“Uncertain Times”
Anyone besides me think that phrase creates an unsavory self-fulfilling prophecy? Yes, the COVID-19 crisis is a big deal. It can’t be easy when companies are laying off left and right and you’re left sitting there wondering if you’re next. Maybe it’s already happened.
Things sure do feel uncertain right now, but that’s just it: We’re talking about right now. I have a special message of encouragement if the uncertainness of your situation seems daunting at the moment: Eventually, this is all going to be over. That is very certain. When it is, some people will pick up where they left off. Some will find it necessary to start over. Some will get a good head start and not feel the full weight of the financial storm waiting for many.
The thing about online, home-based businesses is that they can help things feel a little less uncertain. Building one fills time that, for a change, many of us have to devote to them. If you’re reading this, you are probably already thinking about content marketing. If you are, good for you. You understand that some businesses aren’t bound by classifications like “essential,” and you’re here to learn more about your options.
Crisis-Proof Profit
Content marketing takes on a number of personalities in the world of MMO (make money online) that range from blogging and information products to podcasting and video. What most of these things have in common is that they have virtually no startup costs and provide the opportunity for instant profitability, even amid a tumultuous global health crisis.
Before I continue, it’s important to note that you will have to spend a little on whatever business you decide to start. The good news here, though, is twofold: Overhead for a content-based business is typically a tiny fraction of what it is for other businesses and it looks like many of us are about to see a little extra in our accounts. If you can set aside just a quarter of your stimulus money, you can get a lot done. For most, that’s about $150.
The Basics
Regardless of what you decide to do in content marketing, there are a few constants that every content-based initiative includes. You will need a domain and website. Don’t rely on established blogging platforms; you need to present your content as a brand. That starts with having your own site.
Most domains can be had for under $20 a year and, if you shop around, you can also find hosting plans with one, three, or six months free. The average cost for hosting a website is about $129 per year, but if you find a good deal you might not need to worry about that for a while. If you succeed, paying later won’t be a problem. If not, you can always cancel before the first bill hits.
Next, generate ads and social media posts for each new piece of content you produce (video, blog, podcast episode, etc.). The fastest way to get money coming in is to balance strong social media presence with a boost of traffic from paid ads. By “paid,” I mean about 8¢ per click. The PPC/CPC (pay-per-click or cost-per-click — the terms are synonymous) ad platforms will encourage bidding way higher, but it isn’t necessary, at least at first.
You will also need to establish a brand presence on social media. Target Facebook and Twitter for copy-based content, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat for initiatives that are driven more by visual and multimedia content. Once you have all that set up (it should take just a couple hours at the long end), you’re ready to start building your content base. The only question that remains is what you want to do. Here are a few ideas:
Blogging and Content Discovery
One of the easiest ways to build a content-based business is through blogging. We have loads of resources right here in the Beez blog, all free, and covering a huge range of content ideas. I’ll give you a brief overview of the steps, but there’s a much more comprehensive and in-depth cache of valuable, educational content right here on this site.
Start by having at least five pieces of content ready at launch. Blog posts of 500 words or more are best, but Google will recognize content with word counts as low as 350. That said, stick with 500 words or more. It uncomplicates a lot with SEO.
Submit your site to Google for indexing and sign up for AdSense. You can then reserve ad space on your pages and, with a little effort to find good keywords, Google will serve relevant ads that your readers are likely to click.
Video-Based Content Marketing
If you have a smartphone and a tripod, you can start your own YouTube channel for vlogging and video podcasting. Have a special skill that you can pass on to others? Consider developing an online course and host it on a platform like Udemy.
Do, however, be certain that you have your own domain, website, and blog anyway, so you have a way to drive traffic to all of your content. Embed videos in blog posts and share the links via email and social media. Again, there’s plenty more on this in other blog posts so do a little research on the particulars.
Podcasting
This is another option that can be started up with nothing more than a smartphone, a hosting plan, and a good show theme idea. Podcast hosting for an unlimited account is typically about $100 for the year.
You can also assign your own domain (it’s usually required and always necessary), keep your blog on your host’s site and still generate the necessary SEO numbers to get some organic visitors to your domain. Set up a Patreon account and plug it aggressively at opportune times during your episodes to generate more revenue.
These are just a few of the ways you can use content to make money from home. We have more ideas if you need them, and we have the help you need to produce the content and support content necessary to be successful. In these “uncertain times,” there is one thing that remains very certain: You’ll never make a dime if you do nothing. Talk to us about your idea, and we’ll figure out how to make starting up and sustaining a good content strategy affordable and profitable.
