One of my non-negotiables in life is to keep things simple.It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the right and wrong ways to do things. But, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that success hinges on momentum.It’s for this reason, I use Newton’s Third Law of Motion as an economic law:“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.”Image created by the author (using canva.com)Any step you take will inevitably result in… well, another step.Regardless of right and wrong, the best thing you can do is take a step — in any direction. This will create momentum. Which, is one of the most valuable business commodities.At the end of the day, an online business is as simple as having:Something to sellSome way to promoteSomeone who wants to buyThat’s it.So, once you’ve taken your first step, it’s time to take… well, the next step. Here are the only 5 ways to monetize an online audience in 2025…#1. Revenue-sharing platforms:Whether you want to start a blog, sell homemade art, or promote your personal brand, revenue-sharing platforms are one of the best places to start earning an income.If you’ve never heard of revenue-sharing platforms, think of YouTube — as it’s the most quintessential example:You post a videoApply for AdsenseGet paid from your viewsRevenue-sharing platforms are one of the most popular ways to kickstart your business, as they require no prior experience. They’re also great promotional tools and can become powerful community builders over time.Here are some of the best revenue-sharing platforms to use in 2025: 👇Today, starting an online business really is as simple as creating content people want to consume. From there, you can begin layering your business with additional streams of income.#2. Selling products:When you think of the word ‘business’, you probably imagine the most common image: a shopkeeper handing over physical goods.Which, is one way to sell products. But, today, products can be bought and sold in innumerable ways:… the list goes on.A product is anything fulfilling a specific need. It doesn’t have to be fancy, conventional, nor exist in … well, physical space.Digital products, for example, are one of the best ways to earn with little investment. They require no shipping and can be sold over and over again. Personally, I make Notion templates, which I can edit in real time and sell infinite copies of.Here are some great websites for selling digital products: 👇Products can be as simple as creating PDFs or sharing Google Docs. If you’re not graphic-designedly inclined, Canva is an amazing graphic design tool for the average human.If you prefer to sell physical products, here are some free websites you can use: 👇All of these allow you to sell goods without having a website or needing fancy marketing. If you create content on social media, you can even use link-in-bio services, like Linktree, to promote links to your store.But, if you like the idea of having a professional website, Shopify is one of the leading website providers. And, has tons of great creator resources on its blog.Personally, I used Shopify to launch one of my first businesses — a lifestyle brand called “Full Life Vibes”. Which, sounds fancy but, in reality, it consisted of an Instagram page, website, and Shopify store.All of which, I set up for a few hundred dollars leveraging Fiverr freelancers.#3. Affiliate marketing:According to a 2024 study, 80% of brands use affiliate marketing as part of their business strategy.This is mainly because, affiliate marketing is incredibly versatile in addition to being:Not to mention it’s scalable, meaning as your audience grows, so does your earning potential. And, since 9 out of 10 online shoppers make purchases based on recommendations, as you continue to build trust with your audience, your commissions will continue to grow.👉 Here are some great affiliate marketing programs to get started with.No matter your niche, you can find products or services to promote with a quick Google search.#4. Freelancing & sponsorships:When I first started looking into online business, one of my first Google searches was:“How many followers do you need to get sponsored?”From a young age, I loved the idea of being sponsored. But, I never knew what it actually meant until quite recently.At a basic level, being sponsored by a brand or company means agreeing to produce “X” work in exchange for “Y” compensation.The only difference is sponsorships usually involve leveraging your audience— whereas freelancers often work in the shadows.As recently as a few years ago, getting sponsored was nearly impossible unless you met the minimum audience threshold of 10,000 followers/subscribers.But, things have changed…Today, trust is the most valuable online commodity. Which, has spawned the age of the ‘nano influencer’.Personally, I landed my first sponsorship deal when I had 1,500 Medium followers. Although it’s not an exact science, Shopify has a great chart illustrating how much you can charge based on your audience size.Image via Shopify’s official blogAs a rule of thumb, it’s always a great practice to create a pricing list to send to potential sponsors. And, to have your contact information posted somewhere on your blog, website, or social media profiles.👉 Here are some best practices for landing sponsorship deals.If you’re tired of playing the waiting game and don’t want to pitch potential sponsors, you can also advertise UGC or sponsored content on freelancing websites, such as Fiverr.#5. Paid communities & online education:One of my bold predictions for the future is self-education will overtake formal education in the next decade.This is largely based on my own experience, but it’s backed by real-world statistics as well. According to a survey conducted by Pearson,“Globally, 68% of (Gen Z) learners think you can do just as well with an education from a vocational or trade school.”And, 60% of Americans feel as though school systems “are failing the current generation” altogether. This rise in self-education stems from one of the biggest trends in consumer behaviour: convenience above all else.It’s no longer enough to have movies, food, and shopping available at our fingertips 24/7. Today, people want to be able to learn specific skills with the snap of their fingers.Because of this, it’s never been easier to provide education.Here are some of the leading websites for creating online courses: 👇If you don’t have a skill or simply don’t want to create an online course, paid communities are another great way to fulfill the need for convenient education.Here are some great websites to create paid communities: 👇Whether you’re offering education through a newsletter, video calls, coaching, or nurturing collaboration through community, there are endless tools out there to bring your vision to life.It all starts with a quick Google search…