Passive Income Ideas for Content Creators

You’re sitting on your porch with a glass of cold lemonade. The air is comfortably warm, and the sun is filtered softly through the trees. You’re relaxing, and yet, you’re still making money. Life is good. 

Okay, so the reality of passive income isn’t exactly like that, but it can be close. For many, nothing sounds better than making money without devoting hours to working each week. Luckily, passive income exists, but choosing a legitimate opportunity as a starting point can be challenging. 

That’s what this article is here for. Let’s go over what passive income is (and isn’t) and the top passive income ideas for content creators.  

What passive income is

Before you dive headfirst into passive income, you need to know what it is. 

Think of passive income as an income stream that doesn’t require daily effort to maintain (daily being the keyword here). Once your source of income is set up, you can sit back and watch the cash flow in. At least, for the most part. 

Just know you’re not going to bring in the cash without putting some effort in. The key to making this work? Coming up with strategic business ideas that work with your skills and lifestyle. You do this, and you can slowly build up your wealth while you put more of your time and energy into your craft. 

What passive income isn't 

I know the idea of passive income is exciting, but let me make sure you also understand what passive income isn’t. 

Passive income isn’t 100% passive, and it isn’t easy money in the beginning. Typically, no matter which avenue you choose, you’ll need to put in front-end work and regular maintenance to reap the rewards. But if you put in the hard work and stay disciplined, the systems you set up will lead you to earn money without needing to put in 40 hours a week.   

Passive income ideas

Now that you’re well versed on passive income — ready for some ideas? Let’s take a look at some profitable ideas of passive income for content creators. Whether you’re a blogger, YouTuber, or TikTok creator, these suggestions will help you turn what you know into extra dough. 

Utilize affiliate marketing

For creators of any kind, a fast and easy way to get started making passive income is with affiliate marketing. 

Not sure what that is? I got you. You can make money by promoting services or products to your audience using affiliate links generated by a partner platform (like Amazon). When someone makes a purchase using a unique link you share, you earn commission. 

Affiliate marketing is a handy way to make passive income because it can work for practically any creator in any niche. Share affiliate links on your blog articles, in your YouTube video description box, or in your Instagram bio. There typically aren’t requirements to become an affiliate for companies. All it usually takes is filling out an application with the company you want to work for and waiting for approval. 

It’s best to have a bit of a following before starting your affiliate marketing journey. You’ll have more luck making sales the more followers and views you have. But even if you have a smaller following, don’t feel discouraged. Build your authority in your niche, and people will trust your expertise and product recommendations.  

Start a blog

Something that can go hand in hand with affiliate marketing — blogging.

Building a blog does take some work. With dedication and patience, it can evolve to become a lucrative passive income stream.

You can earn passive income by selling your own products, creating a membership, offering ad space on your blog, and, of course, adding affiliate links. 

Make sure to choose your niche wisely by doing keyword research and researching your target audience. Another tip: Videos and other visuals in your post will help keep readers interested and improve your readability. Adding them will always be a good idea. 

Teach an online course 

Everyone has something to teach. And if you have a topic in mind — sell it through an online course. The wonderful thing about online courses is they’re always available for purchase, making them good passive income sources. Anybody, anywhere can purchase your course if it’s something they’re interested in learning.  

Think of a topic, outline what you want to teach, then create and record your lessons. Courses can be about any topic, including:

• French cooking 

• Coding basics

• Oil painting 

• Personal finance 

• Music production

• Dressmaking 

• Art history 

Finish making your course by setting your price and gating your content. 

After you publish, you’ll want to make sure word gets out about what you’re teaching. Creating and recording your work won’t be enough to generate money. Promoting it on social media with a discount code is a great way to increase visibility and incentivize enrollment.  

Write an eBook 

If you’re looking for a passive income source that allows you to showcase your writing skills and creativity, publishing eBooks will be right up your alley. 

Self-publishing has become more accessible than ever before, thanks to the rise of digital reading devices.

From fantasy novels to self-help books, you can create your eBook and then relax, earn royalty earnings, and generate passive income. 

Choosing a niche and writing engaging content is a given, so I’m going to give a different tip. Design a compelling cover for your eBook. Just because it’s online doesn’t mean people don’t judge a book by its cover. A well-designed cover can attract potential readers and increase the chances of a sale.

Don’t forget to market your eBook to get it in front of interested readers, too. Putting just a little bit of work into marketing can go a long way in setting up your source of passive income for success. 

Create a subscription

Video creators, illustrators, podcasters — if you haven’t considered a subscription service, do it now. With a subscription, your viewers can pay a regular fee to access exclusive content. 

Platforms like Patreon, YouTube, Facebook, and Switcher allow creators to offer exclusive content to subscribers. Having your own membership site is another option for hosting your subscription, too. No matter which route you choose, you can turn part of your online presence into a passive income generator. 

Keep in mind, this can be slightly more time-intensive than other passive income sources. You’ll need to produce content consistently to keep subscribers interested. But if you’re already making regular content, this might not be that much extra time added to your workload. Consider making one exclusive video or comic a month for those that subscribe, or even giving your subscribers early access to your content before you share with the public. 

Sell stock images or videos

If you have a knack for photography or videography, you can sell your content on stock websites and earn royalties when it’s used or repurposed. This is an effective source of passive income because you’re not just selling a photo or video once — you’re licensing it over and over again for a fee. 

Some of the popular places to sell photos or videos include Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Getty Images. The best part? No need to put work into setting up a store, marketing your content, or growing your brand. Upload your photos and videos to the stock photo agency site of your choice, and you’ll earn a percentage from every sale.  

The one thing to keep in mind: Stock agencies have big catalogs. To have a better chance of getting your photos or videos chosen, focus on providing high-quality content that is in demand. Research trends to get a better idea of what people are looking for, but you won’t go wrong with shots or b-roll of landscapes and animals. 

Design small digital products 

Digital products are something you can create once and sell multiple times. You don’t need to worry about physical items, shipping, or storage, either.  

Depending on your area of expertise, you could sell:

• Graphics or illustrations to be used online or on products 

• Fonts to use for websites or social media graphics 

• Pre-designed templates for logos or organization 

• Workbooks to guide others on different techniques or practices

• Photo presets so others can easily edit their own photos  

  

No matter your content niche, there is likely some digital product you can sell to generate passive income. Gumroad and Etsy are excellent platforms to set up shop and sell your digital creations. Just be sure to continuously update your products so they stay relevant and fresh. And put those shop links in all your social bios!

Diversify your revenue streams 

Passive income for content creators won’t mean extra money in the bank overnight. But with the right strategies and platforms, you can build sustainable streams of extra income. If you’re specifically looking for a video platform to assist you generate passive income, I (very humbly) recommend Switcher. 

Switcher has the tools you need to create pro-quality videos for YouTube, TikTok, your blog, or your online storefront, all with an iPhone or iPad. In fact, our multicamera feature allows you to add up to nine different devices, so you can capture every angle in your videos. And when you’re done, share your video to your chosen platform or embed it on your website. We can even help you monetize your embedded content through subscriptions or gated content. 

Boost your passive cash flow — try Switcher free for two weeks and see what we’re all about.