Earning a living solely from client web design and development projects can be tough. The work is project-based, meaning gaps between jobs. And clients tend to want more for less these days.
The solution? Diversify your revenue streams as a web developer or digital agency.
Implementing even a few of the money-making ideas below will grow your business‘s stability and scalability over time.
1. Offer Web Design and Development Services
Naturally, the first revenue stream is what most web developers start with – designing, building and maintaining websites. This includes:
- Static brochure websites
- Custom web apps and online software
- Ecommerce stores and online shops
- Website hosting setup and configuration
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Website maintenance, updates and support
You can charge one-time build fees and/or recurring monthly/annual fees for hosting, maintenance and support. Many web developers earn steady streams by managing 50+ client sites.
Maintenance and support plans also nurture strong client relationships for the long haul.
2. Sell Website Plugins, Themes and Templates
Designing nifty plugins, themes and templates for popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify and Bootstrap can rake in nice sums of passive income each month.
These digital products only need to be created once. You can then sell them over and over indefinitely on marketplaces like CodeCanyon, Elegant Themes and Creative Market.
Top-selling themes and plugins easily clear over $10,000 per item in lifetime sales.
3. Offer Consulting and Strategic Advising
Many businesses will hire web consultants to review their current tech stack and processes. Then provide strategic guidance on goals like:
- Increasing website traffic and leads
- Improving site load speed and conversions
- Reducing IT costs and technical debt
- Expanding functionality and scalability
Charge by the hour or project. Rates range from $100 to $300+ per hour typically.
This leverages your expertise for hefty payouts. Often leading to development and management contracts too.
4. Create Online Courses and Memberships
With the rise of interactive elearning platforms like Teachable, Thinkific and Podia, many developers now earn handsomely from online education.
You can sell:
- Video courses – Pre-recorded lessons published on a schedule.
- Memberships – Subscriptions with perks like forums, live workshops and course access.
- Online workshops – Paid, live-streamed sessions.
- Free courses – Courses distributed freely in exchange for email signups.
Top earners easily clear $20,000+ per month on seven figure student rolls.
5. Sell Your Own Software, Scripts and Apps
Instead of building solutions for clients, build your own commercial apps, scripts and software to sell online.
For example, you could offer:
- Mobile apps
- Browser extensions and add-ons
- WordPress plugins
- JavaScript libraries and PHP scripts
- Stock media files
- HTML website templates
- Icons and design assets
Distribute on marketplaces like CodeCanyon and Creative Market or sell from your own site. This lucrative model is commonly called “productized services”.
6. Implement Affiliate Programs
In affiliate marketing, you earn commissions simply for promoting helpful products and services relevant to your audience.
As a web developer, you likely use tools and resources like:
- Web hosting
- Domain registrars
- Stock media
- Project management software
- Email services
- Payment processors
You can join their affiliate programs to monetize your website and content.
Top programs pay out commissions between 25-50% per sale. Some even recure monthly from subscription plans and service renewals.
I easily earn an extra $1500+ per month from affiliate income without much effort.
7. Sell Advertising and Sponsorships
If your sites and apps generate decent traffic, you can cash in by selling ad space.
Ads come in all shapes and sizes:
- Banner ads
- Text and image links
- Sponsored posts and tutorials
- Popups and interstitials
- Takeovers
- Sidebar widgets
For niche blogs and apps, relevant sponsors often pay $500-$2000+ per campaign.
And with an ad management platform like Ezoic, ads can be automated across sites for hands-off earnings.
8. Offer Freelance Web Development
Freelancing means working project-to-project for various clients. Typical freelance jobs include:
- Building and updating sites
- Installing plugins/functionality
- Performance optimization
- SEO auditing
- Bug fixing and troubleshooting
Freelancing rates span $50-$150+ per hour normally, based on skills and experience.
While freedom feels fantastic, the inconsistent cash flow can prove challenging. Using freelance marketplaces like Toptal and Gun.io can aid with lead generation.
9. Sell eBooks and Online Courses
Publishing helpful educational content can produce multiple income streams simultaneously:
- Direct sales – From purchasing your ebook or course.
- Affiliate commissions – Through relevant recommendations inside the materials.
- List building – Using free content to incentivize email signups.
- Advertising – Monetizing the website traffic generated.
eBooks through Amazon Kindle Publishing and online video courses via Teachable or Podia are popular options.
It’s completely feasible to hit $10,000+ in monthly revenue through online education.
10. Offer Retainers and Service Packages
For clients wanting reliability and priority access, service retainers and pre-paid packages both work well.
Retainers mean clients pay an upfront monthly or annual fee to guarantee services within a defined scope and response times. It functions as “credit” towards work completed each period.
Pre-paid packages simply allow clients to purchase blocks of hours in advance at discounted hourly rates. 10, 25, 50 and 100-hour packs are common configurations.
These contracts provide predictable cash flow and sweeten the deals for good clients. They also filter out cheapskates nicely.
11. Implement API Feeds and Integrations
For developers building web apps and services accessed by other systems, offering paid API access allows monetization through metered plans.
For example, you could charge for:
- Number of API calls made
- Amount of records processed
- File storage used
- Compute resources consumed
Popular services like Stripe, Twilio and Google Cloud Platform rake in fortunes from usage-based APIs.
For small to mid-sized apps, API feeds can tack on a healthy side revenue stream too.
If you build skills in high-value areas like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptographic security, many startups will offer equity or profit sharing instead of big salaries.
While riskier, the payout timeframes are accelerated compared to slogging it out freelancing. A studious developer at the right unicorn could pull multiple 6 or 7 figures from an eventual buyout or IPO.
So by diversifying your revenue mix with a few ideas here, you benefit from:
- Increased income stability when client work dries up.
- Passive earnings from productized services and content.
- Larger personal runway to invest in new skills and offerings.
- Improved lifestyle freedom and work/life balance.
Remember, we live in the age of exponential technologies and possibilities. Keep searching for new problems worth solving and stay laser focused on execution.
