Earning money online is probably the dream of everyone who wants to live a location-independent life. I have been earning money online for three years now and sometimes I still can’t believe the freedom I have created for myself.
In line with this, dear Sven from Bloggiraffe invited me to participate in his blogparade on the topic of "Making Money on the Internet 2021" and of course I’m happy to join in.
In this article you will learn why I think 2021 is the perfect time to start your online business, what are the advantages of making money online, what are the first steps you need to take and much more… I wish you a lot of fun. ?
Making money online: Why you should start now
What are the possibilities in 2021?
Especially if you would like to earn your money on the internet, so that you are more location independent and can travel more, the current situation can be quite demotivating in this respect. Because I suspect even in 2021 travel will continue to be very limited. But what you might see at first as a "damper" actually also offers many good opportunities for your own online business.
The Lockdown gives you time for your business idea
Due to the lockdown and the various restrictions, we can’t spend our free time as usual with many leisure activities, visits to restaurants, cafes, clubs and so on. fill and spend much more time at home. And you can fill that limited time as well as Booster for your start in the online business see. Because one of the big advantages of earning money on the Internet is that you don’t need much and you don’t have to go anywhere.
All you need is a computer and a good internet connection. And you can start to build up your own business with which you can earn good money in the long run and, if you want to, you can travel the world as soon as it will be possible again.
More people use offers on the Internet
In addition, more and more people and companies have been forced by Corona to deal with digital technologies:
- people spend more time on the Internet,
- More products will be bought on the Internet,
- Appointments are made online via Zoom& Co. held,
- Courses are bought online and completed at home,
- Companies are realizing that collaboration is also possible virtually and are becoming more open to home offices and working with freelancers and consultants who are not based at their company.
That is, in 2020 the Demand for numerous offers on the internet increased even much more. And that offers you for 2021 more than ever the opportunity to implement your business idea on the Internet and earn a living with it.
What business "ideas" can be used to earn money on the Internet nowadays?
As just indicated, there are many opportunities on the Internet with which you can earn your money:
If you are particularly good at something, you can use it as a Service offer it to other people. Many activities can now be done completely online and many people who do not have your knowledge and skills are happy to pay you for it, so they can devote themselves to the things they do best themselves. This includes, for example, working as a copywriter, graphic or web designer, virtual assistant, online marketing manager, etc.
You can also use your knowledge in digital information products pack, so for example in e-books, audio files, videos, online courses u. v. m.
Also, you can use your knowledge not only in 1:1 work or a digital product, but also in Online seminars or workshops to whole groups. This has the advantage that you can take in a lot more with one event than working directly with just one person.
Also with Affiliate marketing you can build a good side income. How exactly that goes, you will learn in this article: Affiliate Marketing for Travelers and Digital Nomads
If you have a good product idea you can also sell your texts via Amazon or your own Online store distribute. I would also include writing books. If you are good at writing and you know a subject well, there are now good opportunities to self-publish books.
If you need more ideas, check out these articles:
How can you earn money on the Internet as a pupil or student??
In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to make money on the internet as a student is to start a business writing texts. If writing is easy for you and you can express yourself well, then especially copywriting platforms like Textbroker or Content.de good ways to earn your first money on the Internet. There you can easily and quickly create your own author profile and find text assignments on various topics, which you can accept directly. You can also be found there by clients themselves and be commissioned directly.
While most texts are sold very cheaply on these platforms, especially if you’re a high school or college student with a lot of time on your hands and don’t need to earn a full-time income yet, this is a great way to get a foothold in writing, gain some initial experience, and improve your skills.
Another possibility would be to Build your own blog. In my opinion, a blog has the "disadvantage" that you really need patience to become known and to earn money with it. Who already starts with it beside the school or the study, uses the time thus already early and meaningfully, in order to develop a good basis for itself.
How to build your own online business on the internet?
Source: Mika Baumeister / Unsplash
Phew, I would say this question can’t be explained so quickly in a few words. I have already dedicated a separate blog article to this: In 5 steps to a business model for your online business
I would summarize it into the following steps:
1. What do you want to start with? What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing?
The possibilities to earn money on the Internet are super versatile and almost unlimited. Therefore, it is first important to know what makes YOU in the whole. Which talents and interests do you have, with which you would probably like to occupy yourself longer and more intensively, in order to make your own online business out of it??
Of course, this can always evolve and change over time, but the important thing is that you start with something.
2. What should your online business and your life look like in the future and why??
Before you start, you should also know at least roughly where you want to go and why. Do you want to work alone from home? Do you want your own team and maybe even your own office space??
And why do you want to earn money online? Do you want to help people with your online coachings? Do you have a great idea for an e-book or even a product idea that you really want to realize?? Or can you simply do something particularly well and want to support other people with it?
3. Who do you want to help?
Now you know what you want to do and why, but for whom? Define your target audience and the people you think could benefit from your work and would be willing to pay for it. Surveys also help here, e.g. B. in internet groups and forums.
4. What do you need?
Once you have clarified the basics for your future online business, it’s time to look at what you need now to implement it. This ranges from business registration and tax advisor:in to office and online tools, initial marketing efforts, etc.
Is earning money online serious?
I would say there are two categories here: There are numerous "gurus" and online programs that advertise with pushy marketing that you can earn super fast, super cheap, super much money on the Internet – that counts for me in the category "UNSERIOUS"!". ?
But if you are honest and sustainable and really aim to add value and quality, then the Internet is your gateway to a serious, sustainable and good business model. Because if we look at it this way – freelance professions have been around forever and this includes people who support other people online with your job. These include for example web designers, copywriters, consultants u. v. m.
That is, these are serious professions that are simply carried out over the Internet. As well as good online courses, e-books or even physical products that deliver good quality and real value to their users. Such services and products will be gladly used or bought again, recommended, well rated and thus offer a good basis for a serious online business in the long run.
I would say, here it depends less on the circumstance of "earning money on the Internet", but rather on the intention behind it and how sustainable and serious the online business is approached.
Make fast money on the Internet – My opinion
As already mentioned, making money online is rather unserious for me. Earning money online, i.e. building up an online business, is also a start-up, just like any other self-employment. And about a startup, they say that it usually takes a good three years to see if you can really make money and be successful with the model in the long run.
And that’s how I see it with online business – you first need a certain reach and a small customer base. Your product development is not completed in two weeks and usually takes several months or years to complete. The whole process is about optimizing your offer, getting feedback, building a network, developing good processes, etc.
Accordingly, you should have a strong why, perseverance and a willingness to learn. Other qualities that I think it takes to become successful with an online business can also be found here: Your own online business: 13 qualities you should have for it
What are the advantages and disadvantages of online business??
In my opinion, there are many advantages to earning money online and being location-independent. Whether you want to travel the world in the meantime, find the atmosphere of cafes or coworking spaces inspiring, or simply prefer to work alone at home, you can decide for yourself. B. decide freely. In addition, you are more flexible if you have children or pets with whom you would like to spend more time during the day and divide it freely.
I have already covered many of these reasons in other blog posts, which you can read here:
In the following I will now go into more detail about the reasons that are most important to me personally. Maybe you will recognize yourself in it. ?
My 5 main reasons why I earn money online
I think, overridingly, the biggest advantage of making money online for me is that I can be my own boss am. Of course, you can also earn money online if you have a permanent job. For me it means to build up my own online business and to become independent from employers and bosses. And because of that, and the time and location independence, there are just super many benefits.
Here are my 5 personally strongest reasons why I originally started my own online business and why I wouldn’t want to miss it anymore:
1. I can decide for myself
I love the fact that I can actually decide everything for myself at work. I can decide:
- What I offer,
- who my target group is and who I want to work with,
- how I design my products and my way of working.
I find it super enriching to join forces with others and to think about and develop things together, which releases a whole new dynamic. But still, this is MY online business and I can decide who I want to work with and to what extent I want to engage in this collaboration.
2. I am time& independent of location
I would break this reason down into three main points:
I am an owl and often not very fit in the morning. It used to be a pain for me to have to be in the office at 7:30 a.m. just because someone decided that those were the company’s working hours. It’s just never been my rhythm and probably never will be.
But the other day I couldn’t fall asleep and worked from half past two until half past five in the morning, because my head was still super fit. But I could start the next day later and relaxed. Completely in my own rhythm and according to my own needs – I love it! ?
I am a little intro and enjoy the peace and quiet in the home office. Loud rooms stress me, many people annoy me ? and I just love being alone and can work best when I am alone.
I just love the fact that I basically don’t have to leave my apartment and can earn my living from there. And if I want a different working environment and different people around me, then I can decide that myself and either sit down in a cafe or a coworking space or arrange to meet a friend and cowork with her.
Besides, I’ve never understood why we run to a company day in and day out and spend most of our time there to earn money so we can afford an apartment, but where we actually just slump on the sofa in the evening, exhausted, to rush off again the next morning… nenene ? I earn my money so that I can afford, among other things, an apartment in which I feel comfortable and also spend most of my time there… never again otherwise! ?
How is 30 days of vacation going to be enough to see the world? That’s what I always asked myself when I was still employed. And 30 days is already generous in many companies. This is my life and I want to be able to decide for myself how much of my life I spend where.
In that I earn my money over the internet, I don’t have to ask anyone anymore if I can maybe take a two week vacation in another country. When I’m in a funk, I grab my laptop, sublet my apartment, and live somewhere else of my choice for a month or more.
I have also lived for 7 months without a residence – and if you want to start as a digital nomad, you can start your own online business whenever you want and make the world your home! ?
3. There are countless possibilities
The dreamlike at the online money earning is in my opinion also, that your work or your income can be used. Your activities are not reduced to a job description.
You can use as z. B. Start freelancing for graphic design and work for clients. You can also write an e-book about what is important in the design for graphics and co. arrives. Or you can create an online course and show others how to learn graphic design or how to use different programs. You could also develop a coaching program for other designers, showing them how to better grow and scale their business.
There are simply no limits to the possibilities.
4. You never stop growing
With the numerous possibilities, it never gets boring. You will always face new challenges. On the one hand, because you have to acquire new skills for new projects, on the other hand, because it is always challenging to run your own business.
This requires so much work on yourself, your own mindset, your own "construction sites" that you just never stop growing, getting to know yourself better, and evolving. ❤️
5. Your income is not limited
And another advantage that I find super important and motivating when making money online – my income is not limited. Because of the many opportunities that working on the Internet opens up, there are also countless ways to develop other sources of income. Your income is not limited to the number in your employment contract, nor is it dependent on the next salary negotiation with your boss.
In online business, you can set your own financial goals and then see what steps you need to take and what revenue streams you need to tap to achieve them. I would say that there are almost no limits, as long as you do it right and well.
Conclusion
Phew, the article has definitely become much longer than planned! ? But I think he makes it clear once again what advantages earning money on the Internet simply brings with it, but also that it may not be something for everyone.
You must have the will and stamina to do so and recognize and take advantage of opportunities, such as the current time now in 2021 for example. But if you really want to build up your own successful online business, you will have a lot of options and earning opportunities at your disposal.
I hope I could give you some impulses and tips with this article. Many thanks dear Sven, for the initiation with your blogparade! ? Feel free to check it out: on Bloggiraffe you will find a lot of information for your startup, helpful reviews, z. B. of business accounts or accounting tools, but also practical online marketing tips.
And now I wish you much success with your online business! ? Feel free to share your current challenges and goals in the comments, I’m looking forward to hearing from you. ?