There are many ways to make money online but not all of them are created equal. Not all opportunities are created equal, and sometimes you can end up wasting a lot of time and energy if you’re not careful. So here are 5 ways to make money online that are not affiliate marketing which you should probably avoid since they probably aren’t going to lead you to riches.
1. Take Surveys
There aren’t many ways to make money online that don’t involve selling your own goods or services, but taking surveys online is a great way to make an extra buck. Some of the more popular survey sites include Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, OneOpinion, Ipsos iSay, and Ipsos iSay Pro, to name a few. You’ll typically need to make a qualifying purchase of at least $25 before you can begin earning rewards, but the rewards can be significant – sometimes even leading to paid work. You can also take part in research studies that pay – pretty much always online nowadays. You’ll need to have a digital camera and a computer with internet access to take part in these studies, so make sure you’ve got all of that before you get started. Don’t expect to make huge earnings right away – you’ll most likely need to build up a portfolio of a few paid surveys before you can begin leveraging your phone. When you do start making money, it’s generally best to keep some of it hidden (i.e. not in a checking account) to avoid the IRS deeming it income and taxing you on it.
2. Start an Online Store
If you’re looking to make a full-time living selling your art, you might want to consider creating an online store. There are many advantages to doing this, not the least of which is that you can directly connect with buyers and collect cash immediately (you don’t have to wait for a cheque to clear before you can purchase another painting). In addition, you can create an online store without any previous experience or expertise and get started quickly and easily. If you’re looking for a way to make money online, an eCommerce store is one of the best options available.
3. Start an Online Cafe
If you’re looking for an even newer way to make money online, you might want to consider creating an online cafe. An online cafe is an eCommerce site where customers can purchase drinks, snacks, and other products featured on the menu – typically these products are affiliate products (meaning you’ll earn a commission whenever a customer makes a purchase after being presented with an affiliate link). Many cafes offer social features as well, allowing customers to connect and interact with other users.
You’ll need a decent amount of money to start an online cafe, typically at least $50,000. Once you’ve got the basics of the site set up, you can use the funds to then purchase products to offer customers along with a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere.
4. Start an Online Store Without All The Hype
If you want to start an eCommerce store but you’re not really passionate about it, you might want to consider creating an online store without all the hype. One of the best ways to do this is to use a platform like Shopify or Big Commerce. Using these platforms, you can set up a professional-looking store in no time at all and start selling your art and other products straight away. You won’t need to attract customers to your site – they’ll come to you.
5. Start an Affiliate Marketing Site
If you’re looking to make a full-time living off your art, you might want to consider creating an affiliate marketing site. An affiliate marketing site is a website that promotes and earns revenue from other companies. Usually, you’ll need to fill out a short application form and then the company you’re promoting will provide you with a special affiliate link to use in your marketing materials (i.e. blog posts, social media posts, etc.). When a customer clicks on that link and purchases something, you’ll earn a commission.
There are many red flags when it comes to affiliate marketing, and you should probably avoid this route if you’re looking to make money online. First of all, a lot of the companies that you’ll be partnered with don’t have the best reputation. In addition, a lot of the products that they promote are low quality – making it hard for customers to actually get what they want without having a bad experience. And finally, the income that you’ll make typically isn’t worth the amount of work involved.
If you’re looking to make a quick buck, you can certainly find affiliate marketing opportunities – just make sure that you’re not being fooled by a fake or a scam.
As you can see, there are many ways to make money online – it’s just a matter of finding the right one for you. When it comes to finding work-from-home opportunities, make sure that you look for legitimate ways to make money online that don’t require too much upfront investment. Otherwise, you might end up wasting time and energy pursuing an income that isn’t going to last forever.