So
it turns out that the internet is good for more than just porn and
video games – you can make money off it too! Think of the internet as a
giant country called Imaginationland. By playing your cards right, you
can make some easy money online doing things you’re already doing. Here
are some lifehacks to start you off:
1. Website Building
If
the internet is a country, then websites are like real estates. I’m
hoping by now you have a general understanding that real estates are
valuable in the physical world – digital real estates work the same
way. By building a website, you’re creating your own plot of online
“land.”
You can fill this land with whatever you want, but you
have to promote it through social media (and anywhere else you can
think of) for this to be successful. When you build traffic to your
land, you can sell people whatever you have to offer. In order to build
a website, you need a host (i.e
GoDaddy), a template (i.e
WordPress), and content.
The
first two parts are easy to find, and content is only as difficult as
you make it. You can post blogs, items for sale, pictures, videos, or
whatever you want. Opening up your own website gives you the potential
to make money from the avenues I’m going to mention.
2. B2B Marketing
An online business model I love is utilized by
GetVoiP,
an affiliate marketer based in New York. GetVoiP acts as an agent for
business communication providers. They maintain updated listings of
VoiP providers, including ratings, comparisons, consumer reviews,
in-depth knowledge of market and end-user trends, and expert opinions
from business professionals on a variety of topics related to business
consumers. By not only keeping abreast of news, but providing detailed
analysis of products being offered, GetVoiP is able to generate traffic
to their site and increase their clout with businesses.
The more
online clout you have as a business, the more money you’ll make. If
you’re known for making lasting connections (as is the case with
GetVoiP above), then you’ll have no issues building your online brand.
You’ll be recognized in your community and begin to build a buzz in
your industry. Tracking your numbers (how many people view your site,
click each ad, and make a purchase from that click) gives you the
leverage to expand this part of your business, enabling you to continue
building your online rep.
If
that sounds like too much technical information for you, there is an
easy button – Google’s advertising platform is as simple as signing up,
enabling (on Blogger) or pasting a small code on your website, and
allowing the advertisements to automatically roll in. The problem with
this program is that you don’t get any commissions – and you don’t get
to control the ad content. This is useful for some, but powerful users
will want something a little more robust.
Amazon
has an Associates program for site owners and bloggers. They offer a
search tool to find the right products and services from their site and
a variety of ad styles to display on your site, including text-based
and banner images (digital billboards) like this:
Each item
purchased through your Amazon links give you a commission. It doesn’t
take high volume traffic to achieve results, either. I began making
money with the program when I only had 1,000 hits per month on my site.
They can apply your earnings to your Amazon account balance, issue you
a check, or direct deposit into your bank account. If you love Amazon,
you’ll love their associate’s program.
Click here for another Lifehack dedicated to Amazon Associates.
Amazon
and Google are far from your only options for online advertising.
Rakuten Linkshare is a great place to search for other affiliates for
your ads. Through their program, you can get customized ad links, email
links, and banner ads for Starbucks, Walmart, iTunes, and a slew of
other popular brands. With this program, you can also find smaller
companies, regional or specialized brands, and more. I run a
combination of Google, Amazon, and Rakuten’s programs, and my monthly
income is approximately $150 from these programs. It’s not a lot of
money, but it’s also not a lot of work for residual (it means
recurring…since the ads are permanent…) income.
6. Company Referral Programs
Speaking
of the benefits of permanent ads, banners and links aren’t the only
ways to earn a little bit of dough off your online endeavors. By having
a website, you gain the power of emailing companies to ask them for
things. I have no shame in letting the yoga company whose mat I’m
looking into purchasing know that I have a blog and write for yoga
publications – it sometimes gets me discounts.
Other times, I
gain a valuable business contact in PR, advertising, or other aspects
of corporate sales. Sometimes I just get a free drink. Either way,
money in and of itself is worthless. Ditch the middle man and use the
internet to barter what you have and can do for what you need.
If
you have a social media account, try out Klout. The company tracks your
social media usage, determines how big and what type of audience you
draw based on the subject matter of your updates and posts. Using this
information, you’re qualified to receive free items, tickets, etc.
Check their website often to find ways of earning free stuff by doing
what you’re already doing online…boring the rest of us…
8. EBay
If
you have anything you want to sell, then EBay is the place you need to
seriously consider doing it first. Personally I’m not a fan of the site
because of the work it takes to build up a reputation. If you’re
willing to grind through that process, you’ll be rewarded with many
privileges – people have gotten rich selling books about how they got
rich selling everything on EBay:
Click here for a few tips from the pros.
If
you start getting too big for EBay or decide you want to try a
different flavor, Amazon has a marketplace as well. I prefer using
Amazon because I can depend on their shipping, have a Prime account,
and trust their reviews (overall, not usually singularly, although
occasionally that as well). Learn more about Amazon’s marketplace by
clicking on this Lifehack, and delve into the marketplace.
The
difference between Amazon and EBay is that EBay (though still filled
with new items) is seen as a used marketplace between individual
parties, whereas Amazon (which is filled with offers for new and used
merchandise from the 3
rd parties) is viewed as a
Wal-Mart-type superstore. As a consumer, this difference leads me to
use Amazon, so it only makes sense to target on my own demographic.
If
you’re crafty (and I mean that in more than one way, wink wink), you’ll
enjoy Etsy. Handcrafted items are the bread and butter here. Plenty of
people make decent side money on the site, which is basically an EBay
for crafters and artists. Set up a sellers account with Etsy, and
you’ll be asked to set up your virtual storefront and put up at least 5
goods for sale.
Once you have this down, you’ll be a budding Etsy
entrepreneur. Provide great quality to your customers, and they’ll
often return. Many people are willing to pay a premium for quality
handmade designs. Etsy (like EBay and Amazon) takes a cut off the top
for selling items through their site. PayPal takes another cut, and you
have to be careful with taxes on all income, so be diligent while
building your online business.
Craigslist
is the modern equivalent of the classified ads that dominated the days
of newspapers. These quick ads are easy to navigate and use, and
they’re geographically linked. Whether you’re selling something or
offering a service,
this lifehack is a great place to start learning the intricacies of Craigslist.
Posting
ads on Craigslist is technically easy, but people often have fears
about posting their personal information on the site. I communicate
mostly through email when doing business on Craigslist, and I’ve never
run into any issues. I’ve never been ripped off, nor have I been
murdered or raped for using the site. It takes common sense, so use
your best judgment, but don’t assume someone is a thief just because of
their preferred communication method. For an extra bonus, google “funny
Craigslist ads” to see some delightful examples of guerilla and
grassroots marketing.
Maybe
what you need is a job. It doesn’t matter which job search site you
prefer using (even Craigslist) – Indeed tracks them all, and then some.
You can find jobs posted on company websites, through temp agencies,
and more at Indeed. If money is something you really need, Indeed is
most definitely the place you want to visit to browse career
opportunities.
Where
Indeed excels at finding job postings across the web and acting as a
search crawler for employment, maybe a full-fledged career is too big
of a commitment at this point in your life. Elance is a site to find
freelance work of all types. I’ve used it for quick writing, editing,
copywriting, resume building, and other odd jobs and temp gigs. The
experience has been great.
Elance offers a wide array of
technical, data entry, accounting, and other freelance and temp gigs.
If you’re just looking for something short and sweet, log in, input and
showcase your marketable skills, and begin searching through their job
database, using any parameters you desire. Once you submit a bid,
you’ll receive an acceptance or denial – you may get a few rejections,
but don’t sweat it. Negotiate the terms of your bid, and get to work.
You have money to make.
If
you’ve heard of crowdsourcing (and even if you haven’t), Amazon’s
Mechanical Turk program is a great place to get involved. Much like at
Elance, you input your info and skills. You then are able to search for
different menial tasks ranging from identifying inappropriate web
content to transcribing audio recordings to basic data entry work.
Just
like at any other job, the more work you do, and the better your
quality, the more opportunities you’ll have to make money. The payouts
are often small, and your payment is received in Amazon credit, but
Mturk is a great place to make mindless money while veg’ing on the
couch watching TV.
LinkedIn
is a social media site for professionals. This isn’t a direct way to
make money, but it’s a great way to connect to your current and
potential peers, customers, clients, vendors, and more here. You’ll
build a reputation and get in the loop on important developments in
your chosen career path and/or industry. One day an old college buddy
may hit you up for a dream job you never considered at the exact moment
you are looking for a new vocation. Whether you like it or not, keeping
your LinkedIn profile current is a great way to get surprised with new
work opportunities out the blue.
