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Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

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Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#111
I built https://alchemist.camp. It started as a screencast YouTube channel focused 100% on the Elixir language and after a some initial positive feedback, I created the site and added some premium content for paying subscribers.

At first I only charged $12/month or $96/year. As the library of screencasts grew, I raised prices to $15/month or $135/year and I'll probably raise prices again pretty soon. So far, it's been slow, steady growth and nobody has unsubscribed.

I think a key thing that helped me is that I made very different content from the other Elixir screencasters. They all focused on short, highly-edited content that taught specific language features or small libraries and I chose a project-based approach where I introduced language features as needed and videos sometimes reached nearly an hour. It made my service a bit less of a rival good to the others and instead something that people might buy in addition to one of my competitors.

In 11 months of 5-10 hours a week, Alchemist Camp is covering the rent and it's also lead to me meeting a few famous Elixir devs, including José Valim! Definitely a fun indiehack and I'm glad I'm doing it.

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#112
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your pricing seems way too cheap for the value you're delivering.

Haha, thanks, I guess that's one place where Dependabot shows its side-project roots - I just want as many people to use it as possible, and am less fussed about capturing the biggest share of value.

You can still get that benefit with the lower tier. I would definitely raise the prices for your higher tiers, because those are going to be for businesses, and they have money to spare. You might see your ARPU go up considerably. :)

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#113

I built https://basicbands.com/ a fashion blog about watch straps. Its not very much work. Brands send me photography and I post it, or go to websites and request it and people send pictures to me to post. When I have time I write an article, but now most of the obvious articles have been written (how to replace your watch strap, etc), so I don't do that as much. It's an affiliate income model, and it makes me enough…

So how much are you making exactly monthly?

How did you decide on a niche?

How did you research your niche?

How long have you been doing it?

How did you do keyword research and such?

How much content do you write/produce?

Do you do reviews? If so whats your method?

Who are your affiliates? It sounds like you work with independent strap makers, how does being compensated for sales work with them?

How long did you blog before you started seeing a profit?

Do you think one day you’d be on track to promote your own watch/strap?

How did you make the actual site?

Thanks in advance. Hope you dont mind the questions

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#114
post #90

Back in 2015 I wrote an ebook called "how to start and grow your subscription box from 0 to 1000 subscribers", as I felt I had learned enough about the topic while running my own business to have something useful to share. Odd thing happened though soon after releasing it, I'll get to that in a bit. I recall it sold about $2k right after release, as Product Hunt happened to have just opened a book section back then a…

What do you mean exactly?

Your subscribers were using stolen cards?

So technically you did have subscribers they were just committing fraud to pay you?

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#115

Started an online course on algorithmic trading at https://algotrading101.com and some Udemy courses 4 years ago. Revenue peaked at $20k/month 2 years ago and is less than half of that now. That's probably because my SEO rankings plummeted this year, and that people seem less and less eager to pay for online courses. Maintaining the course is quite passive (answering students' questions by email) but growing revenue…

Did you ever feel imposter syndrome about teaching?

Are you qualifications ever questioned?

Do you think anyone with a self evaluated passion and knowledge of a subject can teach a course online?

How did you entice people tk buy your course? How did you market? Build a reputation?

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#116
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From ads?

To be honest, I don't even know how to montize such small and simple site. This is not service where you return every day, or every few days. It's like you use this site for a minute, two, than you forget about it.

What about a newsletter? Like random country/city facts emailed daily/weekly? Keeps traffic and interest in your brand more consistent and eventually you can funnel it into a bigger project?

I imagine it would do well with the trivia crowd

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

93 $ a month, how much rate of interest does your bank pay ?

If you have a 2% interest rate, 10-15k in your account will generate that amount monthly. Totally doable if you’re living in a country with a COL that low to begin with.

Due to inflation the value of the money is going down though, so I don’t think this is really income, unless you’re getting returns greater than inflation.

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#118
post #4
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

how did you start?

Came across some reddit posts saying there's good money to be made -- found a niche that seemed underserved and started banging out the stories. It's hard work but if you get a following and have a style your readers like it becomes easier.

How long are your stories? How do you get an audience? How long does it take you to produce each? Do your stories share content, themes, etc i cant imagine coming up with entirely new content all the time.

How many pieces did you have to produce to make 50k?

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#119

Made 2$. I created WhatsApp Business Account ( Basically WhatsApp Business App for Business) and I help people with their questions. For example someone pinged and asked what is best tv to buy during black Friday. I see people value for real human feedback

So you’re just a person people reach out to? How do people find you? How do they pay you?

Re: Ask HN: What was your best passive income in 2018?

#120
post #95

Wrote my first ebook about CSS last November [1]. With little marketing, I sold hundreds in the first few months, and after a year it’s still bringing around $500/month. I’m thinking about writing a new one, but I’m not sure about the topic. [1] https://jgthms.com/css-in-44-minutes-ebook

How did you market it?
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