So you’ve decided to go digital. You’ve launched a product, worked up a web page, and begun marketing online. Congrats! You’re off and running. But here’s the rub: Unless you’re already plugged into a network of marketers, you’re going to have a very difficult time making money online. That’s why I’ve put together this list of essential marketing lists that I think you should know about.
1. Email List
Do you have an email list? If so, you’re in luck because you can probably sell and profit from it right away. In fact, you can use a tool like MailChimp to easily create and grow a large email list for your business. MailChimp is one of the most popular email list platforms out there, and it’s completely free (for non-commercial use).
If you’re looking to build a list rapidly, you can use tools like ConvertKit or MailChimp to help you automate the process. For example, you can use ConvertKit to quickly create an email list of your potential customers. Plus, with ConvertKit, you can do all of this from within their insanely easy-to-use dashboard. You can even set up automated email campaigns with ConvertKit and use their unique APIs to connect with other platforms like Shopify and Stripe for business.
2. Online Communities
Did you know that there are hundreds of thousands of online communities where you can promote your product or service and chat with potential customers? These are places like Reddit, Quora, and NextInning where you can actively engage with the community around a common interest or theme. These are all places where you can talk with potential customers and grow your audience.
The great thing about online communities is that you can often find ones that are related to your product or service area of expertise. For example, if you’re an expert in digital marketing, you can participate in Quora discussions or Reddit forums related to marketing. Or if you’re an expert in SEO, you can join forums related to SEO so you can provide valuable insight to other marketers. In addition to this, you can also actively engage with the community around a common interest or theme and gain lots of knowledge and insight from other participants.
3. Affiliate Marketing
Did you know that you can make money online with affiliate marketing? That’s right. Affiliate marketing is where you’ll find a plethora of products from which to choose, and it’s very easy to get started with. To be an affiliate marketer, you’ll simply need to find a product that you think is valuable and want to share with your audience. You can then promote that product using affiliate marketing tactics (typically on social media). When someone clicks a link or buys a product that’s been promoted on your blog or social media accounts, you’ll earn a small commission.
There are plenty of products to choose from, and some of the biggest affiliate marketing platforms are:
- Amazon
- Ebay
- Shopify
- Stripe
- Clickbank
If you want to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey, you can use tools like Authority Labs to easily find products to promote. The great thing about these tools is that they’ll find products related to any niche or subject matter you can imagine, as well as many related products that you could never even dream up yourself. So, if you’re looking to build a passive income stream, affiliate marketing is a great option.
4. Blogging
Did you know that you can make money online with blogging? Of course you do. Everyone knows you can make money online with blogging. What’s great is that you don’t necessarily need to have a large audience to start making money online from a blog. In fact, you can use tools like affiliate marketing to earn a passive income stream from a single blog. To be a successful blogger, you’ll need to have a steady stream of unique content that’s valuable to your audience. If you can develop a following of a couple thousand people, you can use your blog to make money online.
Blogging is a fantastic option for anyone who wants to make money online. The great thing is that you don’t necessarily have to write about one specific subject matter. Instead, you can write about anything you want, as long as you have a point to make and provide value to your audience. If you’ve got something valuable to say, chances are, someone’s already out there saying it. All you need to do is find the best platform for you.
5. Video Production and Marketing
Did you know that you can make money online with video? YouTube is the most popular video hosting site in the world, and it’s continually expanding its reach. With millions of monthly active users, you can bet that there’s a market for pretty much anything on YouTube. Did you know that you can use video to market your product or service, as well as engage with potential customers? Video production and marketing is an extremely viable option for anyone who’s looking to make money online.
The great thing about video as an online marketing tool is that it allows you to present your product in a way that is completely different from what your customer would experience in person. For example, if you’re selling t-shirts and you’ve got a great video of a well-known artist painting a mural on a building’s wall, your customer will get a visual of what they’re buying and a sense of community with the artist. Video can also be used as a sales tool by demonstrating the features of your product through animated videos or through live demos. If you’re looking to produce an informative video to help educate your audience about your product, consider using a platform like Canva to help you create an animated explainer video.
6. Podcasting
Did you know that you can make money online with podcasting? Podcasting is where you’ll typically find long-form content focused on a single topic. The content can be audio or video-based, and the hosts of the shows can often monetize the content through affiliate marketing, sponsorships, or through a combination of both methods. Podcasting is a fantastic option for anyone who wants to make money online.
If you’ve got a sizable audience and you want to continue expanding your reach, podcasting can be a great option. Just remember that podcasting looks different to everyone, so make sure that you find the right audience for your podcast. If you’re looking to create a podcast around a specific topic, consider using a platform like Rokbox to download and listen to podcasts from the likes of Neil Squires, Mark Manson, or Charlie Hoey. You can also find many podcasting platforms that can be integrated with your website, social media accounts, and email marketing.
7. Event Planning and Marketing
Did you know that you can make money online with event planning and marketing? If you’ve got an event coming up that you think might be valuable, you can use platforms like Eventbrite to sell tickets to it. Did you know that you can use marketing to get people excited about an event that you’ve organized? Marketing is a form of engagement that leads up to an event and continues after the event as well. For example, you can use marketing to get people interested in your event, register for it, and even promote it on social media after the fact. Marketing your event is a fantastic option for anyone who wants to make money online.
The great thing about event planning and marketing is that you can use different methods to reach your audience. You can use online tools like Eventbrite to help you plan your event, and you can also use Google Analytics and other tools to track the results of your marketing efforts.
8. Influencer Marketing
Did you know that you can make money online with influencer marketing? If you’ve got a famous person (or couple) who endorse your product or service, you can use their notoriety to effectively market your product or service. Influencer marketing is a great option for anyone who wants to make money online.
Find influencers in your niche (or related niches) who have a small but engaged audience and use their social media platforms to promote your product. In order to do this, you’ll need to find people who have a large audience but don’t necessarily rely on affiliate marketing for their income. If you can find a way to get these influencers to promote your product, you’ll be able to use their popularity to gain a lot of traction for your own cause. Just remember that not all influencers are created equal, so make sure that you vet their followership before you engage with them.