Content and media side hustle ideas

A blog, niche website, newsletter, YouTube channel, podcast or social account that earns from ads, affiliate links or sponsors.

35 ideas

Content and media
Ad-supported specials boards for restaurants
Free chalkboards and whiteboards placed in restaurants and busy venues, which use them for daily specials. Income comes from selling small ad spots along the bottom to local businesses.
Online and in person
Side Hustle Nation, 2026
Content and media
Facebook content monetization posting
Posting engaging content, much of it screenshots of other people's posts, to a Facebook page enrolled in Facebook's content monetization program. Facebook shares ad revenue with the creator.
Under $100A few hours a weekOnline
Side Hustle Nation, 2025
Content and media
Nonfiction book notes site
Publishes personal notes from nonfiction books on a site and earns some money from it.
Online
Hacker News, 2024
Content and media
YouTube channel about tech and photography
Posts videos on tech and photography and earns from the channel.
$1k to $10kOnline
Hacker News, 2022
Content and media
Blog about cash flow investing
Runs a small blog about cash flow that earns a modest monthly income.
Online
Hacker News, 2022
Content and media
Coding interview tutorial YouTube channel
Posts weekly programming problem tutorials on YouTube and earns from ad revenue.
Online
Hacker News, 2021
Content and media
YouTube coding tutorials
Makes coding tutorials on YouTube to support themselves while building a product, earning a small amount from the channel.
Online
Hacker News, 2021
Content and media
Frontend development blog with SEO traffic
A long-running blog on frontend topics that earns from ads and search visitors with only occasional new posts.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Content and media
Satirical tech newsletter with sponsorships
Runs a weekly newsletter that satirizes the tech industry. Revenue is from advertising to the subscriber base, with live events being considered.
Online
Hacker News, 2019
Content and media
Old unedited YouTube video earning ad revenue
A video published years ago that YouTube keeps recommending, paying out ad revenue with no promotion by the owner.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Content and media
Health condition information website with ads
An information site about a specific skin condition that earns from display ads and Amazon affiliate links and is mostly left on autopilot.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2018
Content and media
Tech blog supported by advertising
A personal technology blog that earns small amounts from on-page advertising.
$100 to $1kOnline
Hacker News, 2018
Content and media
People-search information site with AdSense
Built a WordPress website for people looking up information about others. It earns from Google AdSense and needs only software updates now.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Silicon Valley tour guide website
Runs a guide site for visitors interested in Silicon Valley sights. Income comes from ads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Long-running AdSense content website
An advertising-supported website running for about a decade that grew its income yearly with mostly passive upkeep.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Architectural models niche blog
Runs a niche blog about architectural models and earns from ads and Amazon affiliate links.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Fan site supported by ads
A fan site run by a community of contributors that earns small ad revenue to offset server costs.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Free background images site earning AdSense
Runs a free background picture website with steady search traffic and links from other sites, earning from AdSense.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Information website earning AdSense
Built a content website covering a niche in a non-US market, with a lot of long-tail search traffic monetized by AdSense.
A few hours a weekOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
jQuery plugin blog with daily listings
Runs a blog that lists a jQuery plugin each day and earns from advertising.
Under $100Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Local sports and politics AdSense blogs
Runs blogs on local sports and politics, with posts built from repackaged government data, earning from AdSense.
Under $100Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Niche humor blog with ads
A humor blog on Tumblr earning from ads.
Under $100Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Publish a friend's writing with ad revenue split
Hosts a friend's political writings on a site and splits the advertising revenue.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
White label dating websites
Runs three white label dating sites that earn with little maintenance.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Solar power blog driven by a YouTube video
Runs a simple blog on solar power, linked from a YouTube video, that earns from AdSense ads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Animated GIF sites funded by ads
Runs cat and dog GIF websites supported by advertising.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Architectural models niche blog
A hobby blog about architectural models that earns from ads and Amazon affiliate links.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Career website for Marine Corps members
A career site for Marines with a mailing list, earning a modest amount with about a day of work per month.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Directory of flagship stores in a city
Photographed top brand stores in London and published a directory blog that earns from ads.
Under $100Hands-off
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Micro niche sites built for AdSense, then sold
Built many small niche websites on keyword-rich domains with SEO copy to earn AdSense revenue, then sold the whole set on Flippa.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Niche sites earning from sold text links
Runs two small sites that earn mostly by selling text links through a link marketplace, plus some AdSense.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Pancake day recipes and activities site
Ran a seasonal site of pancake recipes and ideas for pancake day. It earned yearly ad revenue.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Personal electronics blog with AdSense
A technical blog documenting electronics projects, earning small ad income.
Online
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Pull-up bar video review with ad share
A YouTube review of a pull-up bar that ranked well in search and pays a periodic share of ad revenue.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Expired-domain niche site and job board
The operator buys an expired exact-match domain for a niche, rebuilds it as a site that earns from the niche audience, and adds a niche job board. Upkeep is minimal.
Hands-offOnline
The Koerner Office

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