Do you have what it takes to turn your passion or expertise into a real online business? Even if you don’t, today we are going to walk through some of the best ways to start making money online, while also showing off your expertise and passion in the process.

1. Create an Online Course or Membership Site

If you have a skill or expertise in something that can help or teach others, then you definitely have something that you could turn into a business. However, thanks to the power of the internet, you don’t need to rent out fancy halls, be a professional speaker, or even try to sell one-on-one consulting or products.

One of the biggest trends lately for people looking to get started with their own brand or business is to launch an online course or membership site. Even more exciting is that there are very low startup costs and little-to-no need for technical or design skills, especially if you use an online course tool.

Thanks to solutions like Kajabi, anyone can go live with an online course of their own in just hours. This drag and drop solution makes it easy to set up a new site, add video, quiz or text content, set up a members-only area, and start nurturing leads and accepting payments from customers in no time.

If you have your heart set on a WordPress-based website and you’re worried you won’t be able to find a platform that will enable you to create one with the same level of ease as Kajabi, fret not.
Tools such as Elementor allow just about anyone to create a comprehensive WordPress website without having to write a single line of code. And, with a native Vimeo integration and WooCommerce website building feature, you can easily create a subscription-based online course. Of course, there are other WordPress visual editors you can try if this doesn’t work for you.

Don’t think you have a skill or expertise that people will want to pay to learn? Simply head over to Google and start searching around for businesses similar to yours. I’m sure you will find a ton of experts who are already making some nice money by selling their knowhow and skills to others.

2. Start a Blog and Get a Feel for Content Creation and SEO

Have you thought about starting a website or blog, but are still sitting on the sidelines? Have you also seen articles about top bloggers making millions online? If you have, you are likely overwhelmed with the concept or process of getting started.

The good news is, going live with a website is extremely fast, easy, and often profitable! With WordPress, anyone can go live with a site of their own and start publishing content in just minutes. Just like going live with an online course or membership site, WordPress also requires no technical or design skills.

Once you go live with your site, you are going to need some traffic. Be sure to study up on SEO (search engine optimization) and the best working methods for social media to start bringing traffic to your sites. With all of this in place, you can then start focusing on different monetization methods such as using Google Adsense or affiliate marketing.

3. Make Your First Few Dollars Online with Freelance Writing

Did you know that people are making money from the comfort of their homes, while writing in their free time? It’s true and you don’t even need higher education or an English degree to make it happen.

As we all know, the internet is loaded with websites and blogs – all of which need new content. Sites like Textbroker and FreelanceMyWay allow anyone to sign up for their freelance writing platforms, which allows them to get paid for their writing skills. Best of all, there are no costs involved to get started.

If you enjoy writing about anything, this might be a perfect opportunity for you to start making money online with your own freelance business. The more writing you complete, and the better your reviews and ratings, the more you can earn writing in your spare time.

4. Get Yourself on Fiverr and Work Your Way Up

Maybe you aren’t an expert in your field, a great writer, or simply don’t have an interest in blogging or starting a site. Don’t give up yet, there’s always something new around the corner. For individuals that have an idea or a unique service to provide to others, Fiverr.com might be exactly what you are looking for!

The microjob marketplace has gotten a lot of flack over the years for their super low job rates, and for some of the low quality or spammy jobs on the site – however, there are thousands of great workers on the site that make a ton of money in the process.

We are talking about everything from graphic design, drawing, data entry, singing, transcription, and so much more. The best way to get a real understanding of how it all works, is to simply check out their site and seeing what all the fuss is about.

What Are You Waiting For? Go Make Some Money!

Now that you’ve seen what’s possible when it comes to making money online and starting a business of your own, it’s time to actually get started. The first step is to once again skim through each of the methods above. Then write or map out a plan of attack for how you can create a service or provide value to an audience, then also monetize it as well – after all, we are trying to start a business and not just do charity work!

Lastly, take a look at other big players in your niche market and see what they are doing. Study the competition, put everything into action, and find your own success and fame with an online business.

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com