Cassey Tash
Lister
Unemployment, the new headache that is popular among the youth is on the rise. They pitch camps in companies hoping to get employment; unfortunately, companies are retrenching their employees due to tough economic times.
Many have sought to various sources of income to earn a living, one of them being online.
To be able to make money online one needs internet access and has to be computer literate, others use their phones which is readily available. With hard work and determination one is able to make much money every hour or in a day depending on the type of the job.
One has to be careful not to be coned online, other jobs might require registration/ training fees, be careful about the genuine courses and websites that offer online jobs.
Here are ways in which one can make money online in Kenya;
1. YouTube
You can actually turn your passion and hobby into money. Take your phone or camera and make a video of your choice, for example, cooking, tutorials on how to prepare a certain meal, Make-Up tutorials and or motivational videos. So many people run to YouTube to check out the stuff of their choice and it’s your responsibility as a content creator to make users view your videos. You can actually make your videos be monetised by the YouTube algorithm. YouTube pays content creators according to views and subscribers.
A content creator on YouTube can also make money through endorsements and mentioning of products in between their videos, this again is according to their audiences and the type of information they put on their channel.
Jane who uploads motivational videos on her channels says on a good day, she makes Sh20,000 just to mention a brand on her channel, she has 200k subscribers and her videos receive up to 1.1 million views depending on how she opens up. On monetisation, YouTube pays her good money which she chose not to give the exact figure. Her videos receive three to four adverts from major corporate here in Kenya.
2.Translation
You can earn money from translating languages online, to and from English to other languages such as Kiswahili, Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, French, Spanish and money others. Knowing another language is advantageous to online users.
Normally what is required to be translated can be in text or audio form, one is required to be keen since translating a word might have different meanings in different languages, ensure you don’t abuse your employer. Taking an initiative to learn another language can be an added advantage. You like it already? Try it out now.
“I started translating two years ago and I love it, my majors are French, Kikuyu, and Nandi. I can translate up-to 10 articles into my majors in a day,” Says Fred who was retrenched from his job three years ago over incompetency. And when I asked him about his pay, “Translation pays all my bills including my masters' studies.”
3. E-commerce
E-commerce basically stands for online selling and buying of goods and services. One can start up a business by owning an online shop or start up a website where potential customers browse through the page and or their website for products and services. A customer can easily access the business through their phones and make purchases without going to the physical shop.
You can start an online business, to not only sell your products but also offer your services such as cleaning, barber, and cooking services.
John Kamau, a chef in Nairobi sells his services through his website, where he gets bookings mostly during the weekends. He gets busy from Friday evening through to Sunday since people have parties, church functions, and chamas. He charges his services depending on what his customers' needs, the highest he has made since he launched his website in November 2019 is Sh50,000 from two customers on a Sunday.
Sharon, on the other hand, started her bikini business in December through her Facebook page and so far the business is going as planned, she can get up to 20 orders on a good day. She posts the available pieces and her customers call to book them.
4. Social Media
How do you use your Social Media? You can now start earning money through your accounts such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
You have probably been influenced in one way or another to buy a product by a social media user. The “..hey guys, so a lot of you have been asking me where I got this spoon..” this common phrase has been on your feed for so long. This is how influencers earn money online.
Brands approach people with a certain number of followers and the type of content they post on Social Media. You can now start growing your pages if your motive is to earn money through this tool.
Esther is an influencer on Instagram with 2500 followers, she has managed to influence her followers to buy a Make-up product, the brand gave her several products for demonstration and she received her payment on commission. For every two products bought she received 2% of the sale, which was a good deal to her considering the number of her followers.
“Most brands no longer focus on followers but engagements, I get 5000 comments on my posts which is higher than my following, where do 2500 come from?, it means I’m engaging more with my followers who bring in new people to my page."
Facebook has a huge range of following, from our aunts to grandmothers, so using your Facebook page to make money would be the easiest platform to use. From food products to houses, one is able to meet the targeted audience.
Mike who is a realtor by profession says he wouldn't be where he is without his Facebook page. He has been communicating with his clients online by sending photos of available house and to his surprise, on meeting the client for final deals, they end up buying and sometimes committing to buy.
Njeri started gaining followers on her Facebook page by posting memes every hour. After two months she was approached by a company to help advertise their page and products. "When I started posted memes on my page, I had 20 followers, I have grown simply by being consistent and intentional in what I do. It took me by surprise when I received a DM from a brand that they would like to work with me. I earn Sh7000 per week for posting photos of products on my Facebook page."
Facebook recently launched monetisation on videos, posting a video of more than three minutes allows you to earn money, again, it depends with the type of your content. You have probably watched a video with a pop up of 'ad in 5mins', yes that's a clear demonstration of monitisation on Facebook.
Influencers also get brand recognition by the number of their page views and insights.
5. Transcribing
Transcribing is basically converting audio into text word for word. With this, you’ll need a good headphone and a computer or a laptop. If you don’t mind listening to audio over and over and convert it into a text, then this is for you.
Recorded Interviews, speeches, exam and many audios can be transcribed for future references
6. Betting
Betting is investing some money with betting firms. In Kenya, there has been a debate on where Betting should be declared illegal following unfortunate incidences that have occurred in the past such as suicide and homicide when money is lost through betting.
If you invest your money and make correct predictions about a football match, or questions depending on the site you're using to bet, then you can make some money.
Mwangi, a gardener says he has gained and lost money from betting, the highest amount he made was Sh100,000 and lost Sh30,000.
It is widely advisable to make wise decisions while trying to use this method to generate income.
7. Freelancing
Do you like writing and doing research? Then this is the best method to earn money while in the comfort of your space, it could be your bed, table or kitchen, you will decide. All you need is to identify what you are good at, be it academics, opinions for newspapers, Ideas for a corporate, press release and much more, you need to know if there is enough market for your skills and whether you will be able to meet the deadlines and submit with zero plagiarism. Your clients online wouldn't want to pay for job shadily done.
One has to set a goal and strategic amount they would like to earn per article or per day. This means you have to be fast with your work, submit it on time for high ratings. Higher Ratings in Freelancing means you will be referred by clients you have worked with which is equivalent to more money and popularity.
Learn your ways while Freelancing and rich out to your clients by sending them an email, on twitter or LinkedIn.
8. Filling returns
Yes, you can earn money by helping people file their returns. If you don't know how to do it, learn about it as early as possible and get that money. Kenyans generally wait for June to file their tax returns and you can take advantage of that. Alex, a cyber attendant says from May to June every year he earns Sh6000 per day since he charges Sh300 per filling. "So many people don't know how to file their return, so I subscribed to an internet provider, and I now do it from my house whenever I'm not at work." From January to April he charges SH100 and the traffic is not as high as in May and June. It has its seasons, like any other source of income.
9. Blogging
Having a blog would help you earn money mentioning products or collaborating with companies to help advertise their products. You can create your own website using a Gmail account and or using WordPress, these are free service providers or alternatives you can pay for a domain in order to have your own hosting.
Identify your passion and turn it into source of income. If you like traveling, you can partner with a traveling company at an agreed term, for example, you advertise their company and you get a holiday to a destination of your choice for free or get paid for advertising.
One can also make money through external adverts, you can be paid by the number of clicks from your website to other upcoming bloggers websites.
10. Managing Social Media pages
Celebrities and Politicians have a lot on their plates and frequently hire people to manage their social media pages. If you're good at taking pictures, posting them on time and with catchy captions, then this is for you. You can earn up to Sh80,000 per month for managing a social media page.
One has to learn how to use various social media tools, editing videos, and be disciplined enough to constantly post content of designated pages.
Replying to DMs, comments, moderating abusive comments, sending out press releases, and ensuring fans are up to date with what the politician or artiste is up to.
Mercy Njeri works for an Artiste as a Social Media Manager, she does this using her mobile phone and sometimes a laptop. She travels with the artiste more often. "One has to create a personal relationship with their employer since you have personal information about them. I'm not allowed to post or reply to abusive content on the page, I instead delete or close down the comment section."
Have you tried making money online using any of the above methods? If yes what is your experience so far? If I missed any of your methods, comment down below.
Many have sought to various sources of income to earn a living, one of them being online.
To be able to make money online one needs internet access and has to be computer literate, others use their phones which is readily available. With hard work and determination one is able to make much money every hour or in a day depending on the type of the job.
One has to be careful not to be coned online, other jobs might require registration/ training fees, be careful about the genuine courses and websites that offer online jobs.
Here are ways in which one can make money online in Kenya;
1. YouTube
You can actually turn your passion and hobby into money. Take your phone or camera and make a video of your choice, for example, cooking, tutorials on how to prepare a certain meal, Make-Up tutorials and or motivational videos. So many people run to YouTube to check out the stuff of their choice and it’s your responsibility as a content creator to make users view your videos. You can actually make your videos be monetised by the YouTube algorithm. YouTube pays content creators according to views and subscribers.
A content creator on YouTube can also make money through endorsements and mentioning of products in between their videos, this again is according to their audiences and the type of information they put on their channel.
Jane who uploads motivational videos on her channels says on a good day, she makes Sh20,000 just to mention a brand on her channel, she has 200k subscribers and her videos receive up to 1.1 million views depending on how she opens up. On monetisation, YouTube pays her good money which she chose not to give the exact figure. Her videos receive three to four adverts from major corporate here in Kenya.
2.Translation
You can earn money from translating languages online, to and from English to other languages such as Kiswahili, Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, French, Spanish and money others. Knowing another language is advantageous to online users.
Normally what is required to be translated can be in text or audio form, one is required to be keen since translating a word might have different meanings in different languages, ensure you don’t abuse your employer. Taking an initiative to learn another language can be an added advantage. You like it already? Try it out now.
“I started translating two years ago and I love it, my majors are French, Kikuyu, and Nandi. I can translate up-to 10 articles into my majors in a day,” Says Fred who was retrenched from his job three years ago over incompetency. And when I asked him about his pay, “Translation pays all my bills including my masters' studies.”
3. E-commerce
E-commerce basically stands for online selling and buying of goods and services. One can start up a business by owning an online shop or start up a website where potential customers browse through the page and or their website for products and services. A customer can easily access the business through their phones and make purchases without going to the physical shop.
You can start an online business, to not only sell your products but also offer your services such as cleaning, barber, and cooking services.
John Kamau, a chef in Nairobi sells his services through his website, where he gets bookings mostly during the weekends. He gets busy from Friday evening through to Sunday since people have parties, church functions, and chamas. He charges his services depending on what his customers' needs, the highest he has made since he launched his website in November 2019 is Sh50,000 from two customers on a Sunday.
Sharon, on the other hand, started her bikini business in December through her Facebook page and so far the business is going as planned, she can get up to 20 orders on a good day. She posts the available pieces and her customers call to book them.
4. Social Media
How do you use your Social Media? You can now start earning money through your accounts such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
You have probably been influenced in one way or another to buy a product by a social media user. The “..hey guys, so a lot of you have been asking me where I got this spoon..” this common phrase has been on your feed for so long. This is how influencers earn money online.
Brands approach people with a certain number of followers and the type of content they post on Social Media. You can now start growing your pages if your motive is to earn money through this tool.
Esther is an influencer on Instagram with 2500 followers, she has managed to influence her followers to buy a Make-up product, the brand gave her several products for demonstration and she received her payment on commission. For every two products bought she received 2% of the sale, which was a good deal to her considering the number of her followers.
“Most brands no longer focus on followers but engagements, I get 5000 comments on my posts which is higher than my following, where do 2500 come from?, it means I’m engaging more with my followers who bring in new people to my page."
Facebook has a huge range of following, from our aunts to grandmothers, so using your Facebook page to make money would be the easiest platform to use. From food products to houses, one is able to meet the targeted audience.
Mike who is a realtor by profession says he wouldn't be where he is without his Facebook page. He has been communicating with his clients online by sending photos of available house and to his surprise, on meeting the client for final deals, they end up buying and sometimes committing to buy.
Njeri started gaining followers on her Facebook page by posting memes every hour. After two months she was approached by a company to help advertise their page and products. "When I started posted memes on my page, I had 20 followers, I have grown simply by being consistent and intentional in what I do. It took me by surprise when I received a DM from a brand that they would like to work with me. I earn Sh7000 per week for posting photos of products on my Facebook page."
Facebook recently launched monetisation on videos, posting a video of more than three minutes allows you to earn money, again, it depends with the type of your content. You have probably watched a video with a pop up of 'ad in 5mins', yes that's a clear demonstration of monitisation on Facebook.
Influencers also get brand recognition by the number of their page views and insights.
5. Transcribing
Transcribing is basically converting audio into text word for word. With this, you’ll need a good headphone and a computer or a laptop. If you don’t mind listening to audio over and over and convert it into a text, then this is for you.
Recorded Interviews, speeches, exam and many audios can be transcribed for future references
6. Betting
Betting is investing some money with betting firms. In Kenya, there has been a debate on where Betting should be declared illegal following unfortunate incidences that have occurred in the past such as suicide and homicide when money is lost through betting.
If you invest your money and make correct predictions about a football match, or questions depending on the site you're using to bet, then you can make some money.
Mwangi, a gardener says he has gained and lost money from betting, the highest amount he made was Sh100,000 and lost Sh30,000.
It is widely advisable to make wise decisions while trying to use this method to generate income.
7. Freelancing
Do you like writing and doing research? Then this is the best method to earn money while in the comfort of your space, it could be your bed, table or kitchen, you will decide. All you need is to identify what you are good at, be it academics, opinions for newspapers, Ideas for a corporate, press release and much more, you need to know if there is enough market for your skills and whether you will be able to meet the deadlines and submit with zero plagiarism. Your clients online wouldn't want to pay for job shadily done.
One has to set a goal and strategic amount they would like to earn per article or per day. This means you have to be fast with your work, submit it on time for high ratings. Higher Ratings in Freelancing means you will be referred by clients you have worked with which is equivalent to more money and popularity.
Learn your ways while Freelancing and rich out to your clients by sending them an email, on twitter or LinkedIn.
8. Filling returns
Yes, you can earn money by helping people file their returns. If you don't know how to do it, learn about it as early as possible and get that money. Kenyans generally wait for June to file their tax returns and you can take advantage of that. Alex, a cyber attendant says from May to June every year he earns Sh6000 per day since he charges Sh300 per filling. "So many people don't know how to file their return, so I subscribed to an internet provider, and I now do it from my house whenever I'm not at work." From January to April he charges SH100 and the traffic is not as high as in May and June. It has its seasons, like any other source of income.
9. Blogging
Having a blog would help you earn money mentioning products or collaborating with companies to help advertise their products. You can create your own website using a Gmail account and or using WordPress, these are free service providers or alternatives you can pay for a domain in order to have your own hosting.
Identify your passion and turn it into source of income. If you like traveling, you can partner with a traveling company at an agreed term, for example, you advertise their company and you get a holiday to a destination of your choice for free or get paid for advertising.
One can also make money through external adverts, you can be paid by the number of clicks from your website to other upcoming bloggers websites.
10. Managing Social Media pages
Celebrities and Politicians have a lot on their plates and frequently hire people to manage their social media pages. If you're good at taking pictures, posting them on time and with catchy captions, then this is for you. You can earn up to Sh80,000 per month for managing a social media page.
One has to learn how to use various social media tools, editing videos, and be disciplined enough to constantly post content of designated pages.
Replying to DMs, comments, moderating abusive comments, sending out press releases, and ensuring fans are up to date with what the politician or artiste is up to.
Mercy Njeri works for an Artiste as a Social Media Manager, she does this using her mobile phone and sometimes a laptop. She travels with the artiste more often. "One has to create a personal relationship with their employer since you have personal information about them. I'm not allowed to post or reply to abusive content on the page, I instead delete or close down the comment section."
Have you tried making money online using any of the above methods? If yes what is your experience so far? If I missed any of your methods, comment down below.
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