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Being in quarantine is difficult especially when you’re not accustomed to being home. Even worse is being laid off from your job or having your once thriving business take a hit. Here are a few things you can do right now during your COVID-19 quarantine days. Some of these tips can even net you some money.

• Start a podcast
• Share your travel videos
• Story-telling
• Start a YouTube channel
• Blogging

Start a podcast

If you’ve ever wanted to start a podcast now is the time. It’s no secret that podcasts are a fun way to reach an audience. The secret to making money through a podcast is to deliver engaging, useful and informative content to your listeners. Moreover, being consistent and having your podcast on multiple streaming platforms such as YouTube, ITune, Spotify and Podbean is a must.

Podcasting isn’t just about ranting and pouring your heart out over a microphone. If you’re just starting off, start slow. The good news is that launching a podcast shouldn’t cost a ton of money. We’ve written a step by step guide on how to start a podcast. We’ve also published a podcast equipment guide for those looking to better understand podcast gear.

• Understanding Podcast Equipment A Step By Step Guide
• How to Record Voice Overs Like a Pro
• What is The Best Microphone for Podcast?

Eventually when you get the hang of it and begin to build a loyal audience, consider doing collaborations with other podcasters. Special guests and co-host are always great ideas if you’re looking to spice things up even further. 

Check out our review of one of the best microphones for podcasting

You can start monetizing your podcasts once your shows gain sufficient traction. Some platforms offer monetization via ads running during your podcast however, business savvy podcasters are always finding creative opportunities for sponsorship and promotional deals.

Share your travel videos

Remember that trip to Belize? Or that travel adventure to Europe? Most of us dream of visiting exotic destinations while others have gigs of photos stored on their iPhones. Now is the perfect time to share them with family, relatives and friends.

Create a slideshow with any number of online slideshow gallery makers. They are easy to use and allow you to share your creations with the people that matter the most. Post them on YouTube and add commentary. You'll be able to monetize those videos soon enough.

Story-telling

There has been an increase in the story-telling artform in recent years. In truth, this genre never really went away, however, due to popular audiobook marketplaces such as Audible, iTunes and YouTube, storytellers are basking in limelight glory. Currently, popular YouTube channels are ran and operated by storytellers. The stories are scary in nature while others gravitate to crime and murder mysteries.

Another great feature with story-telling is the fact that you don’t require lots of equipment to get started. All you need is a smartphone and a quiet room. If you so choose to kick things up a notch and want to deliver quality voice overs, then please read our guide on how to record voice overs like a pro.

Start a YouTube Channel

Do you remember when YouTube was nothing more than a fringe video sharing website that featured basic html coding with a few random videos of silly pets and edgy skateboarders?

Not anymore...

YouTube has become a video sharing giant with annual earnings in the millions. Moreover a growing number of YouTubers have found fame and fortune on the video streaming platform. It’s true that making it on YouTube nowadays is challenging as more have flocked to the video sharing platform. However, don’t despair, you’d be surprised how many relatively smaller YouTube channels earn a healthy monetary return, not through ad revenue, but through mechanisms such as sponsorships, affiliate marketing and patronage. The opportunities are endless all you need to do is get started.

Blogging

Many believe that blogging has come and gone. Rest assured that great bloggers have the ability to keep their readers entertained, engaged and committed. The trick is to be consistent as you develop a rapport with what your visitors. Is there money to be made through blogging? Absolutely! Mind you it does take time but once you’re rolling, things can get turn for the better. The most common form of blogging is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing, when done well, can become a side-hustle as you work to build trust and notoriety. Again, consistency is king so you’ll need to publish content on a regular basis. Affiliate marketing involves promoting a product and sending your traffic to the product via an affiliate link that offers you a kick back when your visitors completes a purchase. It sounds more complicated that it is but it’s not. In fact, you have already purchased a product using an affiliate link which netted an affiliate marketer a commission. The most popular amazon affiliate to date Amazon. 

Amazon is a trusted marketplace and most online shoppers are familiar with the brand so conversions rates are encouraging. To launch an affiliate website takes some work but it’s not impossible - the hard work will eventually pay off. Besides, what else do you have going on during quarantine. If you’re not keen on writing, you can even hire a writer from reputable sites like bloggers and upwork.

Conclusion

Your lockdown period can be a time for great reflection and spawn the emergence of a new business venture. Some of us will take the time to forge ahead with creative ideas to keep our families fed while others will simply wait it out. During times of great stress, being innovative is what will get us through this trying time. At least the internet is giving us a fighting chance to make something of ourselves during this pandemic. 

Good luck and stay safe