20 Ways to Start a Digital Side Hustle in 2019
We live in a world where inflation is on the rise, and every little dollar can go a long way. According to a Bankrate survey, almost 40% of Americans try their hand at some side hustle or the other.
While some people take up side hustles because they are passionate about something, for others, it becomes a way to generate some supplementary income.
The good part about living in a highly Internet-driven world is that there are numerous digital hustles you can try out. All you need is a laptop or even a smartphone and Wi-Fi access to get you going.
Here are 20 ways to start the best side hustles in 2019:
1. Launch an Etsy Store
You can use Etsy to sell various homemade items and crafts. This platform is one of the most popular ones for selling a variety of handmade goods on the Internet. Many people sell printable digital posters on Etsy as well.
If you have a creative streak and want to make some money on the side, launching an Etsy store is a great way to make money from home.
Visit Etsy to get started
2. Share Your Opinion
It's easy to get some extra dollars without writing very complex content. If you have an opinion about something and want it to be of use to someone, sites like Crowdtap offer many rewards to its members, for the honest feedback they give.
The site puts up hundreds of questions online that their members can answer every single day. The can earn various rewards like entertainment platform subscriptions, gift cards, and more.
Visit Crowdtap to get started
3. Transcription Side Hustle
If you can type up to 60 words a minute, translate accurately and meet deadlines, transcribing may be the way to go.
Transcribers can easily earn approximately $100 each week for around 8 hours of work.
The average rate for transcribing is $15.68 per hour, while an advanced transcriptionist can earn between $25 and $30 per hour.
4. Launch A Social Media Marketing Agency
Digital marketing is a trend that is here to stay, and even small businesses need some or the other form of digital marketing. If you have some knowledge of the subject and are an experienced digital marketer, you can start a social media marketing agency.
You can use your email marketing, social media, SEO knowledge, and skills to help people market their small businesses.
Since all you need is a computer and an internet connection, it isn't challenging to dedicate some time during the week for this digital side hustle.
5. Online Tutoring
There are many online tutoring sites you register on, and this is one side hustle that is in high demand.
There is always a requirement for skilled and experienced tutors, and the digital space has opened up several opportunities for online tutoring.
You can instruct Chinese students via various video conferencing platforms and get paid anything from $14 to $22 per hour.
You won’t need a teaching degree for this side hustle, but a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite, and you can do this work from your home.
It's one of the most classic hustles for people with a teaching background.
6. Affiliate Marketing
This is another excellent option if you have an active blog with a high amount of traffic. The social media following you have can help you become a successful affiliate marketer.
You can easily earn excellent commissions via your blog by promoting other companies' services and products. You can do this through your social media accounts or blogs.
You only need to provide links to people so they can visit those websites and make purchases. You earn a commission for each sale made via your content. It is an excellent digital side hustle.
7. Consulting
If you have been in a particular profession for long and have vast experience in the field, you can make good money by doing consulting work.
The important thing is to select the correct niche, be clear about which services you offer, and work hard to build your credibility.
It’s essential to pick the right niche, and you may also be able to work remotely or provide these services over the phone as well. This is one of the most lucrative side hustle ideas in 2019.
8. Virtual Assistant
Today, there are many entrepreneurs in the U.S, and a large percentage of these are black. Many of these people require some help running their businesses and may not want to hire full-time staff.
They prefer to hire virtual assistants to handle various work-related tasks for them and to manage their days.
There is a high demand for virtual assistants, and the average pay is $15.63 per hour. Virtual assistants are responsible for various things such as managing calendars, email lists, and scheduling posts, depending on the client's needs.
Virtual assistants are responsible for various things such as managing calendars, email lists, and scheduling posts, depending on the client's needs.
9. E-Commerce Website
Ecommerce is booming, and you can sell various products online. If you are wondering where you will stock everything and how you will ship it, don't worry about that either.
There are website builders that help you set up shop for yourself, and you also have the option to buy an existing store and get products dropshipped from the sellers.
This means you don't need any space for stocking inventory or worry about how these products will be shipped.
10. Design and Sell Online Courses
This is one of the most unique side hustles as well. If you have some specific topic-related knowledge, you can design and sell various online courses. These courses can help generate recurring income without any additional effort from your end.
There are many online tutorials that you can check on how to create practical online courses and how to segregate the content into modules and logical sections.
Many online platforms such as Teachable allow you to host your courses, and this helps ensure that it gets a broader reach.
Visit Teachable to get started
11. Create Ebooks
There is a huge market for ebooks. Many people are now choosing to read books in a digitalized form rather than in hardcopy form.
A large number of people are switching to Amazon Kindle and similar e-readers, and this is one more of the best side hustles 2019.
If you have ebook ideas, this is also a great way to get to the market quickly. You have the option to sell your book via Amazon's marketplace or your store.
Visit Amazon to learn more.
12. Become a Mystery Shopper
Companies from various fields now look for mystery shoppers.
This task involves purchasing products or services in secret and documenting your experiences with the retailer.
While mystery shopping was traditionally done at physical stores, it can also be done online. If you conduct some research online, you will find a significant amount of information and sites that offer mystery shopping jobs.
You also have the option to contact various companies and offer them your mystery shopping services.
13. Become An Email Marketer
When it comes to remote side hustles, email marketing is right there at the top of the list. If you have the drive and the time you can build a subscriber base and make personal connections with them.
There are platforms like Constant Contact, Aweber, LeadPages, ConvertKit and MailChimp that you can use to get started with email marketing.
If you have been involved in the digital marketing field, this can become a great way to use your experience and knowledge to earn additional income.
14. Create smartphone apps
If you have some skills in this field and are proficient at Android or Swift-based development platforms, you could create smartphone apps. This isn't a very easy way to make some money on the side.
However, with the right idea, it can help you make a good amount of money. The field is very competitive, and you need to create an app that functions well and provides value in some form or the other.
15. Sell Technical Services
If you have some technical skills like web development or graphic designing, you can take up projects via platforms like Upwork. This is a good website for other professionals like lawyers and accountants as well.
This is a good website for other professionals like lawyers and accountants as well.
It's essential to keep in view that you are competing with literally thousands of service providers across the globe.
This means getting the hang of it and making money off of it can take some time. You will find a lot of information about online side hustles Reddit on the Internet, and it's a good idea to check those out as well.
Visit Upwork to get started.
16 Freelance Content Writing
If you are creative and have writing skills, then content writing, editing, or proofing jobs are excellent side hustle ideas for moms. Today, everyone needs content for their websites, blogs, and other online avenues.
But just as content writers are in high demand, there is an equally high supply, and that means you need to have the right skills and build credibility in the field.
PeoplePerHour, Upwork, and similar platforms offer many content writing opportunities.
17. Participate in online marketing focus groups
Many marketing companies hold focus groups which research consumer's response to advertisements, services, and products across various mediums.
Since no specialized training or knowledge is required to participate in these, they are great side hustles 2019 options.
Students, working professionals and just about anyone else that is looking for an effortless side hustle can consider this.
18. Online Surveys
Many companies and business establishment use customer interviews to get candid feedback on different products and services. Platforms like Respondent facilitate these interviews.
While some of these take place in person, many are conducted online too. They are a great option if you are looking for a digital side hustle that you can do from home. Look for ones that specifically mention – remote.
There are many online options, and while these won't bring in bushels of money, there can be a steady trickle of money coming in. You can sign up on multiple platforms to make the most money from this avenue.
18. Selling on eBay
This platform has a very competitive environment, and the profit margins may not be very high, either. But you can sell new and used goods on eBay and make some money on the side.
It's best to check the site and see what categories of products they have. Get an overall idea of the types of things that are being sold and what the pricing structure is. It is a massive marketplace, and you can make money selling on eBay.
19. Selling on Fiverr
This is one of the best sites in the world to launch all types of side hustles. When the site was first launched, the basic concept was that every gig was priced at $5.
That has now changed, and you can post your service offers at different pricing. It takes a while to build credibility on this site, but you will find it gives you the exposure you need to advertise and sell your services.
It’s a good way to make money while you continue with your regular job.
Visit Fiverr.com to get started.
20. Sell on Teespring
Teespring is t-shirt platform where you can take on-demand order for custom-designed T-shirts. You also sell these T-shirts via the same platform and advertise your products via your social media accounts. This can give you a good reach and make sure that your T-shirt designs reach a broad audience.
As you can see, there are many active and passive side hustles you can consider if you are looking to make some money on the side. While you can experiment and try your hand at multiple side hustles, it's best to try something that falls within the scope of your existing skills and knowledge.
But there are numerous online side hustles from home that don’t require specific skills or investment and you can find something that suits your needs.
Make the best use of the Internet and the fact that it opens up multiple opportunities for you to make some good money to supplement your primary income.