As one who has made a living online for several years, I am often asked "What is the best way to make money online?" Friends, family, and business associates often ask this, and the answers are many. I have made money online a number of ways over the years, and I will share them with you now. I would say no certain one is the best, but each has pluses and minuses that will make them more or less attractive to each individual. The list and some information follows, and they are in no particular order. 1. Ebay
Ebay can be a great way to make money online, as I am sure you have heard. Ebay is particularly attractive if you are able to manufacture something of value well, and for a low cost. Whether it is jewelry, furniture, car kits, pet items, just about anything, if you can make it and do so cheaply, you have a great potential business on your hands. The other possibility is to find access to a desirable product that you can acquire cheaper than most people can. (due to insider info, relationships, geographical or tax advantages, etc.)
Once you have figured out your product or products, spend some time researching similar auctions on Ebay's current and past listings. First, decide if you can compete in the market. Do you have a price, quality, brand or other advantage that will allow you to outsell your competition? Is there high demand and low supply? If the answers are yes, proceed to see what listings are selling for the highest prices, and pay very close attention to their wording, pictures, layout, pricing structure, everything. Learn from people who are making it happen already, instead of wasting time and money learning from your own mistakes.
2. Online Services/Freelancing
If you possess training or talents for in-demand services that do not require your physical presence, you can have a profitable online income. People are always looking for web designers, content writers, article writers, editors, blog and forum posters, talents, and more online. This type of work is especially attractive if you live in a part of the world where the cost of living is low. It is essential in virtually all of these to have strong English language skills.
Great places to find this work include craigslist.org's talent and creative sections (under services), ifreelance.com, and for the more web savvy - the Digital Point forums. Identify your talent, search for people who need your services, and start doing business.
3. Forex Trading
This is definitely one that is gaining popularity. Forex trading is much like the stock market, but instead of trading companies, you are trading the currencies of different countries. Forex brokers allow you to trade 24 hours a day online, and give great leverage, allowing you to and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth the currencies for just a few hundred dollars. With news, trading systems, or instincts, you make your trades, and can make quite a great deal of money.
To read more on Forex trading, visit www.forex-info.com to read articles, study systems, find a recommended broker, and discuss Forex trading on the forums there. Use the beginner tools there, find a strategy you like, and open an account with a broker. Deposit some funds, start trading, and hopefully become a successful trader as many others have, or possibly even strike it rich!
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves developing or buying websites, using social media (twitter, Facebook, etc.), and other web marketing tools to promote other people's products and services. Essentially, you want to create compelling or unique content and messages and use them to drive business to your affiliates. They in turn pay you for each customer you send to them.
Some great resources for finding products and services to promote include ClickBank, Google AdSense, amazon.com, Commission Junction, and several others. Find a product or service that you either know well, are excited about, or know people who need them and start your business.
There are a great number of ways to make money online, but for me, these are by far some of the best and the most profitable. They can be done with little or no investment, you can start making money today, and are all legitimate and legal ways to make great money online. No matter how you decide to make money online, it will take some work or investment, and require you to believe in what you are doing.
Ebay can be a great way to make money online, as I am sure you have heard. Ebay is particularly attractive if you are able to manufacture something of value well, and for a low cost. Whether it is jewelry, furniture, car kits, pet items, just about anything, if you can make it and do so cheaply, you have a great potential business on your hands. The other possibility is to find access to a desirable product that you can acquire cheaper than most people can. (due to insider info, relationships, geographical or tax advantages, etc.)
Once you have figured out your product or products, spend some time researching similar auctions on Ebay's current and past listings. First, decide if you can compete in the market. Do you have a price, quality, brand or other advantage that will allow you to outsell your competition? Is there high demand and low supply? If the answers are yes, proceed to see what listings are selling for the highest prices, and pay very close attention to their wording, pictures, layout, pricing structure, everything. Learn from people who are making it happen already, instead of wasting time and money learning from your own mistakes.
2. Online Services/Freelancing
If you possess training or talents for in-demand services that do not require your physical presence, you can have a profitable online income. People are always looking for web designers, content writers, article writers, editors, blog and forum posters, talents, and more online. This type of work is especially attractive if you live in a part of the world where the cost of living is low. It is essential in virtually all of these to have strong English language skills.
Great places to find this work include craigslist.org's talent and creative sections (under services), ifreelance.com, and for the more web savvy - the Digital Point forums. Identify your talent, search for people who need your services, and start doing business.
3. Forex Trading
This is definitely one that is gaining popularity. Forex trading is much like the stock market, but instead of trading companies, you are trading the currencies of different countries. Forex brokers allow you to trade 24 hours a day online, and give great leverage, allowing you to and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth the currencies for just a few hundred dollars. With news, trading systems, or instincts, you make your trades, and can make quite a great deal of money.
To read more on Forex trading, visit www.forex-info.com to read articles, study systems, find a recommended broker, and discuss Forex trading on the forums there. Use the beginner tools there, find a strategy you like, and open an account with a broker. Deposit some funds, start trading, and hopefully become a successful trader as many others have, or possibly even strike it rich!
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves developing or buying websites, using social media (twitter, Facebook, etc.), and other web marketing tools to promote other people's products and services. Essentially, you want to create compelling or unique content and messages and use them to drive business to your affiliates. They in turn pay you for each customer you send to them.
Some great resources for finding products and services to promote include ClickBank, Google AdSense, amazon.com, Commission Junction, and several others. Find a product or service that you either know well, are excited about, or know people who need them and start your business.
There are a great number of ways to make money online, but for me, these are by far some of the best and the most profitable. They can be done with little or no investment, you can start making money today, and are all legitimate and legal ways to make great money online. No matter how you decide to make money online, it will take some work or investment, and require you to believe in what you are doing.
