Whether you have a business website or are trying to make money off the web, invariably just being online offers you the opportunity to make money in some fashion. Many people have an idea of what making money online means to them, but it’s often a limited view, which you’ll see if you visit “make money” websites or blogs. I’m going to give you some of the basic ways that people make money, whether directly or indirectly, and a general idea of how it’s done; I’m betting most of you know these ways already.
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One, you can make money by selling products. This is the easy one that most people think of, as you can sell products you make or products someone else makes. Affiliate marketing works well for some people who have niche blogs or websites.
Two, you can make money by selling services. You find this more often with people that offer coaching, counseling or consulting services.
When you think of this model, you have to think both short term and long term marketing. For instance, if I have a link up it means I’m trying to sell short term services; not necessarily that I’m hoping you’ll only use me once and go away, but these are immediate services that I want to be paid up front for.
When you have a business website and you provide services, most probably you’re working on long term services, which doesn’t mean you only offer services that last a lifetime, but are looking to build your authority and presence over time so that you can become known as an expert and thus charge more for your services.
Three, you can make money by accepting advertising. Within this model you can include things like Google Adsense and other pay-per-click (PPC) or pay per subscriber/buyer models. If you have a business website you should think long and hard as to whether you want any type of advertising on your site because there’s the potential of you sending people away. However, if you have other sites like blogs that don’t talk about business specifically, accepting advertising is a great way to build income, but you have to be cautious in how you do it.
Advertising can also take other forms. If you write a blog on a certain subject you’ll often have someone ask if they can pay for a link on an article that pertains to what they do. That’s one of the powers of being a prolific writer; there’s always someone willing to pay for some authority to link back to their site. Being known as a publisher or content curator of original information can pay well.
You need to evaluate your business to determine what your websites goals are. If you’re highlighting your business, then stay away from many forms of advertising. If you’re somewhat flexible, there are lots of options you can explore.
Great points, here, Mitch – many thanks. Of course it is important to know a lot about your Goods and Services before you start writing about them. You are trying to be an expert on your subject (As you are with yours.), but too many online writers only ape what others say, not anything new and valuable. Of course, this is the way hat you get advertisers wanting to give you money, too.
Good point Ken. That’s why marketing one’s own products is preferred because we all should really know our own stuff. Throughout the years on this blog, I’ve only marketed stuff I knew something about, though sometimes I might not have known tons about it in the past.
I believe most bloggers make their income independent of the actual blog but supported by it, if that makes sense. Many bloggers build their audience and following and use that “clout” to start paid membership sites, courses, and other off-site content.
Blogging allows us to learn what needs can be filled when it comes time to offer something substantial.
In the mean time, those same methods you listed are great ways to “earn as we learn”. There’s no point in delaying income, the sooner the better. As long as it’s worth selling or recommending and helps build the trust of our audience. One of my favorite topics. 🙂
I tend to believe you’re correct Brian, but we both know there are those few who have figured it out in some fashion. I could have mentioned lots of stuff but it didn’t seem to make sense because it’s peanuts, if that. I tend to believe that if you’re blogging as a business you’d better be looking at it long term, which means offering other services.
Hey Mitch,
You certainly mentioned the basic ways to earn money online, but you first need the relevant traffic only then you’ll be able to make money. This is where lots of bloggers fail and quit. If I ask you what few activities you would suggest to get targeted audience on any blog.
Pankaj, I tend to believe, per testing, that the best way to get a targeted audience is to go to blogs that are similar to what you’re trying to market and comment on them. I’ve found that blog commenting drives more traffic back to you than anything else. I wouldn’t limit it to that of course because you never know where you’re going to get a customer, but that’s what I’d concentrate on after making sure what I had to offer was solid.
Which ones do you think are the most valuable?
Hi Mitch, thanks for the nice summary. Another interesting way to earn money with your own website are the PR articles. I personally don’t write or publish PR articles, but I know that a lot of my friends earn money this way.
Most of it is an article about a product or service. The article contains a number of back links and it basically looks like review.
I am a fan of advertising (most valuable for me). And selling products as well 🙂
An.
Actually Angel, the only people who make guaranteed money with PR articles are those people who write them and sell them. What most people don’t do when they buy the articles is change them up into something that resembles their own voice, which means it’s basically a copy of content that someone else is using because they bought the same articles. That’s too bad but that’s how I’ve seen people using them most of the time.
Hi Mitch,
Another way what I discovered recently what also can bring you income with websites is simply making sites and reselling them on websites or forum sections made for these purposes.
I know some of my internet acquaintances doing this and making nice money with it.
What they do is they register some nice eye-catching domain, make a content for it with some good designed unique logo, banners, text etc. and then they post it to store sections. It’s interesting how many people are willing to buy these websites because not everyone have time to make one so it’s easier for them to just get it for “few” bucks.
However to do this you have to be skilled web and graphic designer, but for those who are, this is very profitable way to make money.
I hope this way I mentioned fits with your list above. 🙂
Thanks for your share!
Regards,
Paul
Paul, there’s lots of ways to do it and that’s a good one. You’re right though, people need technical skills to do that one. I can make websites, but I have no clue how to make templates, which works the best.
I like this article. Thanks for sharing. I’m learning how to be more successful with my various websites. I’m going to try some things and let you know how it goes.
You do that Yasmin; you’re going to do great! 🙂