If you’re looking for an easy way to make money online, you’ve probably considered a few of the popular options such as Google Adsense, Chitika, and Amazon Associates. While each of these opportunities offers something unique, you’ll eventually be tempted by the money-making potential of the average online website…if you want to make money online.
If that sounds good, keep reading. We’re not advising you to run off and set up shop in the name of any specific company. Instead, we want to help you understand how to make money online in a way that feels right for you.
1. Create a Blog
We’re going to assume that you already have a website or are planning to set one up. If not, there are plenty of useful tools out there to help you create an online presence quickly and efficiently (we’ll get to that in a bit). If you’ve decided that you’re going to create a blog, keep reading.
A blog is a fantastic way to make money online. Not only do you get to write about topics that you’re passionate about, but you also get to grow with the content as the blog grows. Furthermore, you set the pace for how often you post. You decide when you want to post, and what you want to cover. In addition to all of that, creating a blog is a fantastic way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry. If you can become an authoritative voice in your industry, you can potentially become the go-to person people turn to for advice on your topic. When that happens, you’ll be able to charge anywhere from a free to a premium rate for your advice or content.
2. Start an Online Store
If you’re looking for an easy way to make money online, you’ve probably considered a few of the popular options such as Google Adsense, Chitika, and Amazon Associates. While each of these opportunities offers something unique, you’ll eventually be tempted by the money-making potential of the average online website…if you want to make money online.
If that sounds good, keep reading. We’re not advising you to run off and set up shop in the name of any specific company. Instead, we want to help you understand how to make money online in a way that feels right for you.
One of the simplest ways to make money online is to start an online store. What is an online store? An online store is simply a website that you can sell your products or services on. You’ll find a lot of online stores that sell almost anything and everything. If you can think of a product that you can make (or buy somewhere else that already makes or sells the product you’re thinking about making), you can potentially set up an online store to sell it. There’s a ton of money to be made from simply selling your own products online. If you can build a following of passionate customers, you can create a profitable business even if you’re just selling one product a month.
Things to consider when starting an online store:
- Domain name – it’s important to get a domain name that’s easy to remember and spells smoothly. Preferably, you want your domain to be short and sweet so people easily remember it when they’re looking for information on your product or service. Also, make sure that the domain name is available.
- Shop design – You’ll need to choose a layout for your store. There are tons of free themes and tools like WordPress that can help you design a custom-looking shop in no time. The key is to find something that suits your niche and that looks professional.
- Product images – Make sure to set the right images for your products. You can use free image search tools like Google Images to quickly find the perfect image for your product. Also, make sure that the images are high-quality and of good size so that the product looks realistic.
- Product description – Every product you sell needs a description. Make sure to write a compelling description that will draw potential customers to your store. You can use online shops like Shopify that can help you build a beautiful online store with all the products you want to sell in a matter of minutes. They have a free option that allows you to set up your store and start selling your products within days.
- Shipping – If you want to sell your products online, you’ll need to think about the way they’ll be delivered to your customer. You can choose from many different options ranging from shipping them yourself (using a service like UPS or FedEx) to having them delivered by a freight company (DHL, TNT, and others). Look into the pros and cons of each option and decide what’s best for you.
- Taxes – Depending on where you live, you may have to pay taxes on any money you make from sales in your state. However, there are several online shops that help you get your taxes done for you so you don’t have to worry about them. All you have to do is fill out a few forms (the majority of which are done online) and submit them to the IRS. You’ll receive a bill in the mail a few weeks later with a hefty refund check. Don’t let taxes stop you from becoming a successful online entrepreneur!
- Promotions – Every product or service has a competitive edge built in with the use of discounts and promotions. This is one of the best ways to create a buzz about your product and get people interested in it. If you can get a free trial or low-cost option, you can give your product a competitive edge by offering a special deal to encourage people to try your product. For example, if you’re selling software that helps people create online stores, you can give the software a free trial for a limited time or offer a special discount to those who purchase the software.
- Follow-up – Once you start getting the hang of things and begin making sales, it’s important to follow up with your customers. Even if you’ve never done so, you can set up an email service like MailChimp to collect and organize email addresses from people who’ve never given you their email address before and pitch them on upcoming offers and discounts. You can also use tools like GetResponse to build and grow your email list quickly and easily.
…and that’s pretty much all you need to know about how to make money online. If you’ve decided that this is a good option for you, go ahead and start creating your store. You’ll be able to find a wide variety of products and services to sell on your site once it’s up and running. Just be sure to keep the tips and advice in this article in mind so you can become an expert in the most profitable way possible.