New to Digital Marketing: How Can I Start Earning on the Side?

22 replies
Hey Warriors,

I'm new here and looking for some guidance. My name is Hamza, and I'm just starting out in the digital marketing space. I'm passionate about learning everything from content creation to paid ads, and I'm eager to start making some side money while I build up my skills.

At the moment, I'm juggling a search for a digital marketing internship, but I know that landing that gig is only partly in my control. So I'm looking for some practical ideas on how I can start earning on the side as a digital marketing noob.

A bit about what I've been working on:

I've been honing my skills in community management, content creation (using Canva and CapCut), and even dabbling in Meta Ads and SEO.
I'm currently learning Google Analytics/GA4 to better understand website performance and data-driven decisions.
I'm also building my personal brand on LinkedIn and experimenting with small projects to create a solid portfolio.
My main questions for you experienced folks are:

What are some low-cost, low-risk ways for a beginner like me to start earning side income using my digital marketing skills?
Any specific platforms, tools, or side gigs you recommend that are beginner-friendly?
How did you get your first few paying gigs or projects when you were starting out?
I really appreciate any tips, resources, or personal experiences you can share. Looking forward to learning from this community and getting some actionable advice!

Thanks in advance,

[Edited by moderator: please do not solicit personal contact]
#digital #earning #marketing #side #start
Avatar of Unregistered
  • Profile picture of the author Kelin Raw
    You can start by offering freelance services like social media management, content writing, or SEO to businesses.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11816839].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Monetize
    Originally Posted by hamza trankil View Post

    Hey Warriors,

    I'm new here and looking for some guidance. My name is Hamza, and I'm just starting out in the digital marketing space. I'm passionate about learning everything from content creation to paid ads, and I'm eager to start making some side money while I build up my skills.

    At the moment, I'm juggling a search for a digital marketing internship, but I know that landing that gig is only partly in my control. So I'm looking for some practical ideas on how I can start earning on the side as a digital marketing noob.

    A bit about what I've been working on:

    I've been honing my skills in community management, content creation (using Canva and CapCut), and even dabbling in Meta Ads and SEO.
    I'm currently learning Google Analytics/GA4 to better understand website performance and data-driven decisions.
    I'm also building my personal brand on LinkedIn and experimenting with small projects to create a solid portfolio.
    My main questions for you experienced folks are:

    What are some low-cost, low-risk ways for a beginner like me to start earning side income using my digital marketing skills?
    Any specific platforms, tools, or side gigs you recommend that are beginner-friendly?
    How did you get your first few paying gigs or projects when you were starting out?
    I really appreciate any tips, resources, or personal experiences you can share. Looking forward to learning from this community and getting some actionable advice!

    Thanks in advance,

    [Edited by moderator: please do not solicit personal contact]

    Actionable advice:

    Read books, take courses, watch tutorial videos and learn about
    this industry.

    There are over 250 ways to make money online, so you need to
    assess your skills and determine what will work for you.

    Some topics to learn about:

    Passive Income
    Make Money Online
    Work at Home
    Home Business
    Affiliate Marketing
    Blogging
    Social Media Marketing
    Website Development
    HTML & WP
    Funnel Building
    KDP Publishing
    Lead Generation
    Domaining and Website Flipping
    A.I. Prompt Engineering
    How to do this, that, and the other

    Finally, other people cannot tell you what you should do. What works
    for one person, might not work for the other, because we are different
    and do things differently.

    As to the internship, internet marketing is about being independent,
    not getting a job somewhere so that other people can dictate what
    you should do and/or limit your earnings.

    If you have any questions, post them here.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11816843].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author hamza trankil
      so i just pick one of these :
      Funnel Building
      lead generation
      and SMM are pretty interesting

      do you advise to pick just one and learn it to the max??
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11816849].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Monetize
        Originally Posted by hamza trankil View Post

        so i just pick one of these :
        Funnel Building
        lead generation
        and SMM are pretty interesting

        do you advise to pick just one and learn it to the max??

        You will need to know multiple skills in order to be successful, and
        some things go together such as leads and funnels.

        Again, assess the skills you already possess, research the topics
        that I listed above, and choose an area that interests you and that
        you think have the most potential for you.

        Easy is good as well, but when you are a beginner you will likely
        need to put more effort into getting things set up and operational.

        I highly recommend affiliate marketing, I think it's one of the best
        ways to make money that there is.

        Affiliate marketing is where you promote other business's items
        on your own blog, website, FB, Pinterest, etc. and you will earn
        commissions when things are sold.

        Things you can promote range from books to boats, and you are
        only limited by your ability to market things.

        But it's up to you which business model you decide upon.

        If you haven't already done so, start using A.I. as it can help you
        develop your business.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11816856].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Jamell
    Focus on and learn 1 skill at a time before you burn yourself out .

    Before you think about making money you should think about unique ways to solve problems .

    In other words look for gaps in the market and carve out a niche for yourself .

    Skills pay the bills so you have to learn net work and apply yourself.

    It won't cost you a penny to advertise yourself on fiverr .

    You might also want to hit up a few garage sales and flip some items

    Hope this was helpful
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11816855].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Awadh Sharma
    Hey Hamza, welcome to the world of digital marketing!

    First off, it's great to see that you're already working on content creation, Meta Ads, SEO, and Google Analytics--you're definitely heading in the right direction!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817031].message }}
  • Start with freelancing (SEO, social media, content writing) on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. Try affiliate marketing, run ads for small businesses, or start a niche blog/YouTube. Learn & apply skills, then scale!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817061].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author alex jordan
    You're off to a great start, Hamza! Try freelancing on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr for social media management, content creation, or basic SEO. You can also offer local businesses ad setup or social media services to gain hands-on experience. Building connections and showcasing your work on LinkedIn can help attract potential clients.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817165].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author FinnVance
    Start with local businesses, offer services, or try affiliate marketing.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817322].message }}
  • There's always growth in competitiveness. It's perpetual. In any industry. IN ANY niche ecosystem.
    So when I was a beginner a couple of decades ago -- I directed my learning journey towards a highly specialized career opportunity in a high-impact niche under a thriving industry across high-activity geos ...

    For example, instead of just social media ad campaign design and management, I focused on mastering one social media platform, i.e. LinkedIn PPC and sponsored post placements, participation in targeted LinkedIn groups, direct response through LinkedIn InMail, and others to do in LinkedIn that can produce positive business returns for myself, my business, and my clients.

    Then, I niche down further by focusing on a particular audience, a micro niche across local geos, i.e. That stuff in LinkedIn, for B2B (business to business) communities within niche ecosystems like flexible work space rentals in CA; or in premium agentic AI API services for call centers in London; or in programmatic SEO and sales automation for ecommerce stores in the recreational cannabis industry of the United States; and many others ...

    Mix and match, based on your immediate needs, unique interests, skills, and future plans.
    Best of luck!
    Signature
    Need Custom Programmatic SEO or GenAI Engineering Work Done? Drop Me an Email HERE ...
    • Chief Machine Learning Engineer @ ARIA Research (Sydney, AU)
    • Lead GenAI SEO Campaign Engineer @ Kiteworks, Inc. (SF, US)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817340].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author spartan14
    Well if you decide to start in affiliate marketing i think it will be a good idea to choose a traffic source and master it
    Its better to master a traffic source and became an expert instead of working with 10 thing at once
    Signature
    Find out my best method to make $200-$300 daily with affiliate marketing
    Atention : Not a quick rich scheme ,takes patience, consistency and some work also
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817372].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author fn7 helix
    1ï¸âƒ£ Freelance - Try Fiverr/Upwork for small gigs.
    2ï¸âƒ£ Social Media - Manage accounts for local businesses.
    3ï¸âƒ£ Affiliate Marketing - Write SEO content with affiliate links.
    4ï¸âƒ£ Meta Ads - Offer free test runs for testimonials.
    5ï¸âƒ£ Case Studies - Document your work to attract clients.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817392].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author alen johnson
    Originally Posted by hamza trankil View Post

    Hey Warriors,

    I'm new here and looking for some guidance. My name is Hamza, and I'm just starting out in the digital marketing space. I'm passionate about learning everything from content creation to paid ads, and I'm eager to start making some side money while I build up my skills.

    At the moment, I'm juggling a search for a digital marketing internship, but I know that landing that gig is only partly in my control. So I'm looking for some practical ideas on how I can start earning on the side as a digital marketing noob.

    A bit about what I've been working on:

    I've been honing my skills in community management, content creation (using Canva and CapCut), and even dabbling in Meta Ads and SEO.
    I'm currently learning Google Analytics/GA4 to better understand website performance and data-driven decisions.
    I'm also building my personal brand on LinkedIn and experimenting with small projects to create a solid portfolio.
    My main questions for you experienced folks are:

    What are some low-cost, low-risk ways for a beginner like me to start earning side income using my digital marketing skills?
    Any specific platforms, tools, or side gigs you recommend that are beginner-friendly?
    How did you get your first few paying gigs or projects when you were starting out?
    I really appreciate any tips, resources, or personal experiences you can share. Looking forward to learning from this community and getting some actionable advice!

    Thanks in advance,

    [Edited by moderator: please do not solicit personal contact]
    To start making extra money, try offering your services on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork. You can begin with smaller jobs like managing social media, creating content, or doing SEO checks. Focus on building a portfolio and use LinkedIn to connect with potential clients. Your experience in community management and content creation is a great place to start.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817565].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Connor Spencer
    Highly recommend getting familiar with using AI and AI agents - that's where a lot of this industry seems to be heading!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817699].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Jamell
    There's a cost and risk in everything you do in business and if you aren't willing to invest the time or money into yourself you won't go very far .

    I can't guarantee you that you'll make money but you can buy and sell on face book marketplace and maybe hit up some garage sales in your town and resell the items on Ebay or Amazon or Facebook market place .
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817771].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Amirah
    Hey Hamza! Start freelancing on Fiverr or Upwork, offer social media management, or try affiliate marketing. Keep learning and experimenting--opportunities will come!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817804].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Raviraj21
    Banned
    [DELETED]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817890].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Monetize
      Originally Posted by Raviraj21 View Post

      I want to Learn whole Digital marketing but I do not have any how to do, where to strat, can anyone have idea, I am from Bangalore India

      It does not matter where you are from since digital marketing
      is done online, and anyone with internet access can do this.

      You will never know "whole digital marketing" because there
      are hundreds of ways to make money online, and things are
      constantly changing.

      Find an area that you like that matches your skills and learn
      more about it through books, courses, and YouTubes, and
      learn by doing, just as you would with any other business.

      Use A.I., both to learn and as another business category.
      There are many ways to make money using A.I.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11817912].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kent Hopkins
    Like I tell everyone, start cheap or free. Build your traffic foundation through social if you can, or by inexpensive means. Have a central point the traffic goes to (eg a lead capture style landing page). Don't waste your time sending traffic straight to offers. This is the lazy man's approach and if get lucky, ya might get a sale or two, but not super likely you will have any sustained success. With landing pages you capture the lead and add to your list. The list is the one and only thing you own and control. It's impenetrable to algorithm changes or policy changes. Without a list, you simply have no tangible business. Try to style and colorize your landing pages as much like the affiliate offer you are eventually going to get sales on. Leads need nurturing. Human nature in any marketing world whether it's digital or otherwise is to procrastinate and not buy things the first time they see them. So collect those leads. Many of them will eventually come around once you build some trust and familiarity with them.
    Signature

    Predict the Future by Creating it...

    Download the FREE E-Book "Affiliate Marketing Badassery"

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11818598].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MarcelloFumuso
    Hey! Your field is really in demand right now, and the need for these skills is only growing. I recommend checking out these platforms to find clients: Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, PeoplePerHour, and SEOClerk.I assume you're working as a freelancer, so these sites could be a great starting point for landing gigs and building your experience. Wishing you success!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11819098].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author neetugw
    try freelancing jobs by registering into various websites
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[11819267].message }}
Avatar of Unregistered

Trending Topics