Inflation has reached record levels and while there are signs it may be easing, prices on just about everything remain high. Congress has worked to pass legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at lowering the costs of living. As a result, many people are seeking ways to make extra money online. You may be wondering, “What is online marketing and how can I make money from it?” Let’s examine some internet marketing business ideas to help you decide if this is the right place for you to be engaging with online customers.
Affiliate Marketing
One of the oldest and most popular ways to make money online is affiliate marketing. Simply put, affiliate marketing is when an affiliate merchant sells products or services on behalf of a regular or recurring merchant. You can think of affiliate marketing as a form of multi-level marketing (MLM).
The beauty of affiliate marketing is that you don’t need to have a huge audience to get started. You simply need to choose a niche and offer help or advice on how to purchase the right products or services in that niche. When an affiliate customer buys a product or service through your affiliate link, you will earn a commission.
There are two main benefits to this type of business model.
- You can get started with almost any sales skill in the world of affiliate marketing.
- You don’t need to have millions of fans to get started.
If you’re looking to get started with affiliate marketing, try these popular affiliate marketing platforms:
Amazon Associates
You’ve likely heard of Amazon, the e-commerce giant that is currently valued at over $100 billion. For those unfamiliar, Amazon Associates is an affiliate marketing program that allows anyone to sign up for free. You can use this platform to promote any product or service you choose.
When someone clicks a link or buys a product that is promoted using your affiliate account, you will earn a commission.
ClickBank
ClickBank is one of the largest affiliate marketing platforms available online. Similar to Amazon Associates, to become a member of the ClickBank affiliate network you will need to create a free account. Once you have your account set up, you can choose from hundreds of products and services to promote.
The great thing about ClickBank is it doesn’t just allow you to promote products; you can also create and sell your own products through online stores like Shopify and Woocommerce.
CNET As Seen On TV
Anyone who has ever watched the TV show, “As Seen On TV,” knows about this advertising platform. Basically, this is a place you can promote products that have been advertised on TV. This is a great way to gain popularity as many potential customers will be exposed to your channel. You can start with a free membership and then you promote products using online video content you create.
This is one of the easiest ways to make money online if you have a decent YouTube channel.
Rakuten Affiliate Network
Rakuten Affiliate Network is a relatively new entrant into the affiliate marketing world but has already established itself as one of the best affiliate networks available. Why? Because of the high conversion rates and massive profits affiliates make from this platform. To get started, you will need to create a free account and then you can choose from hundreds of products, including its own affiliate offers, to promote.
Another great thing about Rakuten is it has a structured approach to affiliate marketing. In other words, you won’t just be promoting products online but will actually be developing a marketing plan and following a series of steps to reach your audience.
Ebay Associates
If you’re looking to make money online, you may want to consider becoming a seller on eBay, the largest online marketplace for buying and selling almost everything. In order to become an eBay affiliate marketer, you will need to create a free account. Once you have your account set up, you can promote any product or service that is sold on eBay and earn a commission when a sale is made through your affiliate link.
On the surface, eBay affiliate marketing may not seem like a totally legit way to make money online unless you’re doing it via a virtual assistant or affiliate marketer who is hired and paid by you. Nevertheless, eBay is one of the most popular ways to make money online, so if you’re looking for a way to make ends meet, this may be a viable option.
Shopify Commissions
Shopify is another popular e-commerce solution that offers a variety of methods for affiliates to make money. Typically, the company provides an affiliate program that earns a commission when a sale is made using an affiliate link. However, members can also create and sell their own products on Shopify.
The great thing about Shopify is you don’t just have to promote products that are sold on the platform. You can also create product demos that will encourage interested customers to make a purchase. Imagine being able to earn a commission when someone purchases a product that you’ve helped to promote through your affiliate link, even if the product was not affiliated with your campaign in any way.
Yahoo! Affiliate Marketing
Anyone who watches Yahoo! News or uses the Yahoo! Search engine knows about this advertising platform. To qualify as an affiliate marketer with Yahoo!, you will need to create a free account, but then you can choose from hundreds of products and services to promote. Like most other affiliate marketing networks, Yahoo!’s affiliate program allows you to earn commissions when a sale is made through an affiliate link.
Yahoo! has many different products and services to promote, so you will have your pick of affiliate programs to join. Just remember to keep your affiliate links clean and simple. Also, make sure you are not violating any policies set by the FTC or any other governing bodies. Finally, make sure that you disclose your affiliation with the company when you promote their products.
The great thing about this platform is it’s vast array of products and services. You will not be restricted to promoting a specific brand or product and can, in fact, promote almost anything you choose. In addition, Yahoo! allows you to set any commission you make to zero, so you will not be penalized if you didn’t make a sale. As long as you qualify as an affiliate marketer, you will not be penalized for not making any sales.
Cost Per Acquisition
This is the least traditional of the ways to make money online but one of the most profitable. Instead of earning a commission based on the sale of a product or service, some affiliates earn revenue by investing the cash they would have made in the product or service in question. A classic example is the Teespring platform, which literally pays you to wear or use their products. In this case, you’ll need to sign up for a free account and then you can promote and sell various tees, sweatshirts, and other fashion items. You will earn 10% of the company’s revenue for each item sold through your affiliate link.
Although the practice is quite a bit newer than the others covered here, it is important to understand how effective digital marketing can be for your business. Simply put, content marketing is when a business creates marketing content, like blogs, articles, and videos, to attract potential customers as well as engage them once they’re on the site. If you’re looking for ways to make money from home, consider getting into the content game.