. Then, TikTok users can send TikTok Gifts (equivalent to a certain number of TikTok Coins) to other TikTok users on a live broadcast.

When you’re on a live broadcast and your followers send you Gifts, these Gifts become TikTok Diamonds that show up on your profile. The number of Diamonds you have is an indicator to other TikTok users of how popular you are.

When you make enough diamonds, you can collect the cash via PayPal or another credible payment service. The minimum withdrawal amount is $50 and the maximum amount you can withdraw is $1,000 per day.

To be clear, only TikTok Coins can be used to send Gifts, only Gifts can be converted to Diamonds, and only Diamonds can be converted to cash.

The cash value of Coins, the Coin value of Gifts, the Gift value of Diamonds, and the Diamond value of cash are all at the sole determination of TikTok and may change from time to time.

2. Get paid to create by TikTok

Aside from your fans, it’s now possible to get paid to create by TikTok itself.

The newly released TikTok Creator Fund aims to support and reward creators for their creativity and enthusiasm.

The funds per creator depend on factors such as video views, engagement, and whether you adhere to Community Guidelines and TikTok’s Terms of Service.

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can apply to participate through the TikTok app.

3. Become a TikTok influencer

If you’re popular enough on TikTok, and if your followers are part of a certain target market, interested brands can work with you and pay you for directly or indirectly advertising their products or services through sponsored videos.

Indirect advertising or product placement is more subtle and feels like an organic part of your videos.

Nike brand ambassador

On the other hand, brands can ask you to be a brand ambassador, wherein you actively talk about the product or service and recommend it to your followers.

The good thing is that you usually don’t have to change your personal style of creating content. In fact, it’s discouraged because then you alienate the very followers you and the brand you’re working with are trying to reach.

Recently, TikTok created a Creator Marketplace where brands can connect with creators who are likely to reach their target audience.

If you’re eligible, it’s worth joining for the sponsorship opportunities and the additional chances to make money on TikTok.

Once you’re part of the Creator Marketplace, brands can then send you invitations to collaborate.

If you do participate, remember to toggle the “Sponsored Video” status so that brands can get data about the video, including its reach and impact.

4. Advertise your music

If you’re an aspiring music artist, songwriter, singer, or musician, TikTok is a great way to start putting your talents out there and getting a few (or plenty) of fans.

First off, find a distributor that works with the popular streaming platforms, as well as TikTok. Not only can you use your own music as a soundtrack for your own content but other users can also use it for theirs.

As your music gets used by other users, you earn royalties from it (obviously you won’t earn from your own TikTok content).

5. Sell your merchandise

Traditionally, only rockstars and pop musicians had their own merchandise. T-shirts, caps, bags, and other apparel are the most popular ones that are sold with the artists’ likeness or logos.

Now, social media celebrities produce and sell their own merchandise, and their most loyal followers buy them.

When you become extremely popular on TikTok, you may want to work on launching your own merch line.

Make sure you’re protected by copyright law; if you need to register your brand and trademark, do it.

Then, decide what type of merch you want to sell. Do you want to start small, like with pins or stickers? Or do you want to go with apparel? Or maybe souvenirs, such as mugs, keychains, or magnets?

If you yourself are an artist or calligrapher on TikTok, you may want to sell your creations themselves, or your artwork or lettering printed on merchandise.

Once you’ve decided what you’re going to sell, partner up with a brand that you trust to produce high-quality merch.

Don’t forget to ask to see a mockup of your merchandise first before you order the first batch that you’re going to sell.

Once you have the merch in stock, you can now promote on your TikTok profile and videos the website where your followers can buy your merch, whether it’s on a third-party e-commerce website, like Facebook Marketplace, or on your own website.

6. Promote affiliate links

Whether you’re already an affiliate marketer or just starting out, promoting on your TikTok can help you increase traffic to your affiliate links.

TikTok is currently rolling out a feature that allows users to add one link on their TikTok bio so that viewers can click on the links and be directed to the page of the product or service they’re promoting.

This rollout is taking longer than expected, and this feature isn’t available for all TikTok users until now.

If this feature isn’t available for you, you’ll have to display a URL as text on your TikTok profile as well as on your videos. For your viewers to go to the link, they’ll have to type it out on their browser.

It isn’t very straightforward, but if you’re persuasive enough, you just might get it to work.

One thing you can take advantage of is that your Instagram and YouTube accounts are linked to your TikTok profile, so you can direct traffic to those social media accounts instead and do affiliate marketing that way.

The surefire way to get to add links to your TikTok bio is to switch to a TikTok Pro: Business account. You’ll lose a lot of songs that can’t be used for commercial purposes, though.

If you have plenty of affiliate links, the smart way to go about this is to look for “link in bio” tools that can display a landing page for a list of links displayed attractively.

For more information about how to start affiliate marketing, read this article.

Start Making Money On TikTok Today!

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms in the world that provides an alternative way for users to express their creativity.

It has great potential to be as popular as other video-sharing apps like Instagram and YouTube, as long as the platform continues innovating and growing its user base.

Thus, the potential for earning money from TikTok is also great for you.

Make no mistake, however. There’s no shortcut to making money on TikTok. It requires hard work, creativity, creating value, and a little bit of luck.

Other Ways To Earn From Social Media

Are you currently a TikTok user? What do you think about using it to earn some cash? Tell us in the comments!

Best Selling Products on Amazon: What to Sell on Amazon

Written By:
Last Updated:

Whether you’re a new Amazon FBA seller, or a veteran store owner trying to shuffle his/her products, it’s good practice to discover and identify best selling products on Amazon weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually.

Keeping tabs on this data will boost your sales in the short-term, especially in off-peak seasons.

It will also allow you to become more aggressive with your marketing efforts.

Amazon Best Sellers

This guide tackles three things:

  • Product categories that sell best on Amazon all year-round, regardless of season, trends, or occasions
  • Tried and tested ways of finding products that would sell on Amazon
  • Important rules to follow when conducting product research

If you’re just getting started, make sure your read our guide on how to become an Amazon seller.

Current Best Sellers on Amazon

You don’t have to look too far here.

Amazon publishes what’s currently trending in their Movers & Shakers tab.

The list is updated hourly and tells you exactly what has been selling the best over the past 24 hours.

It doesn’t make sense for me to publish a full list here because by the time I hit the publish button, the list will already be outdated.

Amazon Movers and Shakers

Bookmark that page and check it often. The list has completely changed in the time it took me to write this post.

Instead of focusing on what’s current, here are a few ideas on how to find evergreen products that you can sell on Amazon year round.

Keep Tabs on Seasonal Best Sellers

Different products sell better depending on the time of year.

You may want to start a spreadsheet and see what are some of the best selling products on Amazon month-by-month. From there, you can plan for future trends and try and get ahead of the game by focusing on seasonal products right before they start to pull a lot of interest.

Get ahead of the game.

How To Build a Successful Amazon Business?

I’m hosting a totally free webinar that will teach you how to start an Amazon business from scratch and make 5-7 figures per year selling simple high profit, low competition items.

In it, you’ll learn the best way to create a global Amazon empire by selling just a few items at a time.

You’ll also get a unique strategy for finding incredible, high profit, low-competition ‘hidden gem’ products.

=> Reserve your seat right now. It’s free to join!

10 Best Selling Products on Amazon Year-Round

The following product categories sell regularly in the thousands because even if they don’t fall under basic needs (food, water, shelter, clothing, etc.) that are vital for survival, these products have made the lives of people easier or happier.

These categories are immune to the seasonal trends I mentioned above.

1. Baby Gear

Baby clothes, toys, feeding tools, educational items, and other adorable infant-related products aren’t on top of the best selling products on Amazon, but their demand knows no season.

It’s ideal to target parents with first-borns, since they tend to spend more money for their first son or daughter.

2. Pet Supplies

The demand for this product category aren’t surprising at all because pets are family and many “fur parents” consider their pets as their babies.

Kitten in a Bowl

Pet care supplies like grooming tools and shampoo fall under basic needs and will continuously be needed throughout the year.

3. Beauty Products

Many best selling products on Amazon in the healthcare category involve items that help people improve their hair, nails, teeth, and skin.

This niche is huge, which is why it’s best to focus on a specific group of products.

For example: Korean face masks, cucumber skin care products, and so on.

4. Jewelry & Watches

You have two very extreme choices when it comes to selling jewelry or watches on Amazon – either you sell legitimate, expensive and branded ones or go for the cheapest (yet cool-looking) ones you could find.

It depends entirely on your store and vision, but these items are safe bets since people’s go-to gift for loved ones are either watches or jewelry.

5. Kitchenware

Think of the things you use regularly in your own kitchen – rugs, can openers, mugs, knives, food storage, and so on.

Kitchen Utensils

You’d be surprised that these same items are best selling products on Amazon kitchen category simply because other people use them as often as you.

6. Workout Clothes & Underwear

Those who have chosen clothing as their main niche should break down their products to sub-niches like athletic wear, kid’s formal clothing, etc.

But if you want to go for the top-selling products, sell underwear and workout clothes because they’re in-demand all year-round and can be bought cheap and sold at a higher price.

7. Electronic Accessories

Gadgets will forever be a part of modern civilization, so the development of TV, gaming, and phones will continue even beyond 2019. 

The reason why accessories for electronics are one of the best selling products on Amazon is that they come cheap and often serve to extend the lives or improve the quality of smartphones, tablets, TVs, gaming consoles, and other expensive electronics.

8. Books

Even when it sells digital ebooks on the marketplace, Amazon continues to sell traditional books today for a reason: people still buy books religiously.

You can sell used or new books on Amazon.

9. Outdoor Home Goods

Outdoor home items may seem unnecessary in the grand scheme of things, but you’ll think otherwise once you need to replace your rugs, umbrellas, hammock, bins/trash cans, pool floats, and more.

Tour your garage and backyard for items you know would sell on Amazon continuously.

Your product research may just be as near as your own backyard.

10. What’s Tending in Pop Culture

When it comes to product research, pop culture is probably the hardest to category to crack (unless of course you’re deep into all the fandoms available).

Best selling products on Amazon

This niche has a ton of competition, but if you sell products with your own twist to pop culture references (such as popular movie lines etched into a wooden frame), you’d be surprised at how many customers can and do eat this up.

If you’re into “meme culture” and regularly track what’s trending online, you can seriously catch fire here.

There is a bit of a gamble as not every meme will take off, and they will never last as a long-term business strategy, but if you get the right combination of interest and product, you can make A LOT of money very quickly.

Remember silly bands? Fidget spinners? Slap bracelets? (How badly am I dating myself right now?) These things took off unexpectedly and anyone who was on board that train before it left the station definitely came out ahead.

Never latch onto a dying trend either. If everyone is already talking about it, you’re much too late.

3 Ways You Can Find Best Selling Products on Amazon

Now that you know some of the best selling product categories on Amazon, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty details and decide on specific items.

There are several ways to do this:

1. Let Amazon Guide You

Amazon didn’t become the #1 online store with pure luck.

It really has a strong system in place.

If you look closely as you browse Amazon, there will be plenty of upselling opportunities sent your way.

These include the showcase of recommended products under a product description and an entire section of “bestsellers” for that specific category you’re currently in.

Don’t fight these suggestions – instead, let the algorithm guide you to the best selling products on Amazon.

2. Use Tested Sellable Factors

The list above features in-demand product categories, but this sellable factor shouldn’t be the only deciding factor you use.

You’ll also have to consider a product’s wholesale price and shipping cost, as well as Amazon’s seller fees, competition, and other criteria that makes a particular item “sellable.”

When deciding on products to sell on Amazon, consider these key factors:

  • Choose very specific niche products
  • Find items that you could sell for $10 to $50. Make sure you can sell it for twice as much as your buying price.
  • The cost must be 25 to 35 percent of your target selling price
  • The item should be small and lightweight enough to be easily picked up. 2 to 3 lbs is ideal.
  • Everyday-use items (check the list above)
  • If possible, opt for quality when trying beat the competition

3. Spy on Your Competition

When conducting product research, you should check out your competition to gauge their worth, copy their strengths and avoid their mistakes.

  • Avoid products sold by major brands or veteran Amazon sellers
  • Choose similar items that have Amazon’s Best-Seller Rank (BSR) of 5000 or lower
  • Amazon Sponsored Products is an advertising option for sellers. If the items you’re eyeing are being sold by another seller that invests in Amazon Sponsored Products, steer clear and let your competition have it.

Make these 3 methods a part of your product research and you’ll never have to rely on guesswork or bets ever again.

Dos and Don’ts: How to Find Products to Sell on Amazon the Right Way

Creativity and research are equally important in deciding what best selling products on Amazon you’d include in your store.

While the options seem far-reaching and limitless, there are still a couple of rules that all Amazon sellers should follow:

1. Sellable criteria are greater than average sales

Don’t be fooled by the demand of a particular product.

What seems to be a hot-selling product may not produce the best ROI once you’ve considered competition, shipping costs, product weight, seasonality and other factors.

2. Double-check requirements for your chosen product category

Every category on Amazon has its own requirements, but if the item you chose falls under a category that Amazon deems off-limits to regular sellers, you’d have to learn the requirements and follow them to the T before you are let into the categories.

These “gated” or off-limits categories include collectibles, high-liability, high-maintenance, or high-quality/expensive.

3. Track your products continuously after launch

Don’t just choose one product at a time.

If possible, sell multiple products to maximize your sales.

However, not only will you need to invest more money with more products to launch, you’d also have to track their progress continuously.

This way, you can pull them out if they turned out into non-sellable items, or if competition suddenly overpowered your product discovery by offering the same thing.

4. Become a master of ROI and margins

As an Amazon seller, estimating return on investment should be a natural thing by now.

Never ever just focus on sales. Instead, figure out how to earn back your initial investment as quickly as possible and possibly following the “3 times rule” or 3 x rule (sell an item triple the amount of what you paid for them).

The “investment” I’m talking about here isn’t exclusive to the money you pay for buying your chosen product.

Consider your training, advertising, and other expenses when trying to reach a healthy Amazon profit margin.

5. Product research should go hand-in-hand with a solid marketing plan

Once you’ve decided on the products to sell on Amazon, it’s time to brainstorm yet again but this time for a solid marketing plan.

Adding new products or launching new ones into your store without a strategy on hand is foolish, even if you think you’ve discovered the best selling products on Amazon.

This is particularly true if you plan to implement Amazon PPC and realize only after that you’ve made a costly mistake.

Increase Your Revenue by Tracking the Amazon Best Sellers

This comprehensive guide in choosing the best selling products on Amazon can be relevant even beyond 2019.

A tweak in sub-niches here and there, creatively expanding popular categories, or targeting a specific crowd all helps, as long as you follow the guidelines above.

If you want to read more about product research and learn how to get a piece of the pie from best selling products on Amazon, check out my post on the top 20 products you can buy cheap and sell high.

How to Make Money on Pinterest: 5 Legit Ways That Work

Written By:
Last Updated:

It’s more than a social media network for saving or “pinning” your favorite recipes, dream house, vision boards, and other cute things: you can actually make money on Pinterest.

If you’ve been pinning for years and have been wondering if your pins can translate to cash, you’ll find that there are several ways that pinning can make you money.
However, some of these methods may be outdated or even violate Pinterest terms and conditions.

Today, learn why you should use Pinterest and read about Pinterest-approved ways of making money on the platform.

Why You Should Focus on Pinterest

It should be noted that to make money on Pinterest, you need to sign up for Pinterest for business, which has features that are important for you to develop your strategies to make money.

Pinterest is a darling of businesses and marketers alike because it’s a massive search engine filled with stunning visual content.

Pin It

This makes Pinterest a great marketing tool for highly visual industries such as food and drink, weddings and events, beauty, fashion, DIY and crafts, home décor, travel, and many others.

In addition, Pinterest users are highly engaged; they actively pin, repin, click links, and share content on Pinterest.

Its analytics tools also provide insight into what your Pinterest audience loves right now. You can then use that information to create content that they can’t help but be drawn to.

More importantly, users who find products on Pinterest are more likely to actually buy them.

Set Up Your Pinterest for Success

Hopefully, you’re convinced that Pinterest can be a lucrative platform.

The next step for you is to set up your Pinterest account so you can grow your account and start making money on Pinterest.

Find your niche.

Your Pinterest account is more effective if your content is cohesive instead of pinning content of any random topic.

You do need to balance finding a niche you’re genuinely interested in and a niche that is profitable.

To give you an idea, here are some of the most popular and profitable Pinterest niches.

  • Food and Drink
  • Parenting
  • Beauty
  • Travel
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Women’s Fashion
  • Health & Fitness

That said, know who your target audience is. For instance, if you want to run a travel-themed Pinterest account, you need to keep in mind what type of traveler you specifically want to attract.

Younger people may be attracted to places off the beaten path or where they can backpack through, while older people may be attracted to places with more comfortable accommodations and has activities that aren’t too rigorous.

Create beautiful Pins.

You want content that catches Pinterest users’ eyes and inspires them to click or tap on your Pins, and possibly like, Repin, and comment on them. That interaction and engagement is at the core of your money-making strategy, so you need to make sure that you only use the best images.

As much as possible, images should be high-quality, in focus, and well-composed.

In contrast to Instagram photos, Pinterest photos are more effective when they’re in portrait mode because they fill smartphone screens better.

With that in mind, don’t be afraid to collage square or landscape images into a single portrait mode image.

Learn how to write search engine-friendly captions.

As I’ve mentioned, Pinterest is really a search engine for images.

But creating search engine-friendly captions means your content can show up in search results not only for Pinterest but for Google search and other search engines.

Build your audience.

Working on your visual content and captions only go so far; the next step is to go out there and actively engage with your audience.

Visit Pinterest accounts of those who have liked, Repinned, and commented on your Pins, and do the same to their Pins. Follow their accounts, too.

Create a group board and encourage followers to Pin in your group boards. You can then prioritize engaging with these Pins as these are “fans” of your content.

Make sure you’re posting consistently. Follow a specific schedule so that your audience can anticipate your Pins. Use applications and software if you must.

Know how to use Pinterest Analytics.

Yet another key part of making money on Pinterest is knowing what’s working for your audience.

Pinterest Analytics allows you to look at how often your Pins are shown, which Pins are getting the most engagement, and how many times your links are being clicked.

5 Ways to Make Money on Pinterest

The following money-making methods below require that the Pinterest member should have a well-established account.

This means you already have hundreds or thousands of pins organized on your dashboard before you begin any of these monetizing options:

1. Become a Pinterest Influencer

If you’ve read our post about Instagram Influencers and how they’ve been making bank, you’ll have an idea of how you can become an influential personality on Pinterest and use it to earn money.

An influencer on Pinterest is someone who has plenty of followers and, more importantly, engages with their followers. Brands are likely to pay them to promote products and services.

“Promoting” can mean anything from Repinning a company’s Pins to inviting a third-party company to join a group board.

Pinterest is okay with this and has been working on solutions and policies to make collaborations between Pinterest members and companies as hassle-free as possible.

How much can you make?

Unlike Instagram and Facebook influencers who have been doing this for years, Pinterest influencers are relatively new to the game. As such, there isn’t much information being shared regarding fees for promoting third-party companies.

Expect influencers to earn anywhere from $50 per promotion to thousands of dollars per campaign.

2. Get a Pinterest VA Job

If you’re up for a part-time or full-time job with fixed schedules, you can turn your Pinterest knowledge into a full-blown virtual assistant (VA) job.

Individual entrepreneurs and businesses know the power of Pinterest to grow their brands and sell their products and services but may not have the time to create content, examine analytics, run Pinterest ads, and manage their Pinterest account themselves.

As most VAs do, the job is likely a home-based or remote job, but you’ll likely be given a regular schedule.

Your knowledge of Pinterest for business will be very useful for this job.

How much can you make?

Depending on your experience as a Pinterest VA, you can earn somewhere from $20 to $50 an hour.

If you prefer working freelance, you can offer Pinterest management plans (paid on a monthly basis) for $150 to $300 per client.

3. Become a Pinterest Consultant

Pinterest Assistant

As a Pinterest consultant, you’re more than just the average VA. You’re the expert in the field.

Someone who has plenty of experience and tricks up her/his sleeves to make a client’s Pinterest game competitive.

In short, you have to be the authority in turning Pinterest into your client’s gold mine.

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner of Making Sense of Cents details how she has shared everything she knew about Pinterest, finding her first client, expanding her network, mistakes she’d made, and how she promotes her own services.

How much can you make?

Like Pinterest virtual assistants, you have two options when pricing your Pinterest consultancy services. You can either go by-the-hour (around $20 to $30 an hour), or a monthly rate (from $100 to $500/month).

The fees you set would depend on the services included in the packages. One-on-one Skype calls, for example, often demand a much higher rate.

4. Cash in as a Pinterest Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing remains an unbeatable way to earn income online, but not everyone knows that you can take advantage of the millions of Pinterest users by including affiliate links in their Pins.

The statistics of Pinterest users and their buying power are pretty impressive. Many Pinterest users go to the platform to find what they want, plan and save for future purchases, and actually buy those items in the future.

With Pinterest affiliate marketing, you don’t need a blog or thousands of followers either. You just need to master how to use keywords on your pins and descriptions, and the users will find your content via search.

This method of earning money from Pinterest has become so popular that Pinterest actually banned the practice in February 2015. The company tried to get back 100% of the control from external affiliates, but eventually lifted the ban and officially allowed Pinterest affiliate marketing again in May 2016.

Pinterest made rules about affiliate marketing clearer in their Community Guidelines under Affiliate guidelines, Paid Partnership guidelines, and Spam rules to prevent abuse from users.

Bear in mind, though, that Pinterest can take this back at any time as they did before. You can still do affiliate marketing indirectly; that is, you can post affiliate links in your own website or blog, and then link to that page on your Pin.

This strategy is actually much more favored by affiliate marketers who are in it for the long run. Aside from being safe from changes in terms and conditions by Pinterest, directing users to a blog post about the product you’re offering allows you to sell its benefits and features more thoroughly instead of being limited to a short Pinterest caption.

How much can you make?

The income potential of Pinterest affiliate marketing is entirely up to you. And since everything you put out into the Pinterest world will forever be online, you can build a passive income stream with your past and current pins.

Like any kind of affiliate marketing, don’t expect overnight results with Pinterest affiliate marketing. You’re likely to start earning mere pennies a day, which will gradually increase if you do affiliate marketing correctly and have your Pins go viral.

5. Sell your own products

If selling other people’s products doesn’t sound very appealing to you, why not try selling your own products instead?

You would need to have an e-commerce website where you can link your Pins to.

Pinterest for Business actually has features that can help you increase your sales. For instance, they have Product Rich Pins that integrate important information on your website to your Pins.

As a result, when you post a Pin of the product you’re offering, Pinterest users can see right on your Pin the latest price, whether it’s in stock, and the description of your product. When they click on the link, it takes them to your website where they can order it immediately.

You get to see which products are popular with Pinterest users and you can use that information when deciding which products to sell.

It takes a bit of learning to implement, but this is a very useful feature.

Moreover, it works for all kinds of products, whether physical or digital.

How much can you make?

There are many factors that can affect how much you earn from Pinterest-directed traffic to your ecommerce website that it’s hard to put a dollar amount on it.

What’s the best way to make money on Pinterest?

There is no single best way to earn from Pinterest.

You’d need to study all the options and pick which one best suits what you want out of Pinterest.

Aside from getting a Pinterest virtual assistant job, all the other four methods of making money on Pinterest require patience and consistency to grow from pennies to dollars to a four-digit monthly income. It’s a long game, but if you do it right, the rewards are definitely worth the wait.

Becoming a Pinterest influencer takes time and a lot of pinning. You can’t just create a Pinterest account and become an influencer instantly. Those with business know-how, perfect communication skills, and an A+ personality will get far as an influencer.

Pinterest consultancy, as with all kinds of consultant jobs, will only work if you know what you’re talking about (and can back it up with proof).

As a fan of passive income, Pinterest affiliate marketing makes a lot of sense. However, it isn’t for everyone. You’d have to be ready for the work involved (it could take weeks or months for your pins to earn cents) and experiment with A/B testing, various strategies, and other campaigns.

Promoting products is perfect for people who already have an e-commerce website. They can direct traffic from Pinterest to their main business, plus access a wealth of marketing insights through Pinterest Analytics, all without spending a cent.

Start Making Money on Pinterest Today!

Hopefully, this guide has inspired you to choose one of these opportunities and implement them so you can start earning side cash from all your Pinning.

Of course, it may well be the opposite; you may have learned that Pinterest is not for you. Maybe other social media platforms are a better fit for you. Read our guides on making money on Instagram, making money on Twitter, or making money on Facebook.

Ever made money on Pinterest? Did I miss out on a legit, Pinterest-approved method? Share your Pinterest story with us in the comments!