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.

22 ideas

Content and media
Practice website for learning Excel
A simple website that helps people learn Excel through exercises. The founder built it with very little effort and grew it as a dead-simple, boring niche site.
Hands-offOnline
Starter Story, 2026
Content and media
Free sudoku sites supported by ads
A group of free sudoku websites that earn steady income from minimal ads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2024
Content and media
Tech blog with ads and Patreon
A blog that earns from ads and Patreon support, covering hosting costs and a bit more.
Online
Hacker News, 2022
Content and media
Textbook price comparison site with affiliate income
Started a price comparison website for college textbooks that earns affiliate commissions, mostly from search traffic.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Content and media
Better Amazon search earning affiliate commissions
Built a search tool that ranks Amazon products by ratings and review volume, grouped by price range. Money comes from affiliate links.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Domain price comparison site with affiliate income
A website comparing prices for domain extensions across registrars. Earns through registrar affiliate commissions and paid data downloads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Searchable product catalog with affiliate links
A website with a searchable product catalog that earns from Amazon affiliate links.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Twitter bots listing local tech events
A network of automated accounts that gather tech meetups and conferences for each city and tweet them, plus a weekly mailing list. Money comes from affiliate fees for conferences and workshops and from ad blocks in the newsletter.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Community site for founders funded by sponsors
Runs a website that interviews developers and entrepreneurs about how they earn from their projects. Revenue comes mainly from sponsors.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Maps in your own language site
Built a site that forces Google Maps links into a chosen language. Ad revenue covers its hosting.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Host a nonprofit's forum for ad revenue
Hosts a forum and website for a nonprofit, in exchange for placing ads that cover the hosting costs.
Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Logo gallery supported by ads
A logo design gallery where designers submit work, earning from ads and ad network placements.
Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
PC builder tool with affiliate links
A website that helps users assemble PCs, earning from affiliate links and ads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Language learning websites
Runs a couple of sites for language learners that cover living expenses.
Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Local niche job board
A jobs site that earns from affiliate links and AdSense, being rolled out as a network.
Online
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Rhyming dictionary website with ads
Built a rhyming dictionary site where an ad unit covers the hosting costs.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Tax calculator website with ads and affiliates
A site of tax and finance calculators that earns from AdSense and affiliate income, needing only occasional upkeep.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
Find where to buy tracks from DJ sets
A site that tells you where to buy tracks heard in DJ tracklists, earning small affiliate commissions that cover its hosting.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Instant book search site with affiliate links
A search site for books that earns small amounts from affiliate sales.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Network of crowdsourced humor sites
Runs several user-submitted humor sites and earns from them plus licensing for a paid iPhone app tied to one site.
Online
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Sudoku website with text-link advertising
Built a Sudoku website that now earns from advertising, mostly sponsored text links, with free signups seeing no ads.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Wallpaper sites earning domain referral fees
Runs wallpaper websites that earn from domain registration commissions, plus ads on a related blog.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011

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