Make money through online content

Sell your music. A few years ago, Radiohead made headlines by selling its latest album via its own website and raking in the dough – for donations, no less. Though your act might not have Radiohead status (yet), many small, independent, and even big-name acts have followed suit: as it turns out, a handful of sales with no middleman adds up to a lot more than what most artists end up with once the record industry has gotten its “dues.”

Become a freelance designer. Create a website showcasing your portfolio and build a client list by finding work in the online classifieds. Though it takes more time to get established doing business this way, you can set your own prices and won’t have to share your profits with the graphic design house.

Sell stock photos. This is a good way to make money while pursuing a fun hobby. Since people search for stock photos by keyword, your work will be on the same playing field as everyone else’s, meaning you should submit any photo you think is decent. Once it has posted, your work is done, and while you won’t generally make much per sale, having a good number of photos can mean accumulating a nice monthly side income with virtually no upkeep. iStockphoto, ShutterStock, and Fotolia are a few good places to shop around.

Sell an ebook. eBooks are not for everyone, but if you’ve ever found an innovative solution to a desperate situation and wished you could have simply paid someone to give you the answer sooner, it’s likely there’s a market out there for an ebook on the subject. Shop around to see what else is available and look for people posting in forums with similar issues. Don’t waste your time writing an ebook about something someone can readily find answers to; it’s something you want to reserve for people who are at their wit’s end.

Sell an app. In a multi-million-person marketplace, $1 or 2 per sale can go a long way. If you have a great concept but no programming know-how, it might even be worth it to hire a programmer. Just make sure you shop around for similar ideas, find ways to one-up your competition, and comply with the rules of the company on whose devices you’d sell the apps.

Sell articles. Lots of small businesses, websites, and marketers need good written content and smooth keyword integration to help them get more traffic. Though you won’t make much to start with, most articles will only be 200 to 300 words, which are a snap to crank out. As you prove yourself to be capable, you can start charging more for your services. If you’re a skilled writer, you might even try submitting your work to formal publications.