Selling things online can be pretty lucrative, but carving out a niche in this crowded market can be hard. When you do nail it though, the rewards can be great. In today’s digital landscape, it’s becoming increasingly important to find a way to make money from scratch. There are various ways to do this, but becoming a digital marketer or a freelancer are popular routes to achieving financial freedom. Let’s dive into the topic a bit deeper and examine some of the basics of monetizing websites and apps.
Monetizing Websites
The most straightforward way to generate revenue from a website is to sell and display advertising. This type of advertising will be selected, purchased, and displayed based on the interests and behavior of the user. The more you interact with an ad, the greater the chance that you will be served an ad that suits your interests. This method of generating revenue is known as online display advertising or online marketing.
Depending on the size of your website, you may choose to run paid search ads to attract customers to your site. Paid search ads will appear at the top of the search results on major search engines when someone searches for your products or services. For example, if you’re a plumbing business that serves the Los Angeles area, you might want to consider using the phrase “Los Angeles plumber” as your paid search ad so that when a user types this into the search bar on a major search engine, your plumbing service will show up as an option.
Monetizing Apps
If you have an Android app or a mobile website, you can also integrate monetization features. Although much smaller than traditional websites, apps can be a source of income if you play your cards right. For instance, if you develop an app for small businesses that enables them to track their sales and analyze their performance, you might decide to monetize this app. In this scenario, you would be acting as a consultant, developing the app and giving advice on how to improve business performance. You could charge a fee for each recommendation you make or each individual part of the app you integrate.
If your app is free, but users are charged for additional features or tools, you can also explore the ‘freemium’ model. In the freemium model, users can access all the app’s features for free, but additional features are charged for. For example, if I’m a business owner that has installed your plumbing app and I need an air pump for my truck, I’ll have to pay you for it. In this scenario, you would be acting as a product or service vendor, providing a tool or a service that people want or need and are willing to purchase.
When someone decides to purchase a product or service from you, you can use a shopping cart website like Shopify, SwipeBuy, or OneOmatic to collect names and email addresses. You can then pass this information on to a mailing list provider like MailChimp, Sparkpost, or Aweber to continue the marketing push.
There are various ways to make money off a blog or website. The key is to find a way to make money from the content you’re already creating rather than needing to invest in expensive tools or equipment to generate income. If you want to learn more, explore the following sources: