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9 Ways Gamers Can Make Extra Cash

Ashley Eneriz — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 08:00:11 +0000

If your parents ever told you that playing video games is a waste of time, the joke might be on them. Many video game lovers have turned their passion into profits and anyone can follow suit. While making extra cash on video games is a lot more work than you might initially imagine, here are the top ways to do so.

1. Livestream your game play

You can invite fellow video game fans to watch you play during livestreaming with Twitch. While you can upload prerecorded videos of yourself playing, most of Twitch's viewers are there for the livestreaming.

How do you make money on Twitch? There are a few different ways. You can make money through ad views, similar to how individuals make money on YouTube. You can also include Amazon affiliate links for the game you are playing. Twitch streamers with large followings also get paid to do sponsorships, sell their own merchandise, and collect donations from fans.

2. Post YouTube videos

YouTube is notorious for making expert gamers into millionaires. Popular gamers Daniel Middleton, age 26, earned $16.5 million in 2017, and Evan Fong, age 25, earned $15.5 million — all through posting videos of themselves gaming. What earns the top gaming channels big money is expert game-playing skills paired with a winning personality and great video editing.

YouTube is overflowing with gamers, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for new content. Find your "in" by finding a unique slant for your channel. Even though 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, 5 billion videos are being watched every day. Therefore, individuals wanting to start a new YouTube career will have to work hard to build up their views and subscribers, but ultimately, more and more people are looking to YouTube as their source of entertainment and consuming more video content daily. (See also: How to Make Money by Creating YouTube Videos)

3. Beta test games

Game testers play new games and give their honest feedback. While game testing sounds like a fun experience, keep in mind you won't be playing your top choice games — and instead of enjoying the gaming experience, you are essentially hired to hunt down glitches. Apply for game beta testing positions at PlaytestCloud and VMC Global Beta Test Network.

4. Sell in-game items

Popular games like Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and World of Warcraft have allowed players to profit on collected in-game items, such as weapons and skins. Marketplaces like Steam and Gameflip make it easy to list popular game items. Recently, a scorching talon from Dota 2 sold for just over $53 on Gameflip, and certain Counter-Strike weapons sell for over $1,500 on Steam.

5. Write walk-throughs and guides

With so many free game walk-throughs available, it can be hard to stand out. However, creating guides on games that are not as mainstream can help you make a name for yourself. Look at Twitch's directory to get ideas on what content to create. For example, Fortnite has almost 20 million followers and guides are easy to find online. But games lower on the list have much fewer followers, and guides may be harder to come across. Creating one and selling it on Amazon could prove profitable.

6. Compete in tournaments

The best gamers eventually find themselves playing in tournaments. There are tournaments for several popular games and the prize money is substantial. For example, prize pools for the Call of Duty World League have awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to competitors.

7. Apply to be gaming support

What's a gamer to do when they run into a problem during game play? Contact customer support. Companies like Sutherland Global and VMC hire gaming support agents. Some of these positions are fully remote.

8. Become a gaming coach

Gamer Sensei connects pro-gamers with players who need one-on-one coaching. Individuals sign up for coaching to improve their game-play strategy, usually in the hopes of performing better in a tournament. Some coaches charge as much as $187.50 per hour.

9. Create gamer crafts

Being a gamer gives you the inside information of what other video game fans want and love. Pair that with crafting skills, and you can create profitable video game paraphernalia. Etsy seller ForeignRealms has created a map of Zelda's Hyrule burned on leather, while seller PropsCom offers Fallout-inspired objects, like a mini nuke bomb storage box. (See also: The 5 Best Sites to Sell Your Arts and Crafts)

While making money off video games sounds like the easy life, it can be quite the opposite. To build up a fan base, create content, or make products that gamers love, it takes time and effort. Gaming won't make you a success overnight, but if you have a strong passion for video games, there are creative ways for you to turn your controller skills into a nice side gig. (See also: How to Make Money as a Superfan)

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This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Ways You Can Get Paid to Watch TV

Paul Michael — Thu, 31 May 2018 08:00:17 +0000

Full disclosure: I work in TV. I am a creative director at a premium cable channel, and I can tell you right now that I get paid to watch TV. I don't watch it all day, every day. But I do spend some portions of my week watching series from my own network, and occasionally, competitor networks and stations.

I love my job. I love being able to read scripts and watch series, in many cases a year before they hit the airwaves. And I can assure you, there are many opportunities for you to earn money doing something you love — watching TV. Here are just a few.

1. Work for a company that airs TV series and movies

Let's start with my own personal area of expertise. From HBO, Showtime, and STARZ, to Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, there are thousands of jobs available in the TV and movie industry. You may think that the only people getting paid to watch TV at these companies are high-end executives and producers, but that's not the case. In my own company, everyone from IT and legal, to HR and creative services, has access to a wide variety of movies and series.

We are often required to watch our own series to be educated on what our own company does, much like employees at a brewery get free ale and hotel employees get free rooms. The more you know about what your company does, the better you are at your job. We also have companywide screenings of series and movies, and similar companies do the same for their employees, too.

If this sounds like the field for you, take some time to search the career web pages of any company offering TV and movie services. You may be surprised at the opportunities available.

2. Start your own YouTube channel

It's a slow burn, but if you're willing to invest the time and a little money, it can really pay off. As you probably know, there are a lot of wealthy YouTubers out there. Some of them create original content, some are comedians, some play video games. And, some watch TV and movies and record their reactions, or provide reviews of the latest movies and series. In fact, there are even YouTubers who review YouTube review channels! That's some Inception-level stuff right there.

The best way to start on this path is to review the movies you either really love … or really hate. Audiences love both kinds of reviews, with the latter usually being more funny and satirical. All you need to start is a computer or smartphone with a decent camera (if you use a phone, get a tripod).

Record your review, upload it, and share over social media. As you get more comfortable, start adding graphics and some simple cutaways using basic editing software. As your views and subscribers grow, you can monetize your YouTube page, and eventually, if you're big enough, see some major dollars roll in. (See also: How to Make Money by Creating YouTube Videos)

3. Download apps and visit sites that reward you for watching

There really is an app for that. Well, multiple apps, actually. One of the most popular is Viggle, which rewards you for logging in and watching TV shows from providers like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. It's done on a points-per-minute basis, although sometimes you can double, triple, or even quadruple the amount of points you earn. You can also get bonuses for engaging with your friends on social media, and you can redeem your rewards for gift cards, cash, and even debit cards.

You can also check out Perk, their sister company, which offers cash rewards for watching TV, playing games, and shopping, and Inbox Dollars, which also offers surveys. Will it make you rich? Doubtful. Will you get cash for watching TV and movies? Yes. What's not to love about that? (See also: Effortless Ways to Make Money Online That Don't Require Skills)

4. Become a Netflix "tagger"

Fair warning: There are only about 30 of these positions in existence, and they are in extremely high demand … for good reason. Taggers are a team of 30 media-savvy reviewers who get paid to watch Netflix day in, day out. The job of a tagger is to watch the content and tag it as it's being viewed with relevant metadata. In layman's terms, that includes factual information about the content, like year of release, language, cast, and so on, but also the tone, style, and how to categorize it for a search.

As FastCompany reported this past March, it's a dream job for Sherrie Gulmahamad, who watches over 20 hours of TV and movies per week in her role as "originals creative analyst." But, as she pointed out, it's not always an easy ride. Much like a food critic, you don't always have an appetite for what is put in front of you.

"I've also been assigned a 60-hour Colombian crime drama about Pablo Escobar's hit man," she told FastCompany. "No, I did not have to watch all of it — but I tried!" If you want to try and get into Netflix tagging, Gulmahamad recommends first getting into an archival or library studies program, and going from there.

5. Become a Nielsen family

Neilsen is a household name in America, and is the driving force behind all those ratings figures you see for TV series and movies. You can become a part of this process.

There are a couple of ways to go about it; one is by choice, the other by chance. First, you can go to Nielsen Digital Voice and join the panel. Thousands of people in the U.S. do this, and it's a way to provide information on what you're watching via the internet. The rewards aren't going to let you quit your day job, but you'll get the chance to win up to $1,000 every month, with 400 members getting a chunk of the monthly $10,000 sweepstakes.

The other way is the traditional Nielsen route, and that is purely in the hands of fate. Nielsen families are randomly selected from a section of different communities across the nation, and although you have just as much chance as anyone else, there are only 40,000 homes being monitored. With over 126 million households in the U.S., that's a slim chance.

6. Take up mystery shopping

These days there are all kinds of mystery shopping gigs available, and they are not just limited to retail stores and restaurants. You can actually get paid to go to the movie theater and check out the latest movies, and who wouldn't want to be paid for an activity you usually have to pay for?

One of the biggest names in theater mystery shopping is VeriTes, and they are looking for independent contractors in all 50 states. You can also check out CFA or Imyst.

Now, while you will obviously have fun watching the movie, you do have to pay attention to the entire experience and report back on it. Everything from the purchase of the tickets, the customer service, the quality of the snacks, and the resolution of the movie will come into play. Make sure to bring something you can take notes on (not your phone — that's a bad move in a movie theater) and file your report to receive your reward. (See also: Check Out These 5 Legit Mystery Shopping Gigs)

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Make Money as a Superfan

Dr Penny Pincher — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 09:00:06 +0000

Being a devoted fan of something usually takes up a lot of time and money. But what if you could actually make money from being a superfan? Here are some ways you can turn your obsession with your favorite sports team, musician, celebrity, book, movie, TV show, or even video game into cold, hard cash.

Trade collectibles

Leverage your knowledge as a fan to spot collectibles and memorabilia that other fans would appreciate. With some study, you'll learn which items you can buy cheap at auctions, estate sales, and garage sales and sell at a profit. A perk of trading collectibles is that you will get to enjoy having the items around until they sell. Advertise your collectibles for sale on eBay or Craigslist. (See also: 10 Collectibles That Almost Always Become More Valuable)

Make YouTube videos

You can earn ad revenue from posting videos on YouTube and getting a lot of views. In addition to ad revenue, you could also promote your own website or blog where viewers can go to purchase items or collectibles from you.

You could make videos of yourself discussing concerts, new albums, and happenings with your favorite musicians, or even film yourself reacting to a new music video or song. You could upload videos of your commentary about sports news or events, or if you're a gamer, you could highlight game play video complete with tips and tricks. The options are endless. (See also: How to Make Money by Creating YouTube Videos)

Peddle merchandise near events

Set up a display of fan merchandise for sale near a concert or sporting event where there will be lots of pedestrian traffic from fans. You may need to get a permit to set up a vendor stand along the sidewalk, or you could strike a deal to sell your wares inside a coffee shop or restaurant near the event venue. A potential downside of this plan is that you could get stuck with unsold merchandise, but as a fan, you might not mind ending up with it. You can turn to eBay or Craigslist to try and unload more merch.

Sell handmade items on Etsy

If you are crafty, you can make fan items to sell on Etsy. For example, Star Wars fans are selling a wide range of items such as custom party invitations, costumes, necklaces, handmade T-shirts, and even light switches. You can also sell vintage items on Etsy that are not handmade, which is useful if you are fan of something that has been around long enough to become vintage.

Run a fan website, blog, podcast, or Facebook page

Offering free content for fans on a website, blog, podcast, or Facebook page allows you grow an audience and make money by selling advertising or promoting your own website where you can sell merchandise. Your content could include reviews or updates for concerts, albums, books, video games, movies, TV shows, or sports events.

Publish ebooks

You can take your interest as a fan to the next level by writing a nonfiction book on your favorite celebrity, musician, or team. Many successful ebooks are short reads, so an avid fan may be able to produce an ebook with a few weeks of effort.

Another approach to writing as a fan is to produce a work of fan fiction based on your favorite book or movie universe. Kindle Words has a publishing program for fan fiction that has over 90 licensed fandoms, so they have permission to publish fan fiction from these universes. (See also: Can You Really Make a Living as an Ebook Writer?)

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This article is from Dr Penny Pincher of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Make Money by Creating YouTube Videos

Nick Wharton — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 09:30:10 +0000

If you’ve ever lost an afternoon to watching videos on YouTube, you know how easy it is to find videos on just about anything you can imagine. This wildly successful video platform has revolutionized the way people consume media, and has provided people who have no previous media connections the opportunity to make money by creating and uploading their own content.

Sure, you’ve probably heard of YouTube megastars who have vast numbers of subscribers and are making millions of dollars each year through their channels. But did you know that there are also people out there who aren’t well-known, but are still making a solid living via YouTube? (See also: 5 Social Media Stars Who Earn Way More Than You)

Though it’s unlikely you’ll make it into the upper echelons of YouTube superstardom, it’s good to have an idea of just how lucrative this platform can be. In 2016, YouTube’s top 10 earners all made over $5 million. The top earner, controversial Swedish online gamer and prankster, PewDiePie, single-handedly raked in over $15 million. Here’s how you, too, can earn money by creating YouTube videos.

1. Choose a niche

This is possibly the single most important step to making money from YouTube videos because it’s going to determine your audience. It will have a huge bearing on your earnings as it’s your audience who will ultimately attract paying advertisers. It’s essential that you pick a niche that’s narrow enough for you to be able to make an impact in. A small niche is easier to target and monetize, and they’re more likely to be engaged. Yet, you want a niche that’s popular enough that lots of people search for it.

The best place to start when you’re trying to find your niche is with your own interests and pastimes. If you’re not passionate about the subject you choose, then you’ll soon lose interest and it will come across to your audience in your videos. Choosing something that you’re knowledgeable about and have a real interest in will make creating videos far easier and more enjoyable for you.

Popular niches that some of the most successful YouTubers are active in include gaming, comedy, beauty and fashion, pets and animals, and music. Keep in mind that it’s possible to pick a niche within a niche — so, rather than starting a general fitness channel, you could make videos on weight loss through running for beginners. It’s still about running, but your audience is far more targeted within that subject. The more well-defined your niche, the better. (See also: 5 Surprising Ways Social Media Stars Make Money)

2. Create great content

Initially, setting up your channel is a simple process of providing your personal details and deciding your channel name. From here, it’s time to get the camera out and start making great content, because the ultimate aim is to get the most views possible. You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king,” and nowhere is that more relevant than on YouTube. The only way to get lots of eyes on your videos is to make them informative, engaging, and on subjects that people will find interesting.

3. Grow your audience

Once you have created a few videos, you should start trying to grow your audience. Though this will happen organically if your videos are on searchable subjects, there are some easy ways to give it a kick-start. Try doing a shoutout on social media to tap into your existing contacts there, asking them to check out your channel. Also, ask people to subscribe to your channel in your videos. The more subscribers you have, the more likely they are to return and watch more.

Another great way to grow your channel is to be consistent and post your videos at regular intervals. This will teach your audience to know when to expect your latest video, and potentially even encourage them to look forward to and follow it like a regular TV show. Check out more ideas for growing your audience on YouTube’s Creator Academy.

4. Monetize your channel

There are two main forms of advertising that will allow you to make money directly from YouTube’s platform. These are display ads along the bottom of the video, and the video ads that play at the beginning of a video and can be skipped by clicking “Skip Video” after a few seconds. To be able to have your videos display these, you’ll need to apply to the YouTube Partner Program. For your application to be reviewed, your channel needs to have already had 10,000 public channel views, so it may be a while before you can actually apply. And if you don't get approved, you can reapply after 30 days.

To access your payments once they start coming in, you’ll need to have an AdSense account. AdSense is Google’s advertising program across its whole network of content sites. If you already have an AdSense account, you can use that. The AdSense account is where all of your payments will be processed, so it’s an absolute necessity.

Next, you need to set your monetization preferences by selecting the type of ads you want shown, and on which videos they should appear. To maximize your earnings, it’s best to set them to be shown on all videos that have already been uploaded, plus future videos you upload. Alternatively, you can choose videos individually on which to display ads.

The amount that people make through YouTube varies greatly. It all depends on your audience and value of ads shown on your videos. Luckily, Social Blade has a useful tool to help you estimate what you may be able to earn from your own channel. (See also: 5 Ways to Make Passive Income Online)

5. Expand your reach

Ads are not the only way of making money on YouTube. There are also indirect ways to make money from your videos. Once you have an established audience and a high number of views for your content, lots of other doors may open up. Brands love to work with popular YouTube creators to help show off their products in sponsored campaigns, and if you’ve chosen your niche well, you don’t necessarily need millions of subscribers. Companies are eager to speak directly to their target audience. (See also: How to Turn Your Instagram Account Into a Paying Gig)

In addition, lots of creators use merchandise as a way to earn extra cash by selling anything from T-shirts to posters. YouTube makes it possible for you to link directly to external sites in your videos, so viewers can easily purchase the products you promote.

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

What Artists and Fans Should Know About Tipping Sites Like Patreon

Samantha Stauf — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 08:30:11 +0000

The internet has built an ever-evolving community where budding artists, musicians, and actors can create digital content for the masses to enjoy. We live in the age of YouTube celebrities who earn millions of dollars in income in a single year. It's an arrangement that provides benefits for both the creators and the consumers of the content.

However, the YouTube marketplace, in particular, has shifted recently. In 2016, YouTube announced new advertising guidelines that limited what types of content could collect ad revenue. And over the past few years, major brands have chosen to pull their ad content from YouTube to prevent their brands being associated with "incendiary" or controversial content.

The end result is that many creators don't earn as much from ad revenue as they used to. That shift has led to a new norm for amateur and professional artists — fans financially backing the YouTuber's they follow with their own money.

Understanding the value of the content, many fans help fund the projects of creators. In order to facilitate that exchange, creators have turned to crowdfunding and tip services like Patreon. It's the digital version of the street performer collecting tips in his busker hat. (See also: 6 Ways Peer Lending Can Boost Your Wallet)

Patreon and similar services provide a platform for content creators to connect with fans and collect tips that have been pledged every month. Patreon is the main tip service that individuals with online side-hustles use. A few alternatives to Patreon are Liberapay, Gratipay, and Tipeee.

How does Patreon work?

Fans and artists sign up for accounts, which allows fans to easily give artists they enjoy monthly tips. Patreon and other tip services don't own the content. Access to the services doesn't require a contract that prohibits other forms of ad or brand deals.

The creator is given an account where they can:

Interact with their fans.
Track the growth in pledges over time.
Analyze data on their content's performance.
Create fan rewards for different levels of support.

Fans are given an account where they can:

Manage their pledges.
Interact with creators.
Keep track of new content and posts released by the creators they support.

What's the cost?

Nothing is free. The good news is that neither the fans nor the creators pay a direct yearly or monthly membership fee.

Patreon is a business that functions by collecting fees from fan pledges to creators. The amount that Patreon collects from the pledge before it is delivered to the creator is based on how much money in pledges is collected from the fan each month.

So, say a fan pledges $10 on Patreon, the creator can expect to receive around $9 (about 90 percent).

Where does the other 10 percent go? Patreon keeps 5 percent. On top of that, around 5 percent in transaction fees are removed from the tip.

If the pledge comes from a fan that lives in the European Union, creators should also expect to see that a Value Added Tax (VAT) has been removed from the pledge. Due to that fact, an artist located in the EU shouldn't need to pay any additional VAT tax for Patreon income.

Taxes for creators

Professionals that use a tip service should expect to pay taxes on the income. In the U.S., the income is taxed if it's over $600.

Don't try to dodge paying the taxes on the tips received. This isn't an under the table tip that you can get away with not paying. Patreon will have all creators fill out either a W9 Form (U.S. residents) or a W-8BEN form (Non-U.S. residents). The income paid out to each creator will be reported to the United States International Revenue Service.

Artists in the U.S. who earn more than $20,000 in pledges will receive a 1099-K form at the end of the year. If they don't quite hit that threshold, Patreon will email a report that details their income earned. New U.S.-based creators who make content as a side-gig or a freelance career should keep in mind that they might be required to file their taxes each quarter. (See also: What Freelancers and Side Giggers Need to Know About Income Taxes)

Taxes for nonprofit artists

Creators who are legally recognized as a not-for-profit might not need to pay income tax on the pledges received. They should, at the very least, keep track of all donation pledges received through Patreon and any reward given in return for the donation.

Taxes for fans

Donations made to charitable campaigns by not-for-profit artists are tax-deductible in some countries. In the U.S., in order to file a charitable donation as a tax deduction, the patron needs to deduct the value of a reward or gift received for the donation.

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This article is from Samantha Stauf of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Social Media Stars Who Earn Way More Than You

Nick Wharton — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 10:30:15 +0000

Did you know that there are thousands of people out there earning incredible amounts of money through social media? That's right, social media stars can make thousands, even millions of dollars per year through sponsored posts, original content, and consistent engagement with their followers. Here are five social media celebs who might make you want to quit your job to go full-time on Instagram!

1. Brandon Stanton

In 2010, Stanton lost his job and decided to start taking photos of random people in New York City. At the time, he had no idea that posting Humans of New York on Facebook would lead him to over 12 million likes and a career in public speaking, photography, and writing. It has also lead him to amazing contributions to local and international charities.

Stanton takes beautiful portraits and captions them with touching stories. These photos and stories were so sharable that many of them went viral on Facebook in just a few hours.

While Stanton hasn't publicly disclosed his income, he has expressed on a Reddit thread that he was never in it for a payout and he gave over a half a million dollars to charity in a six month period alone.

His work on collaborations, occasional magazine spreads, speeches, and media appearances keep him afloat. Stanton added, "I signed two book deals which pay the rent. Also, I live cheaply."

The man is an inspiration to millions and he continues to showcase different people's fascinating life stories through his work. His 50-day trip to 10 countries in the Middle East helped to shed light on the situation in the region. If you haven't seen his work, check out Humans of New York on Facebook and Instagram.

Followers: 17.75M (Facebook), 5.5M (Instagram)

Platform: Facebook & Instagram

Earnings: Undisclosed

2. Sean McBride

This Snapchat master earns his money through drawing and photo mash-ups on the popular video-based social media platform. He taught himself how to draw by learning from other artists' work and today he can make tens of thousands of dollars from a single advertising deal on his Snapchat account.

According to Forbes, McBride can earn several thousand dollars per image! Who is paying Sean all of this money for Snapchat images? Brands like Taco Bell, Disney, and numerous television networks have been his sponsors, and many of his deals have been for over $30,000. Not bad for an online artist!

McBride goes by the name of "Shonduras" on Snapchat, he is the platform's first big celebrity, and he's one of the first people to make real money from Snapchat art. If you love Snapchat, you might want to follow Sean to get some ideas on how to become a successful Snapchat artist.

Followers: Undisclosed

Platform: Snapchat

Earnings: $100K+ per week

3. Brittany Furlan

Brittany has made her fortune through her wildly entertaining short Vine videos. Her quirky and fun clips have earned her 9.8 million followers and a lucrative career in acting and social media.

The vines have led her to create a new sketch show with Seth Green. In December of 2015, Brittany told The New Yorker that for every million followers she gets, she can add another $5,000 to the price tag for a branded Vine.

Using this calculation, it's not unlikely that Furlan is earning around $49,000 for a six-second vine posted to her 9.8 million followers. That's equal to nearly a half a million dollars per hour!

Followers: 9.8 million

Platform: Vine

Earnings: $49K per video

4. PewDiePie

The granddaddy of all Internet earners, it is estimated that PewDiePie's gaming channel generated over $12 million in 2015, according to Forbes. The amazing thing is that Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg is earning his income by playing video games and publishing them on YouTube.

The next time your parents tell you that gaming is a waste of time, you may want to lead them to Felix's YouTube channel and tell them that you're trying to make a career out of it.

Subscribers: 45.5M

Platform: YouTube

Earnings: $12M per year

5. Rhett & Link

These two southern boys have a hilarious and extremely entertaining YouTube Channel featuring "Good Mythical Morning," a sort of off-the-wall morning show for people who want to have a good laugh with their coffee.

According to Forbes, the duo earned over $4.5 million from YouTube sponsorships and ads in 2015 working with numerous brands including Wendy's, Gillette, and Toyota. These guys are my personal favorite on this list and I find myself tuning into Good Mythical Morning whenever it appears in my feed.

Subscribers: 4.1M

Platform: YouTube

Earnings: $4.5M per year

Can Anyone Do It?

Of course, just like any superstar career, it is possible for pretty much anyone to make money from social media, but the fact is that it's highly unlikely to be as successful as these stars. These people are just like the actors who walk the red carpet in Hollywood, in that they've made it where few people have ever gone before. They've struck gold and that's not easy to replicate.

While it may not be easy to earn a full-time income from social media, it's an exciting prospect, and if you're passionate about it, hopefully you'll be inspired by these people who are really making a living at it.

Have you ever made any money from social media? Share your experience in the comments below!

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 $100k+ Jobs You Can Do Online

Nick Wharton — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 10:30:05 +0000

Work no longer has to be a place. As the world of web-entrepreneurship and digital nomadic life becomes more and more mainstream, people are starting to realize that it's easier than ever to make good money online. These aren't get rich quick schemes by any means, and it will take a considerable amount of time and commitment to truly excel in these fields, but who doesn't want to earn $100K per year from virtually anywhere in the world? Here are five jobs that can help you do just that.

1. Travel Blogger

If you thought that travel blogging was just a hobby, you're not alone. In fact, before I started my travel blog in 2011, I had no idea that I would one day be earning over $10,000 a month after tax, doing what I love.

The great thing about becoming a travel blogger is the perks that come along with the salary. $100,000 a year sounds great, but when you couple that with airlines flying you for free and tourism boards paying for all of your accommodations, food, and travel, it's pretty much the ultimate dream job.

Travel bloggers who are doing it right barely have any day-to-day expenses, despite the fact that they’re living a life fit for millionaires. Because there are literally thousands of travel blogs online, the market is definitely saturated, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to etch out a niche and make real money from this line of work.

If you want to leave your cubicle behind and turn the world into your office, consider learning how to start travel a blog today. It could change your life.

$100K+ Examples:

Matt Karsten — Expert Vagabond
Caz and Craig — yTravelBlog
Natalie Sisson — Suitcase Entrepreneur
Nick & Dariece - Goats On The Road

2. Internet Poker Player

If you love a good game of five-card stud, this job may just sound like it's too good to be true. The fact that you can sit on your computer and play digital poker, while looking out at a Caribbean beach, is a dreamlike thought for sure.

But for online gamblers like Patrick Leonard, it is not uncommon to have single days where winnings break the $100,000 mark. Forget making more than six-figures per year, this guy once earned $220,000 on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Hungary (where he currently lives).

It should be noted that most estimates point to 90% of all online poker players coming out on the losing end, which is why online poker sites make so much money. But if you're a freakishly good poker player like Patrick, you could make it rain digital dollars all over the world.

$100K+ Examples:

Diego Ventura
Patrick Leonard

3. Web Designer

Designing websites can be a lucrative career, especially if you build a name for yourself and you start having big brands knocking on your door, asking you to pimp their blogs. Of course becoming a web designer isn't something you can do overnight.

Have you ever seen the code behind a website? It's an entire language that you have to learn before you can start to customize the look of the web. But if you have a background in CSS, HTML, PHP, and other geeky web acronyms, then you can probably earn a good living from your computer, no matter where you are in the world.

$100K+ Examples:

Scott Eldridge — Eldo Web Design
Preston Lee — millo.co
Paul Jarvis — creativeclass.io

4. Day Trader

For some reason, the sound of day trading on the stock market already has a wealthy ring to it. You may picture a dude with slicked back hair, holding a glass of scotch while betting on the changing stock market from a five-star hotel in Maui. Well, if you go to successful day trader Marcello Arrambide's website, you'll see just that.

Like online poker playing, making money as a day trader is a gamble and if you have no prior experience, you're likely to lose before you gain — but this job is no joke. Some top earners are making upward of $20,000 a month, and they can do it from anywhere that has a decent Wi-Fi connection.

$100K+ Examples:

Marcello Arrambide — The Wandering Trader
Steve Gomez — Today Trader

5. Travel Writer

The difference between a travel writer and a travel blogger is that a travel writer is getting paid to write for other publications, while a travel blogger is probably making most (or all) of their income from writing on their own site.

Earning six figures a year as a freelance writer is a difficult job indeed. Tim Leffel, one of the world's leading experts in travel writing, explains that making money as a freelance writer is truly a world of feast and famine. One minute you can have numerous publications waiting to feature you, while the next, you may be barely earning anything, just waiting for an assignment.

Despite the relative uncertainty of income, some of the world's top-earning travel writers do take home $100K a year or more and they live a life that many of us could only dream of. Exploring the world, getting published in big magazines, and sharing their stories and adventures with millions of people. What a life.

$100K+ Examples:

Tim Leffel — Travel Writing 2.0
Carol Tice — Make a Living Writing

6. YouTuber

If you read the word "YouTuber" and immediately thought that there's no way anyone is making real money from uploading videos to YouTube, you might just pass out when I tell you that the top earning YouTuber, Felix Kjellberg, is grossing over $12 million per annum.

The 25-year-old Swede runs the popular gaming channel PewDiePie, and he is not alone in making millions of dollars from Internet videos. Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln Neal III made over $4 million in 2015 and there are literally dozens of other creators making seven to eight figures per year from their YouTube channels.

For channels to earn this much money, they have to have a huge following. The top 10 YouTubers have a combined subscriber base of more than 230 million viewers and their most watched videos have had more views than the 2015 Super Bowl.

Taking all of this into consideration, it's no surprise that these artists are making big money. If you're just starting out as a YouTuber, it may feel like you have nobody watching your videos, but if you promote yourself and market your channel properly, you could one day earn a solid income from embedded ads and sponsorships.

$100K+ Examples:

Felix Kjellberg — PewDiePie
Rhett and Link — Good Mythical Morning

7. App Programmer

Have you ever played the game Candy Crush on your smartphone? While you were aligning jelly beans and stopping chocolate blockers, you probably weren't aware that the app currently earns an estimated $1,176,816 per day.

Of course, the average programmer isn't going to make as much as Toby Rowland, the creator of the Sugar Crush Saga, but there are many app developers out there making good money from their digital creations.

Simon Fairbairn and Erin McNeaney of Never Ending Voyage have created a brilliant travel app called Trail Wallet that is selling very well in the App Store and earning them a reliable income. The app helps travelers to track their budget and has been downloaded thousands of times from the app store.

$100K+ Examples:

Tasnim Ahmed — Santa Claus Photo Booth
Ethan Nicholas — iShoot

8. Affiliate Marketing Guru

What is affiliate marketing? According to Pat Flynn, founder of the Smart Passive Income Blog: "It's the process of earning a commission by promoting other people's (or company's) products. You find a product you like, promote it to others, and earn a piece of the profit for each sale that you make."

Forget earning $100,000 a year, Pat earns that every month and he does so using a passive income model, which means he doesn't spend every waking hour of his life on his computer. His blog is the most informative on the subject and he helps to teach others how to make a full-time income from affiliate sales.

While having a blog with a huge amount of traffic like Pat's definitely helps to generate sales, there are plenty of people with much less traffic who are still making a lot of money through affiliate marketing. If earning money in your sleep sounds appealing to you, you may want to check out Pat's blog and consider starting your own blog today.

$100K+ Examples:

Pat Flynn — Smart Passive Income
Steve Scott — SteveScottSite.com

You Can Do It …

These jobs may have once been reserved for people with fancy degrees, a background in technology, or Internet geniuses, but these days there are enough resources online that pretty much anyone can make money from their computers.

Like the people in the examples above, you could work hard and one day be earning a six-figure income from your laptop. The great thing about computer work is that you can start it in your free time, while you’re still working your normal job. If your online business takes off, you can retire to a life of digital freedom.

Have you or someone you know earned a good income online? How did it work? Share with us in the comments below.

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Best Money Saving Channels on YouTube

Ashley Eneriz — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 09:00:05 +0000

What don't you use YouTube for? From learning how to reseal your kitchen sink to entertaining yourself with weird cat videos, YouTube has it all. YouTube can also help you save money, and I'm not just talking about saving money on free workout videos or cooking lessons, though those are also great ways to save big.

There are several money-saving gurus on YouTube, and their channels are full of moneymaking tips and advice and hacks on how to live frugally. Here are just a few of my favorites. (See also: 15 Free Ways to Learn Something New)

1. Do It On a Dime

If you love organizational tips, Dollar Tree hacks, and affordable home décor DIYs, then this is the channel for you. Kathryn from Do It On a Dime has hundreds of videos that are fun to watch and provide practical, everyday tips to save money and organize on a budget, as well as recipes and crafts that are inexpensive. She also has a complementary blog where she uploads free printables for budgeting and organizing.

2. Fun Cheap or Free

If you ever watched TLC's Extreme Cheapskates, you might have seen Jordan Page as one of the first guests on the show. Jordan Page has a huge personality and her YouTube channel FunCheapOrFree has great saving tips for all areas of your life. Jordan also posts money-saving videos on a collab channel, Millennial Moms. From how to cut boys' hair yourself, to making money with chicken, to taking pictures of all of your receipts so you are never without it when you make a return, you will be entertained thoroughly by all of Jordan's frugal hacks and ideas.

3. The Encouraging Homeschool Mom

Jamerrill Stewart is a mom of seven children and used Dave Ramsey's book to get her family out of debt many years ago. Now, she posts videos on her channel The Encouraging Homeschool Mom, on how she clothes her whole family with thrift store finds and feeds them all for under $200 a week through once-a-month shopping. She also has many videos on home schooling and encouragement. She is a sweet soul who will resonate with many mom viewers. Her blog is also full of free or affordable home schooling deals.

4. The Krazy Coupon Lady

You will find fun and engaging videos on how to save from best-selling authors and bloggers, Heather Wheeler and Joanie Demer. They are the two women behin The Krazy Coupon Lady. Their YouTube channel is also full of specific money-saving strategies for certain stores and websites.

5. Hip2Save

Love coupon deals and breakdowns but have a hard time keeping up with them? The Hip 2 Save channel with Collin Morgan uploads the best deals of the week, as well as how to save money at Target. Her DIY videos will also inspire you to make your own Larabars and gift closet.

6. Exploring Alternatives

Mat and Danielle are minimalist nomads who enjoy long-term travel and living in their camper van. Their channel, Exploring Alternatives, offers interesting videos on the extreme side. You will find stories of individuals ditching their mortgage payment to pursue a house on wheels and even a family of five living in a one-bedroom apartment to save money. Along with other people's extreme stories, Mat and Danielle post their tips for downsizing and living minimally. (See also: Lessons in Simple Living From Extreme Minimalists)

7. Thriving Minimalist

Thriving Minimalist is another channel for those who love a good, extreme money-saving story. Conor McMillen quit his job and found his passion and health after his wife left him. This channel is more interesting than anything, although you might glean some helpful tips on how to become more minimalist minded in your life.

8. ClutterBug

Cas is a stay-at-home mom that turned her clutter into a clean home (and a profitable YouTube channel). Her channel ClutterBug offers cleaning and organizational tips, along with ways to save money. She even has Pottery Barn and other easy DIY hacks.

9. Brian Tracy

It is no secret that I love Brian Tracy and his uplifting personal and career advice. You can find his advice on many financial and personal matters on YouTube. I am especially a fan of his time management and goal setting advice. (See also: 6 Pearls of Career Wisdom From Brian Tracy)

Sure, you can use YouTube for entertainment, but why not take advantage of the great money-saving vloggers, too? YouTube is a great resource for learning almost anything for free.

What are your favorite channels or vloggers on YouTube?

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This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Surprising Ways Social Media Stars Make Money

Damian Davila — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 10:00:05 +0000

From a singer making $8,000 through product placement in a six-second Vine clip, to a creator of YouTube makeup tutorials making about millions per year, the stories of social media stars making outrageous sums of money seem to be getting more and more common.

While the size of these paydays are remarkable, the things that social media stars do to earn those sums may be even more extraordinary. Here are five surprising ways social media stars make money.

1. Unboxing Toys

The genre of "unboxing videos" (a package being opened, while its contents are described) is one of the highest grossing niches on YouTube. Including blenders, coffee machines, markers and pens, and smartphones — if it comes in a box, you can bet there's somebody out there willing to watch it getting unboxed.

Unboxing videos can be so profitable to YouTube publishers that 2014's highest paid YouTube star was a woman who unboxes Disney toys. According to one estimate, the DisneyCollectorBR YouTube user made $4.9 million in 2014 just from YouTube ads! The identity of the mysterious woman with the soothing voice and cool nail art hasn't been revealed yet, but that matters little to her over 6.2 million subscribers. For example, her unboxing video of "egg surprises" branded by Angry Birds, SpongeBob, and Cars has over 106.8 million views to date.

2. Playing Video Games

Another high-grossing YouTube genre is the narration of video game playing. The king of this genre is Felix Kjellberg, a Swede in his late 20s better known as PewDiePie. With his trademark laughter, unique sense of humor, and constant string of curses (warning: videos contain lots of language that is NSFW), Kjellberg pulled in a cool $12 million pretax over a 12-month period.

Other well-known vloggers posting video game-related clips include CaptainSparklez (over 9 million subscribers), Tobuscus (over 6.3 million subscribers), and SkyDoesMineCraft (over 11.7 million subscribers). While advertisers are still trying to figure out the appeal of expletive-heavy commentary of Kjelberg playing video games, they are willing to pay him to get access to his over 41 million subscribers.

3. Managing a Pet Superstar

Not all social media stars walk on two legs.

Maru, a shiba inu dog living in Japan, has over 2.3 million followers on Instagram.
Grumpy Cat, a cat with a perma-frown, has over 8.3 million followers on Facebook and over 1.3 million followers on Instagram.
Boo, a five-year old Pomeranian dog, has over 17 million followers on Facebook.
Lil Bub, a rescue cat with a unique condition, has over 2.6 million followers on Facebook and over 1.2 million followers on Instagram.

The lucky owners of these and other pets have been able to monetize their pet's large following in many ways. For example, Lil Bub charges admission for her appearances ($100 for her Meet and Greet Fundraiser at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York), and Grumpy Cat hawks plush toys ranging from $15.75 to $46.92 through her Amazon store.

4. Making Fun of Dad

In the late 2000s, comedian Justin Halpern was struggling to make ends meet with his writing job. Having to move back to his parents' house, he had a lot of free time on his hands and started a Twitter account to keep track of his dad's "rhetorical gems." Halpern had a hunch that those tweets could become inspiration for a great script.

He was absolutely right.

After getting noticed by high profile comedians, including Rob Corddry, his Twitter account gained a lot of traction (1.8 million followers in 15 months). Based on his tweets, Halpern penned the New York Times bestseller, Sh*t My Dad Says, and landed a TV deal with CBS to develop the show $#*! My Dad Says (based on his book). Halpern went on to write a second book and to write scripts for a couple more TV shows. All of this started with a single tweet!

5. Quitting Social Media

In a world of over-sharing, the shocking thing to do is to stop sharing.

At age 19, Essena O'Neill had a lucrative modeling career leveraging her large following on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media channels. Through her hundreds of thousands of followers, 750,000 on Instagram and 200,000 on YouTube, she was making money in many ways, including $2,000 in YouTube's ad revenue per month and payments for product placement.

In November 2, 2015, she quit all social media through her video "Why I REALLY am quitting social media - The Truth," warning others about the destructive nature of trying to gain approval online. O'Neill's original video (now deleted) quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of views and gained attention worldwide within just a few days. Some fellow YouTubers even criticized her move as a marketing ploy to gain even more attention. Despite her disappearance from social media, she continues to make headlines and announces her soon to-be-released satirical book, How to Be Social Media Famous.

What are some other unusual ways that social media stars make money?

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This article is from Damian Davila of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Best Hobbies for Introverts

Paul Michael — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 15:15:35 +0000

As an introvert myself, I find it challenging to engage in many aspects of life. I'm not one for big gatherings, competitive sports, or taking weekly classes filled with people I don't know. If you're introverted too, or know someone who is, this list of eight hobbies is well worth checking out.

1. Take Up Origami

Origami kits, which include starter paper, can be bought very inexpensively on Amazon or from your local discount bookstore. You can also find thousands of patterns online, and YouTube is filled with instructional videos that take you step-by-step through the process. Put on a little relaxing music (or head-banging rock, if that's your thing), and enjoy a hobby that relieves stress and results in some wonderful paper sculptures.

2. Make YouTube Videos

While being a famous celebrity may not be ideal for an introvert, becoming a YouTube personality might be. These days, all you need is a webcam, some very basic video editing software, and…an original take on an idea! If it becomes big enough, you can do your hobby full time, and make millions. Yes, millions. Here's a list of the biggest YouTube stars, and as you can see, they do pretty well for themselves — and it all started by doing something they love, at home. If you don't like to be on camera, consider unboxing videos, or even gaming videos. Do it well, and you can retire!

3. Learn Magic

You don't have to become a magician to learn magic, and you don't have to go big when you first start out. In fact, all you really need is a deck of cards, and access to YouTube or any other site you find that hosts free magic lessons. Once you master sleight of hand, you can move on to bigger tricks. It can take months, or even years, to get a trick right. But the satisfaction you get when you finally nail that first trick is well worth it. Master a few of these, and you'll always have something to do at parties besides feeling awkward!

4. Play an Instrument

With access to free lessons online, and resources like Craigslist and Facebook for private, one-on-one tutoring, it has never been easier to learn to play an instrument. Your library is also a great resource for these kinds of books and videos, and it's free. If you can't afford to buy the instrument you want immediately (for instance, not many of us have a piano), you can find alternatives. Perhaps start with an inexpensive keyboard (some instruments are even available for rent). And there's always eBay!

5. Write

Some people blog as a hobby, and have thousands of followers. Others write screenplays for TV and the movies (and if you get good at it, it could launch a new career). Stephen King's book On Writing – A Memoir of a Craft is an excellent place to start if you've never written anything before. They also say everyone has one novel in them, so why not try coaxing yours out?

6. Photography

As a professional photographer, you need excellent social and people skills to do your job. But as a hobby, photography is perfect for introverts. These days, everything is digital, and you can find some good quality digital SLR cameras on eBay. If you prefer, you can go the old fashioned route and try film cameras (although getting a hold of film is nowhere near as easy at it used to be). Whichever way you try, keep a blog or online gallery of your favorite photos, and share them with the world.

7. Learn a Language

Or several languages. You can find many of the tuition books and videos you need online for free, or a small price. Rosetta Stone gets rave reviews, but has a higher upfront cost of several hundred dollars. With the Internet, you can also watch foreign language TV and movies, and even engage in chat rooms, anonymously if you wish, to hone your skills.

8. Build Movie Prop Replicas

I've made everything from a Bane vest to an Iron Man arc reactor. My latest two props are from Ghostbusters — a proton pack and a ghost trap. Everything you need to build movie props, like these, can be found in hardware stores, thrift stores, and on eBay. You don't have to spend a lot; for example, all of the parts used in my ghost trap came to less than $40. Instructions for almost any prop you want to build can be downloaded from a fan site. You can use them to Cosplay, to dress up at Halloween, and to decorate your house or office.

Are you an introvert with an interesting or unusual hobby? Tell us more about it.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Money-Saving YouTube Channels

Amy Lu — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 19:00:08 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some great articles on YouTube channels that could save you hundreds every month, the right way to store and organize your spices, and tips to save money this summer.

Free Videos Offer Stress Relief and Relaxation

Tim Lemke — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:48:04 +0000

While many of us might relax by reading a good book or working out at the gym, there's a large number of people who have turned to watching YouTube videos featuring some of the most ordinary — but occasionally strange — behaviors. (See also: Yoga Tricks to Help You Relax)

The videos seek to trigger a mysterious phenomenon known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or "ASMR." In short, it is a tingly sensation in the back of the head and down the neck. Those who claim to experience ASMR say it is triggered by a wide variety of things, from deliberate hand movements to soft voices or sounds, including fingernail tapping or hair brushing.

"For me, one of the biggest things is crinkles and crinkly bags," said Lindsay Ragone, a television editor in Canada who claims the sensation has helped her address a sleeping disorder. "I've watched hundreds and hundreds of these videos, if not thousands." (See also: Sleep Better With Calming Words)

Ragone is currently producing a film on the topic, "Braingasm," featuring interviews with people who produce these videos on YouTube. Another documentary, "Tingly Sensation," is also in production and has received more than $11,000 in funding through Kickstarter.

At this point, there is no scientific evidence that ASMR is a real thing, though at least one researcher at Dartmouth is exploring the phenomenon. And Ragone said there is some debate among YouTubers about which videos actually trigger ASMR and which offer a more general feeling of relaxation.

Either way, Ragone noted that some ASMR-themed YouTube channels feature tens of thousands of subscribers, with some individual videos notching millions of views. And the comments on YouTube are almost universally positive, with users praising video producers for helping them deal with everything from sleep problems to stress and even depression.

"Generally, the reason people get into these videos is that they come across them accidentally one night on YouTube and realize 'Oh my God, that's that thing I felt, and I didn't know how to describe it,'" Ragone said. "There are people who say, 'I didn't know this was a thing. I've had this my whole life.'"

In general, ASMR enthusiasts have remained something of an underground community, though the phenomenon was the subject of a story on NPR's This American Life earlier this year. (See also: Free Ways to Learn Something New)

Do you think this may be the key to your attempts at relaxation? Here's a look at five of the most popular ASMR producers on YouTube.

Gentlewhispering

Known simply as "Maria" by fans, her channel is highlighted by ear-to-ear whispering using a binaural microphone. (You're supposed to use headphones to get the full effect.) The video below, which features a variety of supposed ASMR triggers, has a whopping 3.2 million views. Also check out the tingly towel-folding tutorial, which has 426,000 views.

"I know some people who say the sound of her voice can set them in a trance," Ragone said.

The WaterWhispers

Known as "Ilse" to the ASMR community, this YouTuber has cranked out more than 200 videos featuring ear-to-ear whispering, nail tapping, and various role-playing scenes. Her most popular video below is more than an hour long and features 11 supposed ASMR triggers, including gum chewing, book scratching, and newspaper page flipping. It has 576,000 views.

ASMRRequests

One of the more prolific YouTubers, known as "Ally" to her fans. Her channel features about two new videos a week, in which she usually taps gently on an object while talking about it in a quiet and deliberate voice. (See the two-hour discussion of "Star Wars," featuring light tapping on a laser disc.)

Her role-playing videos are also popular. The video below has her acting the role of a space-travel agent from the future. It has 907,000 views.

HeatherFeather

HeatherFeather has more than 100 videos, usually featuring her facing the camera in some sort of acting role. She's played a hair stylist, a makeup artist, and even a tattoo consultant. Many of her videos experiment with various "trigger sounds" ranging from hair brushing to chewing gum.

The video below features a 3D microphone and a panning effect with a variety of supposedly "tingly" sounds. It is HeatherFeather's most popular video, with nearly 383,000 views.

EphemeralRift

One of the more popular male ASMR producers and also one of the most creative. His videos feature everything from role-playing to beer drinking, all in an attempt to trigger ASMR in the listener.

See the video below of EphemeralRift discussing a post-apocalyptic world where sugar is unavailable except through a fictional "CandyMan." It is one of his most popular videos, with more than 285,000 views.

Are you an ASMR aficionado or "ASMRtist"? Have you tried (or would you try) ASMR to help you relax? Whisper your experience in comments!

This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

11 Ways to Incorporate Video into Your Business

Justine Grey — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:54:30 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/articles/11-ways-to-incorporate-video-into-your-busines...

When I started my online business in 2008, using video for your online business was new and experimental. Fast forward to today and video is absolutely everywhere and then some, even those with no real business are cashing in on fame and fortune thanks to mega popular YouTube.

Although everyone seems to be tuning into the importance of video, it’s still a daunting thought for many business owners who aren’t quite sure where to add video to their online brand. But it’s not so hard. Here are 11 ways to make use of video.

1. Use video to entice people to sign up for your newsletter

By far the biggest way to drive sales to your business is through a mailing list or a newsletter. But getting people onto your mailing list is not always easy because nowadays, everyone has some sort of ‘free’ offer to entice people to join. More and more people just do not consider these freebies very valuable any longer.

Video is a great way to entice people onto your newsletter because you’ll be breaking away from what everyone else is doing and showcasing yourself and your company in a very real and engaging way.

Real business example: John McIntyre recently created a personal development site called Make Life Go Bang that features a video of him sharing 50 reasons to sign up for his newsletter. This interesting method means people won’t join just for a freebie and also helps them quickly connect with his mission and personality.

2. Better engage with your blog posts

More and more people are using video in blog posts to present their products and services in a more visually appealing way. Video can often be more engaging and entertaining than a printed article.

Real business example: David Siteman Garland from The Rise to the Top and Andrew Warner from Mixergy are two of my favorite video bloggers because their passion shines through in every video they produce. By taking time out to interview interesting people, they’re helping other entrepreneurs and start ups learn the ins and outs with stories that inspire and motivate.

3. Create a dedicated video page

While using video in your blog posts or to entice newsletter subscribers is a great start, you can take things further by displaying all of your videos with one dedicated page on your website. This will lower your bounce rate with new visitors and help people filter through your interesting content better.

Real business example: Entrepreneur Pat Flynn has a great dedicated video page on his blog Smart Passive Income that works with the Wordpress plugin TubePress to bring all of his recent Youtube videos right onto his website. It’s an easy way to showcase his videos and keeps his readers engaged with his content for longer periods of time.

4. Add video to your about page

To help connect with new visitors, why not create a video demonstrates your personality and company vision to share on your about page? It will be a welcome change from static images found on most other about pages and will give people a real glimpse into who you are in a very short time.

Real business example: Michelle Ward, the When I Grow Up Coach, uses video on her about page in this way. As a business owner, you want to ensure you attract the right customers and by sharing a snippet of your personality – or your company’s mission – right on the about page, you’ll engage the right people while saying goodbye to those who wouldn’t be the right fit anyways.

5. Sell more on your sales pages

If you’re serious about selling a service online, video can help attract and convert potential customers on your sales pages. By giving visitors the chance to learn more about what you’re selling and your motivation behind it, you’ll see a higher interest rate, more people willing to share your message, and more customers at the end of the day.

Real business example: Tara Gentile, creative business coach, uses video often on her sales pages to entice potential buyers to get to her know better and decide if the product is the right fit for them. Of the benefits, she says, “I know my enthusiasm and passion is what helps to sell a product. I can spend hours writing copy, crafting headlines, or perfecting prose, but 3 minutes in front the video camera says more than I can ever hope to with written words. Video makes the intangible, tangible. And that, inevitably, converts more sales.”

6. Excite on your product pages

We live in a world in which stunning photography is the norm – even amateurs with cell phone cams can produce images the equal of those shot by professional photographers. That means having wonderful photos of your products isn’t going as far as it used to.

Use video on your product pages to show people exactly how your items work, their key features, benefits, and also to give people a closer look into what life would be like by owning them.

Real business example: Catherine Choi of So Young Mother uses video to feature her diaper bags, lunch boxes, and cooler bags. Whenever I visit her website, I always take a moment to view one of her videos because her video marketing is so engaging – as if she’s right there in person explaining her product details to me.

7. Master the YouTube stream

YouTube recently announced their videos get over 3 billion views a day, and all those eyeballs need to go somewhere, so why not toward you? You can easily embed YouTube videos on your website and take advantage of the crazy volume of traffic YouTube gets daily, exposing new audiences to your message and increasing your brand awareness over time.

Real business example: Mashable wrote a great post about 5 brands killing it on YouTube but one that stood out to me most was Home Depot. Sharing their expertise with YouTube watchers means people will continue to think of them anytime they want to change their kitchen cabinets or replace their tiled floors. Maybe you can share your expertise in the same way?

8. Stream live for more interaction with fans and customers

By making yourself fully available for questions and chats live, you’ll win people over continually because you’ll become known as someone who cares deeply about your customer’s needs and wants.

Real business example: Even though Gary Vaynerchuk has built a multi-million dollar business stemming from Wine Library TV, he still jumps on ustream to chat with fans and followers. This good will encourages people to get to know him better and increases his likeability and brand.

9. Brighten up your digital products

If you sell virtual products, such as business tools and training, video is the perfect medium to use to better connect with your customers and explain things that sometimes text just cannot.

Real business example: While I’ve tried a lot of virtual products that include video, Danielle Laporte’s The Spark Kit includes an incredible amount of beautifully made videos – frequently interviews with experts and some of her flying solo – that share insightful tips and inspiring nuggets.

10. Add some magic to your support area

Many companies use video in their technical and customer support areas because it cuts back on customer emails and phone calls considerably. Whether you sell something physical, virtual or service based, you can use video to answer frequently asked questions, demonstrate how to use specific features of your products, and much more.

Real business example: My invoicing and time tracking system of choice, Harvest, does a great job of showcasing tons of different help queries in their support area with video. I’ve found that by taking a moment to filter through their pages, I have less need to email with questions, which is quicker for me – and cheaper for Harvest.

11. Cut down on training time for new employees

By creating training videos, easily done with screencasting software, you’ll connect with your employees in a deeper way and clarify all aspects of the work you need done very simply for them. In addition, you can reuse videos any time a new employee is brought on board, freeing you up to work on more important matters.

Real business example: As I expand my team, I can clearly see the benefits of recording training videos and sharing them with new employees compared to alternatives such as email communication or live training sessions online. I use Screenflow on Mac to record my training videos and this eliminates confusion over little details and ensure my people are quickly up to speed when they sign on to work with me.

This article is from Justine Grey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Make You Wanna Holla Presentation

Jabulani Leffall — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:36:49 +0000

I can't speak coherently and I can't write at all -- let alone stay on topic.

Subsequently, I’m already prepared for the electronic picket signs and the “haterific” rants about selling out, wasting time or "dummy-it’s-called-an-I-pod" responses.

Or maybe I’m just feeling myself and the readers of this post may indeed have imbibed their “acc-rite jooce,” before reading this, in which case I have nothing to worry about.

Today’s subject, kiddies, is how to throw a boss summer patio party or eclectic dinner party in the technological age - I mean really do it up – without digging in the crates.

It occurred to me, shortly after myself and a then prospective female No. 1 companion were exchanging YouTube links and trading songs via e-mail. It was a veritable, “well, what do you know about this," contest where she hit me with everything from the soul stylings of Tyrone Davis to old recordings of Chicago and Muddy Waters. I put her up on Average White Band and hard-to-find Isley Brothers recordings as well as grooves from Marvin Gaye she never heard. Gotta love technology and what Roger Troutman would call "Computer love."

The metaphoric Sylvania danced above my head. Party Time.

The ingredients: a PC or MAC – laptop or desktop will do -- with a plug-in port for a large LCD screen or an up-to-date TV set and Internet access.

I’m not inventing the wheel or even thinking up an original idea here but why get a Bose wave radio and thumb through your I-pod. Like the man James Brown says, “get involved, get into it.”

You can go from Beethoven to Coltrane to Snoop Dogg to Eric Clapton with a quick search without digging in the crates, calling XM Radio tech support or getting carpal tunnel syndrome setting up random music joints on a CD changer because the disc holder decided it doesn’t want to slide out for you.

Three keys to a YouTube party.

1) One-Upmanship is the key. Find a unifying theme (i.e. Jazz Night, Vanilla Ice, Retrospective, Tantra, uh John Tesh anyone? ) Have fun wowing and surprising each other.

2) B.Y.O.D (Bring your own document with the links to your jams already in it -- Excel and Word files will do).

3) Rotate, Rinse Repeat: (The host should have a list, where they designate a typist for 20 minute intervals to jot down their own jams. This is wilding out interactive style to elicit groans or “oh snap” reactions).

For you dweebie html-jocky hipsters who wear Converse All-Stars with tweed thrift shop pants (don't trip, I love the pants), here’s how you can save your links and embed them for repeated use in a prepared file.

In a realm where the DJ is dead and many spend more time texting and e-mailing than talking, defeat the Borg with a little bit of imagination. Plus if you've got your joint on a reliably-fast free wireless network, it costs no money me hearties.

Have fun, but just don’t let me see anymore headlines like this: Family beaten after YouTube party invitation. That situation -- where a “teenager was airlifted to hospital and his father left with a broken nose after 100 teenagers gate-crashed a party where an invitation appeared on YouTube – was unfortunate.War is not the answer, only love can conquer hate. That’s Marvin from the 1971 title track to the seminal soul album “What’s going on?” You might want to get your game right before you try this at home.

This article is from Jabulani Leffall of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

GYM Class: THE DIY, DIFNF Thesis

Jabulani Leffall — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:31:19 +0000

Our modern America is a no longer a producer’s economy but a consumer economy. That’s not conjecture or philosophy, it’s a sad fact and the reason for the current credit crunch in equity, debt and housing markets as well as the reason George W. Bush wants to give you $800 bucks in a rebate check so you can go straight to Circuit City, Target or wherever, to “boost” the economy.

It’s tricknology folks.

And what I mean by that is that a lot of times as consumers we are compelled by false shortages, told to go shopping, lest the terrorists win. Moreover we often buy things more for piece and peace of mind than for utility. And corporations count on us to buy items and let them collect dust so that when we see the dust, we are convinced that the good we purchased is obsolete. A lot of treadmills bought for the home serve as laundry hampers, dry-wall holder-uppers and post modern art as a case in point.

This is why from late November through late April of every dual calendar year, exercise machine firms, fitness centers and gyms -- I like to call them, one-way banks or reverse ATMS -- see their greatest uptick in revenue. Many are determined after Thanksgiving to get that weight down, but too busy or cold in the post-Super Bowl, pre-spring doldrums to care that 24-Hour Fitness, Bally’s Total Fitness, Gold’s Gym and Equinox are getting direct deposit like they’re employed by you. Hence, the reality: physical fitness is an $11 billion industry and the weight loss business tops out at $30 billion. That’s $41 billion clams for just about the most indulgent, fattest country in the history of mankind.

What gives? Apparently us, in time and money.

Now if you go to the gym to be seen, look cute in your new jogging suit, get premium advice from that ripped dude or that hot chick who is so cut she needs a band-aid, then more power to you. If you’re disciplined and have a certain fitness goal that can only be attained by being motivated by others, then fine. The gyms I mentioned are all decent places to do these things.

Just realize that for a 30-minute workout, three to five times a week, you will likely spend an average of $200 a month in both real and opportunity costs. Not everyone is a between jobs actor, an independent contractor or a M.I.LF who doesn’t work and stays home with the kids. Many really don’t have time for fitness as most of America is working to buy the ab-flexer rather than actually use it. Here’s how many gym routines tend to work:

So to go to the gym you get in your car, you park, you go in, you check in, you get dressed, you come out, you stretch, you do some measly cardio workout on a machine or lift weights wrong or go to a class that works up a sweat. You shower, you get changed, you get in your car, you sit in traffic and maybe you buy a burger and you get home just in time to go to sleep. If you do it in the morning, repeat process and rinse down with Mocha and a scone. You could potentially drop $5,000 per annum in this routine if you’re not careful and be the same porker/flabmiester/wasteful gym rat that you were after Turkey day.

This blogger’s advice: DIY, DIFNF. (Do it yourself , Do it for Nearly free)

Run: That’s it. Go somewhere and run ‘til you get tired. Walking fast is also good.

Get a rope: Buy a cheap plastic or leather jump rope: 300 repetitions everyday, you’d be surprised at the results.

You take the weight: If it's too cold to go outside, wear small weights on your wrists and ankles and run, jump or walk in place.

Smooth-E: Eating fruits and vegatables will shape off pounds immediately. If you don't like the taste grind it up and drink it down.

Use Rubber and/or YouTube. Allusions aside, find some rubber tubing and do resistance stretches and lifts. Internet research will show you how if you're interested. Not using that bike you bought? Slip the bike's clean innertube around your upper back, stretch it out in front of you with your hands, get down and crank out 200 reps of pushups! Same for sit ups. And forget workout tapes and DVDs, if you have the technological capability, YouTube has an extensive library of workout jerks for you to mimic. Someone mentioned in the comments section that podcasts are good to listen to as well.

Hit the pipe: Not that pipe, you'd probably get skinny faster than you want to. I'm talking a metal 3/4" PVC and connectors with pipe insulation for the handles that will set you back less than ten bayzacs. You can use this to make a push up bar, or chin up bar, which can be built in a half an hour.

In the bag: Buy a heavy bag for your house and punch the crap out of it with some padded gloves or some handwraps-- with controlled compact punches and sharp breaths -- until you're soaked with sweat or can barely lift your arms. Punching it 100-300 times a day is the equivalent of a really good workout, probably the best cardio and conditioning excercise around actually.

The gym is cool, just like eating out, just like going to a bar instead of a liquor store. But if you employ the DIY, DIFNF method, when you make the summer debut that you worked out all spring and winter for anyway, your pockets will more than likely be fatter than you are.

BTW, if you have a fitness center at your apartment complex or are close with someone who does -- a relative, a girlfriend/boyfriend or good friend --- and you still pay to workout, (picture me shrugging my shoulders and wagging my finger) you should do some serious thinking.

It's time to beat tricknology and look good doing it!

This article is from Jabulani Leffall of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: