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.

23 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
Fun small websites earning ad revenue
A small project built for fun that earns a little from display ads and has grown slowly.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Technical blog post monetized with AdSense
Published a how-to post on single sign-on between two business platforms on an old blog and added AdSense. Earns small ad revenue from search visitors.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Content and media
Ad on a jQuery plugin documentation site
Maintains a documentation website for a jQuery plugin and earns a small amount from a single ad placed on it.
Hands-offOnline
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
Website for building from existing LEGO pieces
Runs a site that helps people use the LEGO pieces they own to build other models.
Online
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
jQuery credit card validator with ad revenue
Built a credit card validation plugin with a demo site that earns small ad revenue.
Hands-offOnline
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
Small single-purpose websites from an agency
A studio builds quick websites that solve small problems, getting traffic from blogs and earning from AdSense.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Content and media
School directory funded by ads
Evolved a failed school-focused social network into a directory site that earns from ads with little maintenance.
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
Prank website hosted on GitHub Pages
Runs a simple prank site hosted cheaply on GitHub Pages that brings in a modest monthly income.
Under $100Hands-offOnline
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
Showcase gallery of sites built with Bootstrap
Runs a showcase website for sites built with a popular front-end framework, with very low running costs and steady traffic.
Online
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
Face-filtered image search site with ads
An alternative interface to Google image search with the face filter on, which earned from ad clicks on an image-heavy site.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2011
Content and media
Lyrics website earning AdSense
Runs a lyrics website that earns a small amount from AdSense.
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

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