Have you been trying to think of a way to earn extra income during the COVID lockdown but keep coming up short in the idea department? What if there were a way to simply leverage the knowledge you already have to bring in a second paycheck even while you’re stuck at home? Perhaps you ran through some of the usual suspects like starting your own blog or opening an e-commerce store. Those are good options but can take quite a lot of time to pay off. But if you use your current knowledge base and write product or service reviews, it’s possible to earn money rather rapidly. Plus, you won’t have to learn any new skills, take special courses, or obtain a certificate of training in a particular niche. Here are some of the top categories in which you can use what you already know to generate real income by acting as an affiliate for a seller.
Online Brokers
Trading securities from home is a part-time and full-time job that is finally coming into its own, with a lot of help from the lockdown. Many are currently searching for reputable, reliable online brokers where they can open accounts and begin making a profit in the stock market. If you have skills or just an interest in this segment, it’s possible to earn a solid income by writing trading platforms reviews. What is the least you need to know to be successful? It helps immensely if you are familiar with the securities markets, have traded online before, and understand the basics about how the big platforms operate. You need not be a top trader or highly educated market analyst. All it takes is a good eye for what to look for in a web-based brokerage site. For platforms you aren’t familiar with, consider doing a free trial week (which many offer) in order to get a feel for how good the service is. After a few weeks, you’ll be a veritable expert when it comes to trading platforms.
Audio Equipment
Audiophiles spend plenty of money online, and retailers work hard to earn customer loyalty via high-satisfaction first purchases. Seasonal discounts and special offers only bring in so much business, so sellers rely on third-party freelancers to create high-traffic review sites. How can you earn income from this retail sub-category?
It’s not enough to simply post reviews on other people’s websites. But you can have the greatest impact on sales, and your share of the deal, when you build your own site that does nothing but review products as they arrive on the market. That means if you have an interest or even a bit of expertise in things like headphones, sound bars, or other audio products, you can score large commissions. Some of the categories, like amplifiers, typically sell for several hundred dollars apiece. With sellers offering cuts of up to 50 percent on each paying customer you deliver to them, you stand to do well if you can write coherent, detailed reviews that include photos, pros-and-cons lists, and 200-300-word item evaluations.
Exercise Equipment
Buying home exercise equipment was the first thing many people did when they realized that the viral pandemic would be around a while. When health clubs and public gyms are shuttered, it’s nice to head up to the spare bedroom or basement and get in a high-octane workout on your own equipment. The market is still surging as people are getting used to the idea of exercising at home, and retailers are in need of help. Now is the time to draw on your inner gym rat and review equipment that you’ve used in the past. Reviewers who set up sites that focus on rating and evaluating high-end items like weight machines, treadmills, and stair-climbers can make a killing in commissions.
Cyber Security Software
It’s hard to make an accurate estimate, but there has certainly been a huge increase in the number of hours that people are using their computers. Being sequestered indoors for long stretches means having a need for a seamless, safe connection. Anti-virus and similar types of software have always been big sellers, but in the past few months the segment has been enjoying a real golden age. Many of the e-commerce sellers and resellers don’t have huge advertising and marketing budgets. The solution, from their point of view, is to offer commission cuts to people like you who bring in fresh clients via review sites. If you have tried several of the main products in this field, put your knowledge to work by constructing detailed evaluations, complete with pros and cons.
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