Making money online is pretty simple. All you have to do is find one problem people already search for, create content that solves it, and then monetize. You’re overcomplicating the rest.
Here’s the thing: there are hundreds of problems sitting in your house right now, each one searched thousands of times a day. Let me show you the loop with real examples, none of which required me to leave home.
What You’ll Walk Out With
- The three-step loop: find a problem, solve it in content, monetize
- Why “boring” search problems are the opportunity
- Three ways to monetize the same piece of content
- A free 2-minute quiz at finder.platformproof.com to find your problem to solve
Step 1: Find One Problem People Already Search
Every spring, like clockwork, people search how to change a lawnmower blade, one such video has 455,000 views. People search how to wash a car (643,000 views), how to fix a Dyson vacuum, how to install blinds, the best shoes for overpronation, the best paper shredder for home use. These are ordinary household problems, good ones and annoying ones, that thousands of people type into the internet every day.
Look around your house. The lawnmower, the griddle, the game console, the shoes that wear down on one side. Each is a problem someone is searching right now.
Step 2: Create Content That Solves It
When someone has a problem, they go to the internet and ask a question. You simply make the content that answers it. You don’t have to be an expert or great at it. Someone else figured it out, and so can you. The only thing that actually trips people up is a lack of consistency and persistence, they hit one hurdle, throw their hands up, and quit. Keep going.
Not sure which problem to build around?
The free 2-minute quiz at finder.platformproof.com helps you find the one to start with, based on the skills you already have. Same email unlocks every other video’s worksheet.
Step 3: Monetize Three Ways
Think about what helps that person solve the problem faster or easier. For a car-wash video: a foam cannon, a pressure washer, detailing gear, all affiliate recommendations. “Best shoes for overpronation” is a buyer’s keyword, so recommend the shoes and earn a commission when people click and buy.
You can stack three revenue streams from one problem:
- Affiliate links to the products that fix the problem (Amazon and others).
- A short guide or tutorial you sell for $7 or $17 (an owned product, the part you keep).
- Platform ad money if you’re monetized, though I don’t lean on that one, it’s the least reliable and can be taken away.
For a “how to fix household items” video, that’s a guide at $7, affiliate links to the parts, and you own the buyer relationship either way.
The Whole Thing
Identify one problem, just one. Make content that solves it. Monetize with an affiliate link and a small product you own. Then do it again, consistently, and better than the next person. That’s it. You haven’t made money online yet because you’ve been overcomplicating a very simple loop.
Find Your Problem to Solve
Take the free 2-minute quiz at finder.platformproof.com. You’ll walk out with one specific next step based on the skills you already have.
Read Next
If affiliate income is part of your plan, start with niches built to last.
Read: 7 Best Affiliate Niches for Complete Beginners
Sources
- Buyer-keyword research on YouTube and Google (“best [product]” searches)
- Amazon and other affiliate programs for product recommendations
- Free 2-minute Side Hustle Finder quiz: finder.platformproof.com
Helping 1 million working adults make their first $3,000 online with the skills they already have. Alston Godbolt, Platform Proof.