In the era of the internet, all of us have heard of some pretty outrageous get rich quick schemes. Some may have even gotten caught up in it themselves. Turns out, though, not all of them are complete scams. There are truly some great, legitimate ways to make money online, and Twitter has more opportunities than ever for a knowing entrepreneur. While they might not be career money right out of the starting gate, they are an excellent way to generate some additional income if you have an engaging social media presence and a devoted following. What exactly should you do to start? Here are just seven ways you can start making cash on Twitter today.
1. Make Use of Sponsored Tweets/Affiliate Marketing
All of Twitter’s biggest names frequently tend to talk about some particular company or Instagram-worthy product. These are sponsored tweets, or tweets where companies are essentially paying for popular influencers to get the word out about their product or brand. In other words, easy marketing. It’s an extremely lucrative deal for them since they don’t have to strain themselves particularly hard to reach a wider audience. However, it is also an ideal situation for you, because it makes for easy money. To get the ball rolling and take advantage of this, signing up to sites like sponsoredtweets.com will help connect you with interesting brands. Alternatively, you can always personally reach out to favorite brands for promotion opportunities if you’d rather a more hands-on approach. Both tactics have their advantages, so the option is entirely up to you. Just try to steer clear of any random “skinny teas” or crazy supplements. Folks are smarter than you might think. We all know that these aren’t the miracle products many make them out to be.
2. Try Crowdfunding
If you’re an influencer with a specific project, venture, or product in mind, Twitter is a triple whammy. It’s an ideal space to gather ideas, potential customers, and cash alike. Use this to your advantage and generate interest! Tweet about what you’re doing, what your plans are, and actively accept feedback from those who follow you. Besides, no one wants to follow someone who only wants to hear themselves talk. Of course, you should also link your Kickstarter page or Indiegogo to provide greater detail and get the money you’re craving. For those who already have a product on the market, you should also be using Twitter to your benefit. Remember, promotions and frequent discounts are your friends. Everyone loves a great deal.
3. Become A Social Media Manager
Your Twitter profile is a crucial resource for making money on social media, but so is your media expertise. Put this to work by becoming a manager for someone else’s brand! There are two main ways to go about this: the old(er) fashioned way and the more modern, entrepreneurial one. The former will call for you to search online through job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, etcetera. The latter can consist of either reaching out to brands individually or by using freelance market places such as Fiverr or Upwork. Choosing to go the freelance road? Be prepared for some stiff competition. Sites such as these have had remarkable growth in the past few years and, as such, already have thousands of users offering similar services. You’ll need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Distinguish yourself by crafting an engaging gig description and by developing your client relationships in your niche. An energetic, approachable personality never hurt anybody, either.
4. Advertise For Your Own Site
Similar to crowdfunding for a business idea or product, advertising your website is a great way to make money through Twitter. Promoting your site will (hopefully) drive traffic over there, leading to a higher view count, increased engagement, and increased ad clicks – all of which can help you make money provided that your site has good design and content. Be sure to recognize, though, that some places are better suited for this than others. Frequently updated sites with a clean aesthetic and popular posts will surely fare better than a personal blog that hasn’t been updated in a couple of years. Sorry! We know you’re probably fascinating, but clickable content is king when it comes to making cash.
5. Share Your YouTube Videos
In the day and age of the web, YouTube stardom is a dream for many. Unfortunately, it’s a reality for very few. In fact, according to a study cited everywhere from Fortune to the Washington Post, 96.5 percent of YouTubers won’t even make enough money off of advertising to reach the US poverty line. What’s the poverty threshold, you ask? The answer is just over $24,000 a year for a family of four and under $12,000 for those who are single. Not exactly the way to become the next one-percenter.
Breaking through this financial quicksand will require more than a million views every month and hundreds of hours creating. Not to mention, it also requires spending a significant chunk of change on camera equipment, editing software, and more. Sharing your YouTube videos on your Twitter account can help you make up some of this ground. It will increase your viewership and can help secure the financial stability every creator wants. All it takes is a simple touch of the share button and a quick message to your followers. Just try not to advertise these so often that it becomes irritating for your Twitter followers. Like all serious influencers, you’ll need to find the right balance between content and advertisement. Easier said than done, we know.
6. Create And Run Twitter Ads
Reaching out to your existing audience is critical. After all, you kind of need people to stick around if you want to generate ad revenue or sell your products. Initiating increased interest and drawing in a bigger audience is essential to growing a business and a brand. Shouting into the void won’t do much here. Creating and running your ads on Twitter can help get the job done, though. This is especially true since they don’t just target any random Joe. Twitter goes to great lengths to target their ads based on specific user interests and Twitter activity, so your ad should receive a good response and help with sales. To do this, you’ll need to sign up here first. Once that’s done, you can then move onto crafting your profile and choose what (and how) to promote. Note: being disingenuous and too ad-heavy won’t do you any justice. Choose quality over quantity, and allow your brand to speak for itself.
7. Host A Giveaway
It may seem counterintuitive, but hosting giveaways and follower contests can be a great way to make cash on Twitter. Remember the old saying, “you need to spend money to make money?” That’s certainly true here. Competition inherently breeds engagement; who doesn’t love a prize? Not only will it help revitalize interest within your existing followers, but it will also get people talking – and that buzz will do you a world of good. New followers will be right around the corner, which can have outstanding consequences to your income stream, especially if you also implement some of the other ways to make money on Twitter. Giveaways equal increased engagement, which can then equal more significant clicks and engagement elsewhere. If it sounds like a constant cycle, that’s because it is. Generating momentum will create even more momentum, so don’t be afraid to dive right in.
Final Thoughts
In the time of social media, aka today, making money online has become that much easier. If social media is your thing, making money on Twitter can be very appealing. Plus, Twitter isn’t the only social media that can help you make extra cash; you can also make money on Facebook as well! Get out there and put your social media to work!
