The internet is great and all, but finding legitimate ways to make money online can be one heck of a task, especially with almost every single “opportunity” needing you to recruit others in order to make any money.
Within the 4+ years of working from home and reviewing different programs, I can honestly say that there aren’t that many real ways that money can be made from the internet.
These legit programs are very straight to the point and are not promoted as some type of get rich quick type of gig but they are the ones that actually work.
Most are designed for the owners of various products to make money by simply taking advantage of the completely uneducated but that’s why you have us here at aworkathomejobs.com
So before you even start thinking that you will be the next online success story, let me give you a little breakdown of how a lot of these scam or not so legit websites work.
For your benefit, you can simply jump ahead as we have create a quick navigation section for you below.
[su_box title=”Quick Navigation” box_color=”#295ac9″] [/su_box]The Obvious Scams
First, we have those sites that are too good to be true.
They are usually free to join and promise to make you thousands of dollars.
They are usually ran from someone outside of the US and if they aren’t taking your money, they will try to get some personal information that they can use against you later with a nice little phishing scam.
Promotions with these sites are usually done by having you join for free, all while offering you some money for getting others to join so you can spread the disease.
Don’t be gullible and understand that there is no free way to thousands of dollars on the internet.
The Better Alternative Sites
With the fact that you are able to make money online through different channels, you will have the gurus that simply “have a better way” to do things.
Don’t fall for them.
They prey on those that are completely new online but they mainly focus on those that have failed trying to make anything on the internet.
The type of marketing they use are stuff like…
“We have done everything for you”
“This is the easier way to make money online”
“We have the shortcut to success”
The list goes on, but you get my point.
If you have come across some of this stuff in your search for a legitimate way to make money online, you will know what I’m talking about.
These types of sites are designed for the owner to cash in on your desperation, so don’t fall for them either.
The Ponzi Scheme
These are the most common types of scams these days, especially with the whole Digital Currency craze.
So before you give in to anyone that is trying to get you to join them, just know that digital currency is nothing but a currency used within the online world.
Nothing more, nothing less.
So when someone approaches you about a “chance for you to make money”, just ignore them or you will most likely get involved with some kind of Ponzi scheme.
They are obviously going to be getting some type of incentive for getting you to join, which is an obvious sign that the program is recruiting based.
Don’t get these mixed up with multilevel marketing (MLM) companies, as these are sites that come with no product or service but offer you a way to make money.
You can find them in digital currency programs, revenue sharing sites, and any site that claims that you can make thousands of dollars by simply joining.
Pay to Play Scams
These sites are very similar to Ponzi Schemes but they can be tricky.
They are mostly found on social media in the form of “I jus made $1,000!”.
You simply make money by purchasing a product to sell the product but you will find them covered up with “resell rights”.
In the world of making money online, you do not need to buy a product to sell a product no matter what the person trying to get you to join them says.
These sites usually start you off with free or some kind of small fee but will eventually turn into you HAVING to spend a lot of money in order to make the big bucks.
They use some marketing that will have you thinking that you will miss out on commissions if you don’t purchase that “product”.
When they flash something like 100% commissions in your face, it’s hard to say no, especially if you have the money and could be possibly missing out on some cash.
And if you don’t have the money, these scammers will tell you to pull out a loan, ask family and friends, and all the things you shouldn’t do, so please be careful with these types of sites as they are the most popular right now.
At the end of the day, you simply need to stick with the good old saying and you will be good to go.
“If it seems too good to be true, then it most likely is”
Now that you have a better picture of how these types of scams work, I want to show you the few legitimate ways that people are really making money online with.
1.) Blogging
This is my most favorite way of making money online.
And no this is not a site that talks about your life and the hotdog you ate yesterday, that you can’t stop thinking about.
This is a blog that is designed for you to make money by simply sharing an interest you may have with the rest of the world through a simple website.
How it Works:
- Pick a passion or interest
- Build a site around that topic
- Blog
- Make money
With the proper training, this is by far the best way for any online entrepreneur to get started with making money online legitimately.
How Money is Made:
By providing advertising, products, or services on your site, you will then be able to make money in the process.
If I ran a site on survival, I would build out that same site with articles on how to do things, product reviews, and anything related to what people are searching for within the search engines.
How to Get Started:
You can start a blog for free but those types of sites are usually owned by the provider and limits you to what you can do as well as your earning potential.
Starting a blog to make money requires several things in order to operate, with the biggest one being a website.
This simple website comes with many little components and can confuse a lot of you if you’re completely new to websites.
Websites require a domain, hosting, and a content management system (CMS) in order to function.
On top of the basics, you will need a theme, a keyword research tool, and most especially some training on how to make money.
I used to be all over the place when it came to setting up a blog and getting all the necessary tools until I was introduced to a program called the Wealthy Affiliate.
They literally have all the tools you need to start and run a successful blog, so I do recommend you check them out.
They do offer a free trial along with two free websites, so definitely take advantage of that.
You can also read more here to get an in depth explanation of how to start a blog to make money online.
2. Affiliate Marketing
This goes hand in hand with blogging and probably your best bet at monetizing your blog.
You do not need to own any products and you do not need to purchase anything to make money with affiliate marketing.
This is where I make most of my money as an online marketer and one method I recommend to anyone who is not just looking to make money online but to use it as a career as well.
How it Works:
Sign up with a program that has an affiliate program, get your personal affiliate link, make money.
Almost every single website that you shop on or have shopped on has an affiliate program.
By becoming an affiliate of Amazon, Ebay, Walmart, etc, you are able to make a commission if you direct anyone to the actual site using your personal affiliate link.
How Money is Made:
Once a person clicks on your personal link, a cookie is stored and you will get credit for any purchases made on the site you are affiliated with.
So if I am an affiliate for Amazon.com and I direct a customer to their site with my personal link, I will get credit for ANYTHING that they purchase from that point on.
Even if I was talking about a bluetooth headset and that person ended up buying diapers, I will still get credit for that purchase.
How to get started:
Affiliate marketing usually requires a website to get started but some companies don’t require one.
If you plan to become an Amazon Associate, you will definitely need one or you won’t get approved.
3.) Dropshipping
This business model is one that caters to those of you who have a fatter wallet and are into more of a commerce approach to business.
However, this method does not require you to own or purchase any products but you will actually be “shipping” them out to your customers.
How it Works:
The idea behind dropshipping is to buy low, then sell higher to make a profit.
This business requires a website that uses e-commerce, a partnership with a company that allows drop shipping, and a PayPal account.
As a dropshipper, your job is to build a site with products and then advertise your site with the sole purpose of providing people with an e-commerce style approach.
This method uses the specific niche concept with products like mugs, hats, cool gadgets, etc. but you do not own or need to purchase any of these products.
How Money is Made:
The goal of a dropshipper is to have your site’s visitors to purchase a product or products on your site.
Once that purchase is made, the money goes directly into your PayPal account, as if you were the actual owner of the product.
Once that is complete, you will then head over to the dropshipper to place that order, which will then be shipped directly to your customer.
How to get started:
This is a very technical business but one that can be very rewarding.
I recommend you get signed up with Shopify as they not only offer a free trial but they have some awesome training on drop shipping as well.
4.) E-commerce
This is the most common way to make money online and one that also requires the most work and biggest investment.
However, this can be the most profitable, if you know what you are doing.
How it works:
Very much like a regular old store, you will purchase products and sell them.
This time it will be done on a website that you will have to create or have a developer create.
If you have experience with a traditional business, this can be a very lucrative venture as your overhead costs are nothing compared to what you have have to pay with a real life business.
How money is made:
Buy a product from a wholesaler, sell the product, make a profit.
Getting started:
Shopify is also a great place to start your e-commerce business as they are very affordable and again, give you a free trial that allows you to build out your whole store to start making money immediately.
All without having to pay a single penny.
Get a FREE Trial of Shopify Here
5.) Become a YouTuber
This is another money maker that is not fully understood.
Some of you may know that there are several thousand Vloggers that are not just making money with YouTube but making it by the millions.
I don’t know about you but my kids are huge fans of YouTube and being the online marketer that I am, I completly understand how they are contributing to these millionaires.
Here’s how you need to look at things though…
Imagine just making 1% of what these YouTube sensations are making?
Or even .001%.
That my friend is well over $10K Per month and an income that I’m sure you can enjoy.
How it Works:
Very much like blogging, Vlogging is done by creating content around a very specific niche, only this time it is in the form of a video.
By creating content around an interest of yours, you can build out a YouTube channel
How You Make Money:
Advertising is a huge part of every vloggers income but once you become established, you will eventually get contacted by other companies who will want you to sponsor their products.
Affiliate marketing is also another way to earn an income with vlogging, so you can see that the monetization for one YouTube channel is pretty insane.
Getting Started:
You can create a free YouTube channel and you can start uploading videos immediately.
I recommend reading this article as these guys offer some helpful tips on starting a vVlog.
Every single one of these business models has the potential to make you $10K or more if you really wanted to.
They are completely legit and they are careers that people like myself have adopted.
But before you join, here are some of the most popular questions we receive, so you can get a better understanding of the whole process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
With everything else online, the questions will keep rolling in unless I address them beforehand.
So for those of you that might be curious about certain things regarding the process of making money online, here is a list of the most commonly asked questions.
What do you need to get started?
At the very least, you need a computer and the costs to setup and maintain a website, which can be done for less than $20/month. If you are looking at becoming a YouTuber, you will need a camera, unless you are doing tutorials of some sort that can be done by using a screen recorder like Screen-O-Matic.
How much money can you make?
You can make anywhere from a couple hundred dollars a month to as much as you can imagine. With the growth of your business, your knowledge, and overall understanding of how everything works, you will literally dictate the amount of money you will bring in. And no, I’m not exaggerating.
How long will it take to make money?
The beginning of any business is usually slow and it isn’t any different online. For blogging and Vlogging, you will not see an immediate income but depending on your work ethic and knowledge, you can very much start seeing results in as little as three months. With dropshipping and e-commerce, you can see immediate results.
Who is this for?
This is for anyone. It doesn’t matter how much you know about computers or technology, any one of the methods above does not require a college degree or high school diploma. They are legitimate businesses that simply require time and an investment.
Is it sustainable?
Yes. As long as you maintain your business and stay up to date with the changes that come with the internet, you can rely on the internet for a full-time income.
How much money do you need to get started?
I mentioned that in each business model above but with something like blogging and vlogging, you can start for free and are really only required to spend no more than $50/month.
Conclusion
The last thing I could possibly tell you is to take action.
Every single method mentioned above can make you well over $10,000 per month so the rest is on you.
I do it and so do many others that will probably never go back to a regular job unless the internet was to disappear.
I hope you have found this post to be very helpful but if you do have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Thanks for reading and good luck!