Landing a job is getting more and more difficult. New positions are added daily, but they are either not paying well or take time to qualify. The best interim solution is to find a side gig until you land something more perpetual.
The list below is about online opportunities that can help you bootstrap your finances for the short term. They won’t make you rich, but they can help you get through the search period with much less stress.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the oldest and best-established platforms for making money online. They offer an incredible number of earning possibilities – answering paid surveys, playing mobile games, participating in cashback, using their search engine, inviting referrals, and more.
It’s safe to say that Swagbucks is an all-around platform for earning money online. It’s based in California and has been helping people since 2008, so it’s clear they aren’t going anywhere. They have built a steady base of users who earn consistently.
Most users on the platform earn around $50 per month using one of the earning methods mentioned above. There are some success stories of people earning more, but it is a combination of luck, skill, and good demographics. Let’s take a closer look at two money-earner methods to understand it better.
Playing Games
All earning options on Swagbucks are based on a points system. You complete certain actions and then earn points called SB. Games are no exception, as various achievements on them will be counted in SB points before you can cash out.
Usually, you need to spend some defined time while playing games, but Swagbucks might also ask you to reach certain achievement levels or write a review summarizing your experience. The last part is crucial and explains why Swagbucks is paying money for people to play games.
Game developers need people to try out their games and give some feedback. It also helps to acquire some traction when players start downloading a new game.
Answering Online Surveys
Companies constantly need data on consumer opinions. That’s why they pay money for platforms like Swagbucks to survey their users with relevant questions. Most surveys take around twenty minutes and can be completed online while you commute.
It should be noted that Swagbucks is far from the only provider of paid online surveys. Pawns.app, Branded surveys, Survey Junkey, and many other good platforms are available for this earning method. Click for more information about Swagbucks and its alternatives.
Most people treat Facebook as a tool to share their experiences and socialize with friends. While it is the main way to use this platform, it has evolved to something more over the years. One thing Facebook has become good for more recently is earning money online.
There are at least three ways to earn money on Facebook – Monetizing your content, Selling stuff on the Facebook marketplace, and using the Meta audience network.
Monetizing Your Content
Monetizing your content. Facebook allows various creators, even small ones, to get paid for the content they publish on the platforms. The first thing you need to succeed in is authentic content. You are likely uploading videos, photos, and writing posts anyway. Now, it’s time to step up.
If you are making videos for Facebook, you can start including ads in them. This option will require you to have at least 10000 page followers to start earning clicks.
If you have created a following with visual content, you can reach out to brands and include them in your photos. Facebook is better than most other platforms here because it has a dedicated Brand Collabs Manager that will help you to take care of everything.
Articles on Facebook can also be monetized with special ad placement. You can insert them yourself or let Facebook automatically place ads within your articles. The latter option is super convenient for beginners.
Facebook Marketplace
This one’s really straightforward and, in many cases, much easier than using alternative platforms like Etsy, Craigslist, eBay, or Amazon. Creating a new listing option takes only a few minutes, and you likely have a Facebook account anyway.
To make your listing more visible, you will need to get smart about it. Make sure to have as many friends as possible on Facebook. Don’t get too spammy in the short term, but be sure that these are genuine friends who will engage with your listings. Likes and shares help with visibility tremendously.
Another neat trick with Facebook Marketplace is posting, or better yet, creating your own Facebook groups. They can be a source of income themselves, but they are especially helpful when selling items. People on dedicated trading groups are much more willing to purchase the items than those who simply scroll through an unrelated feed.
Meta Audience Network
This one will require some specific skills, but it’s by far the most profitable side gig you can do with Facebook. Audience Network helps creators monetize mobile apps. Instead of spending time looking for ad partnerships, you can let Facebook handle it.
Once you integrate a Meta audience into your app, Facebook algorithms will be able to target your users with ads. This is much better than random ads in your app since users will be more willing to press on them. Every click is money that you earn on the platform.
Meta audience network isn’t necessary for social media users. Facebook claims that more than 40% of top apps are integrated with their platform, which means that the users will be targeted with ads repeatedly. The more they are targeted, the more likely they are to bring you profit.
Final Words
Both options here represent the best platform in their respective fields. Even if you don’t begin earning on any of the above platforms, they will surely give you ideas for getting started. From selling your old stuff to playing games and answering questionnaires for money, these hustles are available for anyone willing to try them.
