WordPress powers more than 65% of all websites on the internet so anyone who has the good fortune to understand how to use WordPress or anyone who is interested in learning how to make money online is already more than halfway there.

Everybody wants to make more money and, thanks to the internet, there are now more ways to make money online by internet marketing than ever before.

In this article we will offer some ideas which you can use to make money online with WordPress which you should be able to do whether you are a WordPress noob or whether you are an experienced professional!

How can you make money online with WordPress?

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make money online and many of them are possible using the WordPress platform. With so much choice, the hardest decision for you to make will be deciding which way to choose. However, this can also be seen as an advantage because it allows you the possibility of adding supplemental income streams or changing your complete direction if that is what you decide to do.

Where do you get started? Firstly, you should make a decision as to how you want to use WordPress to make money. Some examples of how you can use WordPress to make money online include:

  • Writing blog posts and informative articles; create an interesting and relevant resource site for a niche topic and set up online advertising or other ways to monetize the traffic
  • Developing code, WordPress plugins, or themes; learn skills such as PHP, shell script, MySQL, javascript, and familiarise yourself with popular WordPress themes and plugins
  • Online marketing and selling products through your WordPress site; set yourself up with affiliate networks such as Clickbank or join the Official Lotto Agent Affiliate Program from Lottery Partner which offers high commission rates on lottery ticket sales
  • Building and designing websites for customers with existing plugins and themes
  • Designing logos, page layouts, landing pages, and general graphics for customer websites

The best way will always be the one which is most interesting for you and the one which allows you to develop and leverage your existing skill set. The more unique the skill set, the more likely it is that you will earn good money. If the skill set that you have is widely offered then simple economics dictates that high supply results in low prices. Whereas if the skill set that you offer is fairly unique, then by definition it is in low supply and should command a higher price.

These are all ideas to make money online but you will need to develop your tech skills or create a salable asset.  It takes time to develop the knowledge but in the end it is worth the investment because it can give you a solid passive income stream which will allow you to earn money from online sales for years to come.

There are places where you can market your knowledge. These include Fiverr which was established in 2010 by Israeli entrepreneurs, Shal Wininger and Micha Kaufam. After signing up to Fiverr you can offer “gigs”. These so-called “gigs” can be offers of your services for as little as $5 but you can also get get paid far more for upgrades, add-ons, design work, development work, and services which require a unique set of skills.

A little bit of career advice

If you are looking for full-time work and not just a side job, you would be wise to think about developing a long-term career path where you can grow, develop, learn, and where you are valued for the time you spend and the results you generate.

So, to be successful for the long-term you should:

  • Do something that you are interested in and that you are good at. If this is a long-term investment, you should ensure that you are willing to develop through the bad times as well as the good times, and through the boring times as well as the exciting times.
  • Work on something that is valued. If you want to create a passive income you should be doing something that is valued and which people are willing to pay money for.
  • Develop something which you have control of and not something which puts you at the mercy of others. Don’t wast your time doing something which relies on chance. Instead do something which is sustainable for the long term.

Comprehensive list of ways to make money with WordPress

So, here we have a comprehensive list of ways to make money with WordPress:

Blogging, Writing, Guest and Sponsored Posts

Blogging is by far one of the most popular ways to make money online and it is very easy to do with WordPress. Simply write some blog posts and away you go! It does require some perseverance and a long-term consistent, outlook, however.

Once you have some interesting content on your website, you will need to generate traffic. This you can do by running a social media campaign on popular networks such a Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, et al.

Be sure to monetise your content by registering your website with affiliate marketing networks and advertising networks such as Hilltop Ads which offers opportunities to generate revenue for both advertisers and publishers.

Freelancing and Consulting

Freelancing and consulting offer fantastic opportunities to make money with WordPress and there is plenty of work out there for experienced WordPress professionals. You can start with gig sites such as Fiverr or Upwork which bring “buyers” and “sellers” of services together.

Building and Selling Plugins and Themes

There are more than 50.000 WordPress plugins but, undoubtedy, never one which meets all your criteria! The plugin market is massive. It does not matter how many plugins or themes there are to choose from, the chances are there is not one which can do everything you need it to do. Also, with WordPress moving from its Classic editor to the brand new Gutenberg editor, it is very likely that there will be plenty of room for more plugins to feature in the popular WordPress marketplaces.

Affiliate Marketing – Recurring, Passive, and Residual Income

Affiliate marketing is the process by which you, the affiliate, earns a commission for marketing someone elses products. Find a product which you enjoy and which interests you. Then promote that product and earns commission from each sale you make. Sales are usually tracked via affiliate links from one website to another. Some websites leave “cookies” which means that you can earn commission on the product even if the buyer decides to return to the website and purchase at a later date.

Membership Sites and Online Courses

Whether you’re teaching a specialist subject, or you want to support a community of people who share your interests, it is now easier than ever to reach a global audience and get paid for sharing your time, skills, experience and expertise. You can write an online course and set up a membership website where you charge a monthly subscription with ease.

Graphic and Website Design

There is plenty of scope for you to offer graphic design and website design and development services. You can offer template designs, logo designs, or special animation and designs to make websites look more interactive and attractive.


There are plenty of opportunities to make money online with WordPress in the background. Find something you can really get your teeth into and develop the skills which will enable you to stand out from the crowd.