When you’re passionate about DJing, you want to work it into every aspect of your life—from playing the perfect soundtrack while you cook dinner to earning an income. But making consistent money as a DJ can be challenging. Regular paying gigs can be few and far between, especially when you’re just starting. That said, it doesn’t mean you can’t begin earning an income from your passion.
The most traditional ways to earn money DJing include gigs at nightclubs and bars, but there are also ways to generate revenue in the event space, including for corporate events and weddings. Additionally, there are many opportunities to earn money online, and that’s what we’ll cover in this article—starting with one of the most obvious: streaming and livestreaming.
Streaming and Livestreaming
There are many places online where you can share your mixes and start earning, including platforms like YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Mixcloud, and SoundCloud. These platforms enable you to earn a small amount every time your mixes are played (note – may require an additional purchase or significant audience to unlock monetisation options), and they help you grow your fan base by putting your music in front of new listeners. Through YouTube, you also get the opportunity to earn through ad revenue and brand partnerships, further supplementing your income. Mixcloud is particularly appealing to DJs because it’s a DJ-centric platform that enables you to earn money in two key ways: tips and creator subscriptions.
Some of these platforms allow you to livestream your mixes as well, creating even more opportunities to connect with listeners and earn money. With livestreaming, you can have a more interactive experience with your listeners and get real-time feedback that helps you perfect your craft. Livestreaming platforms include Twitch, Patreon, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Like YouTube, you can earn through brand partnerships and ad revenue during livestreams, as well as through gifts, tips, and subscriptions.
Selling Mixes and Merchandise
Although DJing live is ideal, you can also diversify your income stream by selling your mixes and brand merchandise. Bandcamp is a DJ-friendly platform that enables you to sell mixes, sound kits, and sample packs to music producers. You might also offer custom mixes for clients who might need music for an event but lack the budget or need for a live DJ. You can tailor the mix to their specific needs to craft something they’ll enjoy and that earns you a bit more cash.
In a similar vein, another creative option is to make general mixes with different moods and genres for places like cafes, restaurants, gyms, or even stores. These venues often play music during their operating hours, and they may appreciate something mixed with their environment in mind rather than having to do it themselves. Consider reaching out to venues directly to pitch your mixes.
To sell merchandise, you can create your own website using platforms like WordPress or Squarespace, and promote your products across all your social media and streaming platforms.
Offering Tutorials, Lessons, and Courses
When you have a skill set you have honed for years, it’s easy to forget that there are beginners out there who would appreciate guidance from someone more experienced. For DJs, this presents another monetisation stream: teaching. Through YouTube and Patreon, you can share tutorials, lessons, and entire courses walking new DJs through the ins and outs of producing mixes. You can even offer one-on-one or group classes at a premium rate to share your expertise in a personalised way. If your musical skill set extends beyond DJing, you could provide lessons on these, too. The best part is that creating lessons and courses keeps your skills sharp and reignites your passion for your work by reminding you of why you started in the first place. DJWORX work with Club Ready DJ School on a partnership basis, as we believe these are the best lessons on the market.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is another valuable way to diversify your revenue stream. Through your streaming platforms, social media accounts, and website, you can share affiliate links with your audience. These allow you to earn commissions on sales or signups, depending on the affiliate program. There are also countless opportunities for affiliate marketing, from clearly related music brands with DJ equipment you can share with aspiring DJs to less obvious ones like promoting online casinos with several types of bonus offers that might align with your audience’s interests.
Freelancing Platforms
Freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork offer valuable exposure because they allow you to get your name in front of more potential clients and earn paid work opportunities. Through these platforms, you can offer in-person DJing, but also digital services you can provide remotely, like producing a mix for a specific project. You can upload your portfolio, collect reviews, and pitch clients all within a single digital space.
Radio Shows and Podcasts
Starting a podcast or digital radio show can be another way to promote your mixes and your brand, and they’re relatively simple to launch. As with streaming your mixes, these methods of sharing your music allow you to monetise it through ads and brand partnerships, like pre-roll ads and sponsored segments of a show. Additionally, you can look for opportunities to guest DJ on podcasts and radio shows (both traditional shows and digital ones), expanding your brand reach and helping you gain more fans—and with them, more income. The DJWORX radio show is every Wednesday 5-7AM GMT on Centreforce radio, the Uk’s biggest independent dance music station.
Blogs, Websites, and Publications
Writing is an unexpected potential income stream, but for DJs who are passionate about the industry and enjoy writing, it could be a great opportunity. You can start a blog where you share the intricacies of DJing, sharing insights into things like the creative process, best equipment, and what it’s like working as a DJ. Through this, you can add affiliate links and ads to monetize the content. Another option is freelancing for publications and websites that live and breathe the DJ lifestyle and want articles from people with real experience and passion in the industry. That is exactly what DJWORX is, but trust us this is not a short term play!
Through these diverse monetisation opportunities, DJs can increase their income in a variety of ways. Whether you choose one or two of the opportunities in this list or all of them, they can help you realise your dream of quitting your day job and becoming a professional DJ., or at least be able to pay for more vinyl/Beatport purchases…
