6 Best Ideas To Earn More Money As A Programmer Or A Software Engineer

It’s like having superpowers to be a software developer or a programmer. Numerous online income options are offered by the talent. With this one talent, you can genuinely alter your entire life. Although the majority of us study how to code and create software in school and go on to work for large MNCs, we are still unaware of the countless opportunities the talent opens to us.

The safest way is for you to first find a permanent job and then create a money-making machine for yourself on the side.

In this article, I will share the top 6 best ways of making money and how we can do them.

1. Blogging

By blogging, you may reach a bigger audience by writing about topics such as cosmetic treatments or software development.

Believe it or not, enlightening people through content writing or blogging can reportedly provide a helpful hand while carrying forward your love for development or any other sector of business like entertainment or adventure that you may fail to pursue while working a 9 to 5 job. This method of conducting business has been embraced by several firms, and they are flourishing in the epidemic era.

If you’re not at ease speaking in front of a camera, you may still attempt blogging because people do read the content.

Blogging may be used to earn money in a variety of ways.

• Affiliate marketing
• Medium partner program
• Freelance writer

1.1 Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing has significant financial potential for bloggers, and getting started is simple. You are your only limitation. It only needs some patience, work, and good fortune.

You must pick a product you enjoy that is associated with the industry you want to write about as your representative. Once you’ve chosen a product, look into the affiliate marketing programmes offered by the particular businesses you like. Though not everyone will, you’ll discover that it happens more frequently than you may expect.

Once you’ve chosen your product, it’s time to register as an affiliate. Spend some time reading over all the information the affiliate programme has supplied in this phase. You should pay close attention to:

• Amount of payments
• Schedule for payments
• Legal requirements
• Restrictions

You’ll need to follow different starting procedures based on the program you’re using. Always pay close attention to them. Depending on the company you’re working with, this procedure may take a while.

You can be sure that affiliate programmes desire your assistance in selling their goods. They’ll make the setup procedure worthwhile in the end, even if it takes some time.

The programme and the goods will determine the commission you receive for each sale. The commission is likely to be larger the more valuable the product is.

Now that everything is set up, it’s time to make your site a money-maker. You’ll be given a URL from the affiliate programme to use when connecting to its merchandise. To increase click-throughs, make sure you’re employing the link wisely.

Speaking of blog articles, one of the finest methods to market things is through long-form content. You may learn more about a product in-depth through things like product reviews, which give you several chances to include your affiliate link.

1.2 Medium partner program

The pay plan for Medium’s writers is called the Medium Partner Program. Over time, the Medium Partner Program has undergone changes and development. In its most recent form, there are two ways for writers to monetize their Medium posts:

• Earn money dependent on how long each member reads overall;
• Generate income by directing readers to sign up for premium Medium subscriptions.

The first strategy is how the majority of Medium authors earn money (reader engagement with their articles).

The amount of time that Medium’s paid members spend reading an article is known as member reading time, and it is used to determine the writers’ remuneration. The $5 per month in subscription money is then divided proportionately among the writers by Medium. More money is paid to authors whose articles readers spend more time reading.

The average writer makes between $0 and over $40,000 per month from the time that members read. However, these highest-paid authors frequently have significant platform followings or routinely produce viral content.

Recently, Medium stated that the Medium Partner Program will be adding a second avenue for writers to make money (MPP). Medium Referred Memberships, a new way to make money with the platform, is essentially an affiliate scheme that gives authors a bigger cut of the paid users they bring to the site.

1.3 Freelance writer

Anyone who works for themselves is considered to be a writer who fits the criteria of the term “freelancer.” As a sole proprietor, you are regarded.

As someone who frequently works for several clients and is compensated per writing project or batch of assignments, you can define a freelancer.

Depending on the service you desire, there are several names you might choose for yourself:

• Focus is on blog authoring for freelance bloggers.
• Writer of content with an emphasis on various sorts of material (white papers, blog posts, eBooks, etc.)
• To rank in Google, SEO writers should concentrate on producing highly optimised content for search engines.
• Content strategists should concentrate more on managing and creating content.
• Focus is on producing material for the web as a freelance web content writer.
• Ghostwriter whose primary speciality is supplying ghostwritten content (not under your name) for eBooks, blogs, websites, emails, white papers, and other types of content.
• Professional writer - you may refer to yourself as a professional writer once you’ve worked as a freelancer for some time.

You might concentrate on one service or a variety of others as a new freelance writer. When you first start up, you can provide the following services:

• Editing services include simple proofreading as well as developmental editing, which takes an in-depth approach.
• Writing stuff under the pseudonym “ghostwriting” For instance, a customer could want you to produce an eBook under their name in ghost mode.
• Writing on the web, press releases, sales pages, or updating a website with your persuasive abilities are all examples of copywriting.
• Social media marketing: I, along with many other writers, have begun to provide social media marketing services. This requires managing and routinely updating a client’s social media profiles.
• Managing authors for your client’s blog and editing and releasing content on their website may fall under your purview.

2. Create a Video Course

One of the most widely used methods of material delivery and consumption is video. That isn’t going to change any time soon. And one of the finest methods to spread knowledge or information is through training videos.

Short, informal videos may be seen and shared on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Additionally, more people than ever before are turning to videos to solve their problems.

In fact, 87% of users said YouTube is useful for assisting them in figuring out how to perform tasks they haven’t done before, according to a Pew Research survey .

According to TechSmith , more people are using video for educational purposes. In a 2018 poll, 55% of respondents said they watched two or more educational or instructive films. This is an increase from 28% in 2013 and 45% in 2016.

Video is crucial, which is obvious. And because of this, clients are especially open to watching videos to understand more about your goods or services.

This implies that as part of their customer education strategy, trainers, instructional designers, and anybody else charged with customer training should produce instructional films.

Here is how to create an effective training video, in short:

• Step 1: Select a theme
• Step 2: Determine the kind of instructional video you want to produce.
• Step 3: Storyboard and script
• Step 4: Create and edit your training video.
• Step 5: Evaluate and revise
• Step 6: Produce, host, and release your training video.

3. Bug Bounty Programs

To find and address vulnerabilities in their commercial software, several companies operate bug bounty programmes. A bug bounty programme enables ethical hackers to check if specific sorts of vulnerabilities exist in the apps of a company.

Program specifics for bug bounties might differ from one organisation to another. Some businesses can make their apps “open season,” inviting ethical hackers to check for any possible holes in the organization’s defences. Others may define which websites and programmes are “in scope” as well as which vulnerabilities testers may and may not test for. For instance, although performing a Denial of Service (DoS) attack on a website would not be advised, testing for cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability might.

When ethical hacker finds a weakness, they disclose it to the company, frequently using a tool like HackerOne. The company then collaborates with the ethical hacker to confirm the vulnerability’s existence, apply a fix, and verify the patch’s effectiveness. The organisation then offers the vulnerability finder a reward. The severity and effect of the particular vulnerability will often determine how much of a bounty is offered.

The Advantages of Bounty Programs for Bugs

Both the public and corporate sectors are increasingly embracing bug bounty programmes. This is because these programmes provide the business undergoing testing a variety of advantages.

Greater Detection of Vulnerabilities

A bug bounty program’s main advantage is that it helps organisations find and patch various application vulnerabilities. The harm to the company may be severe if these vulnerabilities were found and used by cybercriminals before the business’s ability to patch them.

An organisation is more likely to find vulnerabilities through a bug bounty programme before they are exploited by attackers. This lessens the chance of high-value hacks and safeguards the company’s image.

Lower Cost

A company may save a lot of money through bug bounty programmes in a few different ways. One of them is the fact that it is significantly less expensive to pay a reward to find out about a vulnerability than it is to fix a cybersecurity problem brought on by the same vulnerability. Even the most costly rewards are frequently a huge amount less expensive than a data breach, although bounty amounts might vary substantially.

The fact that bug bounty hunters are only compensated if they discover something is another cost-saving benefit of bug bounty programmes. As bug bounty hunters explore possible vulnerabilities, these programmes provide them access to a sizable labour pool. Compared to paying for the same kind of security testing internally or through contractors, who firms must pay by the hour whether or not they uncover anything, this is significantly less expensive.

Better Talent Access

Additionally, bug bounty programmes provide organisation access to talent that may be hard or impossible to find and keep on staff. Many participants in bug bounty programmes have advanced skills and are experts in spotting vulnerabilities.

These bug hunters join in bug bounty programmes because, if they are talented, they might get hefty prizes regularly. These hunters would probably be pricey even if they were willing to work for an organisation. A bug bounty programme allows for more bug hunters with a wider range of skills and abilities to test a company’s vulnerabilities than would be possible with a standard penetration test or vulnerability scan.

Simulation of Realistic Threats

Making the exercises realistic is one of the main difficulties with penetration testing and vulnerability assessments. A company needs to identify and address the weaknesses that an attacker is most likely to use first. However, a variety of other circumstances might reduce the reality of these activities.

An organisation pays bug hunters to behave just like a cybercriminal would using a bug bounty programme. They are equally knowledgeable about the business and have access to its systems. In contrast to a more controlled interaction, bug bounty hunters’ vulnerability evaluations are therefore likely to be more accurate.

Utilizing Bug Bounty Programs to Their Fullest

Programs for bug bounties are made to find the flaws in systems being used by an organisation. However, bug bounties may mount up rapidly if a company and its engineers fail to learn from their errors since they are likely to repeat introducing the same vulnerabilities.

By enabling developers to learn from their errors, our secure coding training platform gives businesses a means to optimise the effect of bug bounty programmes. To find out what vulnerabilities are there in the code of a business, it interfaces with bug bounty programmes like HackerOne . This makes it possible for us to provide developers with tailored, just-in-time training that will help them identify and fix their coding errors. The number of vulnerabilities declines as developers gains more knowledge and expertise in secure code, which lowers the total cost of programme security.

4. Freelancing

A job in freelance development allows for a great deal of time flexibility, freedom, and opportunities for self-directed professional development. There is a downside, too, and it manifests as a great deal of effort, financial risk, and unpredictability. In this post, we’ll examine these two aspects of the work of a freelance software developer and the things you should think about if you want to pursue a career in this field.

Benefits of independent software development

The biggest benefit of working as a freelance software developer is the freedom that the position entails. You may choose when to work, what contracts to accept, and how to complete those assignments. Freelance programmers are unlikely to be required to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at an office unless a precise number of hours or location is specified in a contract.

Another thing to keep in mind is that freelancers are not required to take on the full effort of a software project. Instead of being instructed exactly what code to create, employees frequently have the option to select the specific projects they are most interested in or comfortable with.

Working alone might occasionally make it simpler to get hired. It may be challenging to get a permanent, full-time job at a firm, especially for programmers who are just starting and don’t have a lot of real-world coding expertise. Finding a business that will take on a part-time freelancing assignment might sometimes be less difficult. Additionally, that assignment can serve as a springboard for a full-time position, either with the same organisation or another one drawn to your freelancing portfolio.

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind as you get going.

Develop a language speciality

It will be much simpler to market your skills and get freelancing work if you specialise in a particular area of programmings, such as web development or database development. Try picking up one or two specialised languages that you can use to advertise yourself in. Additionally, it enables you to position yourself as a subject-matter authority, which will make it simpler for you to get more employment.

For instance, few businesses have trouble finding full-time programmers who are proficient in Python, Java, and C. However, businesses frequently require assistance with more specialised languages like COBOL and Erlang. Knowing one of these languages can give you a better chance of landing freelance employment. In addition to having less competition from other applicants, businesses frequently have a dire need for programmers with these particular programming abilities.

Recognize the tendencies in development

Another method to stand out from the crowd is to invest in a burgeoning industry like blockchain or artificial intelligence. Businesses are reluctant to spend money on full-time positions for development sectors that may or may not become trends.

For instance, you would have had a very simple time selling yourself to many businesses if you had been able to build blockchain mechanisms in 2016 when the blockchain bubble was beginning to fill. Though it’s uncertain for how long, AI engineers appear to be in great demand at the moment.

Whether through peers or broader community groups, pay close attention to the discussions taking place in the IT world. Try to predict what the development industry’s next big thing will be so you can modify your skill set accordingly.

Invest in open source

Contributing to open-source projects or developing your open-source tool is a terrific approach to gaining recognition and generating a portfolio that highlights your coding abilities.

Contribute to open source within the industry or ecosystem that you wish to work in for the greatest outcomes. For instance, contribute projects to the open source community that surrounds Kubernetes if you’re looking for a freelance position working with apps that are deployed on Kubernetes. This will support the development of your brand inside that market.

Transcend coding

Some businesses, particularly those without sizable in-house development teams, are looking to hire developers who can do more than simply write code. They could also need assistance with developing software management methods, conceptualising features that would satisfy end users, or creating applications, whether they express it openly or not.

To that aim, it could be beneficial to position oneself as a technology consultant as well as a developer. Make it obvious that you provide big-picture advice in addition to your development and coding skills if you’re up to it.

5. Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube quickly rose to the top of the most addicting websites for users of all ages. The reason YouTube is so popular is that you can find videos on everything and everything there, including music, movies, technology, culinary, gaming, education, sports, tutorials, and other topics.

As a result of the abundance of information on YouTube, if you are a programmer or have an extensive understanding of current technology, you should create your own YouTube channel right away. By imparting your expertise to others, you will be able to benefit others while also increasing your chances of fame and financial success.

However, keep in mind that before launching your channel, you should be aware of its objectives and pose the following questions to yourself:

• Is it to aid others in learning?
• Are you creating a platform for yourself that will open up several additional job opportunities?
• Is it primarily intended to generate income through affiliate marketing, sponsored advertisements, and other means?
• It will be a fantastic approach for you to always learn more.
• Knowing why you started your channel is crucial since it will guide your efforts and make reaching your objectives simpler.

How can I launch a programming and technology-focused YouTube channel?

Once you are aware of your objectives, the following step is to start a programming and technology-related YouTube channel. Don’t think of it as a difficult procedure; it just takes a few minutes. With the introduction of free YouTube video editors, producing videos has also become simple. You may choose from a variety of choices to swiftly make and modify the movie in a matter of seconds.

The steps to establish a YouTube account are as follows:

Step 1: Open YouTube and sign up for an account. It is advised that you also sign up for a Brand account for your channel. Your Google account and software YouTube channel may remain separate thanks to this. You may use your Google login id to connect to the brand account, saving you the trouble of remembering another login name and password. A brand account’s main advantage is that it enables users to add more persons as managers.

Step 2: Selecting a name for your channel after it has been formed is the next step. As it gets simpler to join, you may use your name or anything connected to programming. However, it is advisable to maintain your name because it helps identify you with your work and enables others to recognise you as a real person.

Step 3: Designing is next; you must choose the channel icon and thumbnail style. If you have design talent, go for it; otherwise, get a specialist to do this for you.

Step 4: Make sure your initial video is perfect and that it captures the attention of your audience while you are developing or posting it. It is advised to employ an intro since it promotes your brand and forges a bond with your audience.

Step 5: Always consider how you may differentiate your programming and technology videos from those of your rivals. Examples include incorporating props or coming up with a catchy catchphrase. These factors contribute to the informational and engaging qualities of your material. Here is a guide to show you how to rip DVDs to mp4, convert movies to mp4, and more if you need a video converter for your videos.

Step 6: Schedule or plan when to upload the videos. This is the final step. When you receive more views, such as on weekends, during the workweek, during the day or at night, etc., you might see a pattern. Post your films according to who they are intended for to obtain a fantastic reaction.

Let’s talk about the kinds of videos you can make for your YouTube channel now that we’ve covered how to launch a YouTube channel for programming and technology.

various programming and technology videos on YouTube

If you wish to make software tutorial videos, you may choose from the following options:

1. Tutorial-style programming videos. If you want to use your channel to land a job or offer paid online courses, tutorial-style videos are ideal. However, this kind of movie put more emphasis on the fundamental technical component and less on you and your personality.

2. YouTube channels and videos with an informational bent—These channels and videos cover software development and related topics. Developers may be interested in this information as you may need to discuss soft skills. You’ve probably seen videos like “Is learning Python important?” and “7 YouTube Video Editors Free and Paid to Use,” for instance. You will be required to offer perspective on the kinds of subjects mentioned above.

3. YouTube videos including live coding are another option. For these videos to be successful, you must demonstrate to your audience the mental process involved in creating a coding application. People find this fascinating because they can watch you solve difficulties in real-time—many people do it flawlessly—and because it resembles an instructional channel.

If you want to build your community and gain greater recognition, it may be the ideal medium for you. While live streaming is a fantastic method to interact with the audience and other professionals.

4. Entertainment-style software Videos on YouTube—It has been noted that these videos receive the most views. To acquire the most views, you must make videos that are popular with the majority of viewers. In these movies, the program’s output is more important than the actual code that was utilised.

It was about the different kinds of videos; after choosing the kind of channel, you need to pay attention to the sort of video or niche in which you will produce your videos.

To sum up

These were some of the several programming, technological, and channel-creation YouTube channel kinds. The creation of a YouTube channel for a programmer has several advantages. It helps you learn more, exposes you to new people, builds your internet profile, aids in company promotion, makes a wonderful side job, and makes it possible for you to land a decent career.

6. Make a Mobile App

The two most obsessive activities in the technology sector are app creation and commercialization. While smartphones and their cutting-edge operating systems are to thank for the production of apps, it was exceptionally successful applications that began out tiny, gained a cult following due to their fantastic and distinctive services, and then went on to become very popular.

Instagram is a prime illustration. Instagram was only a photo-sharing app when it first debuted in 2010. The photo-sharing app will celebrate its 12th birthday in 2022, but it is now much more than simply a photo-sharing app, and despite several attempts by rival applications to steal its thunder, none of them has even come close.

According to survey results from Statista , Instagram will have around 1.44 billion monthly active users by 2025. The statistics also indicate that, as of January 2022, Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp are the top three most popular social media sites, with Instagram coming in at number four.

Due to Instagram’s and other apps’ enormous success, developers are creating an increasing number of applications with the expectation that they will double their investment. If you’re one of those people, then you’ve come to the correct spot since this article gives you the essential information on how to get an app created and monetize it to generate money.

How to Create an App and Earn Money

1. Let’s begin with planning. The road to developing an app begins with thoughtful preparation, regardless of whether you’re a developer (or a team of developers) working alone or an investor who has hired pros. Different steps are taken to complete this stage. Let’s examine them.

Recognize the Obstacles

Realizing the obstacles a quality app faces is the first crucial step in the planning stage. Most users start on a whim, which either causes the programme to fail or pushes them to stop in the middle. Therefore, you must first identify the most fundamental difficulties, such as budget, resources, and infrastructure, before working on your ideas.

Market Analysis

Market research is important since it provides you with useful data that you can use to guide your decision-making. According to Statista, the Google Play store has almost 3.5 million apps in 2021, while the Apple App Store had 2.22 million. Already loaded are the app shops. Therefore, there is a strong likelihood that some individuals have already developed apps based on your ideas.

Therefore, thorough market research is required since it may genuinely help you save a lot of money. Sound market research can not only help you learn more about your rivals and their success rates, but it will also provide you insightful information on factors like:

• The demographic most likely to find the programme beneficial
• The monetization strategies employed by competitors
• The frequency of app removals and the reasons behind each
• Your competitors’ innovative ideas for services and products set them apart.

App Development

Putting the puzzle pieces together is the focus of the planning stage’s app conceptualization phase. It is now time to develop your ideas to give them a concrete, useful form after reviewing all the data from the market research. To create an app, you must:

• Knowing what the market requires
• Work on non-technical requirements, such as financing, team organisation, and equipment.
• Clearly state the aim of the app.
• Describe the essential elements

Modeling and Development

Product prototype development is the process of making a scaled-down version of the actual software using the least amount of materials, time, and labour. This section is frequently skipped even though it is crucial in several ways. Understanding the viability of your ideas is helpful first. Cost estimation is the next step, and then user testing.

All of this information may project the likely future of the applications for investors and customers. The prototype development area has experienced a recent boom. You can get fantastic applications that make prototyping simple and convenient. You may make a prototype of an app that appears professional with the aid of cutting-edge technologies.