The Hidden Business of Instagram Memes: How They’re Making Millions

 

Instagram meme pages are transforming from just pastime accounts to full-fledged revenue engines. Today’s top meme curators are monetizing humor through affiliate links, brand sponsorships, and merchandise. 

According to a recent Reddit deep dive on Instagram’s subscription model, these creators earn recurring monthly income per subscriber, in addition to shoppable posts via Instagram Shop. The sale of meme NFTs like Disaster Girl, which fetched about $500,000, highlights how memes have become very valuable intellectual property. Memework managers also play a key role by negotiating deals and licensing jokes.

As the meme culture becomes a mainstream advertising fodder, these accounts are redefining influencer marketing, proving that laughs can also be turned into a lucrative business.

From Side Hustle to Six Figures: People Making Money in Unexpected Ways

 

In 2025, niche side hustles are propelling even the ordinary individual into six-figure incomes. On Upwork, top freelance software engineers can earn over $1 million through milestone-driven contracts, per the SWE‑Lancer benchmark of 1,400 real-world tasks.

Upwork data also shows U.S. freelancers average nearly $99,000 annually, with experienced professionals earning up to about $275,000. In fact, one developer reported that she earned $600,000, an average of $120,000 per year over five years (2017 - 2022) that she worked on Upwork alone. 

Similarly, Fiverr Go, a new AI-powered assistant of the Fiverr platform, is helping creators to scale premium services like digital marketing or graphic design, leading to services revenue growing at about 94% year-over-year in early 2025. Although most sellers on Fiverr earn modestly, 96–97% report monthly income below $500. So it can be said that top-tier freelancers are the ones thriving . 

These success stories underscore a growing reality that with just the right skills, platforms, and persistence, side hustles and freelancing can evolve into full-time, high-income careers, powered by social media presence, high-value expertise, and efficient gig infrastructure.

The Business of Conspiracies: Why Fake News Still Pays Big in 2025

Despite years of content moderation campaigns, conspiracy theories still remain lucrative as of 2025. Whether it is the flat Earth theories, political hoaxes, or vaccine denials, these narratives dominate engagement on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.

Conspiracy influencers often monetize their reach using ad revenue, book sales, affiliate links, and paid subscriptions. According to a recent report, QAnon content continues to circulate despite platform bans, with creators moving to some of the lesser-regulated networks and building loyal, paying followings. 

Meanwhile, the viral nature of conspiracy content which is often based on mystery, fear, or anti-establishment sentiment, makes it more algorithmically favored. Researchers from the Harvard Kennedy School warn that “disinformation entrepreneurs” have optimized this business model, thereby creating an entire ecosystems of echo chambers. 

Podcasts and streaming channels have also capitalized on these theories, attracting advertisers who are willing to bypass mainstream scrutiny. Although some platforms have tightened their policies, the enforcement of these policies themselves remain deficient. The problem is not just ideological, it is also economic. 

Fake news thrives because it earns a lot of money, builds communities, and offers an emotional hook. Until content moderation becomes consistently enforced across all platforms across the world, conspiracy economies will continue to grow, and feed on distrust, polarization, and algorithmic amplification.

Some Viral Twitter Threads That Sparked Real-Life Investigations

 

Twitter, (now X), always shows its ability to turn viral threads into real-world action. One of the most impactful threads involved a whistleblower exposing so-called fake "organic" labels on grocery items. After about a millions of views and mainstream pickup, a Canadian supermarket chain changed its packaging and launched an internal audit thereafter. 

Another major thread documented accusations of sexual harassment inside a San Francisco tech firm. Within days, the company in question placed the accused on leave and began a formal probe. A third viral story also revealed a fraudulent GoFundMe campaign, prompting the platform to suspend the account and refund donors. 

While some members of the public worry about misinformation and trial-by-social-media, the examples mentioned above show how digital activism can drive accountability. The format which involves bite-sized facts, embedded documents, and most often, first-person accounts, makes it accessible and engaging. It also enables marginalized voices to bypass traditional media gatekeeping. However, some critics warn that viral reach doesn’t always equal truth, and most false accusations have occasionally gone unverified. 

The rise of thread-led investigations demonstrates both the promise and peril of real-time crowd-sourced justice. As social media platforms remain primary news sources, users must also learn to balance advocacy with critical thinking.

2025 Mid-Year Business Trends Every Entrepreneur Should Watch Now

 

Midyear 2025 comes with a business landscape defined by automation, and sustainability, as well as digital monetization. AI-powered customer service tools, such as predictive CRMs, chatbots, and voicebots are now reshaping how businesses interact with consumers. 

Meanwhile, green business models are also attracting more investor interest, with ESG-driven (Environmental, Social and Governance) startups gaining record funding. Subscription-based services still remain strong across industries from education to home goods due to their predictable revenue streams. 

Most notably, micro-businesses that leverage social media for sales boosts are experiencing impressive growth, particularly on platforms such as Instagram Threads and TikTok Shop. Entrepreneurs should focus on automation, agility, and audience engagement in order to stay ahead of their competitors. 

With consumer behavior shifting at a very fast rate, business owners who adapt quickly to tech and the rapidly changing global demands will go ahead to dominate the second half of 2025.

Cryptocurrency Scams: Types, Warning Signs, and How to Stay Safe

       

Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the financial world, offering decentralization and anonymity. However, this innovation, as positive as it is, also has its downsides. It has attracted scammers seeking to exploit unsuspecting investors. Understanding the types of scams and how to avoid them is crucial for anyone navigating the crypto space.

One common type of scam is the investment scam, where fraudsters promise high returns in exchange for your cryptocurrency. This happens especially on Telegram and Twitter, now known as X. These schemes often operate as Ponzi structures, using new investors' funds to pay earlier participants until the operation collapses. Some of these last for about a week, or two at most.  Another widespread scam is phishing, where hackers trick users into providing their wallet keys or login credentials through fake websites or emails resembling legitimate platforms.

Additionally, rug pulls occur when developers launch a cryptocurrency project, attract investments from their users, and then abruptly withdraw funds, leaving these users/investors with worthless tokens. Social engineering scams, such as fake celebrity endorsements or urgent messages from supposed exchange representatives, also target unsuspecting investors.

There are varieties to these crypto scams. Another of such scams, is where these scammers make a post on cryptocurrency platforms or exchanges, posing as newbies who are either "looking for help in trading", or do not know their way around the crypto scene, by providing a well funded wallet with their seed phrases visible, making them look and sound clueless, whereas they in fact, know what they are on about. Unsuspecting, but greedy users who attempt to access these wallets are then asked to pay a transaction or gas fee before they can have access to the funds in those fake wallets. Once they pay, more payments are still demanded from them, until they realize they actually being scammed.

To avoid falling victim, it's essential to verify the legitimacy of any investment opportunity. Also, conduct thorough research on projects, teams, and platforms before investing. Never share your private keys or sensitive information, even with those claiming to represent official organizations. Double-check website URLs to ensure you're visiting the correct and secure site. Using hardware wallets can also enhance security by keeping your crypto offline.

Staying informed and cautious is the best defense against cryptocurrency scams. By recognizing red flags and practicing due diligence, investors can better protect their assets and enjoy the benefits of the digital currency landscape.