There is a misconception that making money online is easy. You will find many individuals who promote themselves as the go-to source for information on how to make money online, yet the reality is that there is so much complexity behind the scenes that even experienced individuals can fall victim to scams and illegal activities.
However, if you are seeking legitimate ways to make money online, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss how to make money online safely and how to avoid some of the common pitfalls. We will cover everything from the lucrative affiliate marketing sector to ways to make money online without leaving your home.
Affiliate Marketing
We will begin by discussing affiliate marketing, which is one of the most popular ways to make money online. Essentially, this is when an affiliate marketer will promote a product (mostly online) and if a consumer clicks a link or makes a purchase after being redirected to the merchant’s website, then the affiliate will earn a commission.
There are a variety of affiliate marketing opportunities, including but not limited to:
- Amazon Associates
- eBay Associates
- Google AdSense
- ClickBank
- JVZoo.com
- ShareASale.com
- Survey Junkies
- Shopify Associates
- Yitho.com
- Wishpond.com
In general, you will find that Amazon is the go-to platform for affiliate marketing, followed by eBay and Google AdSense. While there are a variety of affiliate marketing opportunities, we will discuss the three largest platforms in more detail.
Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates is one of the original affiliate marketing networks and is currently the second-largest affiliate network in the world. With over 2.5 million members, this program provides Amazon sellers with a way to promote and connect with thousands of potential customers all over the world. With Amazon Associates, you can earn commissions from products that are sold in the Amazon Marketplace. The Amazon Associates platform presents an extremely broad scope of products and services for affiliate marketers to promote.
To become an Amazon Associate, you will need to visit the Amazon Associates website and create a free account. Then, you will need to promote products that you are an AUTHORIZED user of. You can find a variety of products that you can promote including but not limited to:
- Amazon Kindle Books
- Audiobooks on Kindle
- MP3s on Kindle
- Movies on Kindle
- Travel Guides on Kindle
- Apps and Tools for Kindle
If you are interested in gaining experience and building a reputation as a top affiliate marketer, you can apply to become a “Publisher” with Amazon, which provides you with access to even more products. To become a publisher, you will need to have at least a decade of experienced marketing and web development under your belt. Once you have established yourself as an expert, you can finally get to the business of earning money online!
eBay Associates
eBay associates is a program that allows website owners to make money from their online store. Specifically, you will find that eBay offers competitive affiliate commissions as well as a Global Product Advertising Network (GPAX). With these two platforms combined, you will have access to millions of products and global scale for your sales.
To become an eBay affiliate marketer, you will need to visit the affiliates.ebay.com website and register for an account. Then, you will need to promote products that you are an AUTHORIZED user of. You can find a variety of products that you can promote including but not limited to:
- eBay Motors cars
- eBay clothing
- eBay gift cards
- eBay seafood
- eBay travel packages
- eBay electronics
The nice thing about the eBay affiliate program is that you will not need to build a list or find potential customers yourself. The network takes care of all of that for you. However, if you do want to get started with affiliate marketing, it would be advised to join a reputable network such as eBay or Amazon instead of diving in head first without any experience. Building a successful online business takes time, and you will need the proper training to ensure you do this legally and ethically.
Google AdSense
Google AdSense is the original affiliate marketing network and is currently the third-largest affiliate network in the world. This network provides publishers with a way to make money online through contextual advertising. Essentially, when a user lands on your site, you will see a pop-up window asking if they would like to make money online. If they click “OK” or continue browsing, you will earn a commission for that click.
To become a Google AdSense affiliate marketer, you will need to visit the AdSense website and register for an account. Then you will need to promote products that you are an AUTHORIZED user of. You can find a variety of products that you can promote including but not limited to:
- Software and Apps
- Web Hosting
- Domain Names
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Affiliate Marketing
- YouTube
YouTube is one of the biggest platforms for online videos and has an extremely broad scope of products and services that you can promote. Similar to Amazon, YouTube also provides you with access to millions of products and the potential to earn large commissions from product sales. While you will find a wide range of affiliate marketing opportunities, this platform is massive and provides a potentially lucrative income stream for experienced marketers. Building an audience on YouTube isn’t easy, but if you can grow your audience and develop your own channel, you can finally get to the business of earning money online!
ClickBank
Another big affiliate network that provides access to millions of products is ClickBank. This network provides a variety of affiliate marketing opportunities including digital products, software, online hosting, and more. To become a ClickBank affiliate marketer, you will need to visit the affiliates.clickbank.com website and register for an account. Then, you will need to promote products that you are an AUTHORIZED user of. You can find a variety of products that you can promote including but not limited to:
- Software and Apps
- Web Hosting
- Domain Names
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Affiliate Marketing
- YouTube
- Amazon Kindle Books
- Audiobooks on Kindle
- MP3s on Kindle
- Movies on Kindle
- Travel Guides on Kindle
- Apps and Tools for Kindle
As you can see, there are a variety of ways to make money online. While many of these methods require serious investment of time and money to build their respective websites and attract an audience, once you do you can finally get to the business of earning money online!
JVZoo.com
If you are seeking a one-stop shop for finding affiliate marketing opportunities, you can visit the JVZoo.com website and sign up for a free account. Then, you will need to visit the Sellers Directory and browse the various offers from top to bottom. You can also search for products within the directory that interest you.
You will need to take caution when considering the JVZoo.com platform. While you will gain access to a massive database of products, you will also see many scammers and spammers who are looking to take your money. Remember, online marketing is a shady business and you must be wary of those who prey on the vulnerable.
ShareASale.com
If you are seeking a more traditional affiliate marketing opportunity, you can visit the ShareASale.com website and sign up for a free account. Then, you will need to browse the various products and services for sale and find those that you are interested in promoting.