5 Viral Side Hustles from YouTube ideas of 2025 What I learned (and earned) by testing the most hyped online ideas of 2025
Introduction
Every day, YouTube is flooded with videos claiming you can make $100 a day online without experience. I used to be a passive viewer of those videos — until I decided to try them myself.
In this post, I’ll share my honest, real-world results from trying 5 viral side hustles I found on YouTube. I documented everything — what worked, what flopped, how much I spent, and how much I earned.
Why I Did This Challenge
Like many of you, I was trapped in research mode — saving tutorials, downloading eBooks, but never taking action.
So, I gave myself a challenge:
Try 5 viral side hustles from YouTube
Spend no more than 10 days on each
Invest a maximum of $100 per hustle
Report results honestly
The 5 Side Hustles I Tried:
YouTube Automation (Faceless Channel)
Pinterest Affiliate Marketing
Selling Notion Templates on Gumroad
Airbnb Rental Arbitrage
Selling AI-Generated Art on Shutterstock
YouTube Automation (Faceless Channel)
Time Spent: 10 days
Money Spent: $65 (voiceover tools + editing)
Result: $0 earned | 123 total views
Verdict: Needs long-term effort
Lesson: “Automation doesn’t mean instant success. Content must still be valuable.”
I used ChatGPT for scripting, Eleven Labs for voiceover, and CapCut for editing. My niche was “AI Tools.”
What went wrong?
No SEO plan. No attention-grabbing thumbnails. My videos were lost in the noise.
Pinterest Affiliate Marketing
Time Spent: 7 days
Money Spent: $0
Result: 1,840 impressions | 74 link clicks | $3.87 earned
Verdict: Scalable with consistency
Lesson: “Click-throughs are easy. Conversions need trust.”
I created Canva pins for trending tools, then linked them to a Notion page with affiliate links.
Pro tip: Use Pinterest Business + trending keywords for exposure.
Selling Notion Templates on Gumroad
Time Spent: 8 days
Money Spent: $0
Result: $36 from 6 sales
Verdict: Best performing side hustle
Lesson: “If you solve a problem, even a simple product can sell.”
I created a “30-Day Productivity Challenge” template on Notion, listed it for $6 on Gumroad, and promoted it on Reddit and Twitter.
This hustle was fast, easy, and required zero upfront cost.
Airbnb Rental Arbitrage
Time Spent: 7 days (research only)
Money Spent: $0
Result: Didn’t launch
Verdict: Risky for beginners
Lesson: “Legal and zoning rules matter. Don’t skip the homework.”
I planned to sublet a furnished apartment and list it on Airbnb. But local laws blocked me from launching without a license.
This could work in cities where short-term rentals are legal — but not where I live.
Selling AI Art on Shutterstock
Time Spent: 9 days
Money Spent: $0
Result: 3 approved images | 0 downloads
Verdict: Long-term digital asset strategy
Lesson: “AI art can work — but it must be keyword-optimized and original.”
I used DALL·E and followed Shutterstock Contributor Guidelines. The images got approved, but none downloaded yet.
This is a slow-growing side hustle — not ideal for fast cash.
Final Comparison Table
| Side Hustle | Earnings | Time Spent | Worth Continuing? |
| YouTube Automation | $0 | 10 days | Not short-term |
| Pinterest Affiliate | $3.87 | 7 days | With daily posting |
| Notion Templates (Gumroad) | $36 | 8 days | Best overall |
| Airbnb Arbitrage | $0 | 7 days | Too risky here |
| AI Art (Shutterstock) | $0 | 9 days | Long-term passive |
What I’ll Focus on Next:
Build a Notion template shop on Gumroad
Launch a newsletter to grow an audience
Write more experience-based content
Stay away from legally risky or saturated hustles
Want More Like This?
Check out:
🔗 [How I Made My First $50 Selling Notion Templates in 5 Days — COMING SOON]
🔗 [Best Free Tools for Digital Product Creators — COMING SOON]
More at: PassiveProfitsWorld.com
Conclusion
This 30-day experiment showed me something powerful:
Execution beats education. Action creates results.
Don’t get stuck watching. Pick one hustle that fits you — and start now.
Stay consistent, stay ethical, and your results will come.