Lucrative Digital Marketing Side Hustles For 2024

With the rise of technology comes an opportunity. Turn to one of the best digital marketing side hustles to hop on board. Learn how they work here.

  • Digital marketing offers numerous side hustles for extra income and flexibility.
  • Top options include blogging, email marketing, social media management, and SEO.
  • Side hustles can be started with minimal investment and leverage existing skills.
  • These opportunities provide creative fulfillment and potential for full-time careers.

Table of contents

The digital marketing industry offers a treasure trove of opportunities for those seeking to unleash their entrepreneurial spirit while earning some extra income on the side.

In fact, there are tons of lucrative side hustle ideas where you can utilize content marketing strategies to achieve this, and that’s where this guide comes in handy!

In this article, we’ll walk you through a list of side hustles to benefit from those high-demand skills.

Our Top Picks

  1. Start a Blog: The best overall gig for earning passive income.
  2. Become a Digital Creator on Facebook: Allows you to cultivate a community and monetize your creativity on Facebook.
  3. Specializing in Email Marketing: Craft compelling email campaigns that nurture leads and drive conversions
  4. Specializing in SEO: Use search engines to boost visibility and traffic
  5. Social Media Management: Utilize social media to engage audiences and amplify brand presence.
  6. PPC Campaign Management: Use the power of paid advertising to generate targeted traffic and conversions.
  7. Running Affiliate Marketing Campaigns: Strategically promote products and links to earn steady commissions.
  8. Managing an eCommerce Store: Oversee the marketing campaign to boost sales and optimize customer experience.
  9. Graphic Design Services: Create captivating visual designs to enhance brand identity and attract audiences.
  10. Creating Online Digital Marketing Courses: Share your knowledge and generate income through digital marketing education.

Getting Started With Digital Marketing Side Hustle

Let’s kick off this guide by having a brief overview of digital marketing side hustles and how they can benefit you.

What Are Digital Marketing Side Hustles?

Digital marketing side hustles are flexible, self-employed ventures that utilize online content

These allow individuals to employ their digital marketing skills to create a source of income outside of their primary employment.

These hustles encompass a wide range of services, including but not limited to:

  • Freelance writing service
  • Setting online marketing strategies to target audience
  • SEO optimization
  • Affiliate marketing

Why Should You Consider a Digital Marketing Side Hustle?

Establishing a digital marketing side gig comes with plenty of compelling reasons to pursue them, such as:

  • Supplements your primary income with extra cash to achieve financial goals.
  • The flexibility and autonomy nature of the job means you get to set your own hours.
  • Allows you to work remotely in your spare time.
  • You’ll get to put your skills to good use and enjoy creative fulfillment while enjoying the thrill of running your own business.
  • Helps you gain experience to turn it into a full-time role or start a social media marketing agency.
  • Gives you a chance to build an online audience and a client base for future entrepreneurial ventures.

The Best Digital Marketing Side Hustles at a Glance

Now that you know more about digital side hustles, here’s a quick look at the best ones out there.

What Is the Best Digital Marketing Side Hustle?

Among the best options to consider here are search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and social media advertising.

However, the "best" digital marketing side hustle is somewhat subjective and depends on various factors.

These include your digital marketing niche, your skill level, and your deep knowledge of the field.

Which Digital Marketing Side Hustle Is Highest Paid?

Some of the highest-paid side hustles here are digital marketing specialists and social media managers.

For instance, a report by ZipRecruiter shows that the average hourly rate of social media marketers is around $31.

Other jobs that use extra skills like visual designers can earn more (up to $87 per hour). This is because they require higher expertise in graphic design and need essential tools like video editing software.

Best Digital Marketing Side Hustles in 2023

In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the 10 best digital marketing side hustles to consider and how to get started in them.

1. Start a Blog

Content writing is one of the most popular passive income streams out there.

Starting a blog requires a relatively small budget while giving you huge work flexibility and a serious opportunity for growth.

Blogging also allows you to showcase your expertise, build a loyal audience, and monetize your knowledge through various channels.

These include affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, advertising, and much more.

Costs to Get Started

The cost of starting a blog can vary depending on your needs and goals, but you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $200 for the initial setup.

This should be enough to cover expenses like domain name registration and web hosting.

Also, you might need to consider ongoing costs if you use premium web themes or plugins. These can range from $15 to $60 per month.

A good tip here is to limit your spending in the beginning and expand as your blogging income starts to flow.

Where to Find This Side Hustle

Luckily, for this one, you don’t have to look anywhere.

Instead, you should check out website creators and blogging platforms to pick the one that works best for you.

These include WordPress, Hostinger, and Squarespace.

2. Become a Digital Creator on Facebook

A digital creator on Facebook is an individual who produces and shares original content on the platform.

This can include anything from written posts to photos and videos or a combination of them.

The aim here is to engage your audience, build a community, and monetize your content to earn money.

Costs to Get Started

Technically speaking, it costs nothing to become a digital creator on Facebook. However, some side aspects may require you to spend some money.

These include any paid courses you might need as well as the equipment necessary to create the content.

In other words, you should expect a minimum of $200 to get started and up to thousands of dollars if you want to start big.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

Becoming a digital creator on Facebook is surprisingly easy. You’ll need to access Meta’s Creators Hub and follow the instructions to get started.

3. Specializing in Email Marketing

An email marketing specialist specializes in creating and executing email marketing campaigns to achieve a company's marketing goals.

In this role, you’re responsible for developing email targeting strategies, crafting compelling content, and managing email lists.

You’ll also analyze campaign performance to optimize results in the future.

Costs to Get Started

The cost of specializing in email marketing can vary depending on your learning approach and existing experience.

For instance, self-learning through free online resources and practice projects can be relatively inexpensive.

However, investing in formal courses or certifications can cost you around $100 to $2,000.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

Email marketing specialists can find gigs through various sources.

These include freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr and dedicated job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn.

You can also opt for unique approaches like direct outreach to companies or leverage personal connections to land a gig.

4. Specializing in SEO

An SEO specialist optimizes websites to rank higher in search engine results, driving organic traffic, and increasing website visibility and renown.

It's a lucrative side hustle due to its high demand and flexible work arrangements.

It also has the potential to earn you a substantial income with the right tools and SEO knowledge.

Costs to Get Started

Like email marketing, getting started in SEO is highly dependent on various factors.

Depending on your learning approach, it can cost you anywhere between $200 to $3,000.

This should cover both the training courses and necessary fees for the SEO tools you’ll be using.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

Another similarity between SEO and email marketing is that they both share the same gig platforms.

Aspiring SEO specialists can find gigs through freelance platforms like Upwork as well as social media networking and direct outreach to entities to manage their SEO portfolio.

5. Social Media Management

As a social media manager, you’ll be responsible for overseeing a company or a figure’s social media campaigns and online presence on social media platforms

You’ll also develop strategies and create engaging content to achieve the required social media goals.

Costs to Get Started

The main expense of becoming a social media manager is education.

Luckily, there are plenty of free resources online to help you get started without spending money.

If you prefer solid educational courses, they’ll typically cost you around $100 to $2,000.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

The easiest method to find gigs as a social media manager is through online job boards.

However, if you have a good portfolio and competitive pricing plan, you can take the previously mentioned approaches to land clients, especially direct outreach.

6. PPC Campaign Management

A PPC campaign manager is a digital marketer who sets up and optimizes pay-per-click advertising campaigns.

The aim of these campaigns is to generate leads through creating ads and tracking their performance.

Costs to Get Started

Most companies will require some certifications to make sure you’re qualified for the role.

Completing these courses might cost you up to $2,000.

Additionally, you might need some tools and services to do your work, which costs up to $3,000 per month.

However, your income from PPC campaigns should cover them.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

The two best places to find side hustle gigs for PPC campaigners are job boards and freelance websites.

However, if you find the field interesting, you can also find full-time jobs as a PPC marketer.

7. Running Affiliate Marketing Campaigns

Affiliate marketing is one of the most profitable side gigs out there.

It’s also an excellent source of passive income, especially when combined with blogging and social media advertising.

Costs to Get Started

The cost of getting gigs in the affiliate market varies depending on the niche, the competition, and the affiliate program.

Most affiliate programs are free but some websites might charge you a flat or monthly fee.

You might invest in some marketing strategies to promote your affiliate links, such as paid advertising and content creation.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

When it comes to affiliate marketing, the best way to discover opportunities is by directly checking businesses’ affiliate programs.

You can also check out global affiliate networks like Awin and CJ Affiliate.

8. Managing an eCommerce Store

There’s a strong connection between digital marketing and managing an eCommerce website.

This is because you’ll need to utilize digital marketing strategies like SEO, email marketing, and social media to drive traffic to your store.

On the other hand, effective store management ensures a seamless customer experience, leading to higher conversions and improved sales.

Costs to Get Started

While you can spend thousands for a professionally built custom eCommerce website, it’s better to start with DIY website builders to cut costs.

An excellent platform to consider here is Shopify or Woocommerce, which can cost as little as $60 to get started.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

Besides building your own websites, you can manage eCommerce websites for a campaign-based or monthly fee.

The best way to do this is by contacting eCommerce websites to discuss a collaboration opportunity.

9.  Graphic Design Services

If you already have experience in graphic design, you can utilize your skills to venture into the digital marketing world.

You can achieve this by creating visually compelling and engaging content that enhances brand identity and attracts target audiences.

Costs to Get Started

You need both the education and the tools necessary for the job, so you should expect a minimum of $2,000 to get started in graphic design services.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

You’ll find plenty of gigs and projects available on freelance websites.

Additionally, you can reach out to companies and show them your portfolio and potential designs and marketing materials.

These include social media graphics, website visuals, infographics, etc.

10. Creating Online Digital Marketing Courses

Lastly, another unique way to benefit from your experience in the field of digital marketing is by sharing your experience with others.

Besides physical courses, you can achieve this by creating online digital marketing courses and selling them on dedicated websites.

Costs to Get Started

You’ll need various software and tools to create proper online courses for digital marketing.

These include video editing programs, preparing class material, etc.

Depending on your resourcefulness and skills, this may cost you between $150 to $1,000.

Where to Find Gigs for This Side Hustle

One of the best ways to find and sell online digital marketing courses is through dedicated course websites, such as Skillshare, Udemy, or Coursera for a minimal fee.

How to Start a Digital Marketing Side Hustle

Interested in starting a digital marketing side gig?

This brief guide will walk you through all the essential steps to help you get started.

1. Identify Your Niche

The world of digital marketing is incredibly diverse.

For that reason, you’ll need to explore the different opportunities and paths out there to pick the ideal one for you.

While making up your mind, try to create a shortlist of the niches that align with your interests, skills, and career aspirations.

Focusing on your strength points will help you bring out your best and stand out against the competition.

2. Gather the Necessary Skills and Tools for the Gig

The digital landscape is always evolving and diversifying.

For that reason, adaptability and continuous learning are always sought-after skills in that field.

The easiest way to achieve this is by enrolling in online courses for digital marketing.

Yet, you can also attend workshops, and read industry blogs to keep up with the latest trends and techniques.

3. Build a Portfolio

Start showcasing your skills and broadening your experience by creating a compelling portfolio that highlights your best work.

This includes crafting project samples to get yourself out there and demonstrate your ability to deliver results.

4. Establish a Professional Online Presence

You’ll also need an online presence to give your work credibility and authenticity.

This also establishes trust in your services and skills.

To do this, you’ll need to create a professional profile on relevant social media as well as a professional website with all the necessary contact information.

This makes you easy to reach through legitimate channels and allows you to expand your side hustle into a full-time job later on.

5. Network and Market Yourself

After getting your first project done and taking off, you’ll still need to work on expanding your network.

This is essential for staying relevant in the industry and maintaining your client and audience base.

You can achieve this by actively engaging with industry professionals, attending networking events, and participating in online communities to expand your reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Digital Marketing Be a Side Hustle?

The flexibility and remote work friendliness of digital marketing make it an excellent side hustle.

The element of high demand means there are always freelance gigs.

As a result, you can freely set your hours and choose where to work as long as you have access to an internet connection and other necessary tools for the job.

Is Digital Marketing a Good Career?

Digital marketing can be an excellent career choice for a variety of reasons.

The job is in high demand across various industries. This offers various opportunities for growth and specialization.

Additionally, the job has a high earning potential with diverse career paths. This means it also has a strong job outlook in the future.

Wrapping Up

This marks the end of today’s guide about digital marketing side hustles.

While there are plenty of options out there, starting a blog is easily the best overall option here, as it’s a source of steady income as well.

However, you can opt for alternative specialized gigs that also pay pretty well, such as specializing in SEO or email marketing campaigns.

Similar Side Hustles to Check Out

While digital marketing side gigs are quite profitable, there are endless opportunities out there to create a side income stream.

Here’s a quick look at some similar side hustles to give you inspiration:

  • Tech Side Hustles: Digital marketing and tech are highly interconnected. This guide will walk you through excellent tech-savvy side gigs to help you take advantage of that connection.
  • Side Hustles That Pay Well: Aside from the digital world, there are tons of opportunities to make excellent income. This guide will provide you with a list of the most profitable ones.
  • NYC Side Hustles: The enormous economy of New York City allows it to house a thriving side hustle market. Check out this guide on how to put that to your advantage.