How did you make your first dollar on the internet?

Jake Schonberger
10 replies
What was the mechanism? Do you remember that moment? Where did it lead you!?

Replies

✨ Vidya ✨
My first online dollar was through my newsletter (thecuriousbunch.xyz). I started it with the intention of sharing a bunch of interesting links but soon I got lil' obsessed with growing it big and reaching new readers. I read many "grow your subscribers" articles on the internet and followed people on Twitter. At that time I had less than 500 subscribers and the only way to "monetize" my newsletter is by attaching a "Buy Me A Coffee" link. That's how I got my first dollar! 💲 Couldn't believe people are willing to pay for my free newsletter. :) The same articles suggested I need to have at least 1000 subscribers to attract sponsors but I wanted to experiment and see if I could get a sponsor at 500. So I joined all the platforms I knew where they connect writers with sponsors. That's how I discovered Swapstack (swapstack.co) too! I didn't expect to get in touch with any sponsors but I got a message from Swapstack within 2 weeks of joining and it said "A Swapstack brand wants to work with you!" 🤯 That was an amazing moment! Now, my newsletter Sponsorship slots are booked 2-3 months in advance. 😊 I'm still below 1000 subscribers but have a good number of engaged readers. I was glad I didn't listen to the general advice I found on those growth articles. 😅 Started my newsletter without any idea about monetizing it and now I regularly work with some amazing brands through my newsletter. ❤️ Thanks to Swapstack for my very first sponsor and helping me become a "creator" :)
Anangsha Alammyan
@learnwithvidya This is incredible. Only onwards from here🚀 Just today I was telling my brother - if you do what everyone else is doing, you'll be another face in the competition/rat race. But if you take initiative and think out of the box, you'll go to places no one else has explored. 🔥
Abhijeet Kumar
I made my first $ selling photos on Eyeem. It was only one photo though, which was sold 5-6 times. Later, I also made a few bucks, regularly, by writing reviews of different products and services I used, on Mouthshut. And now, I am a full time freelance writer and marketer.
✨ Vidya ✨
@lazywriterabhi ooh! Photography..that's interesting. I wonder if you can share the link with us here :D Also, one question for you if you don't mind. :) What are your biggest challenges as a freelance writer right now? Any particular challenges when you started out as a freelancer which you solved successfully?
Abhijeet Kumar
@learnwithvidya Here's the photo, which earned me about $100 in total. https://www.eyeem.com/p/91774223 :D As for challenges, the only one I had was to find what all do I need to do have a continuous inflow of clients. I started with sharing my stories and day-to-day experiences on LinkedIn and Twitter as a freelancer. The process helped me find a tribe for myself. So, now writers refer me to prospective clients and also, ask if I know someone who might be interested in the task. Ya, kind of community. The regular posts also helped me gain visibility among prospects.
✨ Vidya ✨
@lazywriterabhi Omg, you should continue with photography. That was amazing! :) Yep, the writer community I found on Twitter is really helpful and I'm glad you found one for yourself. :) Good luck with your future projects. <3
Anangsha Alammyan
Won "Editor's choice" on Your Story Club in 2013 and got INR 1500 ($25) for a fictional story. This was the first indicator that my writing has value and helped me develop a consistent writing habit. It also made me dream of winning a Pulitzer some day. I started writing non fiction in 2014 and have put that dream on hold. But we'll get there one day for sure. 😊
Nevena Sofranic
I was a professional CV writer! I figured the ATS we were using at the company I was working for would parse CV based on keywords, and it just swallows good resumes. So I started freelancing and made a few bucks out of it. At this point, it would probably bore me to death tho 😂
Selling icon. Lead me to ... being an UI Designer. ❤️
BOUTAROUK Mohammed Lamine
My first dollar on the internet was through (microworkers.com), for some simple tasks.