💸 7 Ways to Make a Buck

Every year, more creators make a living from their online business—but never in exactly the same way. Each professional is using their unique expertise to solve problems for real people, and getting compensation in return, but how they deliver that transformation seems like it’s all over the place, right?

One lawyer makes a living selling privacy policy templates, of all things, while another lawyer switched careers by getting certified to write compelling copy and orchestrate marketing campaigns. One doctor offers remote consults to craft a mold detox plan, while another sells custom supplements to heal your gut while building muscle at the gym. One counselor writes a best-selling book on an ancient personality profile system called the Enneagram, while another hosts live events and delivers custom training at Churches across the US.

It seems like for every case study of “how to succeed online” there are 10 exceptions of people succeeding in different ways. The truth is, there are many different versions of what “success” looks like and many different ways to get there!

On one hand, that should be encouraging because you’ve got so many options. On the other hand, that might be overwhelming because you’ve got so many options! Thankfully, each success story is not radically different once you dig a bit deeper into what products and services make money online. Here are the 7 most common ways to make a buck from your content online:

1. Affiliate Marketing. Did you know you can sell products without having to create them? Thousands of product owners offer an affiliate commission for sales you refer to.
2. Downloadable Products. If you can package your expertise into a checklist or template, you can offer that as a downloadable PDF.
3. Online Courses. Record 3–5 short videos that work together toward a single transformation, and that becomes an online course you can offer.
4. Paid Services. What’s obvious and easy for you, but confusing to everyone else? You can sell your expertise by the hour, or as a packaged service with a tangible outcome.
5. Events. Can you imagine an immersive experience that drives people to turn your expertise into a movement? That’s perfect for a conference, workshop, or a mastermind group.
6. A Book. Publishing a book gives you instant credibility—in part because it takes a lot of work! With today’s publishing options, you can choose to publish whenever you want.
7. Physical Products. If people could touch, feel, and use your ideas with their hands, what would that look like? Despite the convenience of digital, people crave tangible tools.

There are 7 ways to make a buck, and each of those could lead to a dozen different ideas. Don’t start with all seven, but instead, pick one category and create a product you can offer for sale. Remember, people don’t pay for products, they pay for transformation. What can you offer to help people become smarter, stronger, faster, wealthier, or happier? Now, go build that.