The rise of social media and publishing platforms has created a new generation of content creators. Anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection can now share their thoughts and ideas with the world. This democratization of content creation has led to a boom in online creativity.
Whether you have a passion for fashion, politics, crafts, fitness, or just sharing your everyday life with others, there’s a platform for you. The barriers to entry are low, and the potential rewards are high; find the best forum for your audience, and you stand to make a lot of money!
But there are so many different types of content you can create, so which ones are best for making money? Here are the seven best platforms where you can share your content for cash.
1. Medium
Medium.com is a popular online publishing platform that allows anyone to become a writer. With over 700,000 paying members who flock to the site every day to read about various topics, it’s a fantastic place to find your audience. Even if you’ve never published content online, you can quickly leverage this platform to make money through the Medium Partner Program.
How to Earn Money on Medium
The MPP allows qualified creators to make money based on how much time paying members spend reading their blog posts. If you’re a thought leader who can write highly engaging articles with eye-grabbing headlines, you stand to make a lot of money! Many Medium writers earn hundreds of dollars this way, writing part-time. There are even some writers who earn a full-time income from the program!
For example, Zulie Rane is one of the platform’s top writers who frequently shares her Medium earnings on YouTube, and she routinely makes over $2,000-$3,000 per month.
To qualify for the Medium Partner Program, you need 100 followers and to have published at least one article. Once you cross this threshold, you can apply to the program and start metering your posts once you get approved. Payments are issued monthly through Stripe.
How to Get Started
It’s free to sign up for a Medium account and publish stories, but it’s a good idea to become a paying member to read other people’s content and get a feel for the type of stories that perform well there. The key to being successful on Medium is to take the time to learn how the platform works and publish consistently about topics that resonate with your audience.
2. YouTube
YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. It’s also an excellent platform for content creators to make money! Anyone with a YouTube account can create a channel and upload videos. There are numerous ways to monetize your channel if you build a large enough audience.
How to Earn with YouTube Videos
Once you gain 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, you can apply to become part of the YouTube Partner Program. The biggest perk of this program is the ability to monetize your videos with Google Adsense. You get to keep a portion of the ad revenue from your videos. The amount you make per 1,000 views (RPM) can range widely, depending on the type of advertisements shown and the country where your viewers are located, but it can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month.
In addition to ad revenue, you can also make money through sponsorships and product placements. Once you have 10,000 followers, you can also access the Merch Shelf and sell t-shirts, books, mugs, or other branded items.
How to Get Started
You can create a YouTube channel and start uploading videos for free! However, it is worth investing in some essential equipment, like a mic and proper lighting, to help you create high-quality video content. It’s also vital that you’re clear about your niche so your audience knows what kind of content to expect from your channel. Upload useful and entertaining videos consistently, and you can cross the Partner Program threshold in a matter of months!
3. TikTok
TikTok is a relatively new social media platform that allows users to share short videos. It has quickly become one of the most popular apps globally, with over 800 million active users. TikTok is especially popular among Gen Z.
How to Earn with TikTok
The primary way content creators make money on TikTok is through branded sponsorship and influencer marketing. Once you have a significant following on the platform, brands will reach out to you to promote their products or services in your videos.
In addition to sponsorships, TikTok has a Creator Fund that pays content creators based on their engagement levels. The amount you earn depends on many factors, including the country you’re in and the type of content you create. The average typically falls between $9 and $38 per day.
To be eligible for the fund, you need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the past 30 days.
How to Get Started
It’s free to download the TikTok app and create an account. You don’t need any special equipment besides your smartphone to start, although a tripod and a ring light can help you create higher-quality videos.
The key to success on TikTok is creating engaging and entertaining content that speaks to your target audience. Participate in popular video trends while putting your own spin on them. Lastly, it’s vital to upload regularly; TikTok suggests that creators post 1-3 times per day to maximize distribution on the platform.
4. Pinterest
Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to share and discover new interests by pinning images or videos to their account’s “boards.” The site is especially popular among women, with over 77% of its users being female.
How to Earn with Pinterest
There are a few ways content creators can make money on Pinterest. One of the most common ways is by joining affiliate programs.
With affiliate marketing, you can promote products or services from other brands on your Pinterest boards and earn a commission on your sales.
More recently, Pinterest introduced another way for creators to monetize their accounts through the Creator Rewards program.
To qualify for the Creator Rewards program, you must have a business account, be 18 years or older, have at least 250 followers on Pinterest, and have published at least three Idea pins in the last 30 days. Additionally, you must be a legal resident of the United States and have 150 saves of your pins in the previous 30 days.
Once you’ve met these requirements, you’ll be able to apply through the Pinterest mobile app.
This method of monetization likely isn’t enough to produce a full-time income. However, this creator earned $1,550 in two days from the Pinterest Creator Rewards fund!
How to Get Started
If you’re interested in making money with Pinterest, the first step is to create a business account and create high-quality pins using a graphic design tool like Canva. Next, create pins and boards based on popular topics that are trending on the platform.
Then you can start promoting products or services from other brands as an affiliate or apply to the Creator Rewards program if you meet the eligibility requirements.
5. Facebook
Facebook is a social networking site where users can connect with friends and family, share updates and photos, and join groups and events. The platform also has a vast global reach with over 1.5 billion active users.
How to Earn with Facebook
Facebook now offers several methods for monetizing your content, so if you have an active Facebook page, these are well worth looking into!
For example, you can make money by collaborating with brands on Facebook through the platform’s Brand Collabs Manager. You can use this tool to connect with brands who might be willing to sponsor posts on your page.
You can also monetize your Facebook page with monthly recurring pledges from your followers. In return, your supporters get a badge, and you can grant them access to special content or supporter-only discounts.
If you often post videos on your Facebook page and have a considerable following, you can enable in-stream ads in your content. How much you can earn depends on how many people view your content.
However, this form of monetization requires a large audience; some of the biggest hurdles to clear include having at least 10,000 followers and 10,000 hours of watch time in the last 60 days.
How to Get Started
Create a Facebook Page and post high-quality content that your audience will enjoy. You can also consider using Facebook Ads to promote your content and grow your audience. As with all the other platforms, consistency is vital to achieving steady growth and user engagement.
Once you’ve built up a following, you can check your eligibility for the different content monetization methods in the Creator Studio.
6. Instagram
Instagram is an image and video-sharing social networking site where users can share photos and videos with friends and followers. The platform also offers a wide range of filters, editing tools, and creative effects.
How to Earn with Instagram
Instagram creators can monetize their content in a number of ways.
The first is through affiliate marketing. Even though Instagram posts don’t allow links, you can put one in your bio and add a note in your posts to visit your profile for the link. Alternatively, you can negotiate a unique checkout code with your affiliate partner to promote in your post. For example, if you’re promoting a piece of jewelry, you can add a call to action to your post like, “Use INSTAGRAM10 at checkout to get 10% off your purchase!”
You can also collaborate with brands on Instagram through sponsored posts. This involves creating a post about a product or service and tagging the brand in the caption. The brand will then pay you for the post. How much you’re paid will depend on your engagement rate, the number of followers you have, and other factors.
Another way to monetize your account is through Instagram’s bonuses for reels. You can access these by turning your account into a creator account and regularly posting reels. If you are consistent enough, Instagram may provide you with an option to activate reel bonuses, which allows you to earn for every reel view.
For example, Instagram creator @iamnatalie published a reel sharing how she made over $2,200 through the reel bonus!
How to Get Started
To build a following on Instagram, post high-quality images, stories, and reels. Post regularly and engage with other users as much as possible. Use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience, and consider using Instagram Ads to jumpstart your growth.
7. Patreon
Patreon is a platform that allows content creators to receive monthly payments from their fans (known as “patrons”). Patrons make a monthly pledge to creators, and in return, creators offer exclusive content to their subscribers. The exclusive content or “perks” typically include things like ebooks, audio content, newsletters, videos, or livestreams.
How to Earn with Patreon
Patreon creators often create multiple pledge tiers for their patrons to choose from. Generally, the more expensive the tier, the more perks the patron receives. Creators can set the monthly pledge to any amount they want.
The platform is free to use, but Patreon takes 5-12% of every pledge, depending on your plan. For example, the Pro plan has an 8% fee but gives you access to all the platform’s features, while the Pro + Merch plan takes 11% but enables tools for adding merchandise to your account.
After that, the amount of money you make depends on the number of subscribers you have and how much they’re willing to pledge per month.
For instance, if your average pledge per patron is $12 and you have 140 subscriptions, you would earn $1,680 per month minus platform and payment fees.
How to Get Started
Patreon has no internal audience, so this platform works best when paired with another platform. For example, many YouTubers will advertise their Patreon accounts to their followers and drive traffic to it that way.
It’s also a good idea to offer multiple pledge tiers to your patrons so they can choose the level that aligns best with the perks they wish to receive and their budget. Lastly, make sure you keep your patrons happy by delivering the promised perks on time, answering their messages or comments, and posting regularly on the platform.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to make money as a content creator. Which platform is right for you will depend on your niche, content, and audience.
The most important thing is to be consistent with your content and engage with your audience as much as possible.
If you’re just starting, it is best to focus on one or two platforms and build up your following before trying to monetize your content. Whichever route you decide to go, remember that it takes time and effort to make money as a content creator, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away.
Just keep creating quality content, and eventually, you will create a fun and lucrative new income stream; it could even become your full-time job!
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