By now you’ve heard of YouTubers, Bloggers, Instagrammers, and other types of online influencers who’ve made it big in social media. They’re somehow managing to make a living either posting a blog, shooting a video, or taking a selfie. And they often make it look so easy, don’t they?
“Just become an influencer, and you’ll make tons of cash working just an hour a day in a bikini sipping margaritas on some exotic beachfront property.”
I can see why that would be appealing for the masses. For most people, work is terrible. It’s a punishment or a form of torture. My daughter was exchanging emails with a new friend from school who was impressed by how high her scores are. He has the potential to do just as well in mathematics or any other topic, but his demise is this notion that he’d rather not have to work hard in life. He wants to be an Instagram influencer and have a four-hour workweek.
Guess where he’s getting his motivation?
I can’t really blame the kid. I’ve heard it too in my industry. As Instagram reaches that 500 million active daily user mark and more and more solopreneurs get hooked on YouTube ads with half-naked boys flashing their six packs and life of comfort somewhere in Bali, making money online (the easy way) has become even more alluring for the average human being who hates his or her 9-to-5 job.
But are these so-called big shots in Lamborghinis and big fancy houses really making all their money from a simple blog? Is it really just a matter of taking sexy selfies and positioning yourself as an influencer?
That is a question even I don’t have a clear answer to.
I’ll tell you what I do know for a fact.
We live in a world governed by natural laws. The laws of success cannot be altered by anyone, even those preaching easy money. Therefore, when you genuinely find someone making money online or offline, you can be sure they put in the necessary effort to produce such effects.
Sure, there’s a lot of hype around making money online. Everyone wants to teach you how to make a living running your blog, how to become a paid influencer on Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat and yes, the choir is still humming that strange tune that being employed is a mistake.
It can be very frustrating for a solopreneur who is following this advice and not reaping anything close to what some of these loudmouths advertise. But you know, this shouldn’t surprise you. We’ve always had people who brag, deceive, and hyperbolize. Even before the age of the Internet, there were scammers, time wasters, and people who would do anything to get attention. The only difference now is that it’s being done on social media.
However, underneath all that hype, there is some truth. There are a few hard-working individuals who are finding success online using creative methods to serve our global community.
Let no one lie to you; money is a direct consequence of being of service to others. The more value you add, the more income you’ll have.
Service to others is the best way to ensure that you continue to build wealth. So before I share a few examples of what this would look like should you desire to create your wealth online, do a self-check and ask yourself:
How much value am I bringing? How am I serving humanity?
Pat Flynn (a favorite of mine) is well known by veterans and newbies alike in the online arena. He openly shares how his entire life changed through blogging and podcasting, and has been able to manifest a very lavish lifestyle doing what he loves. He started out solo, and now has a huge team helping with his podcast, blog, and online courses. But of course now he’s making two million dollars a year, so perhaps you find that to be too far fetched. No worries, I actually want to share with you examples of everyday people who haven’t made millions but are generating enough income to give them the boost needed to keep the hustle going.
Iva Ursano shared how her blogging efforts are now starting to pay off. Although her blog is on personal development and self-help, she decided to share some of the results she’s beginning to experience with the hope of inspiring others who desire to enjoy a similar lifestyle of being full-time bloggers. She now makes $1,700 according to her monthly report.
Iva openly confesses that it took her over four years to get to that monthly income, and more sweat equity than she can measure. Of course, if you desire to follow her blueprint on how to make money blogging, you can read her entire article with monthly reports as well.
Daniel Arnold is another excellent example of what’s possible in the online world if you’re adding value and building genuine connections with your followers. He had $90.03 left in his bank account, and it was the eve of his 34th birthday. He had built a healthy Instagram following, but had never really thought about making an offer for his artistic work.
For his birthday, and in a state of desperation (being low on cash), he decided to make an offer for his photography, and the rest, as they say, is history. He had more orders than he ever thought possible. Within 24 hours, he went from ninety dollars broke to being fifteen thousand dollars rich. It’s a great story sure!
Even I was blown away by the power of social media and the fact that we can produce income on demand. Going from $90.03 to $15,000 overnight is absolutely awesome! However, I feel it prudent to insist that this may not happen for you, especially if you haven’t worked on building real connections and followers on your social media accounts.
If you are going to be a social entrepreneur, then do it right. Don’t just build your following for the sake of monetizing. Let it be for the love of serving people, sharing your ideas, connecting and improving your life as well as theirs in some way. I am confident that’s the main reason behind Daniel’s success, and if you follow that path of adding value first, Instagram may prove to be lucrative for you too.
Conclusion:
Whether you’re just starting or have been attempting to make money online either as a Blogger, YouTuber, Podcaster, or Instagrammer, my recommendation is that you equip yourself with the right knowledge, tools, and resources, and then persistently work toward your desired goal. Close the curtains on anything that distracts you or dilutes your effort.
Focus on mastering one strategy and vehicle at a time, remain consistent, and make sure you steer clear of any “get rich quick” schemes. You’ve got to retrain your mind to play the long game. This is about building something sustainable that lasts, just as a seed needs to be planted, watered, and nurtured until harvest time, your online goals will require that same approach.
Surround yourself with peers who are honest and authentic enough to share with you the real and raw journey. Do things right and, although you won’t make a million dollars in six months, you will inevitably reach your success. Now I’d love to hear some of your success stories. Have you been able to make money blogging or on Instagram? Help inspire others with your story, and feel free to tag me on Twitter so I can cheer you on.
