5 Ways to Grow Your Side Hustle

Written on 14 June, 2022 by Melissa Toh
Categories Small Business

We have all had them. A great business idea that we get in the middle of the night that tends to linger like an itch that needs scratching. For many, that’s all it will be, but for others, it may become a side hustle, a means to generate additional income or a way to explore something the person is passionate about. So, if you belong to the second group, how do you grow that side hustle and turn it into something of value?

 

How to Grow Your Side Hustle

  1. What are the benefits of a side hustle?
  2. Setup a website
  3. Use social media
  4. Tap into Google SEO
  5. Create a mailing list
  6. Set more time

 

Here we look at five ways you can grow your side hustle. But before we do, let’s explore some of the benefits of a side hustle.

 

What are the benefits of a side hustle?

Generally speaking, a side hustle is an endeavour individuals undertake outside of their current job. Sometimes those side hustles can be so successful that they go on to replace that existing role.

People hustle side jobs for several reasons. They may need the additional revenue to keep pace with rising prices or to save money for a new home or long-awaited travel. Sometimes it’s more than making money from a side hustle. Those reasons to have a side hustle can include things like indulging a creative passion, which may be more limited in one’s existing role. Or some will take on side hustles with no experience in the area to learn and develop the skills which they can then take back to their primary career. Finally, many hustle side jobs are taken as a means to assess the potential of a business idea before fully committing.

Side hustle ideas in Australia are determined as much by the needs and passions of the individual as they are by an opportunity in the market. Side hustle ideas in Australia include activities like social media influencing, podcasting, blogging, renting rooms or houses on AirBnB, freelancing, etc. What is noticeable in all these side hustle ideas in Australia and globally is that they rely heavily on the online space and the digital economy. So let’s consider how you can launch and grow side hustle ideas in Australia.

 

Setup a website

Setup a website

When thinking about how to start a side hustle from home, most would agree side hustle ideas need a website as a central point of focus. A website enables visitors to understand your business and your offer and provides a sense of security that the business is legitimate.

Building a website may sound daunting, but it need not be. Not everyone has the funds to employ designers and coders to create a website. But if you select the right website builder, you can build your website in a few simple steps. You can choose a template, customise it with your own photos, logo, and copy, and you’re ready to go live.

It all sounds easy, but what should you look for in a website builder? Take a read of this article. It provides some great insights into selecting the best website builder for your side hustle.

 

Use social media

You are probably much more familiar with creating social media accounts and channels but do you know how to use it effectively to give life to your side hustle.

Today social media is a potent tool for building business success. A report by Statista showed that In Australia, by January 2022, 82.7% of the population were active users of social media. So your side hustle must make your mark in the social media space and capitalise on that power.

If you want guidance on how to make money from your side hustle using the power of social media, this article is a must-read.

 

Tap into Google SEO

So you have your website launched, but how do you make sure that potential customers can find you.  It’s all about search engine optimisation (SEO). SEO is a strategy you employ to make sure when a user types in a search word in Google, your side hustle name appears near the top of the list. Ideally, you want a potential customer to find you on the first page, so they are less likely to visit the site of a competitor.

Google SEO can help you be found more easily, but it can also help build your credibility and trust rating and build brand awareness.

It all sounds super technical, but it need not be so. Read this article for some clear, common-sense guidelines on using Google SEO to boost the online performance of your side hustle. It’s well worth it.

 

Create a mailing list

Create a mailing list

Make sure you always collect an email address from your customers.  Build email address collection into your order form and ask for it wherever practical. An email database can be a powerful component in your marketing programme. It offers a cost-effective way to communicate with an audience who knows you and likely has a positive predisposition to your offer.

Once you have that database, it is important to plan and manage your email roll-outs carefully. If you need a few tips on creating effective email campaigns for your side hustle, read here.

 

Set more time

Time management with a side hustle will always be a challenge, particularly if you are faced with a runaway success. It is important to ensure that commitments, such as delivery times or product quality, are met as promised. Customers seldom give their suppliers a second chance. So think carefully about how you can best address customer expectations in terms of your own time management.

Many successful side hustles have seen individuals allocate more time to their side hustle by reducing their permanent job time commitments. And should that growth continue, they will ultimately need to determine whether that side hustle should be reclassified as their main hustle.

It can be a little nerve-wracking to turn one’s back on a permanent job to transition a side hustle to something more substantive. Read our “How to quit your 9-5 without looking back” blogpost. It might provide some ideas that help with your transition. And if you are in that boat, well done for creating a successful side hustle business.

There are some inspiring side hustle ideas in Australia today created by hard-working and innovative side hustlers. At Webcentral, we also work hard to provide the tools needed by small to medium businesses. We stand behind these businesses, from getting them online and creating high-performance websites to multi-channel digital marketing support. If you want to find out how Webcentral can support the growth and success of your side hustle, call one of our digital experts on 1300 638 734.

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