How to Expand Your Brand to Make More Money Online
As a young professional or someone simply looking for supplemental income for your household, there are multiple ways to do it from the comfort of your home. Regardless if you currently have an online presence or not, it’s never too late to start where you’re at and build a little business for yourself from the ground up! I’ve been making an extra side income for myself and my husband for the past four years or so simply by doing what I love and offering my skills as services to others. Keep reading for a few ways you can do the same!
So you have a brand…
but are you using it to its fullest capabilities? Have you explored alternative platforms for audience growth and money-making? Perhaps you haven’t started your online brand and you’re wondering where and how you can gain income? Here are some avenues to consider.
Blogging
Since you’re on my blog right now, this one is a no brainer. I strongly disapprove of people starting blogs just to make money, but if you already have a passion for it, making money should serve is a potential secondary bonus. I started making money about a year into blogging and with time and experience, you can begin to charge more and more with each job you book. There are some platforms you can join to help you connect with brands, but those will likely start with no payment and just “free” product for your work (nothing is really free in this world). I do want to mention though that everyone who blogs makes money doing so, but it is possible if you’re skilled and you put the work in.
Social media
Social media influencing has evolved so much since I first started making money online and it’s becoming easier for everyone to get a slice of it. That also means that the competition can be tough since the market is so saturated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try. To get booked, you need to post high-quality content consistently with good editing, captions and engagement. Posting brand-friendly content is important too so businesses will see you as marketable and someone they’d want to associate themselves with online. You need to have a business email set up that’s easy to find for anyone who may be interested in working with you (definitely put it in your Instagram bio) and check your direct messages often on your social media accounts so you don’t miss any opportunities.
Poshmark
With secondhand shopping growing in popularity, many people are gravitating toward platforms where they can not only shop, but also sell their own clothing and accessories for profit. It’s better for the environment to get more use out of clothing through direct seller-to-customer exchanges because donating clothes can sometimes land the items in landfills. There are a few platforms out there that essentially do the same thing including Poshmark, Vinted, Depop and more. The app makes it really easy for you to sell and send out items as well where you can easily pay through the app, print shipping labels and leave reviews for sellers. If you’ve ever had an interest in having your own clothing store, this can give you a little taste of that.
Affiliate linking
I have an entire blog post on this, but you can sign up for affiliate programs (you often have to be accepted to active them though) and link items you share on social media to make extra money per clicks and sales. Though linking is an extra step and sometimes a time-consuming process, if you do it enough and get a fair amount of engagement on the links from your followers, you can actually make decent money. You have to submit an application and be accepted into most popular programs and companies like Amazon have jumped on the bandwagon and offered their own affiliates. Personally, I have Reward Style (which you may know as LiketoKnowit) and ShopStyle Collective, but I only really stick with ShopStyle.
Etsy
I’m a big Etsy fan and have been shopping there for years, especially for gifts and my wedding. Etsy is a great marketplace to get your products discovered, no matter how long your business has been up and running. The platform is easy to use and the vast customization options and the appeal of shopping small make it unlike any other network, in my opinion. There is a wide variety of things that can be sold, from digital items like templates and photo presets to candles and keychains. There’s plenty of room for you and the creations you’re selling on the platform!
Digital services
If you have a skillset to create digital goods, use it to your advantage. For example, you may know I started my freelance shop, Bone & Bloom, to offer design services (logos, WordPress sites, media kits, resumes, e-books, etc.) and I’ve thankfully had success with it. I love designing anyway, so offering that to others was a no-brainer for me. People often ask me how I get clients and it’s always through social media and word of mouth. If you do work for one person (say a blogger, per say) and they give you a shoutout on Instagram, that introduces potential new customers to you and helps you book more work. Give it time, reach out to people and the work with come.
YouTube
I’ve dabbled in YouTube here and there, but not enough to make an income from it. There are so many wealthy “YouTubers” out there and there’s a reason — you can make BIG bucks through brand sponsorships and some extra coin from Google Adsense too. YouTube is one of the most time-consuming platforms, but if you’re dedicated, it can really come to fruition. Just like social media “influencing” and blogging, it’s important to be brand-friendly, post on a regular basis and really treat it like a business while still being you. Establishing coordinating social media profiles will help market you and further expand your audience reach, leading people to your YouTube channel where they’ll hopefully subscribe and watch your content.
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Those are some ways you can expand your brand to make more money online! I hope you enjoyed this post & found it helpful. You can read my other blogging/business related ones here. Check back for my Polène Paris bag review post this week!
