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8 Online Side Gigs to Do From Home

It seems like everyone has a side hustle these days. Chalk it up to a changing economy and evolving worker preferences, but according to multiple employment studies, at least 30% of American workers have a job beyond their regular 9-5. And more people are joining those ranks each day.

Maybe you’re interested in becoming one of those folks – there are plenty of reasons to, after all – but the thought of trudging back out into the world after job #1 is holding you back. Well, you could consider a side gig from home.

With a fully-remote, part-time job in the digital economy, you can get all the benefits of a second job without subjecting yourself to two commutes. You could supplement your paycheck, follow a passion, work on professional development or even start that business you’ve always wanted to. It could be the perfect chance to try out a potential career move or just help you save extra money for a rainy day fund (or vacation). But where to start?

Want to take your passion online where you own the data and experience? Schedule a free demo.

Depending on your skills and experience, there’s probably something out there for you. Here we’ve gathered a list of 8 potential side gigs from home that could meet your needs and maybe even change your life.

 

8 Side-Gigs You Can Do From Home

 

1. Teach English Online

side gigs from home

If you are reading this, congrats! You have the first qualification for becoming an online teacher of English as a Second Language. There are many services that connect native English speakers with students all around the world and can even train you how to teach. Most of these gigs will require a college degree, but little else.

  • Potential pay: $14-$22/hour   
  • Job Board: VIPKid

 

2. Bookkeeping

side gigs from home

Every business or nonprofit needs someone to take care of the books – even as accounting programs get smarter and easier to use. But here’s a (not so) shocking truth: Most people do not feel comfortable enough with math to do it themselves. If you happen to be a math lover with a college degree and some basic accounting experience, freelance bookkeeping could be the plum side gig from home you’re looking for.

 

3. Photo Editing

side gigs from home

You don’t have to be a math or language wiz to score a sweet side gig from home. Creatives can get involved, too, and digital photo editing is a great option. If you’ve got some Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom skills and love touching up family photos (or cropping an unwanted ex out of the picture completely), you could already be in high demand. 

  • Potential pay: Varies 
  • Job Board: Guru 

 

4. Online Tutoring

side gigs from home

Every semester, a new class of students sign up for important classes and every semester, just like clockwork, some of those students need help with the coursework. Suppose you are a recent grad, or even a working professional with expertise in a field like statistics, biology, or accounting. In that case, you could be the perfect fit for an online tutor. The best part of this side gig from home is this – on top of some extra cash, you also get to help someone succeed.
    

  • Potential pay: $18/hour
  • Job Board: TutorMe

 

5. Start a Small Business

side gigs from home

Maybe you’ve been dreaming of being your own boss, and starting up a business of your own – but you just never have the time or energy. Here’s a secret: It doesn’t have to be huge, it doesn’t have to take up all of your time, and it doesn’t have to be your main gig. What about an Etsy shop, a car detailing biz, or any one of these other ideas? Even if you start small, your entrepreneurial spirit is priceless, and Cause Machine can help make your vision a professional success.

  • Potential pay: Limitless
  • Job Board: You make it yourself!

 

6. Transcription

side gigs from home

Journalists, writers, video producers, and many other professionals have a recurring problem that’s perfect for a side gig from home – extended interviews or audio recordings that need to be transcribed, word for word, and quickly. This potential side hustle is great because the only thing it really requires is decent typing skills and access to a computer. It’s a great way to earn some extra cash without spending much of your own brain power.

 

 

7. Social Media Managing

side gigs to do from home

Well-run social media accounts have become a fundamental need for businesses, large and small. Whether they’re used for intensive marketing campaigns or just driving community engagement, someone has to run things. But not every business has an in-house option who’s both available and competent, so they sometimes hire freelancers. If you can demonstrate reliability and a good understanding of the social landscape, you could start posting your way to an extra paycheck.

  • Potential pay: $15-$30/hour
  • Job Board: Indeed

 


8. Resume Writing

side gigs from home

Finally, the simple fact you are reading this is proof that many people out there are job hunting. So if you’ve got concise writing skills and a keen eye for text design, why not consider resume writing? It can be done from anywhere and doesn’t require much in the way of hardware – just a word processor, really. And on top of helping others achieve their goal, or maybe even help provide their family with a better life, you get valuable experience for your own resume, too.

  • Potential pay: $19/hour
  • Job Board: FlexJobs

 

As time goes on and the working world evolves, it seems like having a side gig from home will only become more widespread – and perhaps more necessary. Use these suggestions to get started toward a goal now – whether it’s a fresh career path or just a little added financial security. You might thank yourself later.
 

 

Cause Machine Solutions

One of the most significant pieces of what sets Cause Machine apart from other technology platforms is where we start… with a community engagement strategy. We begin all of our work on the foundation of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We’re certain that you’ll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community as well. Learn how it can work for you here

 


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How to Market Online Courses: 10 Must-Try Methods

By 2030, the online education industry is expected to be worth almost $200 billion*. But in this growing field, many entrepreneurs make a crucial (and understandable) mistake. They focus too much on the coursework itself.

It makes sense. Even with a great idea and the necessary expertise, educators know presentation is key – but it’s not enough. These days, knowing how to market online courses is integral, too. Each year, thousands of new online courses are created. In order to stand out from the pack, creators need to present their products well and capture attention. 

 

 

10 Methods on How to Market Online Courses
 

1. Know Your Audience

Even before you create your online course, there are some marketing rules you should keep in mind. The first is to know who you’re talking to. Imagine a person who is likely to take your course – this is your ideal user. Along each step of the way, you will make decisions with this ideal user in mind. From the way you write instructions to the color scheme and pricing, it should all be designed to appeal to them.

 

2. Identify Your Lane

The biggest question any brand faces is “Who am I?” so lock that answer down before moving forward. It should be crystal clear what problem your course solves or what need it fulfills. Make sure your course offers something of unique value with a unique voice, and remain laser focused on that identity. This goes hand in hand with knowing your audience. It may be tempting to try appealing to everyone, but you’ll end up appealing to no one.

 

3. Get Social

Now it’s time to start spreading the word, and the most powerful tool in your arsenal is social media. You should create accounts on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, but don’t count out the smaller/newer ones. Ramp up to your course’s launch date by teasing small bits of valuable content, and then after the course is live, maintain a consistent posting schedule with quality content that drives conversation and engagement. 

 

4. SEO Is King

SEO stands for “search engine optimization,” and it’s the mantra digital marketers live by. Almost all of the internet’s search traffic (about 90 percent) goes through Google, so you should try to work within Google’s algorithm to become the top result for a given search term. There are lots of best practices for this, but the biggies include researching keywords and using those keywords in context on your online course platform. This will help push it toward the top of Google’s search results.

 

5. Targeted Ads

Once you know what keywords you’re targeting, you can use Google ads to create an advertisement that will appear when someone searches for those keywords. These can be incredibly effective since they only show up for people who are already interested in the topic. You can also use Facebook to advertise, using that ideal user you came up with to target specific demographic features like age, occupation, and interest. Another idea is to buy some influence. Use a site like Fiverr to pay social media users for tweets promoting your course, just like big brands use celebrities to endorse their products.

 

6. Check the Reviews

In today’s digital marketplace, consumers are understandably wary of getting ripped off by a fake product, so they often look for user reviews when deciding whether or not to buy. You can use this to your advantage by asking students to leave reviews of your course. Feature those positive reviews and testimonials front and center so potential customers know they’re getting the real thing.

 

7. Podcasting

Podcasting has quickly become one of the fastest growing media segments, and it can be a great option when deciding how to market online courses. Set up a show that revolves around the topic you are teaching, and host a conversational discussion about that topic each week. You could also seek out other podcasts on the same topic and appear as a guest. But no matter what, make sure to include a shout out to your online course at the end. You’ll soon be building an audience who may also become students.

 

8. Create Mini Courses

Once your online course is live, you might want to add a few smaller follow up courses, diving deeper into a related topic or something students expressed interest in. These add value to your brand and can also be promoted in the same ways we’ve discussed above. Tease them on social media before they launch, create a targeted ad to hook potential students, and talk them up on your podcast. It’s a great way to keep your content fresh and keep people coming back for more.

 

9. Sales and Bundle Deals

Everyone likes a good sale, so be sure to consider them on a strategic basis. You could go the traditional route, offering new students a discount for signing up. Or, you could bundle services together. If you’ve got multiple standalone courses, why not sell them as a package deal (for a limited time? Or throw in access to those new mini courses you developed—anything to give people a little added value.

 

10. Live Events

Finally, it may seem counterintuitive for a digital business, but getting in front of real people can still be a useful tool in how to market online courses. Seek out local events that are related to your course’s topic, and ask if you can give a presentation. You could preview part of your course for the audience and slide in a pitch to check out the rest at the end of your time. You can even consider hosting virtual events to drive even more course sales. Make sure you choose the right event management software to make your life easy. Some platforms even have event management and online course features already built in.  

 

There's a ton of interest in the online course business: 

 

 

In today’s online learning market, there is still plenty of opportunity for an expert with a great idea to start a thriving business. But in order to reach your full potential – and to maximize your return on your effort – you need to stand out. If you use these tips on how to market online courses, you’ll be on your way.

 

 

Get Started With Cause Machine

Starting with a community engagement strategy is the secret to building a successful platform in the long term. Cause Machine helps customers build the plan of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We’re certain that you’ll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community. Learn how it can work for you here.


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Build a Customer Journey Map in 5 Easy Steps

Remember the age-old adage "The customer is always right?" Well, it's still true.

If you want your business to survive in a challenging, competitive environment, the customer experience is essential. You need a clear vision and strategy for solving customer needs and leaving them satisfied, so they will come back and engage again. 

 

Enter The Customer Journey Map.

In one 2022 report about customer journey mapping from Hanover Research, 94 percent of businesses using customer journey maps said they help develop new products and services to match customer needs. Seventy-nine percent said customer journey maps helped make them more customer-centric. And 91 percent said maps drove sales. 

But only 47 percent of companies use them.

It's no longer enough to present your product or service and "wing it" on the customer experience end. You have to anticipate what potential clients will do, how they think, and what they will feel about each step of interacting with your business. That's what a customer journey map can do.

 

What is a Customer Journey Map?

A customer journey map is a diagram that shows the process your customers go through when interacting with your business. It's a flow chart – a visual representation of a customer's experience with your brand. It could track an experience with your website, visiting a physical store, ordering a service, or any other interaction, and you can make one for each type of transaction. About 55 percent of companies using customer journey maps have between three and five versions.

Importantly, a customer journey map is data-driven. It should include "touchpoints" where a customer does something, plus the team members involved, the feelings customers experience, and whatever action you want them to take.

They often look like detailed timelines. Customer Journeys can ultimately help you refine the product or service you offer to better serve the customer and your overall community. You are ultimately leading to more revenue and better community engagement.

 

5 Steps to Building a Customer Journey Map
 

1. Set Your Goals

First, imagine a fictitious (but realistic) ideal customer. Imagine them interacting with your business as realistically as possible. Think about what you want this person to come away with after interacting with your business. Determine what the big picture and fundamental goals of your customer experience should be.

 

2. Conduct Market Research

Next, build up some data. You could interview actual customers and look through online reviews to see what the people using your business are really like. Talk with your team members as well. Find out how easy or hard it is to interact with your business and what customers are likely to do and feel about it.

 

3. Define Customer Touchpoints

Touchpoints are the moments customers interact with your business and how they experience your brand. The number and scope of touchpoints will depend on the business. A car repair garage is different from a coffee shop, after all. 

A customer might need to find you through a web search – how hard is it to reach your website? They might walk up to the counter and look over your menu – what kind of feelings does that elicit?

List every interaction from the initial idea to interact with your business, through finding you, making a purchase, using the product or service, and the resulting impact. Include information in each touchpoint, like what the customer does, how they feel, and any challenges they face.

 

4. Map Current States

Now organize your info on a graphic flow chart. Start with a timeline, placing touchpoints in order along it with employees/teams involved in each one. There's no "right" way to make it look, just as long as each step of a customer experience is accounted for. You should include how the customer feels and be as truthful as possible.

This is the current state of the customer journey, and it should help show where things are working well and where they could be improved. If you have team members, make sure they share input on the steps of the process they are included in.

 

5. Map Future States

Using your customer journey map, we now know how good the customer experience is – and where it could be better. It's time to start taking action. Referring back to the goals you initially established, determine where and how you could make the customer experience better. 

Maybe the transition between one touchpoint and the next could be smoother or require less of the customer's time. Maybe that coffee shop menu could be bigger and easier to read. Maybe getting in contact with customer service about an issue after the purchase could be more pleasant and easier to access.

Remember, a customer journey map is just a tool. It's not about playing the blame game but working together to create the best customer experience possible.

 

Learn how Cause Machine can help take your vision of a better customer experience and make it a reality.

Schedule your free demo.
 


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8 Best Website Builders for Small Business 

Even for the smallest of businesses, a quality website is a non-negotiable, a sort of must-have. 

But what's the best website builder for small business?

There’s plenty to consider. But first, you need to identify your “why?”

According to Forbes (and countless other business experts), websites make or break companies every day. A good one will lend you credibility, expand your market and save you time on basic customer service issues. 

A bad one will be a waste of money (at best) – or at worst, drive business away.

Ultimately, your website will help build your brand and make you money, and for most small businesses, it’s totally within reason to create one yourself.

We’ve researched the options for the best website builder for small business and narrowed down the results so you don’t have to.

 

8 Best Website Builders for Small Business.

 

1. GoDaddy – Best for First Timers

GoDaddy is one of the oldest games in town, and they’ve ironed out most of the kinks for first-time website builders. With a bunch of design tools that don’t require experience to use, you can create a professional-looking website (often for free).

  • Free plan suitable for first-time website builders
  • Professional looking templates
  • Mobile friendly-design space

 

 

2. Shopify – Best for E-commerce

best website builders

Many of today’s small businesses are geared toward e-commerce, and if that’s the case for you, it makes sense to use a website builder like Shopify. Over 1.5 million companies use it to create a top-notch online store, especially small to medium-sized fashion or retail businesses.

  • Basic plan for $24/month
  • Excellent for online stores and drop shipping
  • Internal apps for email marketing and advertising

 

 

3. Squarespace – Best-looking designs

Website builder

If you want your small business to be seen as cutting-edge, this one might be for you. Squarespace pairs excellent brand awareness with all the features of other builders, plus a reputation for sleek design choices. To be your best, you’ve got to look your best!

  • Plans for as little as $16/month
  • Easy-to-use drag-and-drop design tools and built-in e-commerce capabilities
  • Bold, modern templates that are also customizable

 

 

4. Cause Machine — Best all-in-one

Best Website Builders

With so many different tools to make use of, sometimes running a small business can be improved by simply streamlining things. Cause Machine is designed for that, letting you build a website that integrates all aspects of what you do. Blog, membership site, forum or online store, marketing, advertising, social media, Cause Machine puts it all under one digital roof, making it one of – if not the best website builder for small businesses. 

Schedule a free demo to amplify your small business mission today.

 

 

5. WordPress.com – Best for Control Freaks

Best Website Builders

But not in a bad way! WordPress already powers almost 40 percent of all websites in the world and for good reason. It’s a content management system (CMS), which gives users total control over the design of their website. Most of the basic stuff is easy for beginners, but you’ll need some skill for advanced ideas.

  • If you can dream it, you can build it
  • Drag and drop for basic design, great SEO tools, and free to get started
  • Need some know-how to create advanced designs

 

 

6. Canva – Best for One-Page Website

Of all the best websites for small business options, Canva is great for basic needs. If you just need a one-page website that answers questions like what, where, and why, this one can get you up and running in minutes. It’s got simple templates to ease design decisions, and it’s free to start.

  • Very user friendly
  • Quickly build a one-page website
  • Fewer options mean easier decisions

 

 

7. Pixpa - Best for creatives

For visual-based small businesses like photographers, videographers or digital artists, a website builder like Pixpa might be ideal. It puts an emphasis on elements like photo galleries and client testimonials, helping you show off your skills. And you don’t need to know how to code to do it!

  • Great design for visual arts professionals 
  • Motion responsive templates 
  • But no free version

 

 

8. Wix – Best for Design Choices

website builder

Wix is one of the well known in the world of best website builders for small businesses, and a big part of the reason for that is its huge menu of design templates. There are over 500 to choose from, and with drag-and-drop editing, you simply plug in your content and go. An ad-supported version is free.

  • 500 design templates to choose from 
  • Streamlined drag-and-drop editing 
  • Free with ads


Even though websites hold such an important place in the business world, you can still make one yourself. Start with these if you’re looking for the best website builder for small businesses.

Get Started With Cause Machine

Starting with a community engagement strategy is the secret to building a successful platform in the long term. Cause Machine helps customers build the plan of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We’re certain that you’ll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community. Learn how it can work for you here.


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8 Customer Engagement Tips to Unlock Growth

Here’s a surprising fact – one which anyone in today’s highly competitive, globally-connected economy should know:

80% of customers believe the experience provided by a company is just as important as its products and services.

That’s an eye-opening statement. It’s no longer enough to have the item someone needs and sell it at a reasonable price. These days, people prefer businesses that make them feel good, and this often comes down to customer engagement.

 

Customer Engagement Revolves Around Your Brand

Customer engagement is created by the connection between a customer and a brand. It’s the relationship a customer has that keeps them coming back. In order to maximize an organization’s results, maximizing this relationship is key to sustained growth.

There are customer engagement best practices related to marketing, sales, and service, with plenty of nuance in each segment. But in a nutshell, the whole idea is to improve a customer’s experience through positive interactions. 

In the old days, this was mostly done at the point of purchase. But now customer engagement also happens digitally with advertising, social media, blogs, surveys, and more. Remember, you are up against sellers on the other side of the planet, so a great experience can separate your business/non-profit from the pack.

Take a look at these two figures for more insight into why this matters:

  • 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.
  • 95% of customers say trust in a company makes them more likely to remain loyal to that brand (OutGrow).
     

The truth is that engaged customers are more valuable, so customer engagement is a powerful business driver which should be a priority. But maintaining this great experience is an ongoing process. It begins long before the first purchase and continues long after. 

Today we’ll present eight tips to help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty–if you’re a small business operator or a super-sized organization. Remember: Great customer engagement doesn’t happen by accident, after all.

 

8 Best Tips to Increase Customer Engagement 
 

1. Know Who You Are, Know Who Your Customers Are

The best customer experiences start with a clear message. Build a strong brand voice for your organization, and strive to maintain it at all times. If you know who you are, customers will know, too. And when you feel like you know someone, it’s possible to build trust. For your customers, start with a Customer Journey map to clarify the steps customers take when engaging with your business or organization. Build your service and product to serve their realized needs.

 

2. Stay In Front

Once people know who you are, it’s important to stay in front of them. Make the customer life cycle as long as possible – and you can do that with follow-up on social media, online ads, blogs, great email marketing for returning customers, and much more. Figure out where your customers are, and go to them. 

 

3. Track Preferences

In today’s hyper-connected world, it’s easier than ever to collect useful data that can help with decision-making later on. Things like Google Analytics, Facebook Analytics, or even surveys are invaluable tools for learning what customers prefer. But even so, 39% of companies don’t regularly ask for feedback!

 

4. Trigger Warning

Another powerful use of data is to determine the “trigger” that convinced a customer to engage with your organization or buy that product. There’s often a reason, whether it was an advertisement, a social media post, or even word of mouth. Try to identify these triggers and put them into practice when possible.

 

5. Be Personal

Despite the power of data, there’s still no replacement for a personal touch. Almost 40% of customer interactions will be automated through AI and machine learning by 2023. But, 49% say that after getting a more personalized experience, they have splurged on an impulse buy.

 

6. Be Honest

No one is perfect – and even though businesses try hard to make themselves seem that way, they aren’t either. A big part of customer engagement is owning up to mistakes and making things right, with personal communications when possible. This is often easier for a small business, so take advantage!

 

7. Use Everything You Know

Just like navigating the news, it’s best to never rely solely on one source of information. Be flexible in where and how you get customer engagement details, and then try hard not to cherry-pick data points that confirm what you already thought. Learn to be ok with learning.

 

8. Punch Above Your Weight

Finally, outstanding customer engagement will often mean your little operation seems like a much bigger one. Using a combination of data, flexibility, and a personal touch, it’s possible to make decisions like a big business – and tailor the experience like a mom-and-pop shop.

 

Grow Customer Engagement With Cause Machine

Starting with a community engagement strategy is the secret to building a successful platform in the long term. Cause Machine helps customers build the plan of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We’re certain that you’ll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your customers. Learn how it can work for you here.


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