Top tips on how to sell yourself online

Social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat are huge undertakings - so how can they possibly be free?

Part of the answer lies in your personal data - marketers want it and are willing to pay for it. So why not have them pay you?

Here are three way you can sell yourself.

1. Datacoup

This is a new free app and browser extension that collects all of your personal data that you choose to share and strips away any personal information to keep you anonymous. Datacoup then acts as a data broker, making offers which will increase in value with the more you're willing to share. Payouts can come in the form of discounts at retailers or even as cold hard cash.

2. Citizen Me

Citizen Me, like Datacoup, keeps all your information anonymous and the payback comes in the form of insights. For example a personality profile based on your Facebook likes or small cash payouts for bits of your recent online history.

3. Sell your expertise

If you can verify that you're an expert in one of over 175 categories Just Answer will pay you to provide the kind of personalised answer to questions that people just can't find in a Google search. You don't have to pay to be listed but you do have to provide information that confirms your expertise such as CVs and professional certificates.