Do you want to advance your career? Or earn some extra passive income? Extending your skills is the best way to progress your career or earn more money. Having well-developed skills increases your bargaining power for a pay raise. That’s why we compiled this list of 21 profitable skills you can learn on your own and expand your earning potential. Besides expanding your career, enhancing personal development, and making money, skill is important in many other ways. For instance, acquiring a new skill can: With the skills discussed herein, you can capitalize on online opportunities. And at the same time, fill your pocket. So I want you to pick the most impressive one to learn and expand your skill set. You can learn on your own using free materials or sign up for online courses. Let’s get to the details, shall we? High-Income Skills to Learn in 2022 For all the skills discussed herein, we’ll give you an overview of what you expect and how to make the best out of them. You’ll understand why they’re the most profitable skills to learn. 1. Digital Marketing Digital marketing is a component of marketing that uses the internet and digital technologies like desktops and mobiles to create, promote and sell products and services. You can market your offerings or start a marketing agency with this skill. So, if you are tech-savvy, creative, and interested in advertising, this is one of the most profitable skills to learn today. With the growing usage of digital media and accessibility to the internet and digital technologies, the future is indeed digital. Having realized this trend, businesses have paid more attention to promoting their offerings digitally. There is much potential in the digital world. Digital marketing is broad, so you can pick a specific subcategory, learn how it works, and then advance later on. You can learn any of the following popular digital skills: Others include Ad content writing and helping businesses set up and analyze Ad campaigns. So, as earlier mentioned, you may pick one area or two first and maximize on it. Some of the digital marketing blogs you can follow and learn digital marketing for free include this one and our youtube channel. But you can also check out other blogs like Neil Patel’s and learn about SEO, Backlinko for link-building lessons, and Semrush for marketing content. You can become a digital marketing consultant on your blog or website (agency). Or advertise your services on Social Media and freelance marketplaces like Fiverr. Even better, you can apply the skills to market your blog and have more people subscribe to your offers. 2. Article Writing or Copywriting Articles are content designed for a large audience and cover a specific topic. You can learn this interesting and profitable skill by reading articles in your niche and observing how others format their content. And then adopt the most appropriate approach. Generally, you can find materials online on how to write a perfect article. And then, you’ll realize that you’ll need to advance your skills on: Then, you can market your writing services online by starting a blog or finding companies that hire freelance writers. In both cases, I want you to focus on advancing your skills first, pinching for new clients and satisfying the current ones, and then growing your portfolio. 3. Proofreading and Editing Some people would rather write their content, including blogs, articles, or academic papers like essays and dissertations, on their own and hire freelancers to edit and proofread them. As a result, although different skills, proofreading and editing are very profitable to learn. Not to forget, you understand how to polish your content, making you a good writer with time. Proofreading and editing are two separate yet connected skills. The former means correcting surface errors like grammar and spelling mistakes and punctuation. While editing aims to improve the quality of writing by enhancing its flow, readability, and structure. Both skills require you to understand basic writing rules and be conversant with the English language. You can learn how to edit and proofread by following writing websites like Grammarly.com and SmartWrite.net, and with practice, you’ll become a pro editor. Then you can display and market your proofreading and editing services online and earn. 4. Web Design & Development British physicist Tim Berners-Lee published the first-ever website on 6 august 1991 (https:/info.cern.ch). The number of websites increased to 10 by 1992 and 3000 by 1994. As of 2021, there were over 1.88 billion sites globally, with the number increasing over the years. Thus, you can learn these skills online to take advantage of the growing demand for web designers and developers. As a web designer, you’ll be responsible for creating a site’s layout, usability, and visual appearance. And you can work with new sites or advance existing ones. For you to teach yourself website designing and development, which are somewhat technical but profitable skills to learn, you need to: It can take you at least 3 months to become a web designer. But with experience, you’ll become more conversant with the area and amaze your customers. If you want to fasten the learning process, you can enroll in a course, find a tutor, or even find a coding buddy. Some free sites you can learn coding and web development include YouTube, freeCodeCamp, Codecademy, Udemy, and Mozilla Developer Network (MDN). 5. Video Production and Editing Video marketing has been on the rise, and you can capitalize on this trend by learning how to produce videos or tutorials and edit them. And then, you can set up a production firm to shoot professional videos for people and businesses, especially wedding and music videos and Ads. This is an area you can enroll in classes, preferably in person, and take much time practicing, as opposed to learning theory. You must engage with the camera as much as possible and familiarise yourself with video editing software to perfect your skills. You can also learn the skill for your

Eccomerce is a process through which people or businesses sell products or services over the internet. So, if you’re wondering how it works or its importance, this article has everything you need to know. Including the Best Ecommerce Platforms for your next online store. With the e-commerce software, you can manage all online shop processes, from adding or removing products to calculating taxes and fulfilling orders. The demand for such technology will continue rising since, by 2025, global retail e-commerce sales will reach $7.4 trillion. Research also shows that over 71% of retail website traffic comes from mobile devices. Thus, whether you have a retail or wholesale online shop, making sure your site is mobile-friendly is equally important and mandatory. That’s why most online businesses have mobile apps. That being said, let’s dive into the 11 most popular eCommerce platforms globally. Top E-Commerce Platforms for Everyone Statista reported that as of July 2022, WooCommerce was the loading e-commerce software platform globally, with a global market share of 36.68%. Squarespace Online and Woo Themes were ranked 2nd and 3rd, with a market share of 14.49% and 14.42%, respectively. Shopify’s e-commerce platform was ranked 4th, followed by WixStores and Amazon. Here are the 11 best ecommerce platforms you can set up your online business in, including information on what they’re best for. So, let’s dive into them one by one, shall we? 1. Squarespace: Best E-Commerce Platform Squarespace is one of the best (if not the best) ecommerce website builders in the industry. And it is best suited for everyone, including complete beginners and established brands. It helps you create an outstanding online store using its world-class easy-to-customize designs. With Squarespace, you can create a really awesome website, as it has the best quality designs and features, and reliable sales tools for your online business. You can showcase your products while the customers can browse and add items to their cart, check out, and leave reviews. Benefits of Squarespace Platform: Starting an E-commerce Website on Squarespace: One of its disadvantages is that you cannot edit the sitemap, as it is updated automatically. And although the prices start at $16 per month, you need to pay more to access certain features, like unlimited contributors, remove transaction fees, and accept donations and product reviews. And they don’t have a free plan, but you can change your plan or cancel it anytime. Still, you can set up an online store in a few clicks. Then learn how to promote it online through in-built Search engine optimization (SEO), Email marketing, and reliable SEO tools. 2. WooCommerce: Best WordPress Plugin WooCommerce is a free plugin that transforms your WordPress website into a customizable eCommerce store. It adds amazing features like order tracking, customer engagement, and inventory management, enabling customers to track delivery status. To date, the plugin has had over 5 million active installations on WordPress, over 27 million downloads, and powers 99% of all WordPress stores. It is easier to use, making it a reliable tool for everyone, including beginners, to create and customize their online stores from scratch. However, one limitation of WooCommerce is that it is meant for WordPress users. So, despite it being free, you’ll still need a WordPress site (WordPress.org, not WordPress.com). And you have to acquire web hosting packages from reliable third-party providers like Bluehost. One of the reasons why the WooCommerce plugin is so popular and reliable is that it is easy to use. So, even if you’re not a tech person, you can still create a professional-looking online store. Not to mention there’re many tutorials and online resources to help you get started. 3. Square Online: Best for Small Businesses Square Online is one of the best ecommerce platforms with flexible payment plans, best suited for small businesses. Its reliable support team makes it a fabulous option. Not to mention that their easy-to-customize templates are responsive on desktop and mobile devices. The platform allows you to sell products, has in-built inventory management, a point of sale (POS) system, and accepts online payments. Unlike Squarespace, this site has a free plan that comes with SEO tools, accepts multiple payment types, and facilitates selling on social. With the paid plans that cost $29-79 per month (billed annually), you enjoy other features. Some of these include free domain registration for one year, personalized ordering, accepting PayPay payments, and allowing customers to create accounts where they can reorder. Still, its flat pricing model can be too expensive for large businesses, making the platform more suitable for small businesses that don’t want to commit to long-term contracts. So, if you’re a small business, this is the best website for you that guarantees value for your money. 4. Shopify: Alternative for Small Businesses Shopify allows you to build and customize your online store and sell in multiple places. You can integrate it across multiple channels like online marketplaces and social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Or on the web, pop-up shops, and mobile and in person. It is one of the best platforms to set up an ecommerce website, whether you’re a small or large business selling products (digital and physical) and services (in-person and virtual). The site allows you to set up and manage your online store, POS system, and inventory under one roof. However, one of the limitations of Shopify is that it does not offer a free plan; you have three days for a free trial across its three paid plans that starts at $21 per month (billed annually). With this basic paid plan, you get access to basic reports, add 2 staff, and up to four inventory locations. All plans have eCommerce automation, customer segmentation, and 24/7 support. 5. Ecwid: Beginner-Friendly Platform Powered by Lightspeed, Ecwid is an easy-to-use and beginner-friendly software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. In all its plans starting from $0 to 82.5 per month (billed annually), you can integrate it into WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Joomla, Blogger, and Tumblr and start selling online. And the platform is as well best for adding e-commerce

Digital products are intangible items that are delivered and used in their digital format. Examples include e-books, online courses, digital arts, software, and music. And if you’re wondering what digital products to sell online, this article has everything you need to know. There’re many reasons why you should consider creating and selling these kinds of products. For instance, they are easy to update and improve. More so, you can easily be distributed and have the potential to reach a global audience. But only if you promote them the right way. Producing digital products is cheaper compared to physical products. And with the increasing global internet and online shopping usage, your products can reach a wider audience. They are a more significant source of passive income and can help scale your business. How to Sell Digital Products Online Now that you understand what digital products are, now is the best time to learn how to create, promote and earn from them. So, I want you to follow these 5 easy steps: I. Find the Right Digital Product to Sell Start by analyzing market demand for different digital products. Find out what gaps or opportunities exist in the market, and analyze your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Even better, think of a product that solves a specific problem you or your target audience face. One mistake people make is creating products without establishing their market and pushing them to the wrong people. So, I want you to avoid this mistake by finding an audience first and creating great products that are best suited to their needs. Eventually, you’ll sell more online. Therefore, the right products depend on your target audience, as well as your skills, and interests. For instance, if you’re an expert in a particular subject, you can create e-books or online courses. These products allow you to share your knowledge with others electronically. However, if you have excellent photography or videography skills, or interests, you can create stock images and videos. And then sell them online to a wide range of customers. But if you’re on a tight budget, or have limited time, you can start with a low-budget product like an e-book. II. Setting up an Online Store You already know your target market and what products to sell. Next, select a platform for your store, and decide whether to hire an expert or customize it yourself. Among the 11 best eCommerce platforms globally include WooCommerce, Squarespace, and Shopify. Just pick one that is best suited for your needs, and budget, and plan to start your online business. Create an awesome website, use the right themes, add your products, set up the payment and shipping options, and customize your store’s design. Don’t forget to write perfect product descriptions and titles, and include the most searched phrases about your products. While creating your store, get some insights from your competitors. Especially regarding pricing, and store features, and make your website mobile and user-friendly. However, be as unique as possible, and consider hiring an expert if you don’t have technical expertise. III. Promote your Digital Products One of the main reasons why small e-commerce startups fail within the first 120 days is ineffective marketing strategies and not understanding their audience. So, I want you to adopt different digital marketing strategies to avoid making the same mistakes while getting started. Create social media accounts like Twitter, and Facebook pages, and create quality content to build and grow your social presence. Or even use paid ads, retarget marketing, and social media influencers to increase followers and drive more buyers to your online store. More so, use email marketing tools like Sender to build an email list, and automate your email campaigns. Or leverage affiliate marketing by allowing creators to promote your products in exchange for a commission. Sign up in affiliate networks like ShareaSale for free. Still, do not forget the importance of SEO and content marketing. Here’s a 35-item SEO checklist that has on-page, off-page, and technical SEO best practices to consider. These practices help you identify areas that need improvement and increase organic traffic from search. As for content marketing, create blogs or videos to promote your products. IV. Customer Service & Orders Fulfilment A recent case study shows that live chat increases revenue per chat hour by 43%, and conversion rate by 40%. So, after using different marketing strategies to drive leads to your sales team, offer quality and timely customer support, and convert store visitors to buyers. Your customer support should focus on explaining to the customers why your products are best suited for their needs, rather than focusing on how quality they are. And be sure to set up a system for delivering your digital products to customers, considering payment options. More so, always handle customer inquiries and complaints conveniently. And provide ongoing support and updates for your products. Giving incentives, like discounts, free gifts, and referral programs, can also increase customer satisfaction and engagement, and increase sales. V. Monitor and Improve your Sales You’ll learn that to sell more digital products online, you’ll have to actively update your online shop and keep marketing it to increase organic and paid traffic. And you to use different analytics tools, like Google Analytics or Mixpanel to scrutinize and improve your sales. Be sure to be updated on the trends and patterns in your niche. And use data, like impressions, search traffic, and conversion rate to make informed decisions about your business. Also, use content marketing to establish your brand as a leader in the market to build authority. You can conduct a comprehensive audit of your competitor’s website. Analyze their marketing strategies, store layout, and how they create a competitive advantage and increase sales. Then learn from their practices, and improve your store to remain competitive in the industry. Conclusion: What to Do Now, you have everything you need to know to create and sell your digital products. So, go ahead and do extensive market research on different products, and

Writing a blog post, especially if you’re a newbie, may seem tricky – but that doesn’t have always to be the case. That’s why this step-to-step guide shares practical tips on how to write an amazing article that will rank on Google and make you enough money. Blogging helps you connect with your audience. And some of the benefits that come with it include organic (free) traffic from search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo and recognition from a new audience you haven’t tapped into yet. So, if you’ve heard about blogging but haven’t started yet, possibly because you think your writing sucks or you don’t have enough money, the time for excuses is over. Learn how to start a free blog. And then follow these 9 steps while writing your first blog post: Let’s master these steps one at a time, shall we? Step 1: Brainstorm Blog Topics or Ideas Before you start writing your blogs, find an interesting niche to focus your blog on, and list down a few categories that you’d love to share content on. For instance, since my niche is digital creation and marketing, I classify my articles into five broad categories; money, vlogging, blogging, marketing, and trade and investment. Let’s say you have 5 categories. Find keyword ideas (at least 10 per category), check the monthly search volumes in your desired location, and plan your publication schedule. Check out my plan: Planning content helps you not to run out of ideas, enabling you to remain consistent and know when exactly to write and publish a blog on a specific topic. And one of my favorite content idea generation strategies is scanning your competitors’ websites, and checking keywords and pages that are driving them massive traffic. Then write not a duplicate, but an improved version of their articles, keeping search intent in mind. For instance, based on Neil Patel’s top pages, I can consider writing some blogs on the topics: Let’s say you find 30 competitors, and get 10 content ideas – you’ll end up with over 200 topics to brainstorm and pick the best for your audience. And you can also key in the main keyword on Google (YouTube or any other search engine) and use autocomplete to get more ideas. Keyword research is the basics of blog writing and ranking, so let’s dive into it. Step 2: Conduct Keyword Research A keyword refers to word(s) or phrases someone types (or speaks) into a search engine. And people ask search engines all sorts of things – from ‘how to write a blog,’ ‘how to boil eggs,’ ‘how to use google keyword planner’, to personal stuff like ‘how to kiss your boyfriend romantically.’ So, keyword research refers to the process of finding popular search terms that your target audience is typing into search engines like Google and Bing. It also entails placing the keywords strategically in your content so that it ranks higher on SERP (search engine results page) when people key in such terms. Lucky for you, I shared a video on how you can use research tools like Ubersuggest, Googe Trends, and Google and YouTube autocomplete.  Let’s say you want to write a blog targeting the keyword – ‘content writing.’ You can then use a free tool (website) Keyword.io to find long-tail keywords to include in your blog. It also gives you ideas for YouTube, Amazon, Bing, and even related questions. Check it out: And also use a website called Answer the Public to find more questions and ideas. But remember, location is very important when it comes to keyword research. So, in addition to knowing what your target audience is searching online, understand where they are located, and their search intent. Step 3: Define your Target Audience Having conducted the keyword research, you’re in a better position to understand what your audience is actively searching for on the web. And in content marketing, a target audience refers to a specific group of people you’re writing to, whenever you publish a new article on your blog. Simply put, these are people who are interested in your blog’s niche, products, or services. So, higher are the chances that they’ll possess some common features – especially demographics and behaviors. Remember, being highly specific when defining your audience is completely okay. For instance, if you offer digital marketing services, you can focus on a specific country or seek an audience globally. Either way, be specific about whom you’re targeting. And the best way to turn your traffic into active followers or fun is by giving them outstanding content that meets their search intent and offers solutions to their problems or searches. When you’re sure about your target audience, start writing your blog or article. But you can first prepare an organized outline to help you remain focused. Step 4: Create an organized outline Composing an article outline shouldn’t be too complicated. Do this: For example, before writing this article, I picked the topic “how to write an excellent blog fast.” And then selected 9 steps that anyone (even myself) should follow to write excellent website content. I also categorized the 9 steps as H2 headings. You can also include H3, H4, H5, and H6 headings while writing your content. Having subheadings and including a table of content helps your audience navigate your post. And after preparing your outline, prepare yourself to begin writing your content and get started with it. Step 5: Writing a Superb Blog Before I guide you on how to compose an excellent article, here’re the common mistakes to avoid at all costs: So, how do you write an excellent blog that will not only amaze your audience but make you a handsome amount of money at the same time? Well, all you need is to follow all the steps outlined in this article. Simply put, your blog should contain answers that your target audience is actively searching for, bearing in mind their search intent and interests. And while writing your content,