7 online side hustle for students: The Ultimate Guide

7 online side hustles for students in India: The Ultimate Guide 

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Are you a student, and looking for ways to earn money? Side hustles can be a great solution. It leverages your skills, exposes you to a new and healthy work environment, helps you thrive in the unpredictable economy, and boosts your problem-solving and decision-making abilities, imparts a futuristic outlook in you as a student. So, if you are a student who wants to earn money, and need help knowing where to start you have come to the right place. Whether you need flexibility in balancing your academics and job or wish to acquire knowledge as a beginner without experience, we have got you covered! Discover the 7 top side hustles for students in India and start earning today!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain multiple affiliate links that I think you might love. If you click them and make a purchase, then I will be getting a little pocket money at no extra cost to you✌️

List of top 7 side hustles for students in India:

1. Freelance writing/ copywriting:

Freelance writing is a great way to earn money as a side hustle or even as a full-time job. The need for freelance writers/copywriters has taken a surge since the improved advancements of global technology. As the role of freelance writers in a developing company/ any business is pivotal, it continues to thrive as the best opportunity holder for potential employees. 

Want to know the top 100 Side Hustles: Unexpected ideas for making extra money without quitting your studies/ day job? READ NOW!👆

What does a freelance writer do?

A freelance writer is a contractor who independently writes articles in the form of blog posts for business purposes, articles for magazines, and newspapers, or ghostwrites as a part-time/ full-time worker. The main part of being a freelance writer is that they are responsible for reaching out and finding their potential customers according to the specific niche that they master. As a freelance writer you look for,

• New potential customers.
• Create a professional resume that makes an impression.
• Constantly revise and edit the articles by staying updated with the day-to-day trends.

How to become a freelance writer?

To become a freelance writer one needs to have a clear-cut profile about the freelancing industry and how it works. Having all the professional tools that can make your writing work much easier is a must to save time and stand on top in terms of quality content. As a freelancer time management is critical. Maintaining a strict routine with a pre-planned schedule helps to enhance your skills in a great way. 

Understand how the top performers in your specific niche, implement their plans and interact with their clients. Analyze what makes them extraordinary and their content more valuable. Create a portfolio with your best-published content so that you can show the clients and can get to know better of your writing style. Never stop writing, and share your day-to-day work on any online platform so that more people can reach out to you. Build trust in your clients which can convert them to a regular customer.

Where to find work as a freelancer?

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Online platforms include Upwork, LinkedIn, Behance, Fiverr, Guru, Indeed, Internshala, Freelancer, Design Crowd, Webflow Experts, TaskRabbit, Flexjobs, and SolidGigs open the door to many opportunities as many different companies are looking to hire freelancers on different disciplines.

Skills required: 

Good communication, negotiation, industry knowledge, creativity, time management,  empathy, writing and research, patience. problem-solving ability,

Working hours: 

Completely depends on you( ~ 3- 4 hours per day as a beginner)/ if you are hired it depends upon the company.

Monthly income: 

Between 6,000 and 10,000 rupees per month. ( as a complete beginner)

[NOTE: If you are starting to establish your identity on your own on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, etc it takes some time because of the availability of many competitive freelancers and as a beginner, you should put some extra effort. ]

Avail your free podcast offer on, How to start freelancing today with Emmanuel Eluwa now!

2. Virtual Assistance:

A virtual assistant is a self-employed contractor who works virtually with almost all kinds of work including administrative, sales, and marketing, or even technical work. The main bonus of this work is that the work is entirely online-based and you only need to have a computer with a stable internet connection. 

Image source: Canva

           

What does a virtual assistant do?

A virtual assistant's online presence can make a huge impact in growing any company. Being a virtual assistant you'll be assigned to keeping someone's daily schedule plan and constantly reminding them of their upcoming meetings, responding to emails, collecting information before specific meetings, and even ordering stuff online for the office members.

The field of virtual assistance is very diverse and can be very demanding depending on the client's needs. Some of the works that a virtual assistant manages are:

1. Calendar Management:

This includes tasks like planning and scheduling meetings, conferences, appointments, etc.

2. Email Marketing:

Generating creative interfaces, responding to, and organizing emails.

3. Customer Support:

Responding to inquiries and helping customers sort their issues with clarified answers.

4. Travel Planning:

Booking flights, transportation tickets, and hotels for business needs.

5. Content Creation:

Writing creates blog posts, articles, or newsletters for the company's needs.

6. Online Marketing:

Advertising and promoting respective products by creating campaigns or collaborating with other influencers through social media platforms.

7. Virtual Receptionist:

Attending and responding to phone calls, and messages.

8. Research:

Conducting thorough research and gathering top-quality data for reports, projects, and presentations.

9. Technical Support:

Providing clear assistance in troubleshooting technical software issues.

10. Event Planning:

Planning and conducting virtual group gatherings such as webinars.

Where to find work as a Virtual assistant?

Upwork, LinkedIn, Behance, Fiverr, Guru, Indeed, Internshala, Freelancer, Design Crowd, Webflow Experts, TaskRabbit, Flexjobs, and SolidGigs are some of the genuine platforms where you can get started as a virtual assistant.

Skills required:

Communication skills, time management, organizational skills, problem-solving, self-motivation, ideas about basic virtual tools, confidence, multitasking, research skills, and offering friendly and professional assistance.

Working hours:

Flexible working hours.

Monthly income:

The average salary for a Virtual Assistant can range from Rs.4000 - ₨.60,000 per month. This entirely depends on your experience and professional skills.

3. Social Media Management:

Social Media Management is an emerging high-paying job where people work for clients in developing strategies to increase followers and come up with new content ideas to promote their brand through popular social media platforms thereby gaining organic traffic and leading to a potential customer base. 

This might be a very interesting job if you are passionate about creating interactive reels, posts, and articles, on various social media platforms. Being a social media manager is all about understanding the metrics, and algorithms of popular social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. It's all about understanding the mindset of the people and enticing them with hooks containing keywords so that you can rank on top.

Check it out: Social Media Marketing Essentials You Always Wanted To Know

Here is a quick guide on what you should know in basic to become a social media manager:

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization):

SEO utilizes things like keywords, keywords( internal and external), and content for search engines like Google, Pinterest, etc to extract information from your content and help rank your website/post higher on result pages. By incorporating more relevant long-tailed keywords related to your niche, you can reach more of your target audience thereby promoting engagement and building trust in your services. Google offers a free SEO tool where you can understand the search volumes of your target keywords for blog posts, articles, etc.

2. HASHTAGS ARE NOT DEAD:

Again, in popular platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, etc hashtags play a huge role. People use mainly hashtags to explore more of their favorites, to filter and consume what they only need. If you are promoting a clothing brand, and you use niche-related keywords you will rank better. As more and more people discover your profile, the specific platform understands, values, and promotes your content by suggesting it to other people. 

If you are trying to grow any brand right from scratch via social media platforms I would suggest you use at least 25-30 niche-related keywords with each having posts under 100k. If you go for bigger numbers, the amount of posts with that keyword increases every single second and you might not even get a chance to rank on top. So, the odds of getting discovered by people will be low.

3. STAYING UPDATED:

As a social media manager, you are responsible for brainstorming creative ideas and deliver it such a way that they entice people to stop scrolling and pay attention for a moment. So staying updated with the current trends and trying to incorporate the concept in their content might help generate potential leads effortlessly. Having a calendar of pre-scheduled content with every essential thing right from the caption to hashtags might help you leverage up in terms of providing a standard work ethic.

4. DATA  ANALYSIS:

This includes analyzing the performance of ads, and posts with key monitoring tools like engagement rates, clicks,  reach, and conversions. It gives you a clear picture of identifying areas of up upgradation and, differentiation. 

5. NETWORKING AND COLLABORATIONS:

Networking and collaborating go a long way when it comes to social media management. It not only allows you to reach more people but also convert them into your potential clients. Building relationships with other influencers, followers, and other brands helps promote your product effortlessly.

6. CALLS TO ACTION:

Speaking of the caption, it is necessary to make it short as well as crisp. People won't even read your caption unless you ask them. They won't comment unless you leave a statement to comment down. The sentences you add should not be so long, and yet they should convey the message in a friendly way.

7. THE HOOK:

You must have come across content that makes you pause and watch. Just think of it. What makes it so special? What made you pause without scrolling? The answer is the hook that they used to entice you. Implement the same techniques by analyzing a bunch of well-performed content.

8. GRAPHIC DESIGN:

Understanding the nuances of visual storytelling can help you become a better content creator in terms of crafting compelling narratives that resonate with your clients. Having a grasp of solid virtual tools like Canva, Upspace, Adobe Photoshop, etc is foundational.

9. CONSISTENCY:

Consistency is the mere foundation of content creation. By creating valuable content continuously you are reflecting the love for passion of your work as well as building trust and loyalty among your followers. And let's not forget the quality of the content. It's better to produce less quality content meticulously rather than a bunch of boring content.

Secret tools that a social media manager cannot live without:

1. Buffer:

A tool that allows you to manage and schedule posts on multiple social media platforms, and analyze the metrics, and overall performance of your content across every platform.

2. Canva:

An amazing tool that every content creator loves using. Canva is a design tool that allows you to access thousands of pre-designed premium templates, pictures, videos, graphic elements, etc. Even it allows you to upload data from your computer/mobile phone and let your creativity play the task. Whether you need inspiration for Instagram posts, an exclusive logo for your brand, or to create visually appealing presentations Canva is all that you need.

3. Un splash:

A free website where you can get access to tons of high-quality images mainly for websites, or whatever.

4. Grammarly:

Grammarly is a free online grammar police that proofreads your content and it comes with an inbuilt AI tool that allows you to improvise your script from normal to extraordinary.

5. Tailwind:

Used primarily for scheduling the time of posting on Pinterest, and Instagram platforms.

6. Zapier:

Offers time and effort by connecting various apps, and controls the workflow.

Top Companies Hiring for Social Media Manager roles:

Accenture, Swiggy, Dell technologies, Teleperformance, Freelancer, Amazon, Concentrix, Myntra, Flipkart.

Best Sites to Hire a Social Media Manager Online: 

Acadium, Linkedin, Twitter, Guru, Indeed, Internshala, Freelancer, Upwork, Hubstaff Talent, Fiverr, Cloud Peeps. 

Skills required: 

Content creation, a basic understanding of social media platforms, Tracking social media analytics, copywriting, marketing strategy, customer service( responding to DMs and comments), staying updated with the latest trends, SEO knowledge, Communication skills( interacting with competitors), time management, Networking, Data analysis, understanding the target audience base.

Working Hours:

Flexible and also depends on whom you work.

Monthly Income:

As a beginner, it ranges around ₹2,000 (part-time)/ month - ₹6,000(full-time)/month.

The average salary is around ₹5,000 - ₹83,000 per month.

*As a student working and studying can be a big deal. And, if you are looking for a guide on balancing work and life, this article might help you. Do give it a read and share your comments.*

4. Data Entry and Transcription:

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Data entry/ transcriptionists transcribe either written scripts/ vocal recordings to handwritten data. Data entry operators listen to several audio recordings and possess great typing skills, as it is the sole criterion that meets the needs of popular companies hiring professionals.

What companies seek to hire you as a Data Entry Operator/ Transcriptionist:

1. Fast writing pace of around 60 words per minute.

2. Communication skills to interact with people.

3. Exceptional skill in the preferred language including its grammar part.

4. Should be aware of the available tools for data entry and transcription.

5. Staying updated with the latest trends and software updates.

6. Basic understanding of Microsoft Word.

Working Hours: 

Flexible.

Monthly Income:

₹2,000 - ₹15, 000 per month as a beginner (including part-time)

Skills Required:

Advanced to intermediate typing skills, networking skills, understanding of grammar and language, and ability to type without many errors.

5. Affiliate marketing:

Affiliate marketing is a dream come true for most aspiring people who have no extra time to work on a passive income stream apart from their main job. It's a great way to step up your financial game to the next level. Relax, and still earn while you sleep. Want to know how? Swipe down!!

How does affiliate marketing work?

Affiliate marketing is a passive income stream where people earn a commission by promoting other people's products. Each time a customer purchases a product from your website you get a commission. 

How can I start with affiliate marketing as a beginner?

1. Choose your niche.

2. Research trustworthy sites where you can apply and get your affiliate link. Some of the genuine affiliate programs include Amazon Associates, Clickbank, Flipkart, Shopify, Bluehost, Godaddy, Earn Karo, etc.

3. Establish a platform for people to view your affiliate link. It could be a blog, a YouTube channel, or video content on Instagram.

4. Generate high-quality information for the people and update it persistently.

5. Include disclosure of your affiliate product and be transparent with your followers.

6. While choosing the product prefer quality rather than quantity.

7. Engage with your audience and comply with the regulations of affiliate marketing.

Where can I promote my content and generate traffic organically?

Platforms such as Pinterest, and Instagram are a great way to direct organic traffic and convert the leads to potential buyers. But those platforms don't allow the enclosure of direct affiliate links. One needs to create a landing page and add all of their link there.

Other social media platforms include Reddit, quora, Twitter, and LinkedIn also counts.

Monthly income: 

Rupees 2000 to 15,000 as a beginner( including part-time).

Skills required:

Basic SEO knowledge, generating compelling and creative content,  digital marketing knowledge, networking, communication( written, oral), email marketing, data analytics, copywriting, social media marketing, patience, consistency, and ability to adapt.

Working hours: 

Flexible working hours.

6. Editor/ Proofreader:

Proofreading is a process where one is completely involved in correcting grammar, miss spelling, incorrect punctuation marks, and typing mistakes. Whereas editing solely depends on improvising the written sentences with a vision of improving their clarity, fluency, and verbal tone.

Editing helps you level up the clarity of your content whilst proofreading gives you the perfection before publishing it.

Image source: Canva

5 highly popular tools you need to have as a proofreader/ copywriter.

1. Grammarly:

An online writing assistant that helps you correct grammatical errors for a smooth and error-free reading experience.

2. Ginger:

A specialized software designed for proofreading that saves your time and makes your work effortlessly efficient.

3. Quill Bot:

It is also an online proofreader, that comes with free access to AI, helping you improve your writing style as well.

4. Jasper:

It's a copywriting assistant that creates AI-generated quality content.

5. Trinka AI:

An AI-powered online English grammar checker tailored specifically for academic and technical writing.

Skills required:

Exceptional grammar and punctuation, attention to detail, knowledge of software editing and proofreading tools, writing skills, and language proficiency.

Entry level salary:

 Rs. 2000- 35,000/ month.

7. Copywriter:

The role of a copywriter is to craft a compelling and persuasive narrative that entices people to take specific action. Whether it is to make a purchase, opt for a newsletter, or sign up for a specific program. Being a copywriter is all about storytelling and the ability to convert viewers to potential customers. The content they craft should be compelling enough, as it radiates what the viewers are exactly looking for. 

Here are a few things you must not ignore as a copywriter:

1. Catchy headlines:

Headlines are like the book cover for your entire narrative. They hold the key to unlock the content. The more you beautify and craft them, the more will be the clicks. Make it short and crisp. If you feel like you need some help in framing a catchy headline, go to Pinterest and search for it. You will find a ton of pre-built headlines that you can use.

2. Call to action:

This holds an equal importance as that of the headline. As I mentioned, the role of a copywriter is to make the readers take the next possible action, the question is how to make them do that. The answer lies in the call to action aka 'CTA'. The common CTAs used more commonly are Subscribe now, Visit our profile for more information, Follow us for more, etc. Nowadays people are becoming so creative and are doing a great job of crafting CTAs. 

3. Storytelling:

The art of storytelling is a skill that anyone can hone in such a way that it is memorable as well as relatable to the group of visitors.

Skills required:

Written proficiency, communication skills, storytelling, ability to adapt according to various platforms, time management, SEO knowledge, marketing, networking, sales skills, consumer behavior, and delivering precision in composing.

Getting started as a copywriter: What you need to do?

The one basic thing that you need to understand when starting as a copywriting professional is the difference between content writing and copywriting. The nuances between both lie in providing valuable information and education vs making sales. 

To become a copywriter you don't need a certificate of mastery, but you need to know what it is to be a copywriter and the skills required to become a pro player in your specific niche. Getting to know about all the essential copywriting tools can take your game to the next level.

When it comes to composing compelling posts and making them take real action, understanding the pain points of the customers, and reflecting them in your post add a touch of empathy, care, worthiness, and trust. 

Choosing the niche: high demand copywriting niches:

When choosing the niche go for the field where you have the expertise, and can manage it throughout with great interest. Only then you will be able to stay close to the trendsetting updates in your niche and be able to understand the pain points of the clients who wish to buy a product. 

The popular niches performing well in recent times are E-Commerce, health and wellness, technology, Education, real estate, lifestyle, vegan options, Finance, Personal Development, fashion, and beauty.

Salary:

Rupees 2,000- 45,000/month.

Working hours:

Flexible and often depends.

CONCLUSION:

As a student, we barely pay attention to earning and saving money rather than spending it on our gratification. So, working at a young age would give you a glimpse of what would it be like to be a worker and not a student. You tend to become more accountable and responsive to your spending. And then you'll eventually find out the need to learn how to save money.

If you enjoy this content, feel free to comment down your thoughts below!!

Also read: How to let go of the past trauma?