Digital marketing side hustles are ideal for individuals seeking to earn extra income or entry-level marketers aiming to enhance their portfolios and acquire experience. Within each digital marketing channel, various services can be offered to businesses seeking to improve their online presence. Many of these services require minimal initial investment, can be set up with little effort, and are often conducted entirely online.
Digital Marketing Side Hustle Advantages
Digital marketing provides a wide range of individuals with the opportunity to engage in the online world, regardless of their level of experience. Engaging in digital marketing as a side hustle allows individuals to enhance their skills, which can be beneficial for strengthening their portfolios. Additionally, digital marketing side hustles, being based online, offer a pathway for individuals seeking to enter the industry. Commencing a digital marketing side hustle can:
- Make supplemental money.
- Gain more experience and build your portfolio.
- Provide leeway for chances to be pursued remotely.
- Acquire valuable, marketable skills.
- Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a side job that pays you based on how many sales or leads you get. You push goods or services and get paid for each one. This is a great way to make money from your blog!
Making content or ads that promote partner goods and then using your blog, social media account, or email list to send people to the affiliate’s website are examples of this. Affiliate marketing works best when you know your audience and promote goods that are related to what they like.
You need to be good at persuasion marketing, know how to gain people’s trust, and be able to look at success data and make changes to your plans based on what you find.
You also need to be patient and persistent, because partner marketing doesn’t give you results right away.
Email Marketing
You make magazines, advertising emails, and other focused programs and send them out in email marketing.
For this side job, you’ll be writing interesting emails that get people to do something, like buy something, sign up for a workshop, or just interact with the brand. It’s about learning how to use email marketing tools, dividing people into groups, and looking at how well campaigns are doing.
To use email marketing effectively, you need to be able to write persuasively, plan strategically, and analyze data. Businesses can use it to keep leads interested, turn prospects into customers, and keep customers coming back. Businesses can use it to keep in touch with leads, turn prospects into customers, and keep customers unique and interesting.
Social media management
As a social media manager, your responsibilities include overseeing a company’s social media presence to enhance the visibility of its products and/or services. This involves tasks such as community management, content creation, and data analysis.
Social media serves as a dependable and easily accessible tool for businesses aiming to establish an online presence. However, many business owners struggle to find the time to effectively manage their company’s social media platforms.
If you are considering starting a side hustle in digital marketing as a social media manager, begin by examining local businesses and asking yourself the following questions:
- Do they have a social media presence? If so, what platforms are they using?
- How often do they post?
- How’s the quality of their content?
- Is there a social media platform they’re not on that can greatly benefit their business?
- Are their profiles optimized with the latest business information?
Often, the answer to these questions is “possible!” Get in touch with these companies and offer to handle their social media.
How much you charge each month will depend on how much knowledge you have. A good amount of extra money to add to your income.
Check out HubSpot’s piece on social media marketing to learn more.
Content Writing
To gain a deeper understanding of copywriting, consider reviewing HubSpot’s Copywriting 101 article, which serves as a valuable resource for beginners seeking improvement. Writing is prevalent in the digital landscape, evident in social media posts and website blogs. It’s important to note that content writing is educational, while the primary objective of copywriting is to prompt readers to take action. As a digital marketing side hustle, offering writing services for a company’s assets can be a valuable opportunity.
- Website blogs
- Email newsletters
- Social media posts
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a highly sought-after skill involving the process of optimizing website content for search engines like Google. This is achieved through the creation of valuable content and the use of relevant keywords to improve the website’s ranking on search result pages. Junior marketers can gain valuable experience by offering SEO services to small businesses, allowing them to practice ranking for specific keywords and build their portfolios. They can also set flexible rates for content writing, whether by the piece or by the hour. For a deeper understanding of copywriting, consider exploring HubSpot’s Copywriting 101 article.
Content Creation (Visuals)
Visuals play a crucial role in marketing and branding, particularly on social media. Platforms like Canva have made graphic design more accessible, easier, and cost-effective for digital marketing as a side hustle. Canva allows users to create themed templates suitable for various industries, aesthetics, and branding, thereby enhancing companies’ online presence. Design assets include:
- Social media headers
- Event posts
- Website product images
- Pre-designed, customizable templates for social media
- Custom-made-to-order designs
Consider adhering to a company’s brand guidelines, including tone of voice, colors, fonts, aesthetics, and other identifying factors. Another lucrative digital marketing side hustle idea is creating branding kits.
Content Creation (Video)
More and more people are favoring video content over written content. Leading platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels have popularized the creation of both long-form and short-form videos across various industries. Podcast episodes are also gaining popularity as a form of video content.
With some practice, one can venture into a digital marketing side hustle in video editing by utilizing editing software such as CapCut, Canva, or Adobe Premiere Pro. Another popular side hustle in digital marketing involves becoming a UGC creator. User-generated content (UGC) entails creating content for a company to showcase its product or service. Brands utilize UGC creators to produce authentic content with real people behind the camera, rather than influencers.
According to HubSpot, UGC creators receive payment based on the increase in sales that their content causes. Unlike influencers, UGC creators do not require a large social media following to succeed.
SEO Consulting
SEO consulting is an essential aspect of digital marketing where professionals assist businesses in enhancing their visibility on search engines such as Google. This involves website analysis, keyword research, and the implementation of strategies to improve search rankings. Staying updated with the latest search engine algorithms and trends is crucial for SEO consultants. Their responsibilities include on-page optimization, such as enhancing website content and structure, as well as off-page tactics like link-building and social media strategies. This role is vital for businesses aiming to increase organic traffic, requiring analytical skills, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of SEO tools and best practices. SEO specialists must also remain informed about search engine algorithm changes to ensure the effectiveness of their strategies.
Online Advertising
Managing online advertising, such as pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, can be a profitable side hustle. It entails creating and refining ads on platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads. Responsibilities include setting up campaigns, conducting keyword research, crafting ad copy, and managing budgets. The objective is to increase traffic and conversions while ensuring a positive return on investment. This role demands analytical skills, a solid grasp of advertising platforms, and the ability to interpret data for informed decision-making.
Graphic Design
Graphic design in digital marketing encompasses the creation of visual content such as logos, banners, and social media graphics. This side hustle involves more than just aesthetic appeal; it also revolves around effectively communicating a brand’s message visually. This skill is crucial for businesses looking to stand out in a crowded marketplace and make informed decisions.
As a graphic designer, it is essential to have a deep understanding of design principles, branding, and proficiency in design software. Your work plays a critical role in shaping a brand’s perception and can have a substantial impact on user engagement and brand recognition.
Teaching How-To’s
Consider leveraging your digital marketing experience by offering online courses and tutorials. These courses can be beneficial for business owners looking to improve their online presence in a structured way. You can conduct live virtual sessions or create courses on popular learning platforms like SkillShare, Udemy, and Coursera, which provide features such as customer reviews and enrollment statistics for your course.
- Consider creating courses on the following topics:
- Social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook Page, TikTok, etc.)
- Google Analytics or Semrush for SEO
- Canva or CapCut for content creation
- Email marketing platforms
Start with a small group of students, even just one, and be sure to gather their feedback after the course. Use their input to make adjustments to your curriculum.