4 Proven Ways to Make Money Online
I see and hear it all the time. My inbox is flooded with hundreds of emails asking the same questions all the time: “How do I make money online?” It’s such a simple question, but without an easy answer. All too often, it’s not a matter of telling someone how to make money online. Instead, it’s about getting them to actually take action and being willing to put in the work and effort.
With over 20-plus years of experience in the world of online marketing, and having written thousands of articles on the topic, I know that it’s not a matter of not knowing how to answer—it’s simply a matter of repeating myself over and over.
As we continue to see entrepreneurship and business booming like never before, I am here once again to provide some useful knowledge for anyone looking to get started with a business of their own, while also giving some actionable tips in the process. It’s also important to make sure you are familiar with some of the latest business opportunities and trends in the world today.
A perfect resource is this business ideas guide from Oberlo, which provides 25 different ideas and niche markets to make money this year. It’s best to find an evergreen product or market that you can make money with over the long term, and not fall into the trap of chasing what’s hot right now or the next big thing around the corner.
Finally, it’s important to understand that “creating content” really isn’t a viable business any more. With millions of active sites releasing new content daily, "new content" is simply what we don’t need. If you want to create a business online, you must cater to the needs of your audience or customers, and also have a legitimate business model and form of monetization.
4 proven ways to make money online
1. Create an affiliate marketing-focused niche review site
I figure the best way to start off this list is with a business opportunity that really anyone can take advantage of, while not having to invest a lot of upfront money in the process.
The concept of a "niche affiliate review site" is quite simple. Create a site with highly focused content on a specific product, service, or niche, and make money using affiliate marketing to earn a commission on all referred sales and leads. It's easy to get started, but there is actually a lot more that goes into making it successful. As mentioned earlier, content alone will only get you so far.
However, if this is your first go-round at making money online, this is a great way to potentially find success, while also learning the ropes and getting familiar with the industry. Worst-case scenario is you spend a few bucks on a domain and hosting if it’s not your thing. If you made it that far, you’ve actually done a lot more than the majority of people.
2. Become an actual affiliate marketer
Affiliate marketing is great. The opportunities that lie within this space are endless, and where else could a kid living in his parents' home end up generating seven figures and still running a business around the same focus 20 years later?
Yes, affiliate marketing is great and it also allows you to work with some of the biggest brand names in the world, while also never needing to deal with customers or handle products or sales.
Other articles from AllBusiness.com:
- 7 Strategies for Small Business Owners Selling Products on Amazon
- 4 Common E-Commerce Mistakes New Online Sellers Make
- 3 Biggest International E-Commerce Challenges and How to Overcome Them
- How to Monetize a Popular Blog
- 5 Benefits of Launching Your Startup as a Virtual Business
The difference between having a website or blog, and making money with affiliate marketing or Google AdSense, and actually being an "affiliate marketer" is you are building ad campaigns and spending money to run your ad campaigns. Again, this is much more competitive with more people entering the world of affiliate marketing daily, but it’s still one of the best opportunities out there.
To learn more about what’s working best with affiliate marketing, I recommend you get started with these trusted affiliate forums.
3. Create an e-commerce and drop shipping site
Years ago, I had an online drop shipping store of my own. This was way back before it was cool and before anything like Alibaba and automated drop shipping was around. Now everything is a much smoother and easier process.
Despite the complexities it took to manage the site, it was kind of fun having a site that sold a real product and knowing there were customers who were using the products our drop shipper sent out. I even had some great Facebook ad campaigns that brought in a nice ROI.
Enough about my story, because e-commerce might be the right business solution for you.
The common theme with all of these different ways to make money online is that it’s easy to get started and go live, but not so easy to compete, establish a brand, and achieve profitability. To find success with e-commerce, you need to find the right products, make sure they have a nice profit margin, and then also have a way to market to your potential customers.
Remember, this space is extremely competitive right now and a lot of people are selling the same stuff. Don’t fall into the hype and sell the same things as everyone else. Think "evergreen" and come up with a creative and effective way to reach your audience.
4. Build a business around the services and audience of Amazon
We’ve mentioned site building, affiliate marketing, and even e-commerce, but one brand that has taken advantage of all of these methods has still been left out—and that’s Amazon, of course!
When it comes to building a business online, wouldn’t it be great to have your products sold on the largest retailer site on the internet? Wouldn’t it also be great if that site could process orders, handle customers, and even ship out your products, too?
With Amazon, all of that is true, and there are many different ways to make money with the site, including:
- Amazon Mechanical Turk—Crowdsourcing marketplace for individuals and businesses.
- Amazon Associates—Amazon's referral and affiliate program.
- Amazon Merch—Selling print on demand (t-shirts) and products on Amazon.
- Amazon FBA—Send your products to Amazon for them to sell and deliver.
Now, each of these opportunities are different in nature and can apply to your business differently, depending on what you sell or what your focus is. The important thing to remember is Amazon sells millions of products daily. Having your brand and products on the Amazon site is a HUGE win if you can get set up correctly. Also keep in mind that there will be a lot of competition, so in no way is it a set-and-forget solution.
To get started, simply head over to Amazon.
Don’t stress out over the process—just get started!
Over the course of the year, I talk with thousands of people who want to get started with their own blog, website, or online business. Most of these people are all talk and fail to get started, but there are a small fraction who will take the advice I give them and run with it.
Another reason for lack of success or motivation to get fully up and running is that people get overloaded with the initial launch process and have read too many startup and tutorial articles. This is often referred to as “paralysis by analysis.”
If you really want to get started with an online business of your own, just get started. You need to start putting things in motion and make sure you are learning along the way.
Remember, every successful online business started with zero visitors, social followers, and content. Start at your zero today!
