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.

28 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
White label dating websites
Runs three white label dating sites that earn with little maintenance.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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