Passive Income Ideas For Social Media Managers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a social media manager in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a social media manager today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a social media manager.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As a social media manager, you could consider starting a social media automation business to supplement your income. This involves creating tools and services to help schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data across different platforms. This could save your clients—ranging from small businesses to influencers—time and help them grow their social media presence efficiently.
Given the ever-increasing need for consistent and strategic social media engagement, there's a significant demand for automation solutions. By developing or integrating software, keeping up with social media trends, and offering personalized services, you could build a business that caters to this demand. For those with a knack for technology and marketing, a social media automation business offers both a profitable and fulfilling opportunity.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
2. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be a fantastic way for you to supplement your income as a social media manager. You could share your expertise in social media strategies, tips for growing online presence, or even review and compare social media tools. By creating compelling and valuable content, you could attract a wide audience and eventually earn revenue through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise.
Given your existing skills in content creation and audience engagement, building a successful YouTube channel might come naturally to you. You'll need to consistently produce high-quality videos and use your understanding of SEO and social media marketing to increase your reach. While it requires dedication and effort, the potential financial rewards and the opportunity to establish your unique voice make it a promising side hustle.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
3. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a social media manager, you could leverage your expertise to create an online course that teaches people how to effectively manage and grow their social media presence. This is a valuable skill that many small business owners, entrepreneurs, and even other aspiring social media managers would be interested in learning. By sharing your knowledge, you could generate a steady stream of passive income.
You could start by identifying a specific audience, such as small business owners or aspiring influencers, and then create a course tailored to their needs. Platforms like Udemy or Teachable make it easy to sell these online courses, and once the course is created, it can continue to earn you money without much ongoing effort.
Given the projected growth of the e-learning market, this is a great time to start an online course sales business and capitalize on the increasing demand for digital education.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
4. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a social media manager, you're already skilled in engaging with online audiences and understanding digital touchpoints. Starting a lead generation tool could be a natural extension of your expertise, allowing you to automate the process of finding new clients for various businesses. This would enable companies to focus more on converting sales rather than spending time scouring the internet for leads.
A lead generation tool could collect valuable data like email addresses, phone numbers, and interests directly from websites and social media channels. This would not only make the lead acquisition process efficient but also highly targeted. Given that businesses are always looking for ways to streamline their marketing efforts, your tool could become a sought-after solution, generating passive income as more companies subscribe to use it.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.
5. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be a great way for you as a social media manager to use your skills and generate passive income. By leveraging your expertise in areas like fashion, video games, or film reviews, you could build a dedicated community around a specific topic you’re passionate about. Your experience in social media gives you an edge in promoting the blog, engaging the audience, and staying ahead of trends.
You could create valuable and unique content such as how-to guides, product reviews, or video interviews, which can attract a dedicated audience. Over time, you could monetize your blog through affiliate links, brand collaborations, and even growing a YouTube channel. The key is your passion for the subject and ability to regularly engage with your followers, turning your blog into a steady source of extra income.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
6. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a social media manager, starting an affiliate marketing business could be a natural fit for you. You already have the skills to create engaging content and have built an online presence, which are crucial for successfully promoting products and earning commissions. By sharing products that align with your audience's interests, you could turn your social media profiles into revenue-generating assets.
To get started, you could find brands or eCommerce stores that resonate with your followers and become their affiliate marketer. Each time someone purchases through your link, you earn a commission, supplementing your income. This approach leverages your existing expertise and audience, making it easier to start earning passive income.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
7. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
If you’re a social media manager with a knack for spotting trends and understanding what keeps people engaged, creating a mobile app could be an exciting way to earn extra income. You could leverage your expertise on user engagement and design a mobile app that addresses common challenges in social media management or enhances people’s online experiences. Imagine developing an app that helps users easily create stunning content, schedule posts, or analyze social media metrics on the go.
To start, you’d need a clear vision and basic knowledge of coding, or you might consider hiring a talented developer to bring your idea to life. Your role would involve planning how the app works, making sure it looks great and is easy to use, and testing it to iron out any problems. Effective marketing is crucial, so leveraging your social media skills to promote your app could draw in users and boost downloads.
Given the integral role mobile apps play in our daily lives, this side hustle presents a significant opportunity. With dedication and the right strategy, your app could attract a large user base and generate substantial revenue. If you believe in your idea and its potential to solve a problem or provide entertainment, the world of app development could be your next big venture.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
8. Make passive income with a gym ($276K/month)
Starting a gym could be a great way to supplement your income as a social media manager. With an increasing number of people becoming health-conscious, the global fitness industry has seen a significant rise in popularity. It's now worth over $96 billion, making it a lucrative field to enter.
As a social media manager, you could leverage your skills in marketing and online engagement to attract members and build a strong community around your gym. You could create content that resonates with fitness enthusiasts and utilize your expertise in social media to run effective ad campaigns and promotions. By capitalizing on these skills, you could develop a steady stream of passive income while pursuing your passion for fitness.
How much you can make: $20,000 — $1,200,000/month
How long does it take to build: 200 days (?)
Live Fit, a personal training company founded in 2011, grew from earning $80,000 in their first year with two trainers to earning over $760,000 in 2019 with 12 trainers and two locations, thanks to a focus on building trusting relationships and providing a variety of services to clients.
9. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As a social media manager, you could leverage your knowledge of visual content by starting a stock photography business. Since businesses commonly use stock photos for marketing, your expertise in spotting and creating engaging visuals would be invaluable. By investing in some quality photography gear and learning how to take compelling stock photos, you could build a strong portfolio.
Once you have a collection of high-quality images, you could upload them to stock photography websites and start earning a passive income. Given your understanding of online presence, you could market your stock photos effectively to make faster and more profitable sales. This side hustle could not only supplement your income but also enhance your skills in visual storytelling and content creation.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
10. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As a social media manager, you have a unique insight into the types of challenges businesses face online, making you well-positioned to identify potential needs that could be addressed with a WordPress plugin. For example, you might create a plugin that helps automate social sharing, schedule posts, or integrate analytics more seamlessly into WordPress sites. This kind of plugin could be a valuable tool for businesses looking to enhance their social media presence effortlessly.
Once developed, you could sell these plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon, your own blog, or even a dedicated website, generating a steady stream of passive income. By focusing on a specific problem and providing a viable solution, your expertise in social media management can translate into a profitable side business.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
11. Make passive income with a garage organizer business
Starting a garage organizer business could be a smart way for you as a social media manager to make extra income. With your skills in marketing and networking, you could attract a steady stream of clients who need help organizing and decluttering their garages. You’re already good at understanding and meeting client needs, which would be crucial when creating customized organizing plans.
You don't need a lot of upfront investment; you just need to understand space utilization and basic installation skills. Good customer service and effective time management would be key to handling multiple projects at once. Plus, your experience in customer engagement could help you build strong client relationships that generate referrals and repeat business.
How much you can make: $10,500/month
Curate Labs is a creative practice focused around ethical and sustainable design, with an annual publication that champions good business and a travel platform that advocates conscious travel, founded in 2016 by co-founders Abb-d Choudhury and Sara, bootstrapped, now turning into one business with 3 departments and aiming for 50-100% increase in revenue.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
