Do you know that around 5.07 billion people use social media platforms with an average of two hours every day? While most people use it to stay connected with their loved ones, share memes, or get entertained, some people use it smartly and make money from social media platforms.
Today, social media platforms have become a cash cow for people who understand how to leverage their power. Almost every social platform out there offers a unique way to make a few bucks every month. And here, I’ll discuss some of the top five social media sites and explain how you can start a side hustle on those platforms.
So, let’s begin!
YouTube
Receiving your first paycheck from YouTube can take some time. However, in my opinion, it’s one of the highest-paying social media platforms on this list.
Now, to get started on YouTube, choose a niche first that you’re most interested in. Once done, decide on your channel name and logo, and optimize it by writing a compelling description that explains your channel.
Coming to the most important part of creating videos, you can do them yourself or take AI’s help. Personally, I prefer AI tools that can write compelling scripts and convert them into quality videos.
However, keep in mind that such tools are usually subscription-based, and you’ll also need a high-speed connection, preferably 5G Internet service, to run them efficiently. Also, YouTube highly emphasizes AI content originality. Otherwise, YouTube may flag it, and all your efforts might go to waste.
Other than videos, post shorts on YouTube because they can effectively increase your channel’s reach and visibility among the audience.
Last but not least, a YouTube channel can take time to grow. So, stay determined, regularly create and publish videos, and monitor analytics to optimize your content on YouTube.
For me, Facebook is one of the most versatile social media platforms. There are several ways to earn money from Facebook, and almost none of them require an initial investment. Below are some widely famous methods to earn from Facebook:
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- Facebook Shop: Though Facebook is nothing like an e-commerce store, you can create an online store and sell different products. With Facebook Shop, you can provide a seamless shopping experience to your audience without requiring them to leave the platform.
- Sell on Facebook Marketplace: This is another option on Facebook where you can locally sell extra household items or other products directly via the platform. To do so, you just need to create an ad on Facebook Marketplace, add the product’s images and description, and post the ad. Then, interested buyers can reach out to you via Messenger.
- Do Affiliate Marketing: If you’ve gathered a huge following on your Facebook profile, page, or group, and have expertise in a certain niche, let’s say gaming or makeup products, then you can become an affiliate marketer. Most brands collaborate with influencers to promote their products. And in return, they offer a certain percentage for every sale made to those influencers.
- Run Sponsored Ads: With billions of daily active users every month, Facebook is one of the best platforms for inorganic marketing. And just like brands collaborate with influencers, they also hire marketers to run sponsored ads on their Facebook pages to reach the ideal target audience.
Running sponsored ads can include creating, optimizing, and monitoring their performance across Meta platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram.
X
X is one of those platforms that requires a small initial investment to earn from it.
Essentially, this investment is buying X’s subscription that makes you eligible for monthly payouts. Having said that, I believe earning from X is the easiest among major social media platforms.
Let me explain why.
After subscribing to X’s paid plan, you’ll receive a blue tick verification from the platform. Once a blue tick appears on your profile, it’s all about how much engagement you bring to the platform. You can do it by tweeting, organizing polls, competitions, spaces, and more. The more engaging content you post, the more your chances are of receiving a handsome payout.
Other than this, below are a few more ways to earn from X:
- Ghost Writing: Most small brands hire part-time ghostwriters to create and maintain an active presence on the platform. Their responsibilities primarily include tweeting updates, discounts, or industry-related news to keep their audience engaged on X.
- Start a Community: Creating a paid community is a great idea if you have gathered a massive following around a niche subject. For instance, several current affairs experts do commentary on global events, and people subscribe to their community to access their exclusive content.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many followers do I need to start earning from X?
What matters the most on X is how engaged your followers are, and you can earn even if you have few followers.
What are some other social platforms to earn money?
Other than these platforms, you can also earn from Instagram, Twitch, Snapchat, and more.