30 Day Content Marketing Blueprint

Regardless of which niche you’re in, or which business model, there’s a high chance that content will be the foundation of how you brand yourself, generate traffic and convert visitors into sales.

The volume of content you need to succeed is enormous, ranging from lead magnets to info products, email autoresponders and more. While many of your competitors are struggling to figure out what to say, and what to do with their content, you want to have a plan in place so that your content marketing is strategic and effective.

Very little thought goes into most marketers’ content. They might look for a keyword phrase, but that’s about all they do. If you take 30 days to set up a systematic approach to your content creation and usage, you’ll be outperforming your competitors right out of the gate.

The following tasks include a mix of action-oriented steps and tactical decisions that will help you attract the lion’s share of audience attention in your niche. It will also speed up the implementation of your content creation and usage so that you’re leading the way in terms of consistency and creativity.

Day 1: Have a Customer Avatar in Mind for Your Content Marketing Strategy

One of the most important things you can do before creating content is to think about who you are writing or recording it for. Many marketers make the mistake of coming up with an idea and writing it for their own point of view.

But as a niche marketing leader, you may have a different viewpoint than that of the person following you. For example, you may be coming at a topic from a position of experience and expertise, while your reader is uninformed about the topic and needs more clarification.

One thing that can help you create content with your reader in mind is to come up with an avatar of the individuals who will be consuming your written and recorded words. There are many things you can consider when you begin developing this avatar.

For example you can take into consideration their gender, age, financial status, marital status, geographic location, interests, and more. You can even factor in specific things such as pain points or successes that they may have experienced in the past.

Once you have this avatar, or multiple avatars in place, it will help you create content that is more targeted to your readers, rather than just spoken from a position of authority in the niche. Your audience will feel as if you “get them” more than if you simply stated facts or shared ideas from your sole perspective.

Day 2: Create a Content Marketing Schedule You Can Work With

When it comes to creating a viable content marketing strategy, consistency will be your biggest blunder if you neglect to include it in your planning stages. Whether you are looking to cater to search bots or human visitors, both will want to see frequent content coming from the leaders they respect and listen to.

Don’t feel as if you have to publish dozens of pieces of content each and every day. Daily content is definitely a goal to aim for, but even if you can’t publish content that frequently, putting yourself on a consistent schedule, such as three days per week to publish blog posts, it will go far in establishing your commitment to guide your audience.

It’s better for you to devote yourself to a schedule that has fewer days, but allows you to thoughtfully and thoroughly create content that your audience appreciates than it is to force the process to be so rushed that you are frantically slapping up subpar content just to stick to a schedule.

Day 3: Analyze Your Content Creation Skills in Four Media Formats

On this day, you need to see where you truly stand when it comes to your content creation skills. There is no shame in admitting that you don’t have what it takes at this time to write well, create videos that appeal to your audience, churn out images, or record audio files.

All of these skills can be learned and improved upon, as long as you know where you’re starting and what needs to be worked on. A good way to examine this is to have an honest critique provided to you from friends or acquaintances who are willing to be blunt.

The last thing you want is for someone to tell you that your content is good, when inside they are really cringing. If you don’t know anyone personally who can do this, you may want to ask a wider audience in a marketing forum to provide you with constructive criticism for a sample that you upload.

With your written content, it will need to be conversational for an online audience, yet polished enough that it looks professional at the same time. For audio files, it needs to be free and clear of any impediments that will irritate a listening audience, such as too many “um” pauses or sounds such as sipping your coffee.

With images and graphics, the only thing that can really hold you back here is whether or not your finished work looks like an amateur created it. There are templates online that can help you learn how to create and work with graphics.

Video is one of the most consumed media formats in this day and age. You have to get the timing right, the lighting, the sound, and the message itself to a place where your audience responds well to it.

Day 4: Use Content to Help Your Site Rank in the SERPs

One way you want to use your content strategically is to help you boost your website in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Search engines are definitely looking for consistency with how often you publish, but they also want relevancy and quality.

Many marketers make the mistake of shooting for a certain word count, and focus more on how often their keyword phrases are used then they do the actual value of the content piece.

Your reader is never going to absorb a well written and valuable article that is 300 words and scoff add it because you didn’t add 500 more words of fluff and filler. However, it is important that you commit to providing your readers with enough information that they can walk away feeling fulfilled.

It is important to learn how to set up your content for SEO purposes. And that will include utilizing keyword phrases strategically so that search engines know who to present your content to.

But you never want to focus on the technical aspect alone. In fact, when you adhere to a content strategy that includes ensuring a level of quality is met for your readers, it can help you rise in the SERPs because your content will be shared and have backlinks pointing to it that are organic due to an impressed audience.

Day 5: Create Content That Proves Your Worth to Your Audience

Quality is an issue that can be different things to different people. Some people may be content with very little value, but that’s not the audience that you want to cater to. Your goal is to overdeliver to your visitors so that even the hardest to please individuals walk away satisfied.

A good piece of content not only provides facts and data to your readers, but it also weaves personality throughout and addresses the visitors’ needs, whether emotional or otherwise.

There are many people in the online universe who are competing for the attention of your site visitors. When you sit down to create a piece of content for them, you have to understand how you can keep eyes on your content when others are vying for the same thing.

Good content not only educates and informs an audience, but it inspires and motivates them to take action on what you have just shared. If you can do that with each and every piece you deliver, you will be changing lives and helping people achieve their goals.

Day 6: Develop a Content Piece Worth Signing Up to Your List For

One of the most important pieces of content that you will create for your business is that of a lead magnet or opt in freebie offer. This is a tempting report or series of articles or videos that you create in an effort to build your email subscriber list.

There are not many things that people feel interested in that to hand over their name and email address. Most are sick of spammers and the way in which their contact details are handled.

You have to make sure that the lead magnet you create is of high caliber content and a slant that makes the risk worth it for them. Spend some time investigating their most harrowing problems and present a targeted solution as your enticement offer.

Day 7: Let Content Marketing Turn a Profit for You

Whenever you are developing your content, part of your marketing strategy should be to always look at how it can be monetized. For some odd reason, many marketers create tons of content for their blogs, emails, and social media profiles, only to fail at making sure it has some sort of profit generator attached to it.

Whether it drives people back to your site for a product review for which you are an affiliate, adds them to a subscriber list so that you can earn from them overtime, helps you earn ad revenue, or sends them directly to a product that you created, you want to create and publish your content with the intent to earn money from it.

It doesn’t have to be a direct or instant sale. You can monetize content by creating a series of engaging pieces that build trust and loyalty with your audience, allowing them to spend money with you in the near future.

Day 8: Learn How to Write a Proper Review Piece

One of the best ways to monetize your content is to review products. These can be digital or tangible products, but you have to know the right way to review a product in order to help the reader lower their defenses and convince them to buy.

Every consumer has a wall up that needs to be broken through in an effort to sway them into a purchase. You need to find out what the reservations are and address them individually.

Sometimes, it’s not just about the benefits of a product, but the hesitation they feel about making sure they are spending their money on the right product. It might be a price point, brand or vendor, or even a personal recommendation that tips them over the edge and allows them to open up their wallet.

Day 9: Create a Swipe File of Effective Content Headlines

Because you will be developing content on an ongoing basis for many different areas of your business, it’s important that you figure out ways to hasten the process. One of those strategies is to create a swipe file that you can pull from and tweak whenever you need effective headlines that will convert.

You can pull swipe files together based on content that you have seen online from your competitors, using list of action or power words, or even by brainstorming words, phrases, and sentences based on knowledge you gained by studying how to be an effective copywriter.

Day 10: Use Low Content Publishing in Your Marketing Efforts

Content that you publish online is not always long. You may be used to developing long blog posts in an effort to appease the search engines, or even to thoroughly educate and inform your readers.

But not all content has to be lengthy. There are many effective low content pieces that you can publish online for your audience that will help them achieve their goals. These may include things like checklists, cheat sheets, journals, and other printables that they can download and use to track or change things.

Day 11: Find Ways to Educate, Motivate or Entertain Your Readers

When you create new content for your audience, you want to do one of three things. Educating and informing them about your niche topic is important for you to do as a leading expert.

They will be turning to you for ideas and insight because they feel they can’t trust other sources. Facts alone are not enough to help them. You will need to motivate and inspire them to take action on the information you provide to them.

This is how they will actually make changes in their life and succeed with their goals. It’s also important that you entertain your readers. That doesn’t mean you have to become a comedian and make them laugh.

Entertainment can be more than just laughter. It’s a way for the audience to bond with you and feel as if they know you on a different level. Just make sure you have plenty of your own personality woven into your content so that whether they are reading an email from you or watching a video that you have created, they feel as if the content was made just for them on some level.

Day 12: Make Sure Your Content Marketing Includes Social Sharing Options

Content marketing is about more than just the creation of the content itself. You can create hundreds or even thousands of pages of articles, but if you don’t know how to use them strategically, they will not benefit your business.

One of the most effective strategies online is to create content that gets shared by your audience with others. Not only does the content have to be valuable and amazing enough that it makes people want to share it, but you have to make sure you provide them with a strategy to do it easily.

If you have a blog that you are using for content marketing, you want to install a plug in that enables social sharing buttons for sites like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and other places.

You can place the social sharing buttons above and below your blog post. You can even have them floating with the reader as they scroll down through your post. Just make sure you remind them to share your content with those who may enjoy it, because the call to action you deliver maybe the reminder they need to take action.

Day 13: Get Good at Storytelling for Increased Content Appeal

Storytelling is an important art that you need to master for your content marketing strategy. This is not a strategy where you have to make up stories out of thin air. For most nonfiction niches, it’s about sharing your own experiences and connecting them with those of your audience.

Not only are you able to paint a picture of what they are going through to show that you can empathize or sympathize with them, but you are also able to help them envision what their life will be like if they can achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves with your help.

Day 14: Set a Goal for Each Piece of Content You Create

Just as your audience has a goal in mind when they turn to you, you should have a goal for every piece of content that you create. It’s not enough to simply assume everything you create will help you gain exposure.

Instead, you want to have a specific goal about whether you want to use this piece of content as a way to elevate your expertise, help you build a list of subscribers, or convince someone to purchase something through your link.

If you have a goal in mind before you begin creating the content, it helps you with your outlining process and in allowing the information to unfold in the best way possible. Sometimes, you may have more than one goal associated with your content, and that is okay, too.

Day 15: Tips for Sharing Your Content on Facebook

When you create content, you can either create it on your blog or elsewhere and then share it on social media, or you can create it directly on social media itself. Facebook is still one of the most popular social media sites for niche content.

When you create content and share it on this social site, make sure you pair it with an image so that it stands out in everyone’s feed better. You can also format the text so that it has bold or italic lettering if you want to.

Don’t go crazy with tagging people, but if there is someone who it makes sense to tag because they are mentioned in the content, for example, that’s okay. You can share your content on this site on your personal profile, your page, or in a group that you create or that has allowed others to post in it.

Day 16: How to Make the Most of Hashtags for Content Marketing

When you create content, part of your strategy needs to be to help it get found by the right audience. Online, that is often done with keywords and hashtags when you are using sites such as social media.

A hashtag is simply a # sign followed by a keyword or phrase that you want people to use when searching for your content. For example, if you wrote a blog post about the keto diet, you might use the following hashtags: #ketodiet, #ketodiettips, #ketodietsuccess, etc.

On most of the social media platforms, you can search for popular hashtags that are being used for your niche. Make a list of what is included and then pick and choose each one that can be used in every piece of content that you create.

Day 17: Set a Budget for Content Marketing Elements You’re Not Good At

When you are developing your own systems and strategies for any part of your business, part of what you want to do is set aside a budget for things you may need to outsource or acquire tools for.

With content creation, you may want to invest in certain tools that can help you in the editing and polishing your written work, such as Pro Writing Aid. Or, you may want a tool such as Camtasia to help you create amazing videos.

There are tools for audio as well as images. Many of these tools have free options, but in order to fully utilize them, you will have to pay a minimal monthly or annual fee. If you don’t want to do the work yourself, then you can set aside a budget to outsource the work to a freelance individual.

Day 18: Learn How to Utilize Free and Paid Online Content Creation Tools

if you don’t have the ability to save up for tools yet, you want to start with some free versions that can help you improve and quicken your content creation. Grammarly is a free writing tool that can help you with spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

When and if you want to level up, you can consider a premium or business account that will help you with more advanced writing issues. Canva is another tool that has both a free and paid option.

Using this tool, you can create graphics that you need for your content such as blog images, social media images, eCovers for your lead magnets and info products, and more.

If you can’t afford Camtasia yet, you can start with the freeware version called CamStudio. using this, you can edit and perfect your videos, whether you are using screen capture or on camera methods.

If you are creating audio content, you will want to use a tool like Audacity. This is a free tool that you can use to edit, add special effects, and improve sound quality for your audio files.

Day 19: Pay Attention to Success Metrics for Content

The creation of your content is not the sole indicator of whether or not your content strategy is successful. You can’t just look at the volume of content that you are putting out.

You have to look at the metrics it generates to see whether or not the content you are creating is performing to the best of its ability. If it’s not, you will be able to tweak your efforts until it does.

You will be looking for things such as whether or not your audience engaged with your content, how often and how many people shared it with others, and what the comments and feedback were about your pieces.

When you start seeing an analysis of all of the little details, such as where your readers bounced from your site while reading your blog post, or where they exited a video that you created, it will help you understand more about the kind of content they respond best to.

You will be able to see whether they like longer or shorter pieces of content in terms of word count, what time length they are willing to sit through to absorb information, what color patterns they notice more in a feed so that they can engage with your social media content, etc.

Day 20: Develop an Editorial Plan for Your Content

In order to achieve your goals for consistency with content creation, you will need to put yourself on an editorial schedule. This will not only dictate what days your content is published, but also on what platform it will be placed on.

You can organize your content publishing schedule so that topics are rotated to keep things fresh for your audience, and then type of slant or media format is also strategically placed within your calendar to mix things up.

Day 21: Polish Your Content to Perfection

It’s good to have tools that you can use to perfect your content, but some of what you will be doing in terms of polishing it to perfection will be up to you during the creation process.

For example, you can’t just absorb information in regurgitate it back to your audience. It’s your responsibility to do some fact checking to ensure that the information you are conveying is accurate.

Another thing you need to do is proofread your work and notate any sources or citations where it makes sense to do so. It’s okay for an expert to have outside sources that they utilize for their audience, so don’t feel like you have to cover that up.

Day 22: Curate Content Instead of Plagiarizing It

One way that you can leverage the expertise of others is to curate content from around the web. Curation is a way of pulling in snippets of content from other producers, making sure to give them credit, and then expanding on everything that you have created with commentary of your own.

This is much better than what many online marketers do, simply lifting content from other people’s websites and sharing it as their own. There’s no excuse for stealing from others when curation is a viable option for you.

Day 23: Make Sure Your Content Marketing Strategy Includes Personality

Personality is one of the most important things you can inject into your content to really make it take off. We spoke of using it in the form of entertainment previously, but whether or not you are entertaining or simply informing and enlightening your audience, a personality must shine through in order to help you form a bond with your target audience.

Some ways you can do this are by weaving your own personal stories into the content to show that you understand what they are going through, cheering the members of your community on publicly with their permission, and utilizing multimedia format content so that they can get to know you in terms of the way you look, your voice, your mannerisms, and your tone.

Day 24: Split Test Your Content Creations

When you create content online, if you have time (and you should make time), you should begin the process of split testing certain pieces to see which strategies or elements work better than others.

Split testing is simply pitting two different things against one another to see which one emerges as a top performer. You only want to alter one thing at a time so that you can pinpoint the exact changes that make a difference.

Day 25: Weed Out What’s Not Working for Your Content Marketing Strategy

Increasing the churn out of content that is working well for you is only part of the equation. You also need to weed out what’s not working with your content strategy. You might find that your audience does not respond well on certain channels or platforms.

It’s better to focus your efforts on places where they do hang out and are likely to notice your content. Another thing you may notice is that certain media formats are not engaging for your audience, such as a preference for video over text or vice versa.

You may also start to gain a better understanding about what types of slants and what tone your content should take for your target audience. Even with something like personal development, you can have a slant that is coddling when it motivates or one that kicks their butt into gear.

Day 26: Engaging Your Audience for Increased Content Success

Part of your content marketing strategy will be to maximize the engagement with your audience. This is a two way street. Many marketers believe they can simply sit back and watch comments, shares, and other forms of engagement take place without participating.

But ideally, you are helping to form those bonds with your audience by responding to their comments whenever possible. This is easier when you are just starting out and have a smaller audience, but you should do it as long as you can and periodically engage with several people in the comments section even once they grow to an enormous number because this shows that you still care about their opinions.

Day 27: Use PLR as a Content Marketing Springboard

If you are trying to publish an enormous amount of content for one or more niches, you may want to utilize private label rights (PLR) as a tool that can help you. This is pre-written content that is sold to more than one buyer.

When you buy PLR, which comes in many different formats including text, video, audio, and images, you usually have the right to put your name on the content as if you created it and edit it to your liking.

Day 28: Take Content You’ve Created and Repurpose It

Another great way to improve your content marketing strategy is to simply repurpose what you have already created. For example, if you wrote a blog post that is getting great engagement from your audience, you can take that and use it as a transcript to create a video or video series as well as a podcast.

You can also take the content and summarize it in the form of an infographic that can be shared on sites like Instagram or Pinterest. You can also repurpose video, graphics, and audio and turn them into text based content pieces as well.

This allows you to capture the interest of a wider audience. While you may have many loyal blog readers who are content with the written word, you may be missing out on a larger audience that is logged into YouTube and searching for video content instead.

Day 29: Make Sure Your Content Is Mobile-Friendly

While you are making sure that your content is perfectly polished, well written, and valuable to your audience, you also want to ensure that they are able to access it adequately.

This means making sure that your content shows up correctly for mobile users. If you are using a blog theme that you selected, make sure it is responsive for mobile readers and all browsers.

Day 30: Measure the Success of Your Content

Every so often, you want to stop and spend a day taking stock of all of the content that you have been publishing to see which direction you need to take next. You may need to continue on the same path, or your content may need to take a new direction, such as different topics, improved media, or even more in depth than what you had been serving to them before.

How to Prep for a Fragile or Broken Economy

How to Prep for a Fragile or Broken Economy


Most of us like to think of ourselves as financially self-sufficient. We work hard, pay our bills, and pay our taxes. The days of relying on our parents for financial support are deep in the rearview mirror for most of us.

Many of us have families who depend upon our financial security. Our families may be a motivating factor to get out of bed in the morning, fight through traffic, and slug it out at work.

Although we all have fought through hard times, we find a way to stand on our own two feet. We are proud of this accomplishment – as we should be. Being financially secure is tied to our identity and our self-esteem.

Anything that poses a risk to our financial security can quickly find its way into our nightmares. Typically, these fears center around losing our jobs due to being fired, laid off, or having our company go out of business.

However, it is necessary to recognize that economic factors beyond your control could result in a significant upheaval to your financial security. These factors are often overlooked because aside from the recession of 2009, we have enjoyed years of relative economic stability.

As is often the case, past performance does not guarantee future results. Hoping that a rock-bottom economic event doesn’t occur is not a plan. If you fail to plan, prepare to fail.

A Society Struggling with Inflation


Inflation is a concept that is foreign to most people. Sure, the average citizen may understand that inflation means higher prices, but most people are in the dark when it comes to understanding the nuances and the impacts of inflation.

Part of the reason for this in the United States of America is that inflation has been mostly held in check for decades. We have grown comfortable with an annual inflation level of 3 percent or less.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures inflation. The CPI for 2021 was 7 percent. By most economists’ accounts, inflation is here to stay and will likely worsen before it gets better.

The last time we saw double-digit inflation rates was in 1981. In theory, inflation shouldn’t impact our quality of life that much. If the cost of everything goes up by 7 percent, one might think that includes wages (your salary).

Wages always lag inflation, which essentially causes an effective reduction in your pay. For example, in 2021, inflation was 7 percent while wages rose, on average, 3 percent.
This means that the average worker received an effective wage reduction of 4 percent.

Additionally, the situation is compounded because inflation impacts different goods and services uniquely. For example, you don’t need to be an economist to observe that your price at the pump and the grocery store has gone up more than 7 percent this year.

In light of this information, a reasonable person may ask, “What causes inflation, and how do we stop it?” There is little agreement among economists on answering this seemingly straightforward question.

However, what we do know is that inflation is generally caused by introducing more currency into the marketplace. Just like any other commodity or investment vehicle, the more there is of something, the less it is worth.

The amount of money in the economy due to federal government spending has gone up significantly in the last few years. Most reasonable people would agree that there are inflationary consequences of flooding the economy with more currency.

Sometimes excessive government spending can lead to hyperinflation, which is inflation on a runaway train. Citizens of Venezuela, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and Yugoslavia can speak from first-hand experience what it is like to live in an economy with inflation rates greater than 100%.

Long story short, an inflation depression grinds economic activity to a screeching halt while bringing the citizens of the country to their knees financially. This is currently happening in the United States – so what can you do now and what if it worsens?

What to Do When a Recession Takes Root


Recessionary periods are not a matter of “if” – it’s only a matter of “when.” The consequences of a recession to your financial security can vary from complete devastation to a minor inconvenience, and the specifics are nearly impossible to predict.

However, here are three things that you should consider today in preparation for a recession tomorrow:

1. Have a rainy day savings account.


This savings account should be funded with enough money to cover at least three months of expenses. It’s recommended that this savings account be separate from any other investment accounts that you may have.

Although the paltry interest rate of a savings account may tempt you to invest this money in the stock market, consider the possibility of a stock market crash as the impetus for a recession.

Your rainy day fund should be liquid and recession-proof. There is no better way to accomplish this than a basic savings account. Although there is nothing magic about three months, the peace of mind that accompanies knowing that you and your family will have three months to figure out a solution to even the worst-case scenario is worth any sacrifices that may be required to amass it.

2. Have a side hustle.


Even if your side hustle isn’t landing you on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine, the fact that you have one can serve as an invaluable safety net. Imagine that you lose your job with no notice, and you receive no severance package.

Further, assume that the country is immersed in a recession and the job market is tight. Finding and launching an unconventional way to earn money, under those circumstances would be stressful, time-consuming, and likely unsuccessful.

The best part about running a side-hustle when you don’t need to have one is that the breathing room allows you to experiment. You find out what works, what doesn’t work, who your clients are, what competitive rates are, and what you have to offer to the marketplace.

Even if your side hustle only pulls in a few hundred dollars a month today, it provides you with a platform from which to scale when the chips are down. Do this early – not during a panic scenario.

3. Tend to your network.


It’s not what you know – it’s who you know. When you consider that up to 80 percent of jobs are filled by personal connections, the importance of having a strong network if you were to find yourself unemployed in the middle of a recession cannot be understated.

Regardless of how many contacts you have on LinkedIn, your network is only effective when you tend to the relationships that compose your inner circle. Take the time to reach out to one person a week in your network just to converse with them about something they’re involved in.  

Ask people in your network if you can help them with anything. Commit to getting a cup of coffee with someone in your circle each month. Just like any other relationship, if you fail to make an effort to keep the relationship alive, it will wither and die.

At the risk of sounding too utilitarian, if you wait until you need something to reach out to your circle, you will be gravely disappointed in the effectiveness of your contacts. They won’t know you – but they will remember those who took time and made an effort to stay in touch.
 

Eliminate Debt as Soon as Possible


Being heavily in debt can be suffocating. As you prioritize your financial goals, paying off high-interest debt must top the list. Not only does debt drive up your monthly expenses, but it eats away at your future earnings as well.

It’s not uncommon for people to hold balances on credit cards with annual interest rates of 20 percent or higher. If you are one of these people and have fallen into the trap of making the minimum monthly payments, you are sacrificing your financial future.

Consider the “Rule of 72.” Divide the interest rate into 72. The result is the number of years it takes your debt to double. For example, a balance held on a credit card with a 20 percent APR will double every 3.6 years (72/20). 

If you hold multiple sources of debt, consider using a debt consolidation service to simplify your challenge of paying down your debt. These companies can, at a price, consolidate all of your debt into one account with one required monthly payment.

Although mathematically, these services may not save you much money, psychologically, they have been shown to assist people in accelerating their debt repayment as it is much simpler to focus on one monthly payment.

Of course, it’s wise to avoid debt in the first place. Consider the following practices to keep your debt to a minimum:

1. Budget your money.


Your budget serves a true north to your financial decisions. There is a reason that every business, large or small, creates an annual budget. Your personal finances are no less important than any business.

Sticking to your budget, similar to sticking to a diet, can be challenging at first. However, be persistent, and in time, you will find that your habits have changed. These habits are the key to paying off your debt and building up your savings.

2. Maintain a strong credit score.


It can be expensive to have a poor credit score. Let’s assume that you use a loan to buy a car. The difference between the interest rate with a good credit score and a fair credit score could easily be 8 percent or more.

On a $30,000 car, that difference over the life of a five-year loan is $16,000. What could you do with an extra $16,000? You can sign up to monitor your credit score and FICO score on a regular basis for free.

3. Live below your means.


Just because you can afford something doesn’t mean that it’s a wise financial decision to buy it. In fact, as a rule of thumb, if you can’t afford to buy something three times, you shouldn’t buy it.

One of the most impactful debt avoidance (and wealth building) strategies is to avoid scaling up your quality of life with each increase in pay. After your next promotion or pay raise, consider keeping your quality of life constant while increasing your savings rate.

Stocks, Digital Currency and Gold

 
The question of where to invest your money is not a new one, and you will receive as many different answers as people that you ask. However, there are some basic principles to consider, especially in the context of a bad economy.
 

Stocks


Stocks represent ownership in a company. The value of a company’s stock is a function of the company’s earnings and the expected growth of those earnings. In a recessionary environment, stocks typically perform poorly because as a company’s earnings and growth outlook go down, so does its share price.

There are exceptions to this relationship. In an inflationary period, stock prices tend to go up to match the rising costs of goods and services. This rise may be partially or fully offset by reduced growth prospects due to the reduced discretionary income of consumers.

Another exception is represented by counter-cyclical stocks, which tend to perform well in poor economic conditions. Examples of industries that are considered counter-cyclical are fast-food companies, insurance providers, educational services, and what’s known as “sin” companies (alcohol, tobacco, adult entertainment). 
 

Digital Currency


Digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Solana, and hundreds of others have generated speculation, debate, and excitement over the past few years. The idea of decoupling currency from national economic policies seems like a great idea.

Despite the tremendous performance of these assets in the past decade, digital currency remains a risky investment because the market and outlook remain highly volatile and uncertain.

One element worth mentioning is that there is reason to believe that digital currencies could be an effective hedge against inflation because their value is thought to be completely independent of the dollar’s value. 
 

Gold


Gold has long been considered the ultimate and safest hedge against an economic downturn. As an example, during the Great Recession of 2009, gold performed very well while the stock market tanked.

Specifically, in September of 2008, gold was at $700 an ounce, and by October of 2011, gold had reached $1,900 an ounce. Although past performance is no guarantee of future performance, gold has been considered a hedge against economic fluctuations for decades. 

Sometimes diversification, a fancy investment term for the age-old saying of “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket,” is the best answer. Instead of trying to figure out what types of investment vehicles align best with what kind of impending recession, spreading your investments out among the different types provides some level of protection.

Surviving in a Complete Collapse of the Economy


In a worst-case scenario, the economy doesn’t suffer from repression or depression, but a complete and total economic collapse. As unlikely as this may be, it would be foolish to say it is impossible.

People have had to deal with this situation throughout world history, and presumably, they, too previously thought that an economic collapse was impossible. As difficult as it may be to imagine, your focus will shift from college and retirement savings account to survival in the wake of economic collapse.

Shelter, food, and protection would be your priorities in such a situation. As such, you should consider stockpiling supplies such as clean water, non-perishable foods, and tools required to grow your food and build/repair shelter.

If you don’t currently possess some level of skill in basic carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, gardening, or hunting, you may want to consider getting some basic training in these areas because not only would you need these, but they can serve as a form of currency to barter with in a complete economic collapse.

If you wait until you need them, you will likely be disappointed in the availability of survival skills courses at your local community college. Your family might enjoy and benefit from a weekend where you simulate economic collapse by living without electricity and eating only non-perishable foods that you’ve stockpiled.


Lastly, it would help if you took the time to build relationships in your community. Survival in a complete economic collapse will be a team sport. Although you risk labeling yourself as a nutty conspiracy theorist, it might not be a bad idea to take inventory of who has what skills in your neighborhood or community.

Taking this idea one step further, if your neighbors are amenable to the idea, conducting a tabletop exercise where you get into details of how you would pull together to survive is probably not a bad idea.           

101 Ideas to Make Money From Home

Have you been wondering how to make extra money from home? If so, you’re in the right place. This post covers 101 creative ideas to make money from home so you can use more of your time and energy for the things you love.

Have you been wondering how to make extra money from home? If so, you’re in the right place. This post covers 101 creative ideas to make money from home so you can use more of your time and energy for the things you love.

Freelancing, working remotely, and earning supplemental income from side gigs have all gained popularity in recent years. With so many different options, it sometimes feels challenging to distinguish between scams and legit ways to make money from home. Keep reading to discover how to make today’s gig economy work for you.

 1. Work Remotely as a Data Entry Clerk

Numerous companies outsource bookkeeping to remote workers. Data entry is an accessible and straightforward way to make extra money from home. 

These jobs don’t usually call for previous experience or training, although most require a high school diploma. If you have good organizational and typing skills, a computer, and a stable internet connection, you can land data entry jobs on sites like FlexJobs, We Work Remotely, and Hubstaff Talent.

2. Earn Cashback on All Your Purchases

Do you know how to make extra money from home while shopping? With apps like Ibotta, Honey, FlexRewards, and Ratuken, you’ll earn cash every time you buy something using their links and promo codes at sponsored stores. You can also get cashback on your gas purchases with GetUpside, Trunow, and GasBuddy.

3. How to Make Money from Home By Investing in Real Estate

There are plenty of options for investing in real estate without managing and owning property. You can invest in a Real Estate Investment Trust, or REIT, which is a company that operates income-producing real estate. Or, invest in real estate crowdfunding for a more individualized approach. Another option is purchasing shares of a real estate limited partnership (LP) or a limited liability company (LLC). Check out this article to learn more.

4. Invest in Stocks to Earn Passive Income

If you feel you’re not ready or able to invest in stocks, think again. You won’t need to be a financial genius to make money on the stock market. Services like Robinhood and Stash make it easy and accessible for anyone to start investing in stocks. 

5. Get Paid for Taking Online Surveys

Earn a few pennies for your thoughts. Companies are willing to pay for your feedback and opinions. Websites like Branded Surveys, Inbox Dollars, i-Say, Survey Junkey, and Swagbucks offer paid surveys you can do in your spare time. You usually get paid via PayPal or with gift cards.

6. Rent Out Your Gadgets

You can even make extra money from home from your gadgets. Rent out your camera equipment (ShareGrid or KitSpilt), household appliances and furniture (Loanables), baby gear (BabyQuip), and outdoor equipment (RecShare). This is a fantastic use for things you may not use regularly but don’t want to get rid of. 

7. Sell Items on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or Amazon

Declutter your closets and sell some of the things you don’t use anymore. Take high-quality photos with good lighting, make an account, and list your items at your desired price. Services like Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist charge a small fee to sell on their websites, while posting items on Facebook Marketplace is free. 

8. Make Money Selling Printables

Creating printable PDFs to sell online is a fun and creative way to earn passive income. Once you generate the design, it keeps making money for you. Use platforms like Etsy, Fiverr, and Creative Market to sell coloring pages, greeting cards, flashcards, place settings, and more. Check out this article for more ideas to make money from home selling printables.

9. Sell or Rent Your Clothes

Is it time to update your wardrobe? Or maybe you have pieces you only wear on special occasions. Sell your used clothes, jewelry, and accessories on Poshmark, threadUP, and The RealReal. Or, rent them out on StyleLend.

10. Host a Mastermind Group

Are you an expert in your field? Earn money for sharing your expertise and mentoring a group of like-minded people who are motivated to share ideas and grow in various areas of their lives. Mastermind groups allow those with similar goals to help each other succeed under the guidance of a facilitator. Whatever your interests are, you’ll find others who are willing to participate. Learn more about monetizing your mastermind group here.

11. Make Extra Money from Home As a Remote Transcriptionist

If you’re detail-oriented, able to work independently, and have strong listening and typing skills, consider applying to work as a transcriptionist. There are a wide variety of niches for transcription work, including education, finance, legal, medical, podcasting, and more. Many employers require a typing and grammar test to apply. Find beginner-friendly transcription jobs at Rev, TranscribeMe, and Daily Transcription.

12. Land a Virtual Assistant Job

Put your organizational skills to work as a virtual assistant. Tasks range from administrative and bookkeeping help to making phone calls, scheduling appointments, and managing email and social media accounts. 

Look for virtual assistant positions on job boards like FlexJobs, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. Or, find freelance work on sites like Fiverr and Upwork. Learn more about starting your own virtual assistant business here.

This is one of my favorite ways I’ve seen for how to make extra money from home – Add YOUR drawings or designs to novelty items and/or journals and sell them online! You can add your designs, drawings, and even just text to T-shirts, custom coffee mugs, printable books, journals, worksheets, calendars and more!

13. Make Money Online Selling Custom T-Shirts

Do you have a passion for style and design? Use print on demand services like Printful, SPOD, Teelaunch, and Apliiq to create your own custom clothing line. These websites allow you to order products printed with your designs as you sell them, which reduces your upfront cost by eliminating the need to keep bulk inventory on hand. Check out this article to learn more about starting an online clothing store.

14. Sell Personalized Coffee Mugs

Print on demand isn’t limited to clothing. You can also set up shop selling other items like personalized coffee mugs or water bottles. Once you develop a marketable design idea and set up an online store, you’ll soon start making passive income from your sales. Custom Happy, Printed Mint, and Printify are excellent sources for print on demand products.

15. Market Print On Demand Books, Journals, and Worksheets

Another profitable print on demand niche includes hard-copy items like books, journals, planners, sketchbooks, worksheets, and more. This type of low-content publishing is a fantastic way to diversify your passive income revenue, and it’s easy to incorporate with other parts of an online business. Publish and sell your content on Amazon KDP, BookBaby, IngramSpark, or Lulu.

16. Make Extra Money Selling Unique Calendars

If you love graphic design and photography, selling one-of-a-kind calendars could be your perfect side hustle. Put together themed calendars, or let your customers create their own customized designs to get printed. Start your biz quickly and easily with Gelato, Gooten, or VistaPrint.

Freelance Services to Make Extra Money From Home

This is actually the route I chose that ultimately took me from side hustler to full time gig worker. I make all of my money from home as a freelance writer and content creator! If you’re looking for legit ways to make money from home here are some of the best freelance services: Writing and Copywriting; Proofreading; Graphic Designer; Video Editor; Photoshopper; Social Media Manager; Audio Editor; Tutor; Voiceover Acting; Audiobook Narrator; SEO Help; Website Design and Coding; Bookkeeper.

I cannot recommend freelance services enough!

17. Become a Freelance Writer

Have you ever contemplated turning your passion for writing into a career? There are plenty of legit ways to make money from home as a writer. Look for writing gigs on job boards like Blogging Pro, ProBlogger, and Freelance Writing. Alternatively, find employers on sites like Upwork and Fiverr or by pitching directly to publications.

18. Make Money from Home Editing and Proofreading

As long as you have an in-depth understanding of grammar, punctuation, and usage, a keen eye for detail, and efficient time management, you can find paid work editing and proofreading. Many companies, like Proofreading Services and Scribbr, require applicants to complete a preliminary language test. Guru is a freelancing site for finding various remote jobs, similar to Fiverr and Upwork.

19. Find Remote Graphic Design Work

Do you have experience with graphic design? Whether you’re looking for a lucrative side gig or full-time work, graphic design is a fun and rewarding field. Polish your portfolio and find graphic designer jobs through websites like Dribbble and WorkingNomads. Or, look for design jobs on platforms like Craigslist, LinkedIn, and specialized Facebook groups.

20. Pursue a Video Editing Career

Video editing is a highly marketable skill in today’s digital world. From promotional, educational, and corporate videos to advertising and social media, the possibilities are endless. Search for video editor opportunities on job board sites like GlassDoor and SimplyHired. Discover valuable tips about what it takes to become a video editor here.

21. Make Extra Money from Home with Photoshop

It’s time to put your Photoshop skills to work. Aside from selling freelance services like photo editing and design on sites like Fiverr, Guru, and Upwork, there are several ways to earn passive income from Photoshop. Create online courses teaching others how to use Photoshop on Skillshare or Udemy. You can also create and sell unique fonts, graphics, and more on Creative Market or Monotype.

22. Work as a Social Media Manager

Most businesses need to have a well-established social media presence in today’s market. Being a freelance social media manager is an excellent way to make extra money from home. Find clients on sites like FlexJobs, Freelancer, or Upwork. Or, try searching in niche-specific Facebook groups. Check out this article to find out more about this new and exciting profession.

23. Earn Money Online as an Audio Editor

From audiobooks and podcasts to movies and video games, audio editing is an in-demand skill. If you have sharp hearing, competent computer skills, and accurate attention to detail, you can launch your audio editing career today. Find gigs on freelance platforms like People Per Hour and WorkHoppers, or look on industry-specific sites like ProductionHUB.

24. How To Make Extra Money from Home Tutoring

Online tutoring can be a highly lucrative way to make extra money from home. Put your foreign language, math, science, or test prep skills to good use by mentoring students in your field of expertise. Find tutoring jobs on sites like Cambly, Care.com, or TutorMe. Or, advertise your services on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or at your local libraries and schools. 

25. Become a Voiceover Actor/Actress

Opportunities for voiceover acting are everywhere, from commercials and video games to documentaries and films. It’s possible to find remote voice acting gigs as long as you have a laptop or tablet, high-quality audio editing software, a professional-grade microphone, and a recording space with suitable acoustics. Find out more about landing voice acting work from the experts at Backstage and Voices.

26. Make Money from Home as an Audiobook Narrator

Do you love reading aloud? Even if you don’t have a background in acting, you can make a story come to life through different accents and tones of voice. You’ll need access to high-grade audio recording and editing equipment and a soundproof recording studio. Find gigs on sites like ACX and Bunny Studio.

27. Provide SEO Help

In today’s digital world, having a strong online presence is essential for most companies. Search engine optimization or SEO is critical if you hope to have a high-ranking and successful website. If you’re tech-savvy and have an interest in digital marketing, you could become a successful SEO consultant. Check out this article about how to turn SEO into a career. 

Pro Tip: NEVER guarantee anyone placement on the first page of Google!

That is asking for trouble because it’s almost impossible to deliver for some niches!

28. Find Work Doing Coding and Website Design

If you have a passion for computer science and web design, consider working remotely as a website developer. Learn more about getting into this field here. Once you’ve honed your skills, freelancing is an excellent way to gain experience. Look for website design jobs on sites that connect creative freelancers with clients, such as Working Not Working.

29. Work Remotely as a Bookkeeper

Are you a numbers person who values efficiency and organization? If so, you could start a profitable online bookkeeping business. Whether you’re searching for a part-time side hustle or a full-time career, there are plenty of job opportunities for virtual bookkeepers on freelancer sites and online job boards. Check out this article to discover essential tips for success.

Digital Products to Make Extra Money From Home

I love digital product ideas to make money from home because they don’t require printing anything or storing a bunch of products in your home. At most, you might need a larger hard drive, but with cloud storage services like Google and Overdrive, even that isn’t a huge deal these days!

Some of the best digital product ideas to make money from home are: eBooks, Digital Courses, Sales Funnels, PLR (Write Articles; Create Courses; Even Podcast Audio), Paid Webinars/Workshops, and Membership Websites.

30. Write an eBook

Your ideas are worth sharing, and they can also help you make extra money from home. Write about what you’re knowledgeable and passionate about, and find a way to provide value to your readers. Thanks to services like Barnes & Noble Press, Kindle Direct Publishing, and Lulu, self-publishing an eBook has never been more accessible. 

31. Create and Sell Online Courses

Digital courses are an excellent source of passive income. No matter your area of expertise, you can find an audience willing to pay for your valuable knowledge and experience. Offering online education is also a fantastic way to expand your existing business. Teachable, Thinkific, and Udemy are some of the most prominent online teaching platforms.

32. Build a Digital Sales Funnel

No matter what sort of digital product you’re selling, you need a way to help potential customers find it. A sales funnel refers to the strategy of attracting visitors to your website, convincing them that your product provides value and solves their problem, and finally converting them into paying clients. Find out more about building a successful sales funnel here.

33. Sell PLR Content

PLR stands for Private Label Rights and consists of ready-to-use audio, video, or written material that buyers can use in any way they wish. You can produce and sell PLR content for whatever niche or topic interests you. Once you create the content, it will keep generating passive income for you. Learn more about selling PLR content.

34. Host Paid Webinars and Online Workshops

Paid webinars and workshops are another terrific way to scale up your online business. It allows your clients to connect with real experts and actively participate in their learning. Consumers are willing to pay for the opportunity to attend a live online event that provides a unique opportunity they can’t get from a digital course or eBook. Discover great tips on how to make money with webinars in this article.

35. Make Extra Money from Home with a Membership Site

Offering premium content through a paid membership is an excellent way to earn passive income from your blog, online course, podcast, or service-based website. Many membership sites offer a tiered enrollment system, with the top-value content available to the highest paying subscribers. Get your membership site started with MemberPress, Wild Apricot, or WPQuickStart by Nexcess.

36. Start Your Own Podcast

Podcasts are more popular than ever. No matter what topic you’re interested in, there’s an audience for it. If you have a laptop or tablet, high-quality audio equipment, and a soundproof recording space, launching your own podcast is simple with hosting platforms like RSS.com. Find valuable tips for monetizing your podcast in this article.

37. Become a Remote Customer Service Representative

If you love helping people, are self-motivated, and work well independently, you could make extra money from home as a remote customer service representative. Tasks usually involve answering questions from customers on phone calls, emails, and live chats. If you’re computer-savvy, consider looking for a tech support position. This article has lots of worthwhile tips on how to land a remote customer service job.

38. Work as a Virtual Travel Agent

Do you have a passion for travel? With efficient communication and organizational skills, a laptop, and a solid internet connection, you can either find remote travel agent positions through job board websites or start your own online travel business. Check out this article to learn how to make extra money from home as a travel agent.

39. Buy and Sell Website Domains to Make Money

Selling domain names is a straightforward way to make extra money from home. Simply search for popular keywords in your niche with a free research tool like WordStream, then find and purchase available domain names on GoDaddy or Shopify. Websites like Flippa and Sedo.com are excellent platforms for selling your domain names. 

40. How to Make Extra Money with Ridesharing

Aside from driving for Lyft or Uber, you can make extra money by renting out your vehicle on a carsharing service like Getaround or Turo. Your car will be fully covered by insurance while it’s booked on trips, and all clients are pre-screened by the company. Bookings, pricing, scheduling, and communicating with clients all happen on an easy-to-use app.

41. Rent Out Your Spare Living Spaces

Do you have a spare bedroom, lock-off, guest house, or camping space that you’re not currently using? Or perhaps you’re regularly away from home for long periods and could rent out your entire apartment or house during that time. Make extra money from home every month by listing your unused living spaces on Airbnb, Vrbo, or HouseTrip

42. Make Extra Money from Home Refurbishing Furniture

Tap into your creative side and earn extra money fixing up and reselling used furniture. List your upcycled pieces on sites like Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist. All you’ll require is a few simple tools and supplies, a bit of elbow grease, and a camera to take clear, well-lit photos of the items. 

43. Earn Money Writing and Editing Resumes

Helping people write and edit their resumes can be a profitable and rewarding side hustle. If you have solid writing and grammar skills, a computer, and a reliable internet connection, you can find work as a professional resume writer. Advertise your services and connect with clients on freelance websites, or apply with a company like WriterBay or WriteZillas.

44. Work as a Remote Interpreter or Translator

Do you read, write, and speak a second language? Put your valuable linguistic skills to use as a translator or interpreter. Get paid to translate written text or audio content, create subtitles for videos, and more. In addition to online job boards and freelance sites, Blend, Gengo, and Rev are excellent places to look for remote translation jobs. 

45. How to Make Extra Money from Home Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a straightforward way to set up an e-commerce store without having to manage inventory and delivery. Customers purchase products through your website, and then you forward the order to the wholesale supplier for fulfillment and shipment. Since the costs of starting a dropshipping business are relatively minimal, it’s a low-risk way to make money online. Check out this article to learn all you need to know about dropshipping.

46. Become a Life Coach

If you have a passion for supporting other people and solving problems, consider starting your own business as a life coach. Although formal certification isn’t required, it’ll help give you a competitive edge in the market. It’s also helpful to focus on a specific niche like health, romance, professional, or spiritual coaching. Find out more about starting a life coaching business here.

47. Open an eCommerce Store

The online shopping market is more substantial than ever. If you have an entrepreneurial mindset, maybe you’ve considered starting an online store through Amazon, Etsy, or Shopify. No matter what sort of product you’re marketing, you’ll connect with your customers by using the practical planning, organization, and marketing strategies outlined in this article

48. Start an Online Jewelry Boutique

Whether you make one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry yourself or have an external source, selling jewelry online can be a highly profitable enterprise. Some of the most popular online marketplace sites for selling jewelry include Bonanza, Etsy, and iCraft. Read this article for more advice on starting a successful online jewelry business.

49. Learn How to Make Extra Money from Home Selling Candles

Are you crafty, creative, and enterprising? Making and selling candles at home can be an enjoyable and profitable undertaking. Although you’ll need to make initial investments in candle-making supplies, the relatively high profit margins make your efforts worthwhile. Find out more about how to make money selling candles online here.

50. Sell Handmade Soaps Online

Unique, handmade soap is another product you can make a profit from while satisfying your creative side. When it comes to colors, styles, and materials for making artisanal soaps, the options are endless. Discover all the business and marketing strategies for starting a successful online soap business in this article.

51. Sell Personal Care and Beauty Products Online

From lip balms and lotions to bath bombs and body scrubs, selling beauty and bath products can be a profitable niche. They’re well-suited for selling through online craft markets like Etsy and Amazon Handmade or by setting up a dropshipping business. Find creative ideas for easy-to-make beauty products to sell from home here.

52. Make Extra Money from Home Selling Clothes

If you happen to be skilled with a sewing machine and enjoy making your own clothes, why not try turning your passion into a successful business? Or, perhaps you revel in finding vintage gems at thrift stores. You can set up your online clothing store through a craft marketplace like Bonanza or IndieCart, on Facebook Marketplace, or by starting your own website. 

53. Create and Sell Craft Patterns

Share your creative talents with others and earn passive income by designing and selling downloadable and printable crochet, embroidery, knitting, or sewing patterns. List your unique craft patterns in your handmade store, or sell them on a platform like Makerist or Ravelry. You can also market your pattern designs on your craft blog or social media. 

54. Get Crafty and Sell Home Decor

When people shop for home decor pieces, they’re often looking for something that’s unique, innovative, and made with love and care. This can be a highly lucrative niche in the handmade marketplace. Popular sites for buying and selling artisan crafts include iCraft, Cratejoy, and aftcra. Check out this article for some valuable tips about how to make extra money from home selling handmade goods.

55. Design Custom Party Decorations

Do you love planning and decorating for parties? Opening an online party supply shop might be your perfect side hustle. Sell your handmade creations or use print on demand services to create custom banners, hats, dishware, games, party favors, and more. This article covers everything you’ll need to know about starting an online party business.

56. Sell Unique Gift Bags and Wrapping Paper

Gift bags, wrapping paper, and greeting cards make up another valuable niche in the eCommerce marketplace. Use your creative talents to help others give heartfelt, meaningful gifts beautifully wrapped in your one-of-a-kind designs. Discover practical tips and tricks for starting an online paper goods store here.

57. Craft Handmade Purses and Tote Bags

Another creative way to make extra money from home is designing and selling handmade bags. Find your niche, get creative with your designs, and put your sewing skills to good use. From wallets and purses to backpacks and tote bags, the possibilities are endless. Sell your handmade bags on craft sites like Etsy or Big Cartel, through Facebook Marketplace, or start your own eCommerce website. 

58. Earn Money Selling Handcrafted Wedding Favors

An online wedding business can be highly lucrative, and handcrafted elements add a personalized and memorable touch to the occasion. Wedding items like decorations, bride/groom and bridesmaid/groomsmen gifts, guest books, and take-home favors for guests are popular products to sell online. Find more great ideas for wedding accessories to sell here.

59. Start a Handmade Toy Store

Get in touch with your inner child and create handmade toys to sell online. Start your own business constructing felt puppets, wooden puzzles, stuffed animals, or whatever else inspires your imagination. This article has lots of helpful tips about how to make extra money from home selling handcrafted toys.

60. Start a Lifestyle Blog

If you love writing about lifestyle topics and sharing your ideas with others, starting a blog could be an excellent way to make extra money from home. Focusing on a specific niche like beauty, home decor, parenting, or personal growth helps you connect with your target audience. Find out how to make money from your lifestyle blog here.

61. Monetize Your Food Blog

Are you a foodie with a passion for creating and sharing unique recipes and kitchen tips? You can make extra money from your food blog by selling downloadable or printed cookbooks and recipes, advertising and affiliate marketing, or selling merchandise like kitchen tools, branded aprons, or dishes. Use this guide to start making money with your food blog today.

62. Become a History Blogger

Share your knowledge and turn your passion for history into a lucrative blog. However, it takes more than creating high-quality content to earn money blogging. Discover helpful tips for monetizing your blog through advertising and affiliate marketing, selling digital or physical products, and offering services in this article.

63. Make Extra Money from Home with a Travel Blog

Turn your wanderlust into a productive online business by starting your own travel blog. From planning tips and travel hacks to itinerary suggestions and gear recommendations, the travel blogging niche holds great potential. Here are some savvy suggestions about how to make extra money from home as a travel blogger.

64. How to Make Extra Money from Home as a Fashion Blogger

When it comes to fashion blogs, choosing the right niche is everything. Social media plays a meaningful role in this blogging subject, so follow current trends and pay attention to the top-performing keywords to enhance your SEO. Learn all that you’ll need to know about starting a fashion blog here

65. Earn Money from a Finance Blog

Personal finance has proven to be one of the most profitable blogging niches. There are numerous specialties to choose between, from budgeting and investing to credit repair and retirement planning. Explore ideas for making extra money from home by starting a successful finance blog here.

66. Establish a Productive Health and Fitness Blog

Do you have a passion for health and fitness? Channel that energy into making a career out of your enthusiasm for physical and/or mental wellness. Whether you’re interested in offering educational programs, coaching or consulting services, or advertising through your blog, set yourself up for success using these helpful tips.

67. Teach Others About Blogging

Perhaps you already have a money-making blog with a substantial following. Have you ever thought about bringing in extra money by teaching others how to start their own prosperous blog? If you’ve figured out the internet marketing game, you can profit from sharing your expertise. This article has some outstanding tips for earning money by teaching others how to blog successfully.

68. Blog About Photography

If you’re a photography enthusiast with a knack for writing, it’s possible to merge your interests and make extra money from home with a photography blog. Whether you want to write about the latest camera technology, provide insight and tutorials, or review the work of other photographers, you’ll be able to find a photography niche you’re passionate about. Check out this article for more practical ways to start a rewarding photography blog.

69. Launch a DIY Crafting Blog

Whether or not you sell your handmade goods online, it’s possible to make extra money from home by blogging about your preferred crafting interests. In addition to marketing your handcrafted items, you can also promote your artisanal business with a blog. Earn passive income from offering tutorials, downloadable patterns, and advertising space on your website. Find more ideas to make money from home as a craft blogger here.

70. Make Money as a Music Blogger

Have you ever considered turning your interest in music into a successful online business? There are numerous music-related niches to blog about, from a specific genre or instrument to regional or age-specific music. This post outlines exactly how to start and monetize a worthwhile music blog.

71. Host a Religious or Spiritual Blog

If you’re passionate about sharing your religious or spiritual insights and helping others on their journey, you might have thought about writing a blog. Choose a specific theme, and find your target audience by identifying their needs and how you can address them best. Discover how to make extra money from home by starting a Christian or spiritual blog. 

72. Set Up a Political Blog

Fuel your interest in politics and share your views with others by becoming a political blogger. Connect with like-minded people and make extra money from home writing about whatever political topics interest you. This article has some terrific advice for earning money as a political blog writer.

73. Make Extra Money from Home Through Affiliate Marketing

Becoming a brand affiliate and promoting products on your blog, website, or social media is one of the top strategies for making money online. Join an affiliate network like Awin, Amazon Associates, CJ, or ShareASale, find merchants and products relevant to your niche, and earn a commission every time someone makes a purchase through your link.

74. How to Earn Money Podcasting

Most podcasters make money through advertising and sponsorships. Once you’ve established a strong following, you can also offer coaching services, online courses, premium content, and/or branded merchandise. Patreon is an incredibly valuable resource for building a supportive membership base. Learn more about how to monetize your podcast in this article.

75. Launch a YouTube Channel

Have you ever dreamed of becoming internet famous? The best way to connect with your audience is to make sure your content is engaging, entertaining, and serves a purpose or solves a problem for your viewers. Successful YouTubers with over 1,000 followers can make money through advertising by joining the YouTube Partner Program

76. Become a TikTok Influencer

If you’ve managed to build up a following on social media and love consistently creating video content with a high-quality aesthetic, you could earn money online as a TikTok influencer. Partner with brands that compliment your story and get paid for promoting their products. Find out how to make extra money from home on TikTok here.

77. Earn Money as an Instagram Influencer

Instagram is one of today’s most prominent social media platforms. Learn how to stand apart from the crowd and get sponsored by brands in your niche. You can earn money from affiliate marketing, creating sponsored posts, promoting your own products or services, and more. Here are some great ideas to make money from home on Instagram.

78. Host a Virtual Summit

Hosting a virtual summit is a fantastic way to bolster your business and make valuable connections with others in your field as well as with potential new clients. Offer paid options for unlimited access to the event recording, exclusive content, and additional services. Additionally, an online summit is an excellent platform for affiliate marketing and promoting your own products. Learn more about hosting a successful virtual summit in this article.

79. Get Paid For Live Streaming on Twitch

Although Twitch started out focusing primarily on video games, the popular live streaming platform has expanded to include art creation, cooking, music, talk shows, and more. Once you build your following, you can apply for the Twitch Affiliate Program and eventually become a Twitch Partner. Here are a few practical suggestions about how to make extra money from home on Twitch.

80. How to Earn Extra Money Online as a Musician

Do you dream of turning your passion for music into a successful career? From uploading your recordings to a streaming platform like Spotify, YouTube Music, or Apple Music to teaching virtual music lessons, there are plenty of opportunities to make extra money from home with your musical talents. Discover more money-making tips for musicians here.

81. Make Extra Money from Home Developing Apps

If you’re tech-savvy and creative, have you ever thought about becoming an app developer? There are various ways to make money from your app, from paid subscriptions and in-app purchases to advertising and affiliate marketing. This article has lots of helpful advice for creating and selling a worthwhile app.

82. Make Extra Money from Home with NFTs

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are a variety of digital assets that represent art, music, gaming items, videos, and other real-world collectibles. You can sell your own work as NFTs or purchase them as an investment to sell when they become more profitable. Find out more about how to make extra money from home buying, selling, and trading NFTs here.

83. How to Profit from Bitcoin

Cryptocurrency has become significantly more mainstream in recent years and can be highly lucrative if you manage to master the system. Although investing, mining, and trading are some of the more commonplace ways to earn a Bitcoin profit, there are numerous options available. This article has some excellent ideas to make extra money from home using Bitcoin.

84. Earn Money Testing Apps and Websites

If you’re a frequent website or mobile app user, you can find freelance work as a beta tester. Sites like Testbirds, User Testing, and Userlytics connect real-world technology consumers with website and app developers. Get paid for helping to find software bugs, offer feedback, and improve the overall user experience.

85. How to Make Extra Money from Home Through OnlyFans

OnlyFans is a platform where you can monetize your video content by building a following of paid subscribers. From makeup and fashion tips to cooking tutorials and guided workouts, there’s a potential audience out there for every niche. Find out more about making extra money on OnlyFans here.

86. Become an Online Model

Today’s freelance gig economy is more accessible than ever, and the modeling field is no exception. Take advantage of social media to expand your portfolio and connect with others in the business. When you’re ready to start looking for online modeling jobs, sign up for websites like Model Mayhem or PurplePort to find paid gigs. Learn all about becoming an online model here.

87. Find Online Work Doing Medical Coding and Billing

If you’re skilled at computer work and have efficient organizational skills, you can find remote work in medical coding and billing. While some companies require a high school or college degree to apply, others may ask for a job-specific certification that you can complete online. Find remote medical coding and billing opportunities on job listing sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter, or apply to a contract company like Aviacode

88. Work as a Virtual Personal Trainer

Do you dream of being able to make a living from your passion for health and fitness? Begin by using social media and blogging to build a following. Then, start selling online courses, detailed workout plans, personalized coaching services, and more through an eCommerce website. Here is a straightforward guide to starting your online personal training business.

89. Earn Money Online as a Fitness Instructor

Share your fitness expertise with others by offering online exercise classes. Whether you specialize in bodybuilding, CrossFit, pilates, yoga, or any other discipline, you’ll be able to find an enthusiastic client base. Read more about becoming an online fitness instructor in this article.

90. How to Make Extra Money from Home on Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a user-friendly website that rewards you for completing various tasks like filling out surveys, watching videos, shopping online, playing games, and utilizing their search engine. Redeem your points for cash rewards, coupons, or gift cards. You can also get cash back offers from participating restaurants and retailers to save money on gifts, groceries, prescriptions, and more.

91. Sell Stock Images Online

Are you an ambitious photographer with a keen eye for aesthetics? It’s possible to make extra money from home by selling stock photos online. Some of the most popular platforms include Adobe Stock, Dreamstime, iStockPhoto, and Shutterstock. Discover valuable tips and tricks about successfully selling your photos online in this article.

92. Earn Money Selling Stock Video Footage

Video content is more prevalent than ever. From leisure and travel to lifestyle and sports videos, companies are looking for stock video footage in numerous different niches. Some of the most well-known sites for selling stock videos are Pond5, VideoHive, and Vimeo. This article answers common questions about how to make extra money from home selling stock videos.

93. Write Book Reviews and Summaries

Have you ever contemplated turning your love of reading into a lucrative side hustle? You can make extra money from home writing book reviews and summaries. If you enjoy sharing your opinions and recommendations, apply for jobs writing book reviews with Kirkus Media or the US Review of Books. Find work writing book summaries on sites like getAbstract.

94. Get Paid for Participating in Market Research Groups

Companies need to know how consumers feel about their products and services, and they’re willing to pay for your opinions. Most market research groups pay participants in cash, gift cards, or free products. Apply with the Small Business Knowledge Center, Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel, or mobileXpression to start earning rewards today.

95. Share Your Expertise on JustAnswer

If you’ve established yourself as a qualified expert in your field, you can make extra money from home answering questions related to your area of expertise. It’s free to apply on JustAnswer, and their verification process usually takes a week or two. You’ll set your own hours, choose which questions you’d like to answer, and earn money helping others.

96. Make Extra Money from Home Through Peer-to-Peer Lending

If you happen to have some extra cash on hand, consider investing in peer-to-peer (P2P) lending. Online platforms like Kiva, Prosper, and Peerform connect lenders with borrowers through a secure and streamlined application process. Compare and contrast rates and features of the best P2P lending sites here.

97. Start Your Own Consulting Business

Whether you specialize in finance, HR, marketing, or technology, you can capitalize on your knowledge and experience by starting a consulting business. Advertise your services on freelance sites or apply for remote consultant positions through online job boards. This article describes exactly how to launch a successful consulting enterprise.

98. How to Make Extra Money from Home by Credit Card Churning

Many banks and credit unions offer rewards for opening a new credit account and meeting their minimum spending requirements. It’s possible to profit from this system through a practice called credit card churning. After collecting the sign-up bonus, users stop using the cards and cancel their accounts before having to pay the annual fees. Learn more about credit card churning here.

99. Earn Money Online Selling Lesson Plans

Teachers and homeschoolers can make extra money by selling lesson plans, worksheets, and other educational materials online. Teachers Pay Teachers offers both free and paid options for selling your digital teaching resources, while TeacherSherpa pays their content contributors a small royalty for each download. Or, market your digital downloads on generalized marketplaces like Sellfy. Here are more tips for selling lesson plans online. 

100. Earn Cash Rewards for Losing Weight

If you’re looking for extra motivation to lose weight, consider signing up for HealthyWage. It’s a program that offers cash rewards for completing weight loss challenges and hitting your goal weight. To start, you’ll place a bet and deposit cash. When you accomplish your set monthly target, you’ll get your initial wager back and earn a reward based on how much you put up. 

101. Make Extra Money from Home Teaching English Online

Teaching online English classes is a fantastic way to earn money working from home. You don’t need prior classroom experience, but most online language schools require potential teachers to have a current TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification. Apply to teach English to students all over the world through Magic Ears, Qkids, or VIPKid

Conclusion And Next Steps

Whether your goal is supplementing your income or making a full-time switch to working remotely, there are a wide variety of accessible options for how to make extra money from home. Identify your strengths, goals, and priorities to find an online side hustle that works for you. No matter what skills or qualifications you have, you can find creative ways to make extra money from home. For more awesome ideas to make extra money from home, check out these helpful articles from Forbes, The Penny Hoarder, Adam Enfroy, The Savvy Couple, Hostinger, The College Investor, Save the Student, nerdwallet, Oberlo, Shopify, and Intuit mintlife

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30 Day Blog Topic Blueprint

30 Day Blog Topic Blueprint

Need blog post ideas? The 30 Day Blog Topic Blueprint is a report that helps people in almost any niche discover topics they can blog about for an entire month.

When you set out on a path to become a niche leader, you’ll probably launch a blog as you home base for communication with your target audience. Here, you can showcase your expertise, build a list, recommend products, and engage with your readers.

But in order for your blog to thrive, you have to publish consistent, value-packed content that visitors will not only readily absorb, but share with others because they find it so helpful.

If you’re blogging daily, or even a couple of times per week, it can be daunting coming up with topics for your niche. Many marketers aren’t adept at the brainstorming process. Below, you’ll find a full month’s worth of content ideas for your blog.

You can use them all and then turn around and go back through the list again and again, month after month, tweaking the idea for a new slant that will attract readers and prove your worth as a leader.

Day 1: Blog About Your Readers’ Most Pressing Pain Point

Nothing has as much of a pull on your readers as when you get in touch with their emotional side. For most niche topics, whether it’s anti-aging, weight loss, survival, or even Internet marketing, there will be a pain point that your target audience experiences on a regular basis.

When people land on your blog and are able to recognize that you have a finger on the pulse of the niche in terms of what they are feeling and going through, it immediately helps them form a bond with you and trust that you will have their best interests at heart.

Think about your target audience and the emotions they feel whenever they are engaged in your niche topic. For example, in the survival niche it may be fear of what may happen.

In the weight loss niche, it may be shame at repeatedly failing to achieve their goals. People who are interested in anti-aging may feel sadness at how fast time is flying by. And with Internet marketing, your audience may feel intimidated or desperate.

You want to start off blogging about the emotional impact they experience so that they have proof that you can sympathize or empathize with them rather than merely regurgitate facts they could find on their own.

Day 2: Blog About Your Mission and Goals for Readers

On the second day of blogging, you want to give your readers some insight about how you personally want to help them. You may be able to weave a bit of your own back story into this blog post to show why you have a passion for this niche.

It doesn’t have to be something you have personally experienced. You may simply have spotted a need for someone to step up and serve the audience, but explain how you plan to help them and what goals you want them to achieve by following you.

Day 3: Blog About a Common Struggle or Obstacle They Face

In every niche, when people are seeking information and advice from a leader, it means they have a struggle or obstacle that they are dealing with and can’t figure out on their own.

Start by brainstorming some common sense obstacles people may have period for example, it may be time or money, confusion or bad habits. If you are unsure of additional obstacles or struggles, visit some of the forums in your niche because that is where many consumers go to vent, voiced their frustration, and find camaraderie and support.

Day 4: Blog About a Product That Serves as a Solution to a Problem

Today, you will be blogging about a product that you feel many of your followers may need to help them succeed with their goals. This may be a digital info product, such as a course or tool.

It may also be a tangible product that is sent to their home to help them with a problem. When you create this type of blog post, you want to start by presenting the problem in a way that makes them shake their head in agreement that you understand what they are dealing with.

You might even go over some of the previous solutions they have tried that have failed, and then explain why you think this particular product will finally be the answer they’ve been searching for.

Writing product reviews on your blog needs to be more than just copying and pasting the details of the product and publishing it. You need to go over the features, but you also need to explain what it is about this product that sets it apart from others in terms of solving a problem.

It’s okay to highlight some of the negative aspects of the product, as long as you give them insight in how to deal with it. Virtually no product is perfect as is, and consumers can see through the smoke and mirrors if you try to say that every product you review has no flaws.

Day 5: Blog About Fears That Arise in Your Niche

On this day, you want to tap into the fears that your niche audience feels regarding their niche obstacles. Of course, some niches, such as knitting, may not have fears involved with them.

But for most online niche topics, such as raising a pet, self-publishing, diabetes, and more, there will be a certain level of worry associated with it. Some may have minor fears, such as a fear of others ridiculing them.

But others may be more extreme fears, such as a diabetic who is afraid of not getting their disease under control and potentially having to have a limb amputated – or worse, death.

You want to address the fears that they feel in this blog post, let them know that they are not alone, and then empower them to move forward and make changes in their lives that will prevent their worst case scenario from materializing.

Day 6: Blog About Additional Worthy Resources

Today’s blog post will be one where you highlight other resources that you feel your readers should know about. Some niche marketers fail to share any information about anyone else other than themselves.

They worry that the competition will somehow siphon their reader and they will be left without an audience. Only a selfless leader, who is truly concerned with the well-being of their audience, will not hesitate to provide their readers with information they may need to know.

If you are too scared to let your audience know about other resources, including other blogs that could help them, then you may need to reevaluate your own efforts. The only reason you should be scared of your audience abandoning you is if your own blogs lack value compared to that of your competitors.

The remedy to this, of course, would be to make sure that you are always serving your audience well. The resources you share in this blog post may be tools that can help them, articles they need to read, a list of colleagues you feel are worthy of their attention, and more.

Day 7: Blog About Their Possible “Why”

Many of your readers need for you to guide them in getting to the root of why they are pursuing their goals. Knowing their why is not enough. Teaching them how to use it as the fuel they need to achieve milestones in their journey is what will ultimately be empowering for them.

Many of your readers will not yet have identified their why, and may not know how to find it. You can help them get in touch with the core reason why they are searching for information on your topic.

It may be an internal desire to succeed, it may be for the love of their family, it may be financial or superficial – and that’s okay, too. Your job is not to judge their reason, but to help them find it and teach them how to use it whenever their momentum or willpower fails.

Day 8: Blog About How to Do Something

On this day, you want to provide a how to tutorial for your audience on your blog. There are many niche bloggers who do nothing but highlight the motivational or mindset aspects of a topic.

You want to be one of the leading bloggers who actually gives your readers action steps they can follow through on to achieve a task that you have presented to them. For example, many gurus often teach people that they need to network for success.

But they don’t tell them how. This is such a broad concept, and it could mean anything from giving a 30 second brand pitch or spiel in an elevator to an entire joint venture partnership with an already successful marketer.

In some niches, the leaders will simply tell them what to do, such as stop eating sugar, and the reader is left wondering how to do this, when they are experiencing and addiction to the substance.

Start your blog by examining the problem you want to talk about, discussing the struggle in carrying out the task, and then presenting the how to instructions or advice that should work for them.

Day 9: Blog About Something They Should Avoid

Your target audience doesn’t always need to know what they should do or pursue. Sometimes, they need to know what to steer clear of. This is just as important as giving them the information that will arm them to make better decisions in what they take action on.

For example, in the Internet marketing niche, it is common for vendors to create a level of scarcity for their product launch. So many marketers might simply advise their readers to use a scarcity approach, whether it’s based on price bumps, limited number of copies available, or a date where the launch will end.

Instead of merely telling your readers what to do, go one step further and advise them of where they could go wrong. In this case, lying about the scarcity or failing to shut down a launch once the promised action has occurred, could ruin their reputation with both customers and affiliates alike.

Day 10: Blog About a Negative Audience Slant to Make People Pick Sides

In many niches, there are two sides to every story. For example, in online marketing you have those who hate funnels and those who say you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t use them.

For today’s blog, use a negative slant to force people to pick sides with whatever you believe. You might say, “Funnels Are a Desperate Vendor Trick to Increase Earnings” if you’re against them.

Or, you might say, “People Who Hate Funnels Are Amateurs in the World of Marketing.” Both of these slants take a negative approach in the title, but they force the reader to pick a side.

These types of blog posts will often create a buzz in your niche, but they will also generate engagement for you both on the blog post itself and on social media if you share a link to the post on your social profiles.

Be ready to stand your ground and back your opinion, but also be open to listening to others without shooting them down in a derogatory manner. You want to have an open and civil conversation with those who have opposing viewpoints.

Day 11: Blog About a Different Way to Do Something

Today, you want to blog about something a little different for your audience. Many times, consumers will go from site to site looking for new information, only to be met with the same, stale instructions.

Think of something in your niche that you can teach people to do slightly different. You may have a different order that you do things and, different products or strategies that you use to achieve results, or a different length of time or amount that you choose to do things.

For example, if you are teaching online marketing to an audience that routinely hears about the importance of technical SEO, you might teach them to put this strategy on the backburner and instead focus on the needs of their audience with content that will attract a following.

Day 12: Blog About a Product’s Problem and Present an Alternative

This is the day when you can find a flaw in a product and discuss it on your blog. The goal here is not to bash someone’s course or tangible product, but instead address the complaints of consumers to show that you understand and agree with their concerns.

Once you have identified the product’s problem area, you will want to follow it up with the presentation of an alternative product that will provide them with the solution they need.

If you do nothing but bash a product, without giving your audience the name of a product that doesn’t have that flaw, it will come off as a sometimes jealous or petty rift between competitors.

Day 13: Blog About a Time-Related Topic

Try to come up with a blog post today that is related to some sort of time issue. For example, you might have a topic such as how to lose 2 pounds per week without fail or how to launch a product in 30 days.

You can motivate them to achieve a certain time goal, like how to make five figures a month working 4 hours a day. Time management is one of the most pressing issues for individuals, regardless of what niche you’re in.

In the survival niche, they may need to know how to survive in the wilderness for 72 hours with a bug out bag. A busy mom or dad may need to know how to cook healthy meals in 30 minutes or less, and so on.

Day 14: Blog About a Tie In Niche Topic

Today, you are going to blog about another niche, not your own. The key is, you want the niche to tie in nicely with your own, so you have to find a way to connect the two. This is a good way to double your readership on this particular blog post.

It often brings in a new audience who is looking for the other niche topic. you may be able to easily think of niches that pair well with yours. For example, when you think about a survival situation, you may instantly picture a common character in a dystopian movie.

They are usually fit and capable of surviving in the worst case scenario. Fitness is a topic that will pair well with survival, as well health, woodworking, gardening, and certain methods of cooking such as canning.

Some niches go together like peanut butter and chocolate, such as diet and exercise. If you are in the weight loss niche, you may be able to identify other niche topics that contribute to weight gain, such as stress or a lack of sleep.

Find a way to focus niche topic as the primary slant of your blog, but tie it into your niche topic so that everyone understands the relevancy. This can give you increased affiliate income opportunities and will also help you build your list.

Day 15: Blog About a Response to Someone Else’s Content

Today, you need to go out and find someone else is content that you can create a response to. This may be a competitor’s blog post, a video that you found on YouTube, a social media post, or even an article online or in a magazine.

If you are responding to someone else’s video content, then you may want to create a video response that you embed into your blog. You can also create a text based transcript of your reply to go with it.

These are common on certain social media apps and sites. For example, on TikTok, people who make videos will enable the ability for people to duet or stitch their content, creating a response to the original.

Make sure, when you create a response blog post, where you are either agreeing or disagreeing with the original content creator, that you share a link and credit the original piece so that your readers can see what you are responding to.

Day 16: Blog About a Step-By-Step Process

In today’s blog post, you aren’t just going to create a how to post. you are going to go one step further and give your audience a complete, step-by-step tutorial of how to do something.

This may be something like installing WordPress, applying a skin care routine at the end of the day, meal prepping for a week, packing a bug out bag, or something else relevant to your niche.

You never want to assume that your readers know a step. It will help if you go through the process yourself and document every step along the way so that you can convey it to your readers without forgetting anything or assuming they will know to do something.

If possible, include a series of screenshots or photos that show a progression of the steps in the order that they should take place. This will help your audience gain a better understanding of how to carry out a task than if they had to go find the information on their own.

Day 17: Blog About Common Questions in Your Niche

In today’s blog, you are going to create a Q&A for your audience about the most common questions you get or have read from readers. First, start by making a list of a dozen or so questions.

Begin with common sense questions that you can think of, and if you need help finding more, head to the forums where your target audience posts, and see what they are asking others about.

You can also use keyword tools to find out what your readers are typing into Google and other search engines to seek answers for. Once you have your list of questions, start writing your blog post, beginning with stating the question and then giving your reply, along with the reason why you are delivering this response.

Oftentimes, readers go from site to site looking for patterns in their answers to see which one most people agree on. If they have confirmation from you about why something is the right answer, it will solidify their ability to accept your advice.

Day 18: Blog About a Topic Using Multiple Media Formats

This is the day when you will tap into your content creation skills and create a blog post that not only uses text, but also images, video, and even audio. You can create a multitude of segments for your content in one blog post so that readers get to see a showcase of your personality and skills.

For example, you may start by making a short introductory audio file that is posted at the very beginning of your blog post, telling visitors about what they are about to experience or learn from you.

Next, you can embed a video where you are teaching something over the shoulder using screen capture or giving advice on camera if you feel comfortable doing that. Below the video, you can add additional text with new information, or simply transcribe the video and listed below.

To break up the text, you need to include some images. These can be stock photos that you own, personal images that you have taken and uploaded, or images that you create using a tool such as Canva.

Day 19: Blog About a Topic That You Curate from Multiple Sources

Today, you want to blog about a topic of your choice using the strategy of curation. When you think of curation, picture the person who works at a museum who contacts multiple sources to curate an exhibit that comes together about one topic.

You will be doing the same with your niche topic. For example, if you have a blog about diabetes diets, you might curate information and advice from a myriad of experts as well as multiple forms of media to showcase the variety of ideas and insight being shared.

When you curate content, you are not stealing someone else’s entire work, but merely sharing a snippet, which you then add your own commentary to, along with a link back to the original author’s work.

Day 20: Blog About a Competitor or Expert Using an Interview

Twenty days in, you will be blogging about someone else whose advice and expertise you admire using an interview strategy for your blog. This can be a direct competitor in online marketing within your niche.

It can also be a leading expert that you have contacted for an interview that will be posted on your blog. Depending on the other person’s preferences, you may be able to record the interview using a split screen approach on video, which you then embed into your blog and transcribe.

But not everyone is comfortable being on camera. Therefore, you may be able to get them to agree to a podcast interview or to simply allow you to send them a list of questions, and have them email you back their answers, which will be published on the blog.

What’s great about interviewing others for your blog is they will often notify their own audience when the post goes live because it boosts their own brand and reputation to be interviewed as an expert in their niche.

That means you will now have the opportunity to put their audience on your list if you have and opt in form located strategically on your blog. Don’t worry about giving someone else the stage on your blog – it actually lends credibility to your own leadership to be competent enough and savvy enough to secure interviews with others in an effort to help your own audience.

Day 21: Blog About a Mindset Issue

In many niches, mindset is an issue that is often overlooked. For example, when it comes to the survival niche, many bloggers focus on the supplies that need to be hoarded or the strategies that need to be learned prior to a catastrophic event.

But think of the mental implications of a family going through a major survival situation. This is something that needs to be addressed on your blog, whether you are in the survival niche, discussing eldercare and the burden people face with that, or trying to fortify someone’s mental state to help them through their obstacles with building a business.

When you are creating this blog post, start by identifying the common state of mind for people in this niche. Then, explain to them how their mindset should or could be if certain changes were made, why it’s important – and then show them how to achieve it.

Day 22: Blog About a Physical Issue

Today, you will be blogging about a physical issue, which is something that is prevalent in many different niches. In the weight loss niche, this is an obvious topic that you can address, but it’s also something you can discuss even in a niche like knitting.

For example, people who are engaged in certain arts and crafts such as knitting often have sore hands or need relief when their hands begin to tire out. If you are in the sleep or stress niche, there are all kinds of physical issues you can discuss there, such as tension in their neck.

Even if you are in the online marketing niche, you can discuss the dangers of individuals being too sedentary in this career, and how they can block out 5 to 10 minutes every hour to stand up, stretch, and move their body.

Day 23: Blog About a List

People love blogs that have lists. This is one of the easiest things you can blog about. Your list can be any number, such as the 7 Best Tools for Search Engine Optimization or 21 Ways to Stress Less in an Instant.

You can cover the best or worst things in your niche, and you can find many examples of this on the covers of magazines and online news sites, which have an affinity for numbered lists for niche topics.

Day 24: Blog About a Way Your Niche Has Changed and What’s in Store for the Future

One fun way to engage with your audience is to discuss the various ways your niche has changed over time. For example, there are many funny and alarming things you can discuss about how the diet industry has evolved such as ads from the 1950s, when cigarettes were recommended as a way to stave off hunger.

you can talk about the products people used to use, the strategies, or even the mindset that they had about your niche topic in days past. You also want to discuss where things are at this moment in your niche, and then give your own personal insight into where you see the niche going in the coming years.

Day 25: Blog About Two Things in Comparison

In today’s blog, you want to pit two things against one another in a compare and contrast post. These two items can be products or strategies or even ideas. The key is to approach each one in an unbiased manner where you can analyze the pros and cons of both.

For example, you may pit paid ads against organic traffic if you are in the Internet marketing niche. If you’re in the survival niche, you may pit MREs against the survival food buckets that last 25 years.

Day 26: Blog About a Book in Your Niche

Your goal today is to find a book about your niche topic, whether it’s a broad one or a narrow one and create a post discussing the book and what you thought about it. You want to include an image of the book, a hyperlink to it, and the name of the author who created it.

There are many times when consumers will be searching for information or reviews about a book and they will stumble upon your blog post. These people are already showing interest in the niche topic, so they will often dive into your blog and get on your list.

Day 27: Blog About a Myth or Misconception in Your Niche

One thing people love is to read blog post where a certain myth or misconception is cleared up or addressed. There are many rumors floating around in just about every niche, whether it’s an old wives’ tale or sheer gossip.

You want to lay out the details of the myth or misconception, discuss where it originated and why people are interested in it, and then convey your own personal thoughts about the truth on this matter and why you’ve come to that conclusion.

Day 28: Blog About a Warning for Your Niche

Everything doesn’t always have to be warm and fuzzy for your target audience. Sometimes, you need to present them with a warning that they can heed to ward off a bad result.

This can stem from bad advice you heard being given, things you see people doing erroneously, or even mistakes you yourself have made in the past. It can be a warning about a product or a strategy, or whatever comes to mind that you want to keep people from doing mistakenly.

For example, if you’re in the dog niche, you might have a warning about not using shock collars on your pet. Or you might warn cat owners not to have their animal declawed. Make sure you tell them what they can do instead of whatever it is you’re advising them against.

Day 29: Blog About a Keyword Phrase You Find Interesting

Keyword tools have a wealth of information in them. It’s one of the easiest ways for you to find topics to blog about. You don’t have to use a paid keyword tool, either. You can even go to Google and begin typing in a phrase to see the top 10 results.

For example, if you go to Google and type in the best way to lose weight, you will see that people are searching for ways to lose weight fast, for men or women, for people over 50, for people with PCOS, without exercise, and so on.

When you start conducting keyword research, you may find ideas that you hadn’t yet thought of for your blog, such as the entry about PCOS. When you see an idea that you like, drill down and see what else people are asking about that specific topic.

For example, if you type in best way to lose weight with PCOS, you see that people also want to know about this strategy if they have insulin resistance, hypothyroidism, want to treat it with supplements, or want to lose it fast.

Day 30: Blog About Something in the News for Your Niche

Using the news is one of the fastest and easiest ways you can find blog content. It also helps you stay at the forefront of your niche as a cutting edge leader who has his or her finger on the pulse of the marketplace.

It’s easy to find news stories for your niche. You always want to have your eyes and ears open for stories, but you can also go to Google, type in your niche topic, and click the News tab.

Here, you will find the most recent news stories about your niche topic. For example, if you enter the words anti-aging, you will see an article from KHOU that says, “Sunlight actually has anti-aging effects on the skin.”

This is a wonderful example of a controversial topic for your blog because it goes against everything people have been taught about sun and its effects on the aging process when it comes to our skin.

If you go to the page and watch the video, you will see that a product owner is being interviewed but a news reporter. Not only could you write a blog post about this topic, but you could also reach out to that product owner and ask for an interview for your own blog.

They may even send you a box of products for you to review, at which time you could sign up as an affiliate to promote them and monetize your blog post based on a simple news story that you were able to find in mere seconds.

When you get to the end of these thirty days of blog post ideas, go back through and recycle them using new ideas – new keyword phrases, new news stories, new interviews of other experts and so on. There will never be a day when you feel stumped for content ideas if you turn to these as a guideline for what you can discuss in your next blog.

10 Ways to Fortify Your Home for Survival

10 Ways to Fortify Your Home for Survival

Even when insurance covers the financial loss, victims of natural disasters or home invasions often report that mental angst is the longest-standing scar that heals very slowly. The most enlightened among us, may contend that a house and the possessions inside are just things – made of bricks, wood, steel, and glass – that can be replaced.  

Although such a statement may be true, our home represents our safety, security, and even our identity. The loss, damage, or threat to your home can be devastating and taking steps to reduce the probability of such an occurrence is wise.  

In survival events, whether it’s major civil unrest or a weather situation, you need to have peace of mind that your house is secure from a threat. That means you take precautions to fortify your entryways and implement extra security measures a typical homeowner may not have.

Whether it serves as a simple deterrent to keep people or natural harm from happening, or it ends up preventing a devastating situation by blocking access or harm to your home and family, these are steps that can’t be taken soon enough.

Get Doors That Can’t Be Compromised


Keeping unwanted guests out of your home starts at the most obvious entrance points – the doors.  The most relevant criterion to consider is strength. You want a door that someone with ill intentions cannot kick down easily.

When selecting a door, the most common materials are steel, wood, and fiberglass. Of the three, steel offers the most secure option. In addition to be unchanged by temperatures and therefore, free from cracking and warping, a steel door requires no reinforcement.  

A steel door is nearly impossible to break down, regardless of the force used. They may dent with extreme force, but they won’t cave. Fiberglass is the second most secure option and is selected when security and strength are a priority, but the budget can’t handle a steel option.

Wood is the most common door type and often selected for its aesthetics.  However, wood can warp and crack in extreme temperatures and requires metal reinforcement to optimize the security of the door.  

Wood is the least effective in terms of strength and security. It can easily be hacked into, burned or kicked in, so if you go this route, make sure you choose the best wood available for longevity and sturdiness.

Make Sure Your Windows Are Secure


Aside from doors, windows are the next penetration into your home that need to be considered when discussing the fortification of your house. There are several elements of your windows that need to be analyzed.  

There are several shatterproof options on the marketplace. It’s important to first understand that shatterproof does not mean unbreakable. The term shatterproof is descriptive of the manner in which the glass breaks, not that it doesn’t break.

Specifically, shatterproof glass is typically composed of a thin piece of transparent film that is placed between two pieces of glass. This prevents glass shards from shattering inwards by holding them in place even after they have broken.  

This makes “shatterproof” glass a great protection against weather and moderately effective against intruders. A persistent intruder will be slowed down by shatterproof glass, but not thwarted.  

A stronger alternative to shatterproof glass is polycarbonate panels. Polycarbonate panels are made from a combination of acrylics, polycarbonate, and plastics. The resulting product is visually indistinguishable from glass, but much more flexible and of higher strength.

Unlike shatterproof glass, these windows are designed to be nearly unbreakable.  They have been designed to be impervious to very high forces up to and include bombs and firearms.  They are nearly impenetrable.  

Put Extra Security Measures on Entryways


In addition to selecting the appropriate doors and windows, inventory all of the penetrations in your home. This will include all doors, windows, garage entries, and even pet doors. For each penetration point, you must decide if you are interested in fortifying these openings above and beyond the strength of the penetration and its locking mechanism.  

When evaluating the strength of your doors, in addition to the material of the door itself, consider the following extra security measures:

* A deadbolt lock can be purchased and installed for between $50 – $300. Deadbolt locks add physical strength to the door, in addition to providing a psychological deterrent to a would-be intruder.

* A strike plate attaches to the door jam and works in tandem with a deadbolt lock to resist door kick-ins by providing an anchor point for the deadbolt lock. Avoid reinforced plastic strike plates and opt for a metal one instead. Use screws that are at least 3” in length.

* Installing a smart lock is wise, too. Of the 1.1 million reported home break-ins in 2019, one-third of them were classified as break-ins of opportunity.  This means that one-third of home invasions occurred with unlocked doors. While smart locks may not provide additional strength, it does provide homeowners with reminders and alerts for unlocked doors.

Never rely solely on smart technology to protect your home. You never know if these can be compromised (hacked into) or if you’ll be protected if the grid goes down for a significant amount of time.

Install Security Cameras Inside and Outside of Your Home


Security cameras provide no physical barrier to a home intruder. However, they do provide the homeowner security benefits as a deterrent and a recovery tool. Your security cameras should be very visible.  

There is no sense in hiding them because the number one benefit of security cameras is the deterrent that they provide. A would-be intruder is likely to simply move along to the next house without a security camera.  

Additionally, without a security camera, the chances of catching a home intruder once they make their getaway is near zero. Having a security camera increases your chances that the police will catch the thieves.  

Some home insurance providers will reward you with a lower rate on your premium if you have indoor or outdoor security cameras installed.  You should consider some important things before installing cameras.

The price can be expensive for a deterrent.  Although prices vary, if you are hoping to provide full-coverage of your property with a high-quality system, you will be investing several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Some homeowners on a budget purchase fake cameras to place strategically outside to act as a deterrent. While this won’t provide you with any evidence, it could keep someone from invading your property.

The video quality will significantly impact price and storage size of the video stream. If you desire to have a system with quality that can enable you to identify license plates and facial features, it’s recommended that you invest an ultra-high definition system of at least 2K or 4K.  

A standard high definition system will suffice for general surveillance, but will fall short of providing details that will assist with recovery, especially at night. You may want to get cameras with night vision capabilities for a clear, crisp video.

Consider connecting your camera system to a security system for maximum benefit.  Because of storage and power concerns, it’s unlikely that you will have a camera system that is recording constantly.  

Some can be set for certain times to begin recording, or motion activated. If you connect your camera system to your security system, the cameras can be programmed to turn on in response to a forced entry through a door or window, noise, or motion.

Have Motion-Activated Lights for Your Property


Motion-activated lights will neither physically prevent a home break-in nor will they aid in gathering evidence for the authorities in the event of a theft. However, motion-activated lights can be a nice add-on for your other home security measures.  

For example, motion-activated lights can spook a would-be home invader and have them fleeing your property when activated. If you have a camera system, the motion-activated lights will significantly improve the quality of your video feed by providing light.

Motion-activated lights can serve to provide you with peace of mind. You can be relatively sure that the noise you thought you heard in the backyard was just the wind, if the noise is not accompanied by the lights activating.  

Build a Safe Room in Your Home


This is a security-measure for those who truly want the maximum amount of protection for themselves and their family. Your exposure to the idea of a safe room might be limited to movies.  

In fact, there is a 2002 movie called “Panic Room” starring Jodie Foster where the entire plot centers around Jodie Foster’s character using a safe room in response to a home invasion.  

Although the concept of a safe room makes an interesting dynamic for Hollywood, they also provide an option for those who are most concerned about their safety. If you aren’t familiar with concept of a safe room, it’s room in your house that you can escape to in the event of a home intrusion.  

Safe room are locked from the inside and are heavily fortified to prevent entrance from the outside of the room. Safe rooms can be equipped with phone lines, surveillance monitors for your camera or security system, and provisions such as food and water.  

Safe rooms can also be used as a place to safely hide in the event of a natural disaster such a hurricane or tornado.  Safe rooms will typically have no windows and be made of thick steel walls, making them a safe place to hunker down until the threat passes.

Plant Landscaping That Deters Intruders


Before the technology of security cameras and security systems, homeowners routinely used trees and plants to keep intruders away. Today, homeowners still use hedges to increase privacy, but it’s uncommon to use plants as a barrier to a home break-in.  

However, just because it isn’t used often, doesn’t mean that they aren’t effective. Most cat burglars are lazy. They’re looking for the biggest takeaway with the least amount of work.  

A strategically placed plant – such as a cactus – can create way more work and discomfort than the typical home intruder is likely to tolerate. Here some plant types to consider: Bougainvillea, Mediterranean Fan Palms, Rose Bushes, Cacti, Agaves and Yucca.  

All of these plants have prickly thorns that, when strategically placed near windows can make a burglar’s prospective break-in inconvenient and painful. You don’t want to use thornless hedges because then it gives intruders a place to hide.

Secure the Perimeter with a Fence


Establishing a perimeter around your property may be a necessity, depending upon your location, your property size, and your comfort level. If you’re contemplating installing a fence, here are some items to consider:

Although it may be tempting to install a tall wooden fence for privacy and security, the significant downside to a wooden fence is that it allows burglars a place to hide – on the side facing away from your home.  

The ideal security fence gives burglars nowhere to hide. Therefore, if they choose to climb the fence, they will have to do it in plain sight of you and your camera system and put themselves at risk.

In addition to material considerations, there are design variables that should be considered to make your fence more secure. Examples include:

* If you use a chain link fence, the space within the cutouts should be not more than 1 ¾”.  This specification will make climbing very difficult.

* If you choose to you use a wooden fence, select a design with pickets that have a point or spear at the top.  

* Your security fence should be at least 54 inches in height with a recommended height of 8 feet (96 inches). However, be sure to check your local ordinances and home owners’ association for additional guidelines.

* Avoid designs that include horizontal rails, if possible.  Horizontal rails can be used by an intruder to scale the fence.

Be a good neighbor. Although there is an expression that “good fences make good neighbors,” you will want to make sure you have an open and honest discussion with your neighbor about your intentions to build a fence.  

Even if you are not required to get their permission, a pre-construction conversation will go a long way to building a good rapport with your neighbor – and you may need them in the event of a survival situation.

Having a neighbor on your side can pay dividends when it comes to the security of your home, above and beyond that of a fence. Some may be willing to split the cost with you for the fence portion running between your two properties, too.
 

Keep Prying Eyes at Bay


There are multiple solutions for increasing your privacy (and security) as it relates to the transparency of glass panes on your windows and doors. The most common methodologies are window coverings, frost, and film.

Curtains, blinds, or shades are the most common and often, most cost effective, solution to keeping prying eyes at bay. In addition to the fact there are endless design options, installation costs are minimal, and you can change the design seasonally.

You can also open and close them to match your privacy and security needs at the moment. This is probably the greatest advantage to this solution and the most affordable for those securing their home on a budget.

Frosting the glass is the most permanent solution listed. Unfortunately, unlike curtains, you are stuck with the consequences of the increased privacy for good and bad. On the plus side, you don’t need to remember to draw your curtains to get your privacy.  

Additionally, frosted glass allows natural light into your home while still providing privacy. On the negative side, your view outside of your window is permanently and significantly distorted.

Plus, the person can see a slight outline of someone on the inside, so while it doesn’t let them see details, it does let them know whether the home is empty. Still, it’s a good choice for front doors and bathroom windows if you don’t have other coverings.
 
Apply a privacy film to your windows. The security impact of privacy film is very similar to frosted glass. However, it tends to be less expensive and DIY options exist as well. Further, privacy films with decorative designs are available to enhance their aesthetic appeal.  

Unlike frosting, if you change your mind, it’s much easier to remove a privacy film than frosted glass. They have film that provides minimal security and others that are darker and provide more.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Simple Sign


The number one goal of any and all security measures is prevention. The number one cause of prevention is deterrence. In all but the most unlikely circumstances, an intruder is not targeting your home – they are targeting a home.

Their selection criteria may vary depending upon their objectives, but if they can avoid complications by moving on to a less secure house, they will. Therefore, sometimes a “Beware of Dog” sign is just as effective as an actual dog.  

In fact, it has been rumored, although not substantiated by research, that the threat of a dog is the most effective deterrent to a thief. Related to the “Beware of Dog” sign are the security signs that accompany security and camera systems.

The signs are typically in the form of “This property is surveilled and protected by Company X.”  Again, that sign may be just as effective as a deterrent as the actual system itself.

However, there is one sign that may be intended to serve as a deterrent which might actually have the reverse effect. Specifically, signs related to guns such as “NRA member” or “Homeowner is armed and dangerous,” may actually provide burglars with an incentive to select your home because guns can be valuable on the black market.  

Therefore, as long as the burglar can confirm that you are not home, he may actually prefer to target your home in the hopes of stealing your gun collection. Be careful about what you put on display.

Bonus Tip: Minimize the Possibility of an Inside Job


As mentioned earlier, there are approximately one million home invasions each year. It’s estimated that a staggeringly high percentage, upwards of 65 percent, of these home invasions are performed by someone that the homeowner knows.  

Therefore, it’s prudent to be aware of some actions that you can take to avoid an inside job – which is especially possible in the event of a survival situation where you or others in your family have bragged about the supplies you’ve accumulated.

You can prevent people from being tempted in several ways. After purchasing or renting a home, have all of the locks replaced because you have no knowledge of how many copies of the keys are out in the world.

Be very careful about inviting contractors into your home to provide a cost estimate of work to be done. Of course, there are times when you will choose to do so, which is why having positive references or a connection with the contractor can be wise instead of calling the first company that pops up on a Google search.

If you have to share the location of your hidden key with someone outside of the immediate family such as a babysitter, dog walker, or a contractor, move the location of that hidden key after it has been used.

Home security is no laughing matter – especially when you’re talking about an extreme SHTF situation. As any victim of a home intrusion can tell you, that emotional violation, above and beyond financial loss, can have long lasting negative psychological effects.  

A little bit of preparation can go a long way in minimizing the probability of you having to attest to this consequence first-hand. You want to protect your family, your belongings and your survival supplies and fortifying your home is the first step in ensuring their safety from those who want to take what you have for their own use.

A Marketer’s Guide to Simplifying Your Success

Online entrepreneurs want to build a successful business and grow their brand in the fastest time possible. There are many parts necessary to achieve this, but the most important is cutting through the noise and knowing what to focus on to make that happen.

Whether you’re a newcomer to online marketing or a seasoned entrepreneur, there will be times when you suddenly realize you have too many plates spinning in the air at once.

You’re overwhelmed by all of your responsibilities, endless tasks, a number of projects and countless ideas, making it hard for you to figure out what you should focus your attention on in that moment.

Once you learn how to prioritize and simplify your business dealings, you’ll not only see your success grow, but your personal satisfaction with this career will soar. Whittling down your task list and fine tuning your focus will free you up to serve your audience in the best way possible.

Be the Source of Endless Value Your Customers Are Seeking

If you don’t offer value, then you have nothing to offer. Why would an audience want to give you their time or their money if they’re not receiving something beneficial to them in return?

When you have something to give that people need or want, including insight and expertise, they’re going to seek you out. But some marketers don’t grasp what value means, and instead of learning to serve their customers, they waste time churning out products that get ignored in the marketplace.

To a customer, value means there’s a benefit that’s worth them giving up what’s important to them – their time or money. There are many choices for consumers today in the same niche that you’re in.

That’s why you want to be sure that your offer creates endless value. It’s a no-brainer because it’s just too good to pass up. You may not know how to create endless value. It’s a lot easier than you think.

You need to focus on going above and beyond when you’re creating your products or developing your services. If you create info products, this might be something like including bonuses you didn’t mention on the sales page.

The customer gets what he ordered and discovers that he also got these additional benefits from other items that you included. He’s delighted. He got his value and then some because you went the extra mile.

He’s going to remember that in the future and when he has a similar need, your brand is going to be the one he thinks of. Your business can be a source of value by answering customer support emails.

Some marketers ignore this. They take the money from the customer from the sale and as far as they’re concerned, the transaction is done and the deal is closed. But when a customer reaches out to you, whether it’s for a negative or positive reason, they’re opening the door for a connection.

Many irritated or unhappy people have been turned into loyal customers simply because a marketer took the time to respond. You can create value when you provide helpful tips if you’re promoting someone else’s product.

For example, when you’re promoting something as an affiliate, take the time to include a helpful tip or two on the topic. It could be that you’re promoting a business course and you know some things that could also help when they’re using that course.

Tell them about that and then encourage them to click a link you have on the topic in order to get more helpful advice. Even if the person doesn’t buy that particular product, they’re going to stay on your list because you provided value.

Communicate with Your Audience Regularly

When you’re first building an online business (and even if you have an established one), you must have an audience – your subscribers and customers. The right type of communication allows you to retain them.

Communication simplified just means that you’re engaging with the people who are or may potentially be interested in your business. It’s important that the sites you choose to promote your business or offers are ones that your audience frequents.

There’s a usually difference between the places young adults and older ones spend time online. Knowing that difference lets you get your products in front of people who are more likely to buy.

You need to create a communication style that’s personal. People who are addressed by name are more likely to engage with your company than someone who’s called “dear customer.”

By engaging with your audience, you create trust, which goes beyond them seeing you as someone who’s just looking for a sale. Engaging with them builds a relationship. The stronger the relationship, the more long-term loyalty you’ll end up building.

That’s why you should communicate with your audience, but you need to know where you should communicate with them. Working online, you need an email autoresponder list.

Even if you have zero customers, you should still set one up. Out of all the communication opportunities, creating a list is the most important. Because instead of waiting to see if they contact you, you’ll be able to reach out to them.

They might also be more likely to buy from a link provided in an email than via social media. You also have an opportunity to introduce new or more products, learn what they respond to and get a better conversation rate.

Communicate through your blog posts. Give your audience something that benefits them. You can do this by giving them takeaways. Share guidance on how to help their lives or business.

Teach them what you know or what you’re learning. Offer a live tutorial to help customers with the product or services that you’re offering to them. Comment to them and respond to questions.

This allows the audience to feel like they’re getting to know you. Be active on the social media sites where your audience hangs out. Share things that are relevant, or helpful and give a sneak peek into your life.

Don’t constantly push products or sales. Whatever communication style you’re using, you need to create a schedule for this. If you show up randomly, then eventually your audience disappears.

Even if you only update once a month, you need to do so consistently so that your audience knows when to expect the content. If you need to, you can schedule in advance to keep up the consistency.

Always Look for Ways to Monetize Your Message

Your branding success and profits increase the more you get your message in front of an audience. While you certainly don’t want to come across as a pushy salesman, you do want to build your business, and there are subtle ways to do this.

To start, make sure you’re always looking for ways to monetize your message. It doesn’t matter where the customer is getting the message from—whether it’s through an email list, on your blog or on social media.

Whenever you monetize a message online, you’ll want to choose ones that you know are high value. Because the more value they give, the more important these offers become to the customer.

When they get one product that benefits them, they’ll be looking for more. There are some things you’re going to want to watch out for when you’re monetizing because it could backfire on you.

As you look for ways to monetize, don’t just choose any random product if you’re an affiliate. A bad product will cost you customers – even if the product isn’t yours. If you value profit over customers, then you’re more apt to pick products that don’t necessarily deliver on their promises.

If you do get involved with an affiliate program or you’re in a partnership with another marketer, it’s imperative that the products you choose are ones that will be useful to your audience.

You also want to make sure you’re promoting someone who’s ethical if you’re monetizing as part of a partnership. Never blindly recommend something. If you don’t know that person or you have no experience with that product, buy it yourself first and test it out.

When you post a blog, see if there are any recommendations you can make. If you make a video tutorial, add any links to the products you used or mention in the description.

Make sure that you add links to your own products, too. For example, if you have a welcome series, then have a link from the email linking to that product offer or to a blog post tutorial that mentions and links out to the product.

You can find ways to monetize your blog post with text and image links, your podcasts with verbal recommendations, your videos, your social media presence, and your email autoresponder list.

Be Immune to What the Competition Is Doing

It’s common for marketers to think about their competition, especially when they see a competitor in the same niche having a lot of success. With so much competition, you’re bound to run up against someone who’s working on the same idea that you are – or they have a product that’s a lot like yours.

While it’s common to think about the competition, there’s a difference between occasionally thinking about your competitors and dwelling on them to the point where it causes problems in your own productivity.

If you’re wondering what they’re doing more often than not – or you’re experiencing a heavy burden of envy, then you’re too focused on things outside of your own business growth.

You’ll know this is what you’re doing if you’ve ever had the thought that your competition is the reason why your customer base is low or if you’ve spent time thinking that they’re succeeding because they have more money to spend on ads, a bigger customer base, more employees and things like that.

Thought it can be difficult to fathom, your competition really isn’t the enemy of your brand. If there’s a business that’s thriving and they’re offering similar products or services in the same niche that you’re in, all it means is that the market is good for whatever it is you have to offer.

Don’t let your attention get diverted away from focusing on your projects so that you’re thinking rashly or taking action steps based on what some other business is doing. Not only can this cause you stress, but it can also cost you financially in the long run.

It starts to create some negative thinking. The next thing you know, you’re caught up in the comparison game and you end up stuck in that awful headspace. You start to feel that what you’re doing compared to what the competition is doing isn’t good enough.

Plus, there’s another downside to paying attention to what others are doing. Seeing what another business is working on can cause you to stop doing whatever it is that you’d planned to do.

You might get focused on the fact a similar product is already out there or it’s already been done, so there’s no need for you to create a similar one. You end up quitting before you even really got started.

What you may fail to realize is that someone may prefer to hear the message from you. You might explain it in a better way or simplify it and it clicks with that person, so they buy from you instead of your competitor.

Focus on Self Satisfaction Through Goal Completion

As you complete a goal, it brings self-satisfaction. You’ll be happy and accomplished about the things that you’ve achieved. Studies have shown that people who set and reach goals obtain more success than those who don’t.

When you complete milestones, they help contribute to your long term goals for your business. As you achieve each one, it can bring you closer to the strategy that you’ve planned as the outcome for your business and your future.

Completing goals give you a sense of mastery. You set out to do something and you did it. You’ll be able to see the results of your efforts. You’ll see a subscriber list that’s grown from zero to thousands – and a bank account that’s thriving.

Goals are rarely completed in just one move. Instead, they’re built of several smaller steps and each of these steps that you complete gives you a sense of self satisfaction. That helps you develop the confidence that you need as an entrepreneur.

Each time you finish a goal, you strengthen the mindset or belief in yourself that you’ve got this – that you can do what you set out to accomplish. You’ll want to focus on the improvement that you experience or the personal growth that you go through as a result of completing your goals.

You’re not the same person that you were when you first set out to do the task or project. You grew in terms of skills and knowledge – and you gained wisdom as you worked.

Part of that self satisfaction stems from the fact that overcoming obstacles and accomplishing the goals has allowed you to see that you can handle things that you never thought you would be able to.

As you complete the goals, it becomes a motivating factor that keeps you on track and keeps pushing you forward. Because you get a sense of satisfaction, it triggers the reward center of the brain and you can become addicted to setting and achieving your goals and finding success, which is a good thing.

When you decide to set your goals, start by knowing what your why is. That’s the reason that will help you keep going when you want to quit. Keep that before you so that you can focus on how you’ll feel once you do reach the end of that goal.

Reaching a business goal gives you a self-esteem boost and it also helps develop a can-do attitude. The more goals you set and complete, the more likely you are to set and reach bigger goals going forward.

When your mind is swirling at all of the various things happening in your business, take a step back and get a good overview of what’s important in your business. Taking care of your customers is going to further your success.

Learning how to communicate with them and be a strong presence will create loyalty to you. Learn how to monetize those messages and never leave money on the table simply because you’re so frazzled, you forget.

Keep your focus on what you’re doing – not your competitors, unless it’s simply to ensure you’re leading the pack. Work on your goals and have a plan to achieve them. With these simple success strategies, you will grow further and faster than if you tried to do too much, all at once.

30 Days of Bite-Sized Blog Set-Up Tasks

There are many individuals who have a desire to launch a blog, but the unknown territory and technical tasks of setting one up keeps them from pursuing it. Instead of overwhelming yourself by trying to do it all in one sitting, you can break the tasks up so that over the course of four weeks, you chip away at what needs to be done to completion.

This style of working on a project not only lets you remove the pressure, but it also helps you take your time in learning how to do things right. If you’re in too much of a rush, you’ll likely miss steps, do something wrong, or do it blindly without understanding the reasoning behind it.

This list of thirty days of instructions assumes you have already chosen a niche and bought a domain to connect to your hosting account. It picks up specifically at the blog installation point of the process and carries you through the maintenance of your WordPress blog over time.

Day 1: Install WordPress Using QuickInstall

Before you can set anything up on your blog, it first has to be installed on your domain. Open up your cPanel and scroll down to the Software section. Click on the QuickInstall button.

This takes you to QuickInstall, where you can create an account. You want to choose the free WordPress option – not the paid choices. Once you click it, it will ask for some domain information, including where you want the blog located (directly on the dot com domain or at a URL such as yourdomain.com/blog).

It will also ask you for your admin email, blog title, username, first and last names. Once you enter that information, click Install WordPress and seconds later, it will show a message at the top of your screen that says, “Your Install Is Complete – Click here to view your notifications.”

When you click the View Credentials drop down link, it will show you the URL where you’ll log into your new blog, your username and a password they give you. Make sure you copy this information down in a file on your computer so it doesn’t get lost.

Day 2: Log in and Get Familiar with Your Dashboard

Today you’ll spend a moment just logging in and seeing what your dashboard looks like. You don’t want to actually change anything – just get familiar with the dashboard navigation, which is where you’ll see notices right away, and a sidebar on the left.

When you first log in, you’ll see a notification that they’ve emailed you for verification and you’ll also see a note in orange that says Coming Soon Active. This means your site is only showing a “Coming Soon” page and you’ll want to click their link when you’re ready to go live.

Be aware that there is a lot of bloat on an initial WordPress install. Much of what you see, you won’t even be using. We’re going to cover the basics and then as time goes on, you can add features that you feel you need or prefer.

Day 3: Go Straight to the Updates

No matter what day it is, you want to always click on the Updates link in the left sidebar and take care of any updates that need to be handled. This is a security measure that will help keep your new blog safe.

When you click on it, you’ll see some of the bloat that was previously mentioned. You won’t need to set up analytics or audience insight. You don’t need to use OptinMonster or WPForms.

Just scroll down to where it tells you what needs to be updates. You’ll select the item, and click on the Update Plugins or Update Themes button. It will show you when it has successfully updated.

Day 4: Remove the Placeholder Post

In the left sidebar, click the Posts link. This will show you the placeholder post that says Hello world! Click the checkbox and send it to the trash. Some people go through the effort of redoing that post and turning it into something they want to use, but you can just start from scratch.

Day 5: Set Up Your Post Categories

Under the Post tab, you can click the Categories option. This opens up a page where you can set up the hierarchy of topics for your site. First, edit the one that says Uncategorized and turn it into one of your real ones and then add additional categories.

Make a list of the categories you want to have on your blog. For example, if you’re running a work at home blog, then you might have categories for product creation, list building, traffic and more.

You’ll take each idea, enter the name of the category, give it a slug (the URL version which is lowercase and may look like this: product-creation) and choose whether this is a Parent category, or a “child” category.

For example, once you enter your main categories, you’ll be able to create sub (child) categories. You might have a category such as Traffic as a parent category, and the child categories could be organic traffic, paid ads, social traffic, and more. You can also enter a description if you want to.

Day 6: Clean Up the Existing Pages

When you click on the Pages link in your sidebar, you’ll see three pages sitting there – a Privacy Policy in draft mode, a Sample Page, and a WPForms Preview that’s private. If you want to have a privacy policy page, which many affiliates do, you can edit this template to suit your needs.

But the other two pages can be deleted. Or, you can delete all three and start from scratch whenever you want to create your own privacy policy or terms of service pages for your blog.

Day 7: Pick a Theme for Your Blog

You can choose a free or paid theme to your liking. If you want a simple layout that has a righthand sidebar, a header at the top, and the blog posts on the left, you can click on Add Themes and type the words Twenty Ten into your search bar.

When the themes come up, hover over the one you want and you can preview what it will look like when it’s installed (keep in mind you’ll be uploading your own header). If you like what you see, click Install and then Activate.

Once you activate it, it will say “New theme activated” and give you the option of visiting the site to see how it looks.

Day 8: Customize Your Site Identity

When you go to the Appearance and Themes section, you can customize your theme in different ways. On the left sidebar after you choose to customize it, you’ll see site identity, which lets you change the Site Title and Tagline of your site.

Here, you can also upload a site icon, which is a 512 x 512 pixel image that people see in their browser tabs, in bookmarks and on mobile apps. These are also known as Favicons. People used to create the much smaller, but the theme requests 512 x 512 and it crops it and sizes it right for your representation.

After you make the changes you want to these elements, click Publish. The new elements will then be working live on your site. As you’ll notice, you have Colors as the next item in your site customization options, but it’s best to leave it as a white background, since various colorful backgrounds make the content harder to read.

Day 9: Customize Your Header Image

The themes will come with a built-in placeholder for a header. You don’t want to keep these. If you’re using the simple Twenty Ten theme, it will ask you to upload a header that is 940 x 198 pixels.

You can create your own header on a site like Canva or outsource it to a professional graphics designer on a site like Fiverr or Upwork. To upload it, just click Add New Image. You can crop the image and when you approve it, click Publish to make it go live.

Day 10: Customize Your Widgets

You can skip the background image and menus for now. Go to your Widgets section under the appearances section and click on Primary Widget Area. Here, you can reorder, delete or add any widgets that you want to use on your blog.

Click on the Meta block and click Remove. You should be left with a search box, recent comments (which shows engagement on your site), archives (so people can look back at past content), and categories if you want them to be able to navigate easier.

It will also show recent posts, once you have some content live on your site, but it won’t be there at this time. You can click the plus sign to add a widget, such as popular posts, a calendar, tag cloud and more.

For now, just add the custom HTML widget and drag it right below the search box. You’ll be using this later when it’s time for some list building task implementation. For now, it won’t show up as anything on your site. Remember to hit the Publish button before leaving.

Day 11: Delete the Bloated Plugins from Your Blog

When you log in today, click on Plugins in the left sidebar. Scroll down and look at all of the pre-installed plugins they’ve put on your site. You want to Deactivate some of them and delete them.

You can always add things back at a later date once you understand how they can help (or hurt) your site, what they do, and what you need. Start by deactivating and deleting WPForms Lite, OptinMonster, MOJO Marketplace, JetPack, Hello Dolly, and Google Analytics for WordPress by MonsterInsights.

If your theme has added other bloated plugins, get rid of them for now, except Akismet, which will help you filter a lot of the spam that invades your blog. You’ll see a big, blue button that says Set up your Akismet account.

If you already have an API key for an account, you can enter that – but otherwise, you’ll sign up for an account and enter your key at that time.

Day 12: Set Up a Contact Form on Your Blog

Go into your dashboard and click on Plugins. Click Add New at the top. Then search for Contact Form 7. There are many different plugins you can use, so if you prefer another one, go with that.

When you find Contact Form 7, click Install Now. Then click Activate. Next, click Settings. You will see some Shortcode that you want to copy. Then, click on the Pages link in the sidebar and choose Add New.

For the Title, enter the words Contact Me. Click the plus sign in the block area and choose Custom HTML. Paste the code there and then publish the page on the righthand sidebar.

If you go view your blog, you should see Contact Me as a page option under the header. Click the page and you should see fields for a name, email, subject and message.

Test the form out by sending a message. If you entered your admin email correctly during the installation of WordPress, you should get the message almost instantaneously.

Day 13: Add a Social Sharing Plugin

You want people to enjoy your blog posts so much that they feel inclined to share it with others. While many may copy and paste the URL into their social media accounts, why not make it easy by using social sharing buttons?

Today, go to the Plugins area and click Add New. In the search box, type the word Social and look at all of your social sharing options. You can click on one like Grow Social and install it, then activate it.

Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll want to then click on Settings for the plugin and set it up the way you want to. For this one, you can choose to have an inline button option or a floating sidebar.

Floating sidebars sometimes annoy visitors because it covers content they’re trying to read. So choose inline. Once you activate that option, you’ll click on the settings for it. Now, you can choose which social networks you’ll provide share buttons for.

It’s important to know where your audience will likely be sharing – such as Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. You’ll be able to determine how the buttons look – their shape and size, positioning above or below content, and you can add some text such as, “Share this blog!” Save the changes when you’re finished.

Day 14: Set Up the General Settings for Your Blog

Today, you’ll log into your dashboard and scroll to Settings. Click on the General option. Here, you’ll make some determinations about how your site presents itself. You can once again alter the site title and tagline.

If you need to change your admin email, you can do that here. You can choose what role new users are given, such as subscriber, contributor, author, etc. Leave it at the default.

You can change the language if you need to, pick a time zone, choose the date format and time format, pick which day of the week you want the week to begin, and set a cache level. Typically, most of these will just stay at their default – unless you have some sort of change you want to make. If you do alter anything, make sure you click Save Changes.

Day 15: Adjust Your Writing Settings

When you log in today, go to Settings and choose the Writing Settings. You’ll be able to select a default category for your posts (perfect for if you accidentally forget to categorize it).

You can set up posting via email if you want to. Most people just log right into their dashboard, so you can leave this as a default. For the Update Services, this is a great place to put multiple URLs for anywhere you want to ping whenever a new post goes live.

If you don’t know what to put here, just Google Ping List 2022 and you should find an updated list of ping sites to copy and paste into this section. This will help search bots find your posts and index them faster. Be sure to click Save Changes at the end!

Day 16: Customize Your Reading Settings

Under the settings tab, go to Reading settings. This is where you’ll choose what visitors see on your site. You can showcase your latest posts (recommended so they see fresh content) or a static page of your choosing (which can confuse some people with navigation).

Select how many blog posts you want shown on each page and in syndication – such as 10. Do you want the full text shown or just an excerpt in the feeds of people who have subscribed via RSS?

Make sure you see an UNchecked box where it says “Search Engine Visibility.” If it’s checked, it will discourage search engines from indexing your site. It should come unchecked, but you never know what theme creator will make the opposite the default. Click Save Changes at the end.

Day 17: Choose How You Want Discussions to Unfold

The discussion settings are up to you. But here’s what many people do. They uncheck everything except the following:

  • Allow people to submit comments on new posts.
  • Comment author must fill out name and email.
  • Enable threaded (nested) comments 5 levels deep.
  • Email me whenever anyone posts a comment.
  • A comment is held for moderation.
  • Comment must be manually approved.

These will help you maintain control over the comments and spam that gets through so that you can only approve viable comments on your blog posts. If you’re not familiar with common spam comments, take time to learn what those are.

When someone posts, “Great post! I can’t wait to read more!” it’s often a spammer who simply wants to create a backlink to their site using the name and URL space. You’ll notice their name is often a keyword phrase.

As you keep scrolling, you’ll see an Avatar section. You can choose to show avatars, choose the rating (G), and a default avatar for yourself. If you want to, you can go to Gravatar and upload a picture there and choose that as your default. Be sure to click Save Changes at the end!

Day 18: Make a Selection for Your Permalinks

You can skip the Media setting and head straight to the Permalink Settings. You’ll see lots of options for how the URL of each blog post will appear in the browser. Plain will give it a number. Others have date and time, month and name, numeric, etc.

You want to choose Post Name. This will include the title of your blog post (keywords and all) in the actual URL. So if you blog post is titled “best diet plans of 2022,” instead of a numeric URL that looks like yourdomain.com/blog/123, it will look like yourdomain.com/blog/best-diet-plans-of-2022.

This is not only better for search bots to understand what your content is about, but it helps the human visitor know what to expect before clicking on a link that someone shared to your site. Click Save Changes when you’re done.

Day 19: Install a WordPress Editorial Calendar

Go to Plugins today and Add New. You want to install and activate one called Editorial Calendar. This will be a great addition to help you manage the content on your blog. With a WordPress blog, you can write and schedule posts to go live ahead of time.

So using a calendar plugin, you’re able to see an overview of topics and drag and drop the posts if you feel they need to be rearranged to a different date and time. This is a great feature if you also have someone else contributing to the blog, such as a virtual assistant or freelance ghostwriter.

You’ll find the calendar under the Posts section. Each date has the words New Post when you hover on it, and when you click that, it allows you to put the title and content as well as the time and status of the post in it.

Day 20: Add an Affiliate Disclosure Notice

To comply with FTC (Federal Trade Commission) regulations, you need to add disclosure statement to your blog if you will be earning as an affiliate for sites like Amazon.

Go to the Appearances section and then Widgets. Amazon says you should add a statement such as, “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” to your blog and it must be displayed where customers are seeing your links.

So it makes sense to have it in the sidebar, right beside the content instead of on a page of its own. Click on the Plus sign to add a widget and choose the Paragraph option.

Then paste your disclosure statement and drag it to wherever you want visitors to see it. You don’t have to put it at the very top. But don’t bury it below dozens of widgets, either. Make sure you Update it before you leave.

Day 21: Grab Your List Building Code

You should be signed up with an email autoresponder system, like Aweber or GetResponse. On those systems, you can go through and set up a form (either using their template or customizing it however you like).

Make sure it’s the right size to fit your blog sidebar and then grab the HTML code to install it on your blog. You’re going to go to the Widgets area again and choose the Custom HTML widget (if it’s not already installed) so you can paste the code in and see your form once you click Update.

Go to your home page and make sure the form appears under the search box of your sidebar. Test the form to make sure it works in subscribing you to your list. If you don’t test it, you might lose dozens of subscribers due to a small error.

Day 22: Create an About Me Page

Whenever you start building a following online, you’ll want to have some level of transparency about who you are and showcase your passion and expertise to your visitors.

Whenever some consumers become fans of a blog or niche leader, they begin looking for information about them. You want to control the narrative and not let your competitors do all the talking.

Create a page called About Me and in it, tell the followers a bit about yourself. There’s no need to disclose anything deeply personal, unless it’s relevant to your leadership and you feel compelled to, but do try to add a picture and a summary of who you are to help build trust.

Day 23: Add Ads to Your Sidebar

If you want to showcase other sites you own that are relevant, or offers that you’re an affiliate for, you can create or look for banner ads to place on your blog where people can click through and hopefully, help you earn a sale.

Some people put ads under their header, or inside the actual blog posts, too. You can certainly do all of the areas combined, but make sure you’re not allowing your site to become covered in ads to the point where it drowns out your message.

Day 24: Create Your First Blog Post

Your very first blog post will likely be a welcome message to your readers. They’ll want to know what the blog will focus on, how often they should expect new information, and anything else you feel is pertinent to hep them feel a connection right off the bat.

Whenever you create your content, make sure you add the More tag so that the comment area shows up whenever someone lands on your blog and reads a post. If you don’t have the More tag, the reader will absorb all the post and not see anywhere to engage.

Day 25: Socialize Your New Content

Today, you want to take the link to your new blog post and go to various social media sites and apps to share it there. Start with sites like Facebook (on your profile, page or group), and consider including it on Pinterest, Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube.

Day 26: Consider an SEO Plugin for Your Site

If you’re concerned about whether or not your blog can rise in the SERPs (search engine results pages) organically, then you may want to consider installing an SEO plugin.

There are many different kinds, and they serve as reminders whenever you create a new post to help you include the information that search bots and human visitors will be looking for.

Day 27: Analyze the Data of Your Blog Visitors

You can install an analytics plugin to give you some answers, or just use the Metrics built into your cPanel to gather some data about your visitors. You can find out what pages they visited, where they were referred from, what country they came from and more.

Day 28: Create a Pillar Blog Post

There are normal, everyday blog posts and then there are pillar blog posts. These are the best posts you can create on evergreen topics in your niche. They should be well researched and thought out, thorough in the content they cover, and good enough to warrant bookmarking or sharing without hesitation.

While quantity is often touted as a way to rise in the ranks on search engine results pages, it’s more about the quality, and having several pillar posts that are considered the very best on that topic will help you more than dozens of low quality posts.

Because they’re longer, you might do something like “101 Ways to Lose Weight Quickly” or “85 Blog Tips Every Newbie Needs to Know.” Consumers love number posts, but it doesn’t have to be one of those.

Day 29: Find Images to Use with Your Niche Content

Blog content can be a daunting read for many. So you want a way to break up the text. Images provide a solution for you. You can either create graphics yourself using tools like Canva, or you can download stock pictures on sites like Pixabay, iStockPhotos or DepositPhotos.

Day 30: Get Your Blog Into Google’s Publisher Center

Google allows you to submit your blog for consideration in Google News. You can go to the Publisher Center and submit your site for consideration. There’s no guarantee they’ll accept it, but it’d be great if your site became an authority for Google to recommend to others.

In order to have a shot at succeeding, you’ll want to wait to do this until you have ample content for them to review and make sure it’s cutting edge and newsworthy. Stay on top of the news coming from your niche and blog about it as soon as possible.

30 Day Competitive Niche Research Plan

Before you spend weeks or months trying to turn a profit from a niche, it’s a good idea spend some time investigating it to see if it’s viable. Viable would mean it has ample topics for content, tons of money-making opportunities, and a healthy presence of a target audience online.

You need to make an effort to size up the niche before you just quickly commit to it. Imagine spending six months trying to earn from a bad decision. It will leave you frustrated and pessimistic about your abilities as an online entrepreneur.

While you may be in a rush to make money, it’s important that you know you’re choosing the right niche topic. Not only do you want one that’s ripe with profit potential, but you also want to make sure you have a hungry audience ready to absorb your content – and a personal passion to lead them.

Day 1: Brainstorm a List of Your Interests, Knowledge and Passions

The place you want to start when picking a niche is in your own mind. On the very first day of your niche research journey, you want to sit down with a pen and paper and brainstorm a list of all of the things you have knowledge or expertise in, topics that you feel emotionally passionate about, and things you have a general interest in, even if that means learning more along the way.

For example, you might know a lot about raising children because you are a parent of five. You might have a passion for the pet niche because you like to help people pair up with a rescue animal in need.

When it comes to interests, you might want to list things you have been involved with before, such as cooking. Or, you might name things that you’ve always wanted to learn more about, such as a particular arts and crafts topic.

Day 2: Make a List of the Niche Pain Points and Problems

The next day, you want to take those niches that you listed previously and right a summary of the main pain points and problems the audience of those niches have to deal with or need help with.

For example, if cooking was one of the niches that you listed, then you might list problems such as cooking for one or cooking low sodium or low calorie meals. Cooking on a budget could also be a pain point or problem for this target audience.

Day 3: Conduct Some In-Depth Keyword Research

The third day, you want to log in to a keyword research tool, either free or paid, and start drilling down from broad to more narrow keywords and phrases. You want to export these and save them in a file for use later.

The reason you want to conduct initial keyword research is because sometimes it can spark more ideas for a topic that you may not have considered before. For example, if you went to a keyword tool and typed in the words cooking for – you might get results such as cooking for diabetics, cooking for beginners, cooking for college students, or cooking for babies or elderly.

Day 4: Create a List of Sub-Topics for Each Niche You’re Considering

On day four, you want to create a list of topics that you have drilled down from the main one. For example, if anti-aging is one of the niches that you are considering, then you might have subcategories such as memory, mobility, socialization, finances, skin care, and more.

Day 5: Map Out Niche Topics That Complement the Originals

For each of the niches that you are considering, you should use a mind mapping system to link any niche that could possibly be connected with the original one. This will serve you well at a later date when you want to create additional content or promote more products that are just outside of your niche.

For example, if your niche topic is weight loss, there are many other niches that may affect someone’s ability to lose weight. That may include things like stress, sleep, and more.

Having these written down ahead of time will allow you to easily pick a niche to pair your content with and offer additional solutions that may not be inherently associated with your original niche.

For example, if you wrote an article for your blog about how a lack of good sleep can impair your ability to lose weight, you would be able to make recommendations for better bedding, sleep supplements, white noise machines, and other products that help someone sleep better, and indirectly help them lose weight.

Day 6: See What’s Being Said About It in the News

On this day, you want to take some time to analyze the various news stories for your niche. You may be able to find some stories using the search tool on sites like CNN or Fox News.

But you can also go to Google or another search engine, type in your niche topic, and click on the News tab to see what has been discussed about it recently. You may be able to find specific studies that have been conducted and have some cutting edge information that is timely to share with your audience.

Day 7: Check for Rising or Falling Trends

Another thing you want to keep your eye on over the course of these 30 days are the trends that have emerged, risen or fallen sharply over time. The last thing you want to do is hang your hat on a trend within a niche, only to see it get scrapped.

Ideally, you want to immerse yourself in an evergreen niche that will be around and have a solid performance for years to come. It’s okay to capitalize on certain trends that occur within your niche, but you want to have a strong anchor for your business.

Day 8: Stop By Forums to See What the Needs Are

One thing that will help you be able to tap into the needs of your audience is to visit forums within your niche and see what people are posting about and commenting on. For example, if you are in the survival niche and you visit a prepper forum, you may see increased concerns about the economy.

Or, you may be able to jot down a specific topic such as supply chain issues so that you have a note to address that in an upcoming blog post about stocking up on supplies early on.

Day 9: Find Out If There’s an Audience for the Niche on Facebook

Another part of your niche research is to see if there’s an audience for this topic on Facebook. While many in the younger generation do not have a presence here, it is still one of the most popular social media sites online.

You want to be looking for groups, pages, and profiles that are discussing your niche topic. Join the groups and follow the pages so that you can begin observing the target audience and also networking with others who can help you earn money in the niche.

Day 10: Look to See If the Niche Is ‘Gram-Worthy

Today, you want to visit Instagram to see if there is a presence for your target audience here. Be sure to use hashtags to conduct searches and see what kind of content is being highlighted and supported by the followers.

For example, if you type in the word gardening and look at the results, you may find that a post on hydroponics has far fewer followers than one on how to grow tomatoes. It doesn’t mean you should ignore hydroponics, but you will be able to rank the level of interest by looking at the engagement.

Day 11: Peek on Pinterest to See If It Has a Following

Stopping by Pinterest on this day of your niche research will help you see how many people are actively saving and sharing content for a specific subtopic within your niche. For example, if you entered the word dieting, you would get all kinds of results.

You would be able to see the level of interest for topics such as the keto diet, inflammation diet, intermittent fasting, vegetarian diets, and more. This is a great keyword tool because you can follow the link to someone’s profile who has shared or liked the content and see what else they have saved on their Pinterest board.

Day 12: See If You Can Discover Any Tik Toks on Your Topic

Even if you may not be an active sharer there yet, make sure you visit Tik Tok to see how many people are discussing your niche topic there. You may be surprised at what all you can find on this social media app – from videos about memory loss to container gardening tips – they have it all.

Day 13: Conduct a YouTube Search for the Niche

It’s the second largest search engine on the Internet, which is why you need to make sure you visit YouTube and conduct a search in your niche. For example, if you are in the diabetes niche, you can enter that word as a search term and see the results that have the most views, such as healthy eating for diabetics.

The great thing about this site is that the comments will have insight into what is most important to your audience on each subtopic. The audience here will share their own tips and also ask for additional advice, which you can write down for future content ideas.

Day 14: Take a Look at What’s Being Covered By Trade and Consumer Magazines

Depending on the niche, you may be able to look up trade magazines or consumer magazines and get an idea of what topics are important to the audience based on what’s on the cover.

You may also want to look up trade shows in your niche or conventions and expos that you could dig into online or in person to get to know your target audience and the market in general better.

Day 15: View the Podcast List for Your Topic

One good resource to see if your niche is going to be popular enough and profitable enough is to go to Google and type in your niche topic and the word podcast. You will be able to see how many followers the podcast has, and be able to look back on their episodes to see which topics have been covered.

Depending on the platform, you may be able to see comments that have been left for the host that can give you more insight into what needs to be covered about this particular topic or what had a positive impact on the listening audience.

Day 16: Spy on the Competition to See Where They’re Failing and Succeeding

The competition for your niche will be everywhere – as authors on Amazon, as individuals leading groups on social media, as bloggers creating consistent content for the target audience, and more.

You want to begin scouring the web to see who the strong competitors are so that you can pinpoint any weaknesses they have that you may be able to do better with. You also want to see where they are succeeding so that you can emulate that success with ideas of your own.

Day 17: Make Note of Tangible Products You Can Promote as an Affiliate

On this day, your goal is to begin the process of looking into the profitability of the niche. One thing you want to do is make a list of the tangible products you could promote, if there are any.

Even topics that are mostly digital, such as online marketing, have tangible items that can be promoted such as green screens, microphones, computers and more. If you are in a niche that has a ton of tangible products, then try to categorize them the best you can.

As you jot down the products, make a note as to where you can promote the items. For example, you may find that you can promote through Amazon or Share a Sale, but if you do some digging, you may also find that the vendor or manufacturer allows you to promote directly through them.

Day 18: List All of the Digital Products You Can Earn Commissions From

On this day, you want to do the same thing you did for the tangible items, only with digital products. You will be looking on sites like ClickBank, Warrior Plus, JVZoo, Udemy and other locations to see if there are eBooks, memberships, and video courses you can promote for a commission as an affiliate,

Day 19: See If There Are Any Subscription Offers for the Niche

Many people forget that there are opportunities for ongoing revenue as an affiliate. Subscription offers (such as boxes that get mailed to the buyer’s home) are one way to achieve this. For example, they have them for niches such as beauty, arts and crafts, pets, survival, fitness, and more.

Day 20: Spot Holes in the Marketplace That Would Make Good Info Products

Another good research tactic for your niche is to look for ways you can fill a gap in the marketplace. For example, it may be based on a topic that has not been covered or a media format that has not been presented.

You may find that someone has not covered the topic of how to write an eBook very well, so that may be something you can provide to the target audience. Or, you may find that there are several courses about how to build a blog in PDF format, but the marketplace is lacking a video course, which you could easily provide.

Day 21: Map Out the Common Denominators for Product Funnels in the Niche

On this day, you want to look for the common denominators in the product funnels that you see in the marketplace for your niche. To do this, you will often need to go to the JV (joint venture) page to see how the funnel unfolds for the customer.

You want to look for patterns or ideas that many people are using. A good example of this is if you look at some of the top courses being sold on 3rd party platforms, you will often see a second upgrade that offers to do the work for the customer.

For example, the front end product may teach people how to open an Etsy store. The first upgrade may be a set of readymade printables. But the second upgrade could be an offer to complete the set up for them.

Day 22: Chart the Price Points That Are Being Used and How They Perform

Looking back on the products that you have seen in the marketplace, you want to make note of the price points that are being used throughout the funnel. Start with the front end and go through the price points of each upgrade and downsell that is listed.

You will want to be competitive for your customers, and also meet the price point that is expected from your affiliates whenever you create info products of your own. You can’t just look at the price, though – you have to see what is included in the product to make sure it is comparable to what you have planned.

Day 23: Jot Down a List of Top-Performing Affiliates in the Niche

When you start looking at products that have launched before yours, check to see if they had a contest associated with the launch. If they do, you can look at the leaderboard to see who was a top performing affiliate.

Sometimes, they will not have an official contest, but the vendor will share a post on social media about the affiliates who brought the most traffic and sales. You will want this information so that you can approach the same heavy hitters later.

Day 24: Cross Reference Your Affiliate List with Launch Perks

When you are doing your investigation of previous launches and affiliates, look to see what perks were being given with the launch. For example, on the JV page, you may find that the vendor was promising a reciprocal promotion, 100% commission on the front end, or something else.

Make a specific note about who performed well for these vendors because the affiliates who promoted hard for them may expect these additional perks when you approach them for a future promotion.

Day 25: See If the Niche Has Merch Money Potential

Another thing you want to check is whether or not the niche has merch money potential. Merch is the slang term for products that are sold online such as T shirts from influencers, tumblers with the brand name, and so on.

You might have merch being sold through a company like Teespring, Redbubble, and other online shops. your merch might include hoodies, coffee cups, stickers, phone cases, and more.

Day 26: Look for Printable Profit Opportunities

Another additional profit stream you want to check for your niche consideration are printables. You can find things like planners, goal sheets, checklists, and other items for a wide variety of niches.

These are great because they are items that you create one time as a digital download, upload them to your store on a site like Etsy, and allow your audience too buy them repeatedly.

Day 27: Find Out If Anyone Offers Coaching as an Income Stream in Your Niche

Coaching may be an additional income stream for your niche. First, you want to see if anyone else is offering coaching so that you can compare their expertise and offers to your own.

It may turn out that there are no coaches online for your niche topic yet, but that doesn’t mean your audience wouldn’t be willing to pay for one on one or group coaching if the opportunity arose.

Day 28: Make Sure You Have Access to Easy and Affordable Niche Content

Running a niche website, whether you are operating as an affiliate marketer or a digital info product vendor, requires a lot of content day in, day out. You will have to create content for your blog, your email autoresponders, lead magnets, social media posts, and info products.

Along with all of the other tasks that you are responsible for, it can become overwhelming. Therefore, it makes sense for you to outsource some of the niche content whenever possible.

You may have the budget and ability to hire a freelance ghostwriter who can create content that is only owned by you. But if you don’t have the funds, you may want to look and see if there is any readymade niche content in the form of private label rights (PLR) that will allow you to download it, put your name on it, edit it as you see fit, and publish it.

Day 29: Make a List of Courses You Can Take to Level Up with Your Expertise

A good niche leader is always growing their own knowledge and understanding of the topic they are guiding others on. Therefore, you always want to be engaged in the learning process.

Make sure that there are new forms of information coming out that you may not understand yet. These could be in the form of a book, a video series, and could be free or paid. You could even take a course at a local community college or online college if it would help you level up with your insight.

Day 30: Check to See What Domains Are Available

After you have conducted all of the initial research for your niche, and you know how big the audience is and what their needs are, as well as the profit potential available to you, you will want to use your keyword list that you have gathered to try to find a good, available dot com domain.

Building an online business is a task that needs to be carried out precisely and carefully. Many people throw themselves into it without much thought, only to be forced to backtrack months later, with all their hard work down the drain.

How to Use Reiki for Relaxation and Better Mental Health

As you grow older, you’ll realize that life can be incredibly stressful. With so many decisions to make, and responsibilities to fulfill, stress finds a way to always surround you.

Falling into a pattern of constant stress will greatly impact your mental health and seep into your physical well-being, too. So how do you relieve yourself of some of the stress weighing on your shoulders?

More and more people are starting to explore alternative stress relief methods. With these alternative methods, you are encouraged to try natural healing strategies in order to keep your mental health strong.

Reiki is the perfect example of a natural meditative method that helps to alleviate anxiety. As you practice Reiki, you will be able to find a sense of calm that will help you manage your stress and improve your mental health.

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese form of energy healing that was developed in the early 1900s. The name itself comes from two Japanese words, “rei” meaning universal, and “ki” meaning function of life or life force.

When you combine the two together, you get a meditation practice that uses the energy in your body to relax and release any tension. Reiki is known to be a secondary treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress, with proven medicinal practices preceding it.

It is meant to lift your mental state and provide a realm of calm in your mind. Reiki involves finding your own personal balance – spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

It will help you on your journey to discover yourself, and become a better person. Overall, Reiki meditation is a great practice for anyone looking to find balance and improve their mental health.

Living By the 5 Principles of Reiki

There are some common principles you can rely on to help you implement an on-going strategy of using Reiki to achieve a sense of calm and serenity in your life. There are five main ones, as follows:

Just for today, I will not worry.

Worrying takes up a large portion of your day when you tend to be stressed out often. With this principle, you can decide to push your intense worries to the next day. This will take a weight off of your shoulders, and allow you to focus on the more important tasks for each day.

If you are struggling to let go of your worries, you may want to try imagining physically pushing your worries into a box, one that you can plan on opening up the next day. And when the next day comes, do the same thing again.

A major challenge to this principle is learning how to let go of the things you cannot control. Once you can accept what is out of reach and teach yourself not to worry about those things, you will find that your life has become much less stressful when it comes to a day-to-day basis.

Just for today, I will not be angry.

Life is not an easy place, and it’s common to feel angry with the world. When you can replace your anger with positivity and change your perspective, it will completely transform your mental state.

Anger will never get you anywhere, so learning to let go will bring you to a calmer state. The principles of Reiki are meant to lead you to a better place with yourself and the way you view your life.

In order to move past your initial anger or frustration towards something, try taking deep breaths and counting upwards until you feel calmer. If that doesn’t work, focus on an activity that brings you joy or peace.

Just for today, I will be grateful.

When you focus on what you should be grateful for on a daily basis, you can shift into a much more positive mental state. Bringing positivity into your life every day will give you a better outlook on your life and the way you treat others.

This Reiki principle will be a great tool to have whenever you are feeling hopeless or down. In order to be more grateful throughout your day, try making a list of all of the things you are grateful for each day, and add on to the list as your day goes by.

Every little thing counts, because they add up over time. Once you fall into a rhythm of noting those things, you’ll notice that you are picking up things to be grateful for more and more every day.

Just for today, I will be honest.

Bringing a new level of honesty into your life will improve your mental health overall. You won’t have to worry or stress over honesty if you give it your all, at all times. Be honest in your work and your relationships and you will find that things will fall into place much easier.

It isn’t always easy to find your drive and do things the more challenging way, but it will be much more rewarding for your life and mental health. It will help you to be a better person, and will help you grow as a person as well.

Just for today, I will be kind to all living things.

Being kind to others is something that will help not just your mental health, but the others’ around you as well. If you can turn kindness into an instinct, it will help carry you forward in life.

Being able to exercise kindness at all times will make you more likable, and will ensure you that you are being a good person. Being able to hold confidence in your kindness will take the pressure off of yourself to always be good, if you can know that kindness will always come to you.

Kindness takes practice. Try giving compliments to several people each day, and focus on making your words and actions as kind as they can be, while being kind to yourself. A lot of people forget to treat themselves as well as they treat others.

But one of the most important points of this Reiki principle is to practice being nice to yourself. Even if you just do little things that will make you happy, you need to treat yourself the way you would want others to treat you. You must take care of yourself to the best of your abilities.

How to Use Self-Administered Reiki to Achieve a Sense of Peace

Although Reiki is more commonly done with someone to assist, you can utilize self-administered Reiki to achieve a sense of peace within yourself. Here are some steps to help you get started:

  1. Set aside time for your Reiki practices.

It’s recommended that you set aside a half an hour at the start and end of your day, so that you welcome the day and close it out with a calm mind. It’s best to set a regular schedule, and that you work on your meditations every day.

  1. Find a quiet area.

Before you begin, it’s important for you to find a safe and quiet environment for your Reiki sessions. This will help you achieve inner peace before you start your session. Limiting the distractions in the area will improve the mental results of the Reiki meditation. If you feel completely comfortable in the environment you are in, you will be able to fall into a relaxed state quickly.

  1. Activate your inner energy.

Close your eyes, and imagine the energy that is flowing inside of you. Allow that energy to flow to your hands, and imagine it as healing energy that you’ve accessed. Give yourself that power of inner healing.

  1. Begin the initial hand positions.

As you focus on the energy flowing to your hands, begin taking slow, deep breaths. During each hand position, it is recommended that you hold the position for two minutes.

  1. Place hands in prayer position.

Bring your hands together into a prayer position, and imagine the healing energies flowing between the two hands. As you carry on through each position, focus on taking slow, deep breaths.

  1. Place both hands on the top of your head.

Bring both hands to the top of your head. If you feel comfortable enough, close your eyes. It will help you concentrate and calm your mind. Imagine the energy’s healing properties flowing to your mind, and alleviating the pressure you may feel there.

  1. Gently move your hands to cover your eyes.

Now bring your hands forward and slowly cover your eyes. Each hand should be covering its respective eye. Remember to hold for around two minutes, and take deep breaths.

  1. Lay your right hand carefully on your throat, and rest the other above your heart.

Bring your right hand to your throat. Make sure it is gently resting on your throat, in a way that is most comfortable to you. Take your right hand and place it on your heart. Focus on your heart beat as you breathe in and out. Let the energy flow through your hands and your upper body, and imagine the stress on your body being lifted.

  1. Move both hands to your upper stomach, then lower stomach.

This one could count as two steps, but it is simple to understand. Take your hands and place them on your upper stomach, right below your chest. After two minutes, bring them down to your lower stomach.

  1. Reach your hands up and rest them on your shoulders.

Bring your hands back up and place them on top of your shoulders. Make sure to avoid grabbing your shoulders. Your hands should just rest gently on your shoulders. If you are feeling any tension or pains in that area, focus on the flow of healing energy inside of you, and let it find its way to that specific area, from your hands to your shoulders.

  1. Move hands down and place them on your hips.

Finally, slowly bring your hands down to your waist, then place them on your hips. Hold the stance for the allotted time, all while taking special focus to your deep breaths.

  1. Determine your next step.

If you are still feeling deeply overwhelmed and stressed out, you could consider repeating the steps again. But if you are feeling like you’ve been able to bring yourself to a calmer state, you can take a few more deep breaths, and conclude the meditation.

The setup of steps above is a general idea of a self-administered Reiki session. The goal is to focus on points of stress and tension throughout your mind and body. In order to utilize the healing Reiki energies, you have to learn what spots and methods work best for you.

After enough sessions and practice, you will be able to find your problem areas easily. It will take time to get to that place, especially if you embark on your Reiki journey all by yourself.

Reiki is also a good method to use in order to meditate and work on your own personal growth. If you start your day with a simple Reiki session, live by the Reiki principles during your day, and end it with another Reiki session, you will find that your mental health has improved and as you are lifted from the burdens of your stress and anxiety, life will become much more pleasant for you to experience.

Working with a Reiki Master for Better Mental Health

A Reiki master serves as a bridge between you and natural life force energy. In order to find a reliable and efficient Reiki master, you could try looking up Reiki therapists in your area.

A safer bet would be to go through your local hospital, yoga studios, or health stores. They may be able to guide you towards someone who will work best for you. To know whether or not you are receiving the right kind of session for Reiki, here’s an idea of what an in-person session may look like:

To begin, you might be asked to focus on your breathing, and work to take deep breaths. You may lie on a massage table, or the Reiki master will have a place for you to sit or stand.

It’s usually up to wherever you will feel the most comfortable. Next, the Reiki practitioner will place their hands, palm down, on or directly above different areas of your body. The areas will be where the practitioner feels your mind and body most needs healing energies.

During this, you may feel different sensations or pulses throughout your body. However, for some, you may not feel any difference. It does not mean that the Reiki practices are not working.

The most important focus for you should be on your breathing, and opening yourself up to the flow of energy. There should be no massaging, or pressure utilized during these sessions.

It’s about gentle touch, and sometimes there is no touch needed at all. A Reiki session should last anywhere from a half an hour to an hour, depending on your experience and comfort with the process.

After the session is finished, you and the Reiki master should both take a moment to thank each other and the energy for the exchange and connection you had. If you have a Reiki master that doesn’t work in person, you will find that it is similar to self-administered Reiki.

But it may be much easier because you will have a guide who has more knowledge on different practices and properties that will work best for you. If there are specific issues that you are concerned about, and want to relieve the tension or stress in those areas, you can discuss that with your Reiki master.

Although they will probably be able to sense those areas during the session, it does not hurt to make sure you are getting the right treatment for the stresses you struggle with. No matter what, having someone to guide you through the process will be the best way for you to learn.

If you are interested in becoming a Reiki master yourself, it’s best to learn through another Reiki master and become an apprentice. They may be able to open your eyes to new methods and practices that will bring you a new sense of peace that you had not known before.

Understanding Your Chakras When Utilizing Therapeutic Reiki

Reiki is a useful tool when it comes to opening up your chakras. As you practice Reiki sessions frequently, you will be able to open up the heart chakra, the chakras you find located in your palms.

As the energy flows from your palms to other stress points on your body, you will be able to open up the flow of spiritual energy. Reiki prepares your mind for spirit. This will help to clear your mind and memory, opening up your sights to the spiritual world.

If you are looking to heal and energize your chakras, you can focus your Reiki meditation specifically on that one goal. It will give you several places for the healing energies to flow to, which may help you organize your practices.

How to Make Money in a Gig Economy

Many people want to know how to make more money so that they can save enough for a vacation, pay their monthly bills or pay off their debt faster. It could even be to save for retirement.

Whatever your reason, a side hustle might be just the thing that you need to achieve your financial goals. More and more businesses are closing their doors because of health reasons.

This also means that many are wondering how to make more money without having to seek employment in person. The solution to this dilemma? The gig economy. This started out as a small trend that has exploded into fulltime careers for many individuals.

What Is a Gig?

The gig economy is an employment market that is defined by the high ratio of freelance work or short-term contracts in contrast to permanent and traditional jobs. The whole idea of the gig economy is for one to earn more money or extra money with part time jobs and freelance work.

The best part about this is that you can pursue the kinds of gigs you want at a time that works best for you. The flexibility of the gig economy not only allows you to schedule your own work, but to also dictate how much you want to do or how little.

With the awesome technological power that comes with the Internet, there are many short-term gigs that one can complete for the clients who hire them. Gigs have become more frequent as technology permits users to connect linearly with people who are willing to hire them for a project based on their expertise, time availability and skills.

Short-term gigs or side hustles have now become a legitimate means of earning income if you don’t have a job and act as a supplement income for those who already have a career.

Here are some facts that may sway your opinion about choosing gig work if you’ve been skeptical about its legitimacy:

Over 37 percent of American adults (that’s roughly over a third of adults) have at least one side gig that they are engaged in. So, yes, it is more common than you think.

Almost 40 percent of those who have side gigs use the earning received from it to afford their daily living expenses. This means that side gigs are necessary for a budget that breaks even.

They may not be extremely lucrative for part-timers, as the average monthly earnings for side gig workers is $690, and most side gig earners earn $210 or less. But it all depends on what type of gig you choose and how much you want to charge and work.

You’re in complete control of your hours and commitment to the gig work available, so if you need to earn more, you can simply accept more jobs to earn the amount you need for whatever purpose you choose.

Who Would Be the Best Candidates for Gig Careers?

Gig careers are great for men and women of all ages. From college kids who need to earn money while in school to senior citizens looking to supplement their retirement or social security funds – gigs can help.

If you’re someone who has a hectic schedule that makes it hard to get hired by traditional employers, such as a college student with scattered classes, then gig work can allow you to earn between classes or on off hours.

Moms and dads who have kids they want to spend more time with may find gig work an attractive option to a traditional employer. Instead of having to ask a boss for permission to take off and care for your child, you’ll be the one in charge of when you work and when you don’t.

Senior citizens who either hate the idea of retirement and want to maintain a career – or those who need more money but who can’t work in a traditional workforce, will love the idea of using gigs to earn the money they need or want to fund their lifestyle.

People who love doing gigs might be creative people. They love putting their writing or artistic skills to good use. They might be laborers who don’t want to have to expend a lot of mental energy on a job.

Some people love the idea of listening to a podcast or music while delivering groceries or restaurant meals. Introverts love gig work because they don’t have to show up every day to a room full of coworkers and clients.

Extroverts love gig work because it gives them the opportunity to meet people. Uber or Lyft drivers get to meet new people, chit chat and see new places as they drive. But introverts can work from the privacy of their own home and only deal with clients via email or messages.

Start as a Side Hustle and Build a Fulltime Career

When it comes to working in the gig economy, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider, from skills and hourly rates to time management and the other important little details.

This is a business you can start out doing here and there as time allows, and snowball it into a fulltime career if you want to. But you need to know a few ins and outs of how to start and expand your gig work.

In the beginning, you may not know exactly how much time and effort a gig takes. Or you may need to master certain skills, tools or even learn the right route to take. As you gain experience, you’ll become faster and more capable of delivering for your clients, and this can help you build repeat business in the future.

Before you begin, there are some important things to consider. Number one is to choose the right side gig. One may be a dream and one a living nightmare to you, depending on an array of components, such as skills, goals, and personality.

Ask others performing certain gigs (as well as those buying them) what they think about the service – if their needs are being met, any mishaps they have to endure, etc. Spend at least a couple of days to take a good look at the gig and all of the advantages and disadvantages associated with it.

This is to ensure that you make the right choice. Choosing the wrong one may discourage you from ever trying this line of work again. For example, if you think rideshare driving might be right for you, but you read about the extensive wear and tear on your car, you might think twice.

However, if you take out time at the beginning to research all about it before you choose it, you might as well be saving yourself a whole lot of headaches. Look at forums and social media to see what others are talking about regarding what they experience.

Second, take a look at the type of side gig that you have chosen to pursue. If you are going to be launching an actual gig business by yourself, then you should consider registering as an S Corporation or an LLC (Limited Liability Company).

However, before you rush in and do all the paperwork, you should try speaking with a lawyer to understand whether it’s necessary or not. If you’re just working off of a third party platform for part-time pay, you may not need to.

You also want to prepare for taxes. The last thing you might think about when you start a side hustle is that you need to pay taxes on those earnings. However, this should be one of the first items on your list because you don’t want to be hit with an unexpected tax bill at the end of the year.

When preparing for your gig tax, make sure that your personal bank account is kept separate from your business bank account. This ensures that your finances do not get mixed up and you can report expenses correctly.

Another thing to do is to get a certified accountant and speak to them about how you can prepare yourself for the tax season – and how much you should be setting aside. Speaking to a certified public accountant will help you figure out whether or not you are breaking even with your side gig or whether you are losing profit with it.

While gig work may not provide the same degree of job security as traditional employment, there are many different ways to earn on your own, so you’re not restricted to just one method of work.

Some other gigs might require you to develop the necessary skills you need in order for you to gain more profitable work in the future. While you may not need it for ridesharing or food delivery, you may need to gain experience writing or creating graphics before you do those kinds of gigs.

What to Know About Working with a Gig Platform

There are various online or app platforms for on-demand work, such as DoorDash, Fiverr, Upwork, Uber, and other freelance jobs. With the power of the Internet backing it up, the gig economy is able to connect side gig searchers directly with individuals and companies that need their skills without them having to go through the conventional offline means of dealing with certification and applications.

Working on a platform, keep in mind that you operate at the mercy of their rules. If you want payment up front, but they only require funds in escrow, you have to abide by that. Or, if they require certain customer service elements, you must deliver on their regulations, so make sure you know what they are asking of you before you sign up and agree to anything.

When working on a gig platform, your success or failure may be dependent upon what those who have hired you have to say about your performance. Your reviews and ratings will often determine whether or not you are able to maintain a consistent flow of income on that site or app.

These platforms allow sellers and buyers to exchange their services and payment at a faster rate. The gig economy is fast becoming a deeply rooted and significant part of the overall workforce economy.

So, if you have the right skills and develop an excellent work ethic, you can start earning and making a living just by working gigs and being a stellar provider. Also, if you are able to develop healthy relationships and a good rapport with some particular clients and customers, you could end enjoying full-time earnings.

With that said, let’s take a look at the gigs that you can start doing now to start earning ASAP. If you are talented in a field or you have the skills that allow you to earn a living at a traditional job, you can decide to sell your expertise online.

Here are examples of a few fields where you can put your talents and skills to work without leaving the comfort of your home…

Freelance Writing

Freelance writing can also include editing, proofreading, and translating, if you are proficient in those areas. It’s also important to note that freelance writing is one of the most popular ways of earning extra money in the gig economy, so if you have the skill to convey a message, consider this option strongly.

On some platforms, a skilled freelance writer can earn anywhere from $10 to $250 per hour. This is dependent upon the type of writing that they specialize in, their qualifications and also, their portfolio.

Freelance writing include a range of specialized types of writing, such as medical writing, technical writing, academic writing, and legal writing – and more entertaining types of writing, such as informational content and blog posts or even fiction!

Another amazing thing about freelance writing is that, most of the time, it requires nothing more than a strong Internet connection and a gadget with a word processing software.

This means that you can make use of your laptop, desktop or even your smartphone. Also, you can earn money as a freelance writer from anywhere in the world as long as you are online and you have a computer or a smartphone.

Are you fluent in multiple languages? You can earn a living with that skill through the freelance gig of translating. There are not many multilingual people in the gig economy, so a freelance translator can earn steady money from gigs.

Also, if you are fluent in an in-demand and difficult-to-learn language, such as Japanese or Mandarin Chinese, you have a whole lot of opportunities open to you. Zip Recruiter assents that a freelance translator can earn up to $29 per hour as average pay.

Coding

Coding, otherwise known as computer programming, includes several popular programming languages, such as Java, SQL, and Python to name a few. The difficulty it takes to learn coding can ensure that a freelance programmer earns a high rate.

According to Career Karma, a freelance programmer can earn up to $60 as an average hourly wage. You can find work on gig sites or launch your own site to accept on-demand projects from individuals and companies who need your skills.

Ridesharing

Another popular job in the gig economy is the ridesharing service. This service allows users to transform their cars into taxis. Some popular ridesharing services include Uber and Lyft, and they are more convenient and cheaper than traditional taxis.

For this, all you have to do is own a smartphone and a car and go through some compulsory background check and application processing (depending on the service) to become familiar with the rules and regulations of the company.

There is flexibility in work hours and one can earn an average hourly wage of about $15 to $25, depending on the location. It’s possible to sign up with more than one company to earn from, too.

Delivery

Not every restaurant has delivery options. However, with the gig economy and its option of food delivery, a lot of restaurants can now offer home deliveries using these third party platforms.

A list of food deliveries are Postmates, Uber Eats and DoorDash. These platforms operate like the ridesharing services and let you earn cash for delivering food to customers.

Upwork

Upwork is arguably the largest freelancing job structure on the Internet and offers a wide array of fields for gigs. So if you are a writer, designer, sales marketer, legal service provider, business analyst, data scientist, brand expert, translator, or other freelancer, you can use Upwork to earn money.

The platform takes a cut of all earning as a service fee. When you earn up to $500 of lifetime billings, they apply a fee of 20 percent. When it’s $500.01 to $10,000, it’s 10 percent fee, and when it is over $10,000, the fee is reduced to 5 percent.

Fiverr

Fiverr gives you the variety of having writers, artists and programmers all on the same site. The site also offers you the option of add-ons, which lets you charge more when you complete additional tasks for each job.

Like Upwork, Fiverr also uses a customized profile and portfolio and takes a 20% fee on all jobs completed. This is a good starting point for the newbies in the freelancing gig economy.

How to Succeed as a Gig Worker

There are several apps and gigs that you can use to earn some cash, but not everyone will succeed. You want to consider several things before you get started so that you’re able to maximize your earnings.

First and foremost, you never want to take on a gig that you’re unsure you can complete, either due to your schedule or desired skills or talent. It’s better to pass up an opportunity than to accept a gig, fail with it, and ruin your reviews and ratings.

You also want to make sure that you carefully abide by all of the customer or client’s requests. If they hire you to write a report and give you an outline, don’t stray from it to do something else.

Whenever possible, go the extra mile for your customers. You may have seen rideshare drivers who have snacks and phone chargers in their care for customers. This creates a nice experience and ensures they get tipped well and receive a nice rating for future work.

But even if you’re doing something else, such as freelance writing or graphics, you can go above and beyond and throw in something extra to seal the deal that you’ll be the one they come to in the future for more work.

If the gig is something where you can be chosen specifically, like ghostwriting, then ensuring your customers’ happiness will translate into more work via word of mouth recommendations.

If you’re someone who is currently sitting at a job you hate – or worse, unemployed and in desperate need of money – then you need to look at gig work as a solution to your problem.

With gigs, you can create a listing and have money deposited into your account within hours – or even minutes. Of course, there are no guarantees, either. Sometimes there’s a bit of a lag between when you create a profile and when you get hired.

So you don’t want to walk out on a steady paying job before you’ve started building momentum with your side hustle. If you’re in a situation where you want to leave your 9-5 job, then start doing gigs in your off hours.

Learn the ropes and gain a favorable rating. This gives you time to ensure you’re happy with that type of work, too. Then, you can submit your two weeks’ notice to your employer once you’ve gained your footing as a reliable gig worker.

In time, you might decide to move from a platform offering gigs to the creation of your own business entity dealing directly with customers and clients and cutting out the middleman altogether!