How To Make Money Using Wordpress

make money with wordpress — Image credit: StockSnap

Thanks to the internet we can do a lot of things. We can meet new people from all around the world, educate ourselves from home, entertain ourselves and most importantly make money or even create an online business. We have a lot of options on our hands to choose from. We can start writing a blog, become a virtual assistant or a freelancer, create a consulting or social media agency or even an online store that sells products, without us laying a finger on it.

Since there are so many things we can do, it might be hard to decide what to pick. That's why in this article we'll talk specifically about different things you can do with WordPress. WordPress is a free and open-source content management system, that features plugin architecture and a template system. This makes WordPress a versatile platform for various online businesses. Here are our top 10 ideas on how you can use this platform to your advantage.

1. Dropshipping/Retail store

3 Ways You Can Trade on the Market without a Lot of Money — Photo by Carlos Muza on Unsplash

You can use WordPress to make different types of online stores. Dropshipping model means selling products you don't physically own by ordering the same product from your supplier for a lower price and sending it to your customer when he orders it on yours first. The opposite is a retail model when you buy products for a wholesale price from your supplier, store it to your warehouse and then sell it for a retail price on your website. If you have an idea of niche products you want to sell, you could start a dropshipping/retail store with WordPress. You'll need a nice-looking theme, have some plugins installed and a marketing plan.

2. Print on Demand Store

Print on demand (POD) is another e-commerce business model, where no products are stored in a warehouse but are being made and shipped to the customer on the go. In other words, if you have an online t-shirt business for example, when you have a sale, your supplier takes a t-shirt, prints your design on it and then ships it to your customer. You can also sell many other products like hoodies, mugs or paintings on your POD store and it's easy to get started. If you want to design and sell merchandise online for free, you can check https://printify.com/make-your-own-shirt/ for more information.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a process of connecting products or/and services to the customers and getting a percentage for every sale you make. You can use WordPress to create a landing page for the affiliate products. The hardest part with this business is, of course, the marketing plan. Most popular ways to drive traffic to your landing page is by using Facebook or Google Ads, but you can do it without spending any money, by simply sharing the landing page with people on Facebook groups, on blogs and on other social media platforms.

4. Blogging

The most popular ways how to use WordPress is creating a blog. If you have things you wish to write about, you should start your blog, because there are so many ways to monetize it. You can make money from ads, sponsor posts or affiliates. The only downside is that the blogging market is crowded and it might take you a few months or even a year to finally start making money. On the other hand, if you're stubborn and creative, you'll be able to brainstorm a solution to growth hack your way to success. For example, you could start talking with your readers, interview them, make Q&A articles and simply ask them what would make them want to share your blog with others. Go to these guys and they'll give you WordPress contact forms plugin that will allow you to make all kinds of WordPress forms on your blog so you could interact with your readers.

5. Design WordPress Themes

If you're a graphics designer, you can start making WordPress themes. When creating themes, you should take into consideration that the people who will be using them will be novice users who want an easy way to set up a professional looking store. Your end goal should be to make a theme that doesn't leave users with excessive work to do on their own. When you have your theme created, all that you're left with is to sell it on the WordPress marketplaces.

6. Developing WordPress Plugins

If you're a developer, you might as well want to try to create new plugins to WordPress. Plugins will be used by experienced and novice users, that's why it should be easy to use and create value to its user. Your created plugin should help to do a specific task within WordPress more effectively and save time, money, or both to the person using it, such as WordPress plugins to boost productivity. The hard part is finding a problem and generating ideas on how to solve it, but this could be done by simply talking to the WordPress users for their feedback and giving them a free plugin when you are done creating it in exchange for their help. When you're finished with your plugin, you simply sell it on the WordPress marketplace.

7. Website Flipping

If you come across a website that is being sold for a relatively low price, but you know that after some tweaks you could sell it for a higher price, you might be interested in website flipping business. The idea is simple, you look for a cheap website with good domains, give them an upgrade and sell it back for profit.

8. Creating WordPress Websites

There are many people out there who would like to have a professional looking website, online store or a blog. Not everyone can make everything themselves, so there will always be a demand for people who can create a WordPress website for them. If you know how to do it, you can start creating websites for others by searching job requests on Facebook groups or freelancing platforms.

9. WordPress Consulting

If you have a lot of knowledge about using WordPress, but you don't feel like creating websites for others, you could start a consulting business. There are people who are determined to make everything themselves or people who are learning to create websites using WordPress for a living and they need some advice. You can start doing it by being active on social media to create credibility or yours or by looking for jobs on freelancing platforms.

10. Become a Virtual Assistant

If you're new to WordPress but would like to learn more about how to use it, you could start doing that by becoming a virtual assistant. As an assistant you'll be responsible for updating store's information, answering emails, fulfilling orders (if it's an online store) etc. Doing so will not only allow you to learn from people who are already having a successful business, but earn some money at the same time.