How to Make Money Online

First of all, if you are looking for a
get-rich-quick scheme, you have definitely come to the wrong place and you'd better hit the back button on your computer as you will be sadly disappointed! The bad news is, I am not here to tell you ways to make millions online with little or no effort. These methods are few and far between, if they even exist at all. The good news is, however, that it is entirely possible for you to earn additional income online if you work for it. Making money online is like any other business; it takes time, patience and perseverance. If you have these qualities and are truly interested in generating extra money on the internet, then by all means, read on.

What many people don't realize is that you can actually make money in the convenience of your own home by writing original articles and publishing them online. Many of the sites that I will be telling you about will pay you a share of the revenue they receive from Google Adsense. Some will even pay you a flat rate for your submissions!

If you follow these steps, you can begin to earn money on the internet almost immediately, but once again, the key is patience. It is going to take time for you to build up your repertoire of articles. It is fairly simple, the more you write the more you will make!

Eventually, if you are consistent and persistent, you can and will make a comfortable, residual income through writing online.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• computer
• thesaurus
• dictionary
• internet access
• reasonable grasp of the English language
• basic computer skills or ability to learn

1. 
    
   Help, My Computer is Scaring Me!

   Become Computer Literate
   
   Understanding the basics of how to use a computer and the internet is a must if you want to earn extra money online through writing. If you are not computer literate, don't fret, as it does not take long to develop the basics. Like any skill, however, the more you do it, the easier it will become, so be patient with yourself!
   
   For those of you who need to brush up on your computer skills, please see the link I have posted at the bottom for a free, online Basic Computer Skills Tutorial.

2. 
    
   Oh My, What Should I Write About Today?

   Generalist or Niche Writer
   
   In order to generate a decent income you should be able to write reasonably well about a variety of topics. Or, if you are extremely knowledgeable in one area, you may choose to write about those subjects that fall within your particular niche. Either way is acceptable and will work to your benefit.
   
   For example, although I am a registered nurse, and have extensive knowledge about health related topics, I am also a generalist. As long as I have an available resource on a subject, I can write about anything. I do, however, enjoy writing about topics that I understand, so for me to write about computer repair would probably make me sound like a complete idiot. Therefore, I tend to stick to topics I am familiar with; health, fitness, love, dating, sex, pets, fashion, style...you get the picture.
   
   Writing about topics that you are unfamiliar with, however, can be a excellent way to expand your knowledge base by forcing you to do the necessary research required to write a good article. Be sure that any research done is from a reliable source. You would not want to mislead your readers in any way!

3. 
    
   Learn To Use Your ABC's in Writing

   Mastering the English Language
   
   In order to be a writer, you should possess at least a rudimentary grasp of the English language, ie; know how to spell and construct a sentence. There is nothing worse for an individual to be put through reader hell by trying to stomach an article that has multiple spelling errors and poor grammar.
   
   Additionally, avoid sentences that are so long you could smoke an entire cigarette before you are through reading them. This is a major turn off for most readers. Keep your sentences short and concise. You can actually say alot, using very few words.
   
   The length of your article should also be taken into account. Consider that the average internet surfer has an extremely short attention span. Articles that are too long will lose the interest of the reader; too short and they will go somewhere else to find the answer to their problem.
   
   Some websites will actually advise you on how long to make your articles. For example, with EHow, the recommended article length is 400-600 words. With Hubpages, flagship hubs that receive the highest ratings and generate the most income are a minimum of 1500 words with a variety of out links, pictures and videos.
   
   Remember, if English is not your first language, try taking a course at your local college or online in basic writing skills. If you are targeting an English-speaking audience, then you must learn to write proficiently in English.
   
   For those of you who need to brush up on your English, I have included a link to a free online English course at the bottom of this article!

4. 
    
   Tools of the Trade

   Tools of the Trade
   
   If you are like me, how you write your articles will most likely depend upon which website you are writing for. For example, if you were submitting an article for an online magazine that required an extensive word count, you should probably use Word. In doing this, you can utilize the Word tools from the toolbar on top of the page. They include spell check, a thesaurus and word count. Word will also alert you if your sentence structure is incorrect with the spelling and grammar tool. As an added benefit, you will be able to save your work which is an extremely intelligent thing to do.
   
   If however, you are writing an article for sites such as EHow or Hubpages, for example, you can actually write directly on the site. Most of these sites have their own online tools. Beware, however, there have been reports, especially on Hubpages, that somehow, entire hubs have been deleted and never found again. So, use your own judgement.
   
   Utilizing tools of the trade and investing in a dictionary and thesaurus will definitely help to improve your writing ability and in my opinion, are #1 on the must have list for writers.
   
   Additionally, because you will be sitting at the computer for hours upon hours, you should also invest in a comfortable computer chair and a gel pad to place below your keypad for your wrists to rest on when you type. These simple things will make your writing experience much more comfortable.

5. 
    
   Hubpages.com

   You Have Written Your First Article, Now What?
   
   There are many online forums that allow self-publishing of your articles once you start to write. Remember the golden rule, however, that the key to making money in any of these forums is quality and quantity. Over a long period of time you can build a nice, steady income, but it is going to take time. The more articles you write, the more money you will eventually make. Here is a list to get you started:
   
   http://www.hubpages.com
   http://www.helium.com
   http://www.squidoo.com
   http://www.xomba.com
   http://www.ehow.com
   http://www.associatedcontent.com
   
   That should keep you busy for awhile, now moving on about the importance of links.

6. 
    
   Where Can I Get Backlinks

   Back links
   
   The more links you have pointing to your article, the higher the page rank will be. Higher page rank means more traffic which equals more money. I link all of my articles together. If I write an article on EHow for example, I post a blurb with a link to the article on my blog, www.rnonline.blogspot.com, and on Xomba. I also post links on my profile pages to all the sites that I write on including Hubpages, Helium, my blog and EHow. Any time that I start to write for a new site, I add the link to all of my profiles. Sometimes, profile pages bring in the most traffic, so make sure to make yours interesting to entice your readers to read your articles.
   
   I would recommend if you are serious about making money online, that you start your own blog so that you can begin to create back links to all of your articles. I use Google Blogger. It is very simple and easy to use, but there are many more free Blogspots out there for you to choose from.
   
   After you have started your blog, the next step is to make sure that you use email to spread the word about your articles as well. Post links to your articles in all of your emails to friends, coworkers and family members. Most of those you know will want to support you in your endeavor and this can be an excellent way to boost traffic!
   
   Social Bookmarking is also a great place to post links. For example, when you write an article, if you join www.digg.com, you can post your link with a short blurb on digg and hopefully others will digg your article as well. I have many hubs on hubpages that are on the first page of Google, in the top 5 listings because of Digg. Other social networking sites include: www.stumbleupon.com, www.del.icio.us, www.technorati.com, and www.propeller.com. I am sure there are many more if you do a web search.

7. 
    
   Building Your Own Slice of Internet Revenue Pie

   Final Thoughts
   
   If you enjoy writing, then you will enjoy it even more if you are getting paid for it. Perhaps in the first week, you may only earn enough to buy yourself a cup of coffee and a donut if you are lucky! Don't despair. It gets better each week with the more articles you write. And don't forget to build friendships in the online communities that you are writing for. It will help you to gain popularity which will increase traffic to your articles! And, as a final farewell thought, good luck to all who venture into the wonderful world of making money online!

Tips & Warnings

• If you are writing for an extended period of time, be sure to get up and stretch at least every hour, this includes your neck, wrists and lower back. Muscles in these areas can become quite strained if you do not practice this.
• Don't ignore taking care of yourself. Always work on a full stomach and have a beverage by your side to maintain hydration!
• Writing online can be addicting. Like anything, do it in moderation and keep a healthy balance in your life!

Resources

• Basic Computer Skills Tutorial
• Free Online English Course
• My Best Hub Ever: Sexy Women's Corsets

[parollins]

on 3/1/2009 Thanks for this. Your article was encouraging but, practical. 5* and a recommend!

[jpwriter]

on 9/13/2008 good ideas and insight. thanks!

[Elizabethknows]

on 8/6/2008 I liked this thank you for sharing your insights!

[Kayar]

on 7/30/2008 Great article, lots of useful details. :) I have a question though - if you had to choose just one of the websites you listed in #5 (not counting eHow), based on how much you earn there, which would it be?

[djtphn1]

on 2/29/2008 thanks Olimadhi...